• SUBSCRIBE
Athlon Outdoors Supersite
Tactical Life Website
Ballistic Website
Personal Defense World Website
Skillsetmag Website
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
        • Thermal Vision
        • Night Vision
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS
No Result
View All Result
Athlon Outdoors
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
        • Thermal Vision
        • Night Vision
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS
No Result
View All Result
Athlon Outdoors Super Site
No Result
View All Result
  • TL
  • PDW
  • BM
  • Skillset
 
ENTER TO WIN: FREE GUN FRIDAY ft. Browning, Caldwell & Black Hills!

HORNADY .45 ACP CRITICAL DEFENSE Ammunition

ShareTweetPin

The Critical Defense bullets themselves proved to be reliable expanders in a variety of mediums.

Paul MarkelbyPaul Markel
December 1, 2010
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

“I just bought a gun for home defense. What ammo should I load in it?” That question is posed myriad times a week by shooters wanting to protect their families. It is certainly a valid inquiry, since for every caliber of handgun there are dozens of different loads to choose from. Unfortunately, much of the advice given to these shooters in based upon supposition, not fact or field-testing.

I recall browsing in a gun shop many years ago and listening to a gentleman ask the clerk what load he’d recommend for a compact .38 Special revolver. I had to cringe when the gun store clerk recommended full wadcutters as the best defensive load. His reasoning was that the broad, flat face of the wadcutter would do the most damage.

You see, in theory the store clerk was right. However, he failed to factor in the fact that wadcutter ammunition is design for match competition. This ammunition is loaded very light. All a wadcutter needs to do is get down range 15 to 25 yards and cut a perfect round hole in the target. That’s it. From a target-length barrel you can expect velocities in the 700 feet per second (fps) range; from a snub-nose you’d be looking at mid-500 fps. That’s not likely to impress the cracked out felon bent on killing you. The lightweight, soft lead bullet isn’t likely to dig deep and do any serious damage.

The author employed a waxy bullet test media during his car window testing of the loads.
The author employed a waxy bullet test media during his car window testing of the loads.

Critical Defense
After cutting their teeth on the medium calibers of 9mm, .380 ACP and .38 Special, Hornady has expanded their line of Critical Defense ammunition. New loads include the .40 S&W and .45 ACP as well as a .357 Mag version. Critical Defense is not practice ammo, to be sure. Hornady uses nickel-plated cases for corrosion resistance, clean-burning powder with reduced muzzle flash and their specially designed projectiles.

The Critical Defense ammunition uses Hornady’s FTX bullets. These are composed of a solid lead core wrapped in a copper jacket with a deep cavity. This jacket is pre-cut for rapid expansion and there is a cannelure to keep the entire projectile together during expansion.

A distinctive red polymer plug fills the expansion cavity in the bullet. This plug helps the rounds chamber properly as there is no hard edge on the face of the projectile. When the bullet strikes its target, the red plug blocks any foreign material from entering the cavity and assists with reliable, even expansion.

.45 ACP
American gun owners are very fond of their .45s and that’s a fact not likely to change anytime soon. For this review I decided to give the new .45 Critical Defense load a thorough going over. The FTX bullet for this cartridge is 185 grains and it is factory-rated for a muzzle velocity of 1,000 fps from a 5-inch test barrel.

In addition to accuracy and velocity testing, I would fire rounds through various materials that a citizen might encounter during a self-defense scenario. To test this ammunition I decided to work with an excellent new pistol from Springfield Armory, the XDM .45 ACP. The barrel length on the XDM is 4.5 inches and rated as a Match version.

The first couple of steps were simple enough. I ran a half a dozen rounds of CD .45 over my Shooting Chrony F1. The result was an average 1,003 fps. My range is basically at sea level, the temperature was 91 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was high. The plus/minus deviation was 30 fps.

Resting my arms on a range pad, I fired another six rounds on a target 25 yards away. The best five rounds posted a group of 2.35 inches. The 185-grain projectiles stuck about three inches above point-of-aim with the XDM.

Didn't find what you were looking for?

MOST POPULAR

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

Taurus Home Defender revolver in .410.

KA-BOOM: Here Comes the Taurus Judge Home Defender!

300 Blackout vs 308, rifles, ammunition

300 Blackout vs 308 Win: Which Round Reigns Supreme in AR-15s?

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

TRENDING

KAHR ARMS PM9193 Pistol

wilson combat, wilson combat 1911, wilson combat concealed carry, concealed carry, wilson combat pistols, wilson combat guns

5 Wilson Combat 1911 Defenders

Favored Target for Gun Control in New York.

Rep. Maloney Pushes More Gun Control in New York in Hail Mary Attempt

Stag PXC-9 Pistol-Caliber AR-Style Carbine

Stag Arms Launches PXC-9 Series Pistol Caliber Carbine

BROWSE BY BRAND

Skillset-Logo_yellow-153x47png
Ballistic_LOGO-217x47
CH-Logo_blue-153x47
T-L-SS-stack life-47x140
PDW_CCH_LOGO-300x101
PDW-2022-Sidebyside-logo 160x30-blk
GOW LOGO x101
AF_LOGO-184x47

SPOTLIGHT

New Graphene finish.

The Taurus GX4 Micro-Compact is Now Available in Graphene

Back in 2021, Taurus released the GX4 micro-compact pistol, and it was a welcome addition to the company’s lineage (below)....

RELATED POSTS

The Vortex Bantam HD 6.5x32 Youth Binocular.

Vortex Bantam HD 6.5×32 Youth Binocular Gets Youth into the Hunt

...

Walker's Disrupter earbuds.

Walker’s Disrupter Earbuds Tested: Comfortable All-Day Protection

...

The Pedersoli Howdah.

The Pedersoli Howdah: Recreating the Howdah’s Legacy

...

Load More

TRENDING

Real World Survivor, RealWorldSurvivor.com, survival content, ballistic

Real World Survivor Is Now Part of BallisticMag.com’s Survival Content

Some of you might be wondering what happened to RealWorldSurvivor.com. Well, effective February 2021, Real World Survivor is now part...

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper.

Reel Shooters: The Best Movie Snipers & a Few of the Worst

Fans of action and war movies would be forgiven for thinking that trained snipers carry their rifles disassembled in an...

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

Compact, ultra-reliable and ever-ready for close-range self-defense!

10 .22 Pocket Pistols for Last-Ditch Self-Defense.

Best .22 Pistols for Self-Defense [2023]

When it comes to concealed carry, the clear defensive options are typically .380 ACP, 9mm, .45 ACP, 10mm, etc. However,...

MOST POPULAR

The Mossberg MC2sc semi-auto pistol.

12 Best Micro-Compact Handguns for Concealed Carry [2022]

A thick veil of fog stood forever in front of me as I cruised down the highway at 6:30 in...

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

Law enforcement in the United States is in constant evolution and that includes various police sidearms. These days, law enforcement...

U.S. Secret Service adopts Glock G47

FIRST LOOK: Glock Just Very Quietly Unveiled the New Glock 47 Pistol

Tuesday afternoon we broke news that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection selected three Glock 9mm pistols as its new standard...

All the best new handguns seen at SHOT Show 2023.

21 Best New Handguns [2023]

The NSSF SHOT Show is the premier event to get your hands on new gear. It gives us a first...

VIDEO SERIES: AT THE READY | SEASON 2

MORE VIDEOS

Walker's Disrupter earbuds.

Walker’s Disrupter Earbuds Tested: Comfortable All-Day Protection

The Vortex Bantam HD 6.5x32 Youth Binocular.

Vortex Bantam HD 6.5×32 Youth Binocular Gets Youth into the Hunt

HANDGUNS

New Graphene finish.

The Taurus GX4 Micro-Compact is Now Available in Graphene

The Pedersoli Howdah.

The Pedersoli Howdah: Recreating the Howdah’s Legacy

The SK Customs Morelos.

SK Customs Morelos 1911 Heralds Generalissimo Jose Morelos

The Tisas Model 1911A1 Aviator

Tisas 1911A1 Aviator: Bringing Back the ‘Feel’ of the Original

The Sig Sauer P226 Zev.

The Sig Sauer P226 Zev Reviewed: Is It the Best P226 Ever?

The Girsan High Power Negotiator.

The Girsan Negotiator Series Gets a High Power Addition in 9mm

RIFLES - click to see all

The limited edition RISE Armament Topo Watchman rifle.

UPDATED: New RISE Armament Topo Watchman Limited-Edition

The MDC “Trench Art” Classic AK-47 Rifle.

MDC “Trench Art” Classic AK-47 is Back with Limited Availability

Davidson's Ruger American Predator

Ready to Pounce: Ruger American Predator From Davidson’s

The Exclusive HKMR762A1 from Davidson's.

Davidson’s HK MR762A1 in 7.62mm Brings Exclusive Battle Rifle

AMMO - click to see all

Ammo Storage, Survival Ammo, long term ammo storage, Prepper

Best Methods for Long-Term Ammo Storage

6 .410 Ammo Options for Home and Personal Defense.

.410 Ammo for Home Defense [2023]

.44 Magnum dirty harry

Your Guide to the .44 Magnum Cartridge

The Escort PS Youth 20-gauge shotgun.

The Escort PS Youth Shotgun is Now Available in .410 Bore

The 2022 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous event.

Rendezvous Roundup: Guns & Gear at Athlon’s Signature Event

fbi ammo testing protocol

Understanding FBI Ammo Testing Standards

Magazines Available Now! Subscribe today for Home Delivery!
FREE NEWSLETTERS! Subscribe!
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • CORPORATE
  • ADVERTISE
  • EDIT DESK
No Result
View All Result
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS

© 2023 Athlon Outdoors - Premium Firearm product and industry news, reviews and magazines" .