Hornady Critical Defense ammo (Accurate!!!) 9mm 115gn

[IronArcher]

Just a quick review on the Hornady "Critical Defense" ammo. Specifically the 115gn 9mm loads.

I was at the range checking loads/sights with several different loads. Some practice, some self/home defense.

Just wanted to info those who my care, that the "Hornady Critical Defense" ammo was AMAZINGLY accurate!!!

I was shooting mostly practice ammo, and sighting in, but of course, wanted to see where my self/home defense loads were hitting.

I have the Barnes TacXPD and the Hornadys. (both 115 grains)

The practice ammo is pretty much the least expensive stuff I can find at "Fleet Farm"

While I heard the Tanfoglio pistols are very accurate, I wasn't completely blown away with the practice ammo....or even the Barnes. It was good, but not amazing They would hold 3" @25 yards.

Then I tried the Hornady Critical Defense. Now THAT is amazing accuracy!!!! Literally a 5 shot group in 1" at 25 yards!!!

This WILL be my winter self/home defense ammo! I'd still like to try the Speer Gold dot as it is so highly regarded, but for winter (think heavy coats and/or leather) the Critical defense is supposed to open up more reliably...just not as big. I'll save the Barnes for summer or until I can get some of the Speer Gold Dots. If the Speer shoot anything like the Hornady, the Barnes will be practice fodder.

The gun used was a Tanfoglio Witness Elite Limited Pro (4.8" Polygonal barrel).
Just wanted to pass this along for anyone looking for good defense ammo.

P.S. @ 25 yards, the POI is pretty much the same as the practice crap I shoot.

[JHC]

Cool. I found their .45 ACP +P load with a 220 grain bullet to be extremely accurate also. Tamara noted she had seen that load chrono'd with an ave deviation in single digits.

[Default.mp3]

I have been told that Critical Defense performs poorly against intermediate barriers, and that Critical Duty is only marginally better. When I took Vehicle CQB with William Petty, he stated that Hornady should be ashamed of themselves for putting those rounds on the market, although that was from a LE POV, where penetration of auto glass, metal, etc. was just as important as penetration against clothing (which I have been told Critical Defense does adequately).

[Chuck Haggard]

The 124gr +P Gold Dot works very well through heavy winter clothing. Nothing to worry about there. It also tends to be accurate.

I've also found the 135gr +P Critical Duty to be very accurate.

Caleb Giddings was using the .38special for his match shooting due to accuracy from his guns

[Chuck Haggard]

I have been told that Critical Defense performs poorly against intermediate barriers, and that Critical Duty is only marginally better. When I took Vehicle CQB with William Petty, he stated that Hornady should be ashamed of themselves for putting those rounds on the market, although that was from a LE POV, where penetration of auto glass, metal, etc. was just as important as penetration against clothing (which I have been told Critical Defense does adequately).

I've specifically asked William about that and gotten zero in the way of details. In my car shooting I've not noted the Duty to be any worse than many other bonded pistol rounds.

[JBP55]

One of the larger agencies in LA. tested several brands of 9mm ammunition late 2015 and one of the people involved told me they were going with 135+P Critical Duty. At this time I do not know if they followed through on purchasing this ammunition.

[olstyn]

Standard pressure 135 grain Critical Duty is my carry ammo, mainly because I couldn't find Gold Dot or HST available at the time I bought it. I ran a mag worth of it over my chrono a while back, and it averaged just over its advertised velocity (+4 FPS) out of my Walther P99c (3.5" barrel) with an SD of only 8. It may not be the best self defense ammo out there, but as far as its accuracy and consistency go, color me impressed. I'm not surprised to hear that Critical Defense is good in the accuracy department, given that they probably employ similarly good QC practices on all of their "premium" ammunition lines.

[IronArcher]

I have been told that Critical Defense performs poorly against intermediate barriers, and that Critical Duty is only marginally better. When I took Vehicle CQB with William Petty, he stated that Hornady should be ashamed of themselves for putting those rounds on the market, although that was from a LE POV, where penetration of auto glass, metal, etc. was just as important as penetration against clothing (which I have been told Critical Defense does adequately).

Reading their webpage, I think I will switch to the Critical DUTY as the critical defense is optimized for smaller guns,and not designed to take on heavier barriers than heavy clothing and the critical duty is optimized for full size guns, and heavier barriers.

I have also read that the Critical Duty passes ALL barrier tests in FBI testing.

[JHC]

I have been told that Critical Defense performs poorly against intermediate barriers, and that Critical Duty is only marginally better. When I took Vehicle CQB with William Petty, he stated that Hornady should be ashamed of themselves for putting those rounds on the market, although that was from a LE POV, where penetration of auto glass, metal, etc. was just as important as penetration against clothing (which I have been told Critical Defense does adequately).

I think it was jlw a couple years back who posted about observing Critical Duty run through the ringer of LE barrier tests and it performed as well as the Hornady site's data, which is pretty strong on the penetration side albeit average on expanded diameter.

My bad. I'm reading Critical Defense but "seeing" Critical Duty in my head. FWIW this was jlw's thread about the Duty brand I referenced. https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?5828-ballistics-demo&highlight=Critical+Duty

Pretty good results

[TC215]

I have been told that Critical Defense performs poorly against intermediate barriers, and that Critical Duty is only marginally better. When I took Vehicle CQB with William Petty, he stated that Hornady should be ashamed of themselves for putting those rounds on the market, although that was from a LE POV, where penetration of auto glass, metal, etc. was just as important as penetration against clothing (which I have been told Critical Defense does adequately).

For what it's worth, I represented my agency at a Hornady demo about a year and a half ago, where they were shooting Critical Duty into gel through various barriers (denim, glass, metal, and maybe wood?). It performed well in the tests...I think they were mainly shooting 9mm and .45.

They also demo'd some of their rifle rounds...the .223 did ok, but they had a pretty impressive .308 load...I think it was a lighter bullet, but it did better than we thought it would.

They did show us their .38 and .380 Critical Duty rounds, and did mention that they would not do well against barriers.

[Tamara]

Hornady's Critical Defense/Duty loads have been amazingly consistently loaded in my experience.

Sub-10fps SD's are not uncommon for 10-shot strings.

[LtDave]

The .380 Critical Defense is a 1" load in my Glock 42. Right in the x-ring at 15 yards.

[DocGKR]

Critical Duty does very well on the FBI barrier testing--including on vehicles.

[Chuck Haggard]

They did show us their .38 and .380 Critical Duty rounds, and did mention that they would not do well against barriers.

I assume you meant "Defense".


For what it is the Critical Defense loads are pretty good ammo. The .38 snub loadings were recommended by Doc the last I checked. Their 9mm loading is a pretty decent round for the super compact guns.

[TC215]

I assume you meant "Defense".


For what it is the Critical Defense loads are pretty good ammo. The .38 snub loadings were recommended by Doc the last I checked. Their 9mm loading is a pretty decent round for the super compact guns.

Yep, you're right. Had Critical Duty in my head. Thanks.

[Frank R]

I have found the Hornady Custom XTP to be both accurate and deep penetrating.

[olstyn]

I have found the Hornady Custom XTP to be both accurate and deep penetrating.

Yeah, I kinda wish I still had some of the 500 115 gr XTP bullets Hornady "gave" me when I bought my LnL AP press. I used them all in competition, so penetration wasn't an issue, but the accuracy was very good.

[Chuck Haggard]

Yeah, I kinda wish I still had some of the 500 115 gr XTP bullets Hornady "gave" me when I bought my LnL AP press. I used them all in competition, so penetration wasn't an issue, but the accuracy was very good.

You should try their HAP bullet then. Basically the same bullet without the full JHP treatment, it's a JHP made for match use vs actually expanding.

[olstyn]

I've heard that those are nice. Maybe once I get through the case and a half of Montana Golds I've got, I'll try them if I can find a good price. The XTPs were great, in that buying the press meant I only had to pay S&H. Worked out to something like $0.03/bullet. :)

[JAD]

Critical Duty 9mm in both standard and +p loadings has been the most accurate load in several of my 9mms. I am carrying it at the moment.

[Hauptmann]

It would be nice if Hornady offer the 135gr Critical Duty bullet as a reloading component.

[Edwin]

I really wish the HAP bullets were more affordable, but at ¢11/bullet, that's way too much compared to what I am paying now (¢064/bullet).

[jetfire]

The 124gr +P Gold Dot works very well through heavy winter clothing. Nothing to worry about there. It also tends to be accurate.

I've also found the 135gr +P Critical Duty to be very accurate.

Caleb Giddings was using the .38special for his match shooting due to accuracy from his guns

Yup. I've found in multiple platforms/calibers/guns that the Critical Defense rounds are crazy accurate. Since I'm using them as match ammo for competition, penetration through barriers isn't a concern for me. What Critical Defense does for me that I really like is deliver match-grade/handload consistency and accuracy at a price I can afford to pay to use regularly.

[Chuck Haggard]

Yup. I've found in multiple platforms/calibers/guns that the Critical Defense rounds are crazy accurate. Since I'm using them as match ammo for competition, penetration through barriers isn't a concern for me. What Critical Defense does for me that I really like is deliver match-grade/handload consistency and accuracy at a price I can afford to pay to use regularly.

In context it ain't bad defensive ammo either IMHO

[jetfire]

In context it ain't bad defensive ammo either IMHO

It is what I carry as well; mostly because I keep it on hand for accuracy testing and I'm too lazy to keep Ranger-T 147s on hand.

[jiminycricket]

My logic for settling upon Critical Defense is that I wanted to avoid +p in my PM9 which I carry when I can't carry my G19. The nice thing about the PM9 and Glock 19 is obviously the logistics of ammo compatibility. In keeping with the logistics, I just assume to use the same load of 9mm for both. Maybe my logic is flawed, but that was part of my decision process.

[Chuck Haggard]

That is not a bad plan at all. A few people that I know who are on limited budgets have stuck with the 9mm Critical Defense for their CCW guns since recoil and POI is the same as easy to get practice ammo like WWB and Federal 115gr ball.

[OlongJohnson]

I struggled to shoot groups smaller than oranges in my .40s using a variety of ball ammo. 165gr Critical Defense allowed me to empty magazines into lime-size holes or smaller at the same range. Switching back and forth proved it was a repeatable result: it was the ammo, not me. Took some shooting with a buddy, and the same thing happened. I struggled to put a decent group on target with his pistols, but did well with mine. When I looked at his target, he had groups that were no better than mine with his pistols that he's owned and shot for 25 years. There was one lime-sized group, however, which he confirmed he shot with my pistol. He later bought some of the Hornady and confirmed the result with his own pistols.

I no longer have time to listen to people who insist that ammo doesn't make much difference. You can't practice enough to overcome inherently inaccurate ammo.

That was an important but expensive lesson, as it caused me to invest in reloading equipment.

[1986s4]

Hornady HAP bullets for competition are known for their accuracy. I bought a box of 115gr .355 for accuracy testing in a .38 super and found them the best of the bullets I sampled. Pretty sure the HAP is their standard HP without the skivvys and other technicalities for expansion. Occasionally one can find them on sale.

[OlongJohnson]

Midway has a bunch of "Factory Seconds" right now. They are generally Hornady product, and a few of the SKUs are HAPs. I've bought the FS bullets before, and you need to inspect them, as I have come across dimensional oddball individuals. I reckon the lots get rejected or set aside if they know a few goofy ones got through, rather than attempt to sort them all. Good for practice. Questionable for competition, depending on how much a flyer would mean to your overall program.