Just purchased: Hornady .380 FTX CRITICAL DEFENSE

[m'kay13]

.380 AUTO 90 GR FTX CRITICAL DEFENSE

I plan to run a few boxes of this through my LCP to test out this new ammo. I usually carry Golden Sabers, but I think Hornady may have built a better mouse trap with this stuff.

Read More

 

[Trlsmn]

I carry the Corbon DPX in my LCP. FWIW I've shot several boxes with no problems.

 

[timbernet]

.380 AUTO 90 GR FTX CRITICAL DEFENSE

I plan to run a few boxes of this through my LCP to test out this new ammo. I usually carry Golden Sabers, but I think Hornady may have built a better mouse trap with this stuff.

Let me know how it works out -- I saw some at BiMart today, tempted to get some, but I still have some .380 JHP....

 

[Trlsmn]

Let me know how it works out -- I saw some at BiMart today, tempted to get some, but I still have some .380 JHP....

If you find any .380 anywhere buy it.

 

[timbernet]

If you find any .380 anywhere buy it.

Not to threadjack, but once I bought some Hornady ammo for my XD40 and my shots were off by FEET -- tossed in some other brands -- accurate... so I don't want to buy some ammo that doesn't work well in my gun (LCP) -- I'd rather let someone else test that and then I will buy some

 

[m'kay13]

If you find any .380 anywhere buy it.

. . . if you need it. I purchased two boxes today because I knew I would only have time to shoot two boxes. I have plenty of other .380 at home.

Seriously, leave some ammo on the shelf for the next guy.

 

[m'kay13]

and my shots were off by FEET

At what distance?!

 

[timbernet]

At what distance?!

25' away from target -- I am not talking about 1' off target, I was aiming at a paper target 6' off the ground and there were lines in the dirt of the bullet skimming across... Not cool. I wish I kept that box so I knew which type it was. I don't think it was the Hornady Critical Defense. I tried some of that in 9mm through my (former) Sig P226 and it rocked. I think you will be good to go!

 

[jeddedia]

Not to threadjack, but once I bought some Hornady ammo for my XD40 and my shots were off by FEET -- tossed in some other brands -- accurate... so I don't want to buy some ammo that doesn't work well in my gun (LCP) -- I'd rather let someone else test that and then I will buy some

Keep in mind that a gun is as individual as a woman... you'll never be able to please them all with the same pair of shoes

Two guns assembled by the same person, off the same line, right next to each other even may not like the same ammo. Machining tolerances and polymer cast shrink rate apply differently to each part and as such they will fit together differently of course, the gun that loves to put on the strappy red shoes of Hornady Critical Defense might not be too fond of the black steel-toe goth boots of Federal Hydra-Shok.

So letting someone else test the ammo out is all great gravy, but you will have to try it out in your gun eventually

 

[elsullo]

On several other gun boards many people have chronographed the Critical Defense load in short barrelled pocket guns and been shockingly disappointed. Several tests did not break 800 fps in the LCP, making expansion of the bullet unlikely. People are guessing that the official Hornady test data on the box is from a six-inch barrel!........................elsullo

 

[JCL]

On several other gun boards many people have chronographed the Critical Defense load in short barrelled pocket guns and been shockingly disappointed. Several tests did not break 800 fps in the LCP, making expansion of the bullet unlikely. People are guessing that the official Hornady test data on the box is from a six-inch barrel!........................elsullo

a 6 inch .380? sheesh

 

[m'kay13]

On several other gun boards many people have chronographed the Critical Defense load in short barrelled pocket guns and been shockingly disappointed. Several tests did not break 800 fps in the LCP, making expansion of the bullet unlikely. People are guessing that the official Hornady test data on the box is from a six-inch barrel!........................elsullo

Links? Pics?

 

[elsullo]

Links? Pics?

My favorite is www.stoppingpower.net This is Evan Marshall's messageboard, run by and for real cops and agents, and is heavily moderated for politeness, baloney, and profanity. Membership is required but free, and the board is searchable. There is a religious overtone in many posts, but it is not oppressive. Expert members contribute their test results for all to share.

www.goldenloki.com does well documented gelatin testing with photos. He is a gunsmith who specializes in improving Kel-tecs and SKS triggers.

The messageboards of www.ktog.net have LOTS of well documented links and comparasins of .380 tests. That's the Kel-tec Owners' Group. This board is also searchable, and requires free membership to post and search.

www.theHighRoad.org is a collossal site of messageboards that also shares lots of test results. I have not kept track, but there was some huge scism that led to a breakaway board of a different name, maybe HighRoad.net, but I no longer know which one is the "official" messageboard site. I have not been there in a while, but there were lots of links to ammo tests.

There are LOTS more boards and ammo test sites out there! Just google something like, ".380 ammunition test". Be careful of the manufacturer website data---make sure that they specify what length of barrel they used to test with!......................elsullo

 

[m'kay13]

My favorite is www.stoppingpower.net This is Evan Marshall's messageboard, run by and for real cops and agents, and is heavily moderated for politeness, baloney, and profanity. Membership is required but free, and the board is searchable. There is a religious overtone in many posts, but it is not oppressive. Expert members contribute their test results for all to share.

www.goldenloki.com does well documented gelatin testing with photos. He is a gunsmith who specializes in improving Kel-tecs and SKS triggers.

The messageboards of www.ktog.net have LOTS of well documented links and comparasins of .380 tests. That's the Kel-tec Owners' Group. This board is also searchable, and requires free membership to post and search.

www.theHighRoad.org is a collossal site of messageboards that also shares lots of test results. I have not kept track, but there was some huge scism that led to a breakaway board of a different name, maybe HighRoad.net, but I no longer know which one is the "official" messageboard site. I have not been there in a while, but there were lots of links to ammo tests.

There are LOTS more boards and ammo test sites out there! Just google something like, ".380 ammunition test". Be careful of the manufacturer website data---make sure that they specify what length of barrel they used to test with!......................elsullo

Yeah, thanks.

 

[ccbunn]

Good article on this ammo in this months American Rifleman magajine.

 

[Parker]

Personally, I'd stick with a good strong ball load in little .380's.
IMO it loses too much in the elsie pea and P3AT's and doesn't penetrate enough.
In Bersa/Walther PP sized guns, the Critical Defense might be decent.

 

[Searcher451]

I've been on the hunt for this ammo since reading threads about it on both the Walther Forums and The High Road board -- and here, of course. So far, no luck, which forces me to go online to get it.

Thanks for the good links, by the way, elsullo.

 

[jordanvraptor]

I just ran a box of the .380 Critical Defense through my SMC-380 PPK clone and it fed, extracted and ejected just fine. Wasn't too bad in the recoil. Don't know about velocity and penetration and all that but I just wanted a defense load that was reliable.

 

[dario541]

a 6 inch .380? sheesh

I just checked Hornady's 2009 catalog and they claim to be testing their .380 "Critical Defense" load through a 4 inch barrel.

 

[jordanvraptor]

Combat Handguns magazine did a review and a Beretta 85 got 960 fps with 11 inches penetration in gelatin with expansion to .46 inches.