Honest Review: Novx 9mm Defensive Ammo

When the Second Amendment was written, the founding fathers used the word “arms” instead of “muskets” or “guns.” While many argue the meaning of this, most believe that it was because they envisioned technological advances along the way. Even in their short lifetimes, they had seen muskets evolve into rifles; repeating firearms were presaged by multi-barrel “repeaters.” Fast forward a few hundred years, and this development continues to include some radically new designs, such as the Novx Engagement Extreme cartridge. This ammunition is built with the company’s signature poly/copper bullet that delivers energy through rotation instead of impact velocity. Most shooters instantly associate this manufacturer with this technology; however, they make a plethora of other excellent products too. After skimming the interwebs, I requested two of the more interesting ones to see how they fared at the range.

Novx Pentagon

Many shooters shy away from carrying a poly-blend bullet and cite poor barrier penetration as their chief complaint. Although that claim isn’t entirely valid, there was little stopping Novx from making a cartridge that would unquestionably penetrate common material, so that’s exactly what it did.

By using a monolithic copper bullet coupled with a stout charge of fast-burning powder, this bullet flies straight and fast through most interior building materials without fear of jacket/core separation because it is one solid piece of copper. I tested these in a Taurus micro-compact GX4 and a Canik METE full-sized pistol and was astonished at the velocity that I could pull out of this 115-grain bullet. Out of the 3.06-inch barreled GX4, I obtained a 10-shot velocity average of 1178 FPS, and the rounds went straight through both plywood and sheetrock. By observing the paper targets that I had placed 10 feet behind these barriers, the clean, concentric holes told me that the projectiles held their course and remained utterly intact too. Things only got spicier with the METE as the 5.2” launch tube gave them enough runway to get up to a blazing 1357 FPS. This increase not only delivers more energy to the target but also allows it to defeat thicker and further barriers. Overall, it’s a bad day if you get tagged by one.

Novx Cross Trainer/Competition

Carry ammo is expensive, and unless you took every even-money bet of Joe Biden speed-loading his drawers and falling down a flight of steps, odds are practice sessions with this pricey fodder aren’t in your budget. That’s where the Noxv Cross trainer/Competition ammo comes in. As it is ballistically matched to its defensive counterpart, it impacts the same spot on your target and even recoils similarly. I found the 65-grain round nose bullet cycled flawlessly through both guns and was stupid flat shooting, yielding some of the fastest double-taps I’ve ever produced. The speed at which these exited the muzzle was pretty gnarly, too; 1522 FPS from the compact and 1748 from the full-sized. These were just a hoot to fire and make for a great load to hand a first-time centerfire shooter, as it neatly bridges the gap between .22lr and full-power 9mm +p loads.

The Breakdown

When I first laid eyes on Novx, I said, “Great, another gimmicky one-hit-wonder brand.” And then of course, I tried its flagship product, and I was hooked. Its expansion represents a continued interest in product development and a desire to reach as many gun owners as possible. These concepts pay major dividends towards legitimizing any company, particularly one that makes such an important product. Aside from the 9mm loads, Novx also makes a variety of .380 ACP and .40 S&W rounds and a line of defensive rifle cartridges as well. All of this ammo features its revolutionary bullets packed into its weight-saving stainless-steel cases. For more information on these, as well as the rounds tested in this article, visit novxammo.com