Hornady .357 135gr Magnum Critical Duty - Good to go?

[4given]

What do you all think about Hornady .357 135gr Magnum Critical Duty? Any credible testing? All I have found online are clear gel tests.

I am currently running Hornady Custom 158gr XTP in my 4" M66-2. I am considering switching to the Critical Duty as I can get in 50 LE boxes. In the Lucky Gunner clear gel tests, both rounds are deep penetrators, expanding to around .50" Might not be enough difference between the two for me to go through the hassle of switching.

[the Schwartz]

Decide for yourself.

Here's the manufacturer's 10% ordnance gelatin test data for the 357 Magnum 135-grain Critical Duty:

88365

[Lester Polfus]

What do you all think about Hornady .357 135gr Magnum Critical Duty? Any credible testing? All I have found online are clear gel tests.

I am currently running Hornady Custom 158gr XTP in my 4" M66-2. I am considering switching to the Critical Duty as I can get in 50 LE boxes. In the Lucky Gunner clear gel tests, both rounds are deep penetrators, expanding to around .50" Might not be enough difference between the two for me to go through the hassle of switching.

Where are you getting it in 50 round boxes? Next time I have to buy ammo, there's a pretty good chance this will become my Town Load.

[BehindBlueI's]

Critical Duty is good to go, assuming your gun likes it. Do not anticipate it stopping in your opponent when fired from a 4"+ barrel, pass throughs are prevalent.

[4given]

Decide for yourself.

Here's the manufacturer's 10% ordnance gelatin test data for the 357 Magnum 135-grain Critical Duty:

88365

Thanks Chuck! Looks pretty good if that's typical.

[4given]

Critical Duty is good to go, assuming your gun likes it. Do not anticipate it stopping in your opponent when fired from a 4"+ barrel, pass throughs are prevalent.

Thanks! I will be using the M66 for a highway pistol so pass through is less of an issue. Downrange performance is more important to me.

[4given]

Where are you getting it in 50 round boxes? Next time I have to buy ammo, there's a pretty good chance this will become my Town Load.

check PM's

[03RN]

Hornady has a pdf with the complete critical duty line and their FBI protocol tests.

I can't seem to link it on my phone.

[revchuck38]

That’d even be geezer-friendly in my 681, if it shoots to POA. Need to find a box and try it.

[SwampDweller]

I've shot a decent bit of this through a 1980-year 6" blued Colt Python. Recoil is similar to .38 +P and very easy to control out of a large frame, all steel duty-sized revolver.

I'm not sure it offers any tangible benefits in performance over a 135gr +P 9mm CD, but it is going a bit faster.

[Tokarev]

Penetration is 15+ inches after heavy clothing:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/testing-the-357-mag-cartridge/

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[RevolverRob]

Penetration is 15+ inches after heavy clothing:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/testing-the-357-mag-cartridge/

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

And that's from a 2" gun, excellent performance overall. The BB Barnes load also performed well (more penetration, but that's expected with the 140-grain bullet).

[Lester Polfus]

I really need to pick some of this up and see if it is tolerable out of my 640 Pro. It's about the same velocity out of a 2" and a shade heavier as Golden Saber, which I find reasonable to shoot out of an all steel J-frame.

[Totem Polar]

I really need to pick some of this up and see if it is tolerable out of my 640 Pro. It's about the same velocity out of a 2" and a shade heavier as Golden Saber, which I find reasonable to shoot out of an all steel J-frame.

Keep us posted. I can do GS and 135 SB GDHP out of the 640P with reasonable results, so this should be similar; agreed.

[Velo Dog]

Hornady has a pdf with the complete critical duty line and their FBI protocol tests.

Scroll down to the Ballistics chart, then click on Gelatin

https://www.hornadyle.com/handgun-ammunition/357-mag-135-gr-flexlock#!/

[SWAT Lt.]

Scroll down to the Ballistics chart, then click on Gelatin

https://www.hornadyle.com/handgun-ammunition/357-mag-135-gr-flexlock#!/

That link shows it was fired from an 8 inch vented test barrel, the one posted on the previous page was fired from a 4in GP100.

[03RN]

That link shows it was fired from an 8 inch vented test barrel, the one posted on the previous page was fired from a 4in GP100.

But both at 1275fps so barrel length is moot.

[SWAT Lt.]

Hmm. Weird that an 8in vented test barrel and a 4 in revolver, which is obviously vented, would produce the same velocity.

[revchuck38]

That link shows it was fired from an 8 inch vented test barrel, the one posted on the previous page was fired from a 4in GP100.


But both at 1275fps so barrel length is moot.


Hmm. Weird that an 8in vented test barrel and a 4 in revolver, which is obviously vented, would produce the same velocity.

It's extremely unlikely that the two barrel lengths would produce the same, or even similar, velocities. Normally, that extra 4" would be good for 100-200 fps more. I think it's just laziness on Hornady's part.

[03RN]

I'm not sure whose right. I was just going off their reported velocity.
1317 from a 4" barrel

https://youtu.be/Kp9p2Xh86M4

[4given]

I tried the Hornady Critical Duty 135gr .357 rounds through my M65 3" this weekend with dismal results. It did not like this ammo at all. Terrible groups! Recoil was more than what I had anticipated. Manageable with some practice I suppose.

I am going to stick with the Speer GD 135gr +P 38 Special round in this pistol. Tight groups, very manageable recoil and a record of decent terminal performance.

[Flamingo]

I bought a couple of boxes of this and it shoots POA/POI in my WC GP100. The recoil was present but not too stout. I like it and carry it when I carry my GP100 on the property.

[OlongJohnson]

I tried the Hornady Critical Duty 135gr .357 rounds through my M65 3" this weekend with dismal results. It did not like this ammo at all. Terrible groups! Recoil was more than what I had anticipated. Manageable with some practice I suppose.


I bought a couple of boxes of this and it shoots POA/POI in my WC GP100. The recoil was present but not too stout. I like it and carry it when I carry my GP100 on the property.

And that's the difference between a K frame and a GP, folks.

[Edster]

I shot a box of Critical Defense and Critical Duty at the range a couple weeks ago.

I fired them through a GP100 Match Champion.

The sights on the revolver are zeroed for Remington 158 grain SJHP. The same zero seems to work with the 140 grain Barnes XPB all-copper and the Federal load with the Barnes bullet. According to Lucky Gunner, these all chrono'd at around 1300 fps from their 4.2" Match Champion. Lucky Gunner has the Critical Defense and Critical Duty in the same neighborhood so I was crossing my fingers I wouldn't have to make adjustments if I liked the Hornady loads.

Both hit POA within my abilities at 15 and 25 yards. However the Critical Duty tended to group around the bullseye while the Critical Defense seemed consistently to the right. I fired 5 rounds of each single action off a bag at 25 yards with the same results.

Recoil was nothing surprising or unusual for a .357 magnum. Using the Altamont wood-panel grip, I didn't have any fatigue or flinching. The blast was pronounced, though. It was definitely the boomer on the pistol range that day. I did not notice any big flash. Truth be told, I was pleasantly surprised at how naturally the sights fell right back on target after each shot.

Switching to an IDPA target at 15 yards, I had 9/9 in the center with the Critical Defense and 8/9 with the Critical Duty. I threw a -1 high and a little right. I tend to do that when I outrun my sights.

As a sidebar, both Hornady dramatically outshot the bought-in-desperation Precision One 158 grain practice load I also had that day.

I'll probably switch to the Critical Duty over the Remington SJHP. It seems to have a little milder recoil and less penetration in gel tests. It also seems to be as readily available as a .357 magnum load can be these days.

Now if I could just find an affordable, in-stock practice load that was accurate. It may be time to invest in reloading equipment.

[4given]

And that's the difference between a K frame and a GP, folks.

Yep. Recoil is always going to be more in a lighter pistol. To be fair the 135gr CD is not a full house loading. It recoils less than full power .357 loads. Just more than I thought. I'm not sure it will be the .357 mag snubby load some are hoping for.

As far as accuracy goes, every pistol has it's preferences. My M65 did not like the CD 135gr. Someone else's may. Too bad it costs us $1+ per shot to find out these days.

[revchuck38]

The sights on the revolver are zeroed for Remington 158 grain SJHP. The same zero seems to work with the 140 grain Barnes XPB all-copper and the Federal load with the Barnes bullet. According to Lucky Gunner, these all chrono'd at around 1300 fps from their 4.2" Match Champion. Lucky Gunner has the Critical Defense and Critical Duty in the same neighborhood so I was crossing my fingers I wouldn't have to make adjustments if I liked the Hornady loads.

Both hit POA within my abilities at 15 and 25 yards. However the Critical Duty tended to group around the bullseye while the Critical Defense seemed consistently to the right. I fired 5 rounds of each single action off a bag at 25 yards with the same results.


I've been running that R-P load forever as my .357 Mag carry load. It shoots to the sights on my S&W M681. I need to get some of that Critical Duty load to try, it'd be neat if it shoots to the sights on the 681. Those full-power 158s ain't as much fun as they used to be. :rolleyes: