Hornady Critical Defense Review: An EDC All-Star

It seems like new and “improved” hollow point bullets that hit the market every few months. Many of these defense loads are pretty gimmicky, but one that has NOT disappointed Hornady's Critical Defense line of personal defense ammo.

Developed specifically to meet the needs of civilian shooters, Critical Defense loads are designed to perform well in a wide variety of firearms and defeat the most common type of barrier involved with self-defense shootings – namely, heavy clothing.

Some shooters worry that Critical Defense ammo isn’t the best choice for their carry gun, as it doesn’t meet all the FBI test protocol's penetration requirements. But does that really matter?

In this Hornady Critical Defense review, we will answer that question for you – as well as take a look at the ammo line's development, and explain why Critical Defense has become one of Hornady’s most successful labels to date.

If you’re ready to snag a few boxes of Hornady ammo, then we have plenty in stock. If you want to learn more about Hornady Critical Defense, read on!

Hornady Critical Defense Ammo Overview

Released in 2008, the Hornady Critical Defense line of ammunition is designed to meet the needs of law-abiding citizens for concealed carry and home defense. At release, Critical Defense was only available in 380 ACP, 38 Special, 38 Special +P, and 9mm Luger. Since then, the Critical Defense line has expanded to include other handgun cartridges, as well as centerfire rifle, rimfire, and shotgun ammo.

Core to Hornady Critical Defense is the Flex Tip "eXpanding" (FTX) jacketed hollow point (JHP) bullet. The JHP's signature feature is its polymer tip, which (A) prevents the nose cavity from becoming ineffective as a result of clogging debris (such as fabric), and (B) compresses after impact so as to induce faster and wider expansion.

If its hollow point were to become clogged, a self-defense JHP would fail to expand after impact. This is suboptimal, as it (A) reduces trauma to the threat, and (B) increases the risk of over-penetration that could jeopardize innocent bystanders.

This might sound like a simple concept, yet it took a lot more work than just slapping some polymer into a hollow point and calling it a day!

Development of the Critical Defense bullet began in 1996 when Dave Emary (father of the 6.5 Creedmoor) began experimenting with polymer-tipped handgun bullets. Emary tried drilling out 45 ACP eXtreme Terminal Performance (XTP) JHPs and filling their cavities with bathtub caulk.

Expansion and penetration results were positive, but the technology needed to mass produce this type of bullet didn't exist at the time. Undismayed, Emary continued to work on polymer-tipped bullets for rifle rounds, which led him to the development of LEVERevolution ammo in 2005.

The LeveRevolution line of ammunition featured Emary’s groundbreaking Flex-Tip (FTX) bullet. The FTX (and MonoFlex) bullets use an elastomer tip that allows Spitzer bullets to be safely loaded into tubular magazines.

Traditionally, lever-action rifles could not be loaded with aerodynamic spitzer (i.e. pointed) bullets, as these can ignite whichever primers they touch while stored end-to-end in a tubular magazine. But thanks to its streamlined yet supple polymer tip, Emary’s novel FTX bullet is (A) more ballistically efficient than the flat-nose bullets lever-action rounds traditionally had to be loaded with, and (B) safe for tubular magazines.

The FTX's flexible polymer tip turned out to do something else that is good: prevent the bullet's underlying nose cavity from jamming up with debris. Critical Defense ammo was born soon thereafter.

Although Critical Defense has always been very popular with civilian EDC shooters, one of its major failings is that it does not pass the FBI protocol for penetration through auto glass.

Per FBI test protocol, a JHP should penetrate between 12-18" (ideally 15") into ballistic gelatin after having (A) covered 10' and (A) passed through the following barriers: heavy clothing, drywall, sheet metal, plywood, and auto glass. Auto glass is the toughest barrier for bullets to pierce without undergoing excessive fragmentation and exhibiting shallow resultant penetration. Hornady's Critical Defense FTX bullets consistently fail to penetrate at least 12" into ballistic gel during the auto glass portion of the FBI protocol.

However, most civilian shooters don’t need that type of penetration from their carry ammo. The likelihood of needing to shoot through auto glass or a car door is high for law enforcement but close to zero for regular Joes.

If you want to load your carry gun with Hornady ammo that passes the FBI protocol with flying colors, read our Hornady Critical Duty review. We’ve also put together a detailed comparison of Critical Duty vs. Critical Defense to help you decide which one is right for you.

The majority of the shooting community seems to feel that Hornady Critical Defense ammo is perfect for their carry guns and home defense carbines. There’s no doubt that it will prove more than sufficient to protect yourself and your own from things that go bump in the night (with correct shot placement).

What Calibers are Available in Hornady Critical Defense Ammo?

Critical Defense has become one of Hornady's most popular labels, and currently appears on the following self-defense loads:

• 22 WMR
• 380 ACP
• 9mm Luger
• 38 Special (and 38 Special +P)

• 357 Magnum
• 40 S&W
• 45 ACP
• 45 Colt
• 223 Remington
• 30 Carbine
• 308 Winchester
• 410 Bore
• 12 Gauge
• 30 Super Carry
• 25 ACP
• 32 ACP
• 32 H&R Magnum
• 327 Federal Magnum
• 9x18mm Makarov
• 44 Special

Our Hornady Critical Defense Ammo Review

When I load up my Glock 26 mags, Hornady Critical Defense is always in rotation. If that isn’t enough of an endorsement on its own, then here are my reasons for favoring this self-defnse ammo.

First off are the nickel-plated cases. These are ideal for self-defense ammo as they are corrosion-resistant, more visible in the chamber, and able to feed and extract more smoothly than bare brass. (It should be noted that during the unmentionable events of 2020, Hornady had to switch to standard brass cases for their ammo due to supply chain issues.)

Of course, we have Hornady’s legacy of producing extremely accurate and reliable ammo. I’m a long-time fan of Hornady as they continually deliver top-notch products to the civilian market.

Propellant that minimizes muzzle flash is really cool. It's ideal for low-light shooting, and can make a huge difference if you need to make a shot indoors at night. Keeping your night vision intact and not being distracted from your sight alignment is huge during low-visibility shooting. I love that Hornady thought of this when they were designing the Critical Defense round.

Lastly, the technology that went into making the FTX bullet is what really sold me on Critical Defense ammo. The use of polymer to not only protect the hollow point but to also initiate expansion is a great leap forward in defense ammo technology. Keeping your hollow point clear of debris is critical for terminal performance, and Flex Tip does this very well.

So, let’s address the elephant in the room. Do I care about the Critical Defense not passing all of the FBI ballistic gel testing requirements? Nope, sure don’t!

One of my greatest concerns during any self-defense situation would be over-penetration (in addition to not dying, obviously). Although I love Hornady Critical Duty ammo and all the innovation that went into it, the chances of me needing the penetration capabilities of this round are slim.

Heaven forbid a shot over-penetrate and hit an innocent bystander or a family member. I’m totally fine carrying a defensive load that performs exceptionally well in bare gelatin or through heavy clothing, as these simultations mirror the conditions I'd most likely have to contend with during a life-or-death altercation.

In summary, I’m a huge fan of Hornady Critical Defense, and I carry it in my defensive handgun as my carry ammo. It runs smoothly through my Glock 26. I have complete confidence that should I ever need it, this round will be more than capable of defending my life.

What’s It Best For?

Hornady Critical Defense is best used for personal and home defense. Its jacketed hollow point is designed to expand inside the target and cause maximum damage while minimizing the risk of over-penetration.

Not a fan of recoil? Critical Defense 9mm Luger and 38 Special is also available in a “Lite” variety for added comfort and faster follow-up shots (featuring pink polymer tips!).

Disadvantages

One major downside to Hornady Critical Defense ammunition is its price point. It is more expensive than traditional hollow point defense loads like the Speer Gold Dot and Federal HST. Furthermore, Critical Defense does not pass the FBI ballistic test protocol for penetration through auto glass.

Pros and Cons

As much as we love ammo, we understand that none of it is perfect. Here are some of the pros and cons of Hornady Critical Defense ammunition you should be aware of.

Pros

• Accurate
• Reliable
• Excellent terminal performance
• Perfect for civilian shooters

Cons

• Expensive
• Does not meet FBI standards
• Not approved for law enforcement use

Variant Reviews

Below you'll find several reviews of some of the most popular Hornady Critical Defense ammo variants on the market.

Hornady Critical Defense 380 Review

If you carry something along the lines of a Smith & Wesson 380 Shield, Glock 42, or SIG Sauer P365-380 (or any other 380 ACP pistol, for that matter), then you should consider Critical Defense 380 ammo for your personal defense loads.

Loaded with a 90 grain FTX holJHP, these rounds give you the penetration you need to reach the threat's vital organs and still open up for exceptional terminal performance. With 1,000 fps of muzzle velocity, these rounds are easy enough to handle even in a subcompact carry gun and facilitate fast follow-up shots.

Hornady Critical Defense 9mm Review

This 9mm Luger 115 grain FTX load is my personal favorite defense ammo. The 115 grain bullet gives me low recoil for easy follow-up shots and is more than powerful enough to stop any threat.

Another interesting 9mm option is the Critical Defense Lite, which fires a 100 grain FTX. This round is designed for low recoil, and is great for shooters who are resensitive or have weak wrists. However, I’ll be sticking with the 115-grain options for my EDC.

With 1,135 fps of muzzle velocity and 332 ft-lbs of energy when fired from a Glock 19, this 9mm load is more than capable of protecting your life should the worst happen.

Hornady Critical Defense 223 Review

One of the major issues when using a rifle for home defense is over-penetration. In the past, shooters had to rely on soft point bullets to slow down the projectile and prevent punching through their external walls and into the neighbor’s home.

Hornady solved this issue by utilizing the FTX bullet and mating it with the same InterLock ring featured in many of Hornady's hunting bullets. This helps the bullet and jacket remain physically connected during expansion, which promotes more consistent terminal perforamnce.

Hornady offers two different 223 Remington Critical Defense loads: classic 55 grain FTX, and a heavier hitting 73-grain alternative.

Both rounds will be a great addition to your home defense carbine and are extremely accurate for close and long-range shots.

Hornady Critical Defense 308 Review

Although I typically don’t recommend using a 308 Winchester for self-defense inside the home, if you must, then I’d recommend the Hornady Critical Defense 308 load (just wear ear protection if you do!).

Loaded with a 155 grain FTX, this 308 round's bullet utilizes the same InterLock design as many of its hunting brethren. It helps prevent core-jacket separation from occuring. The FTX's polymer tip ensures rapid expansion to help reduce over-penetration – but at close range, there isn’t much stopping a 308 Win. If you must use this round for self-defense, be keenly aware of what lies behind your target (which is always advisable, being one of the four rules of gun safety that it is).

Hornady Critical Defense 357 Review

When you really want to make sure to stop the threat, the 357 Magnum has more than enough stopping power to get the job done. If you like to EDC a revolver and want more punch than a 38 Special, the Critical Defense 357 Magnum load should prove more than sufficient to thwart any would-be attacker.

Loaded with a 125 grain FTX and fired at 1,500 fps muzzle velocity, this round will penetrate deep and hit hard. Keep in mind that a 357 Magnum has quite a lot of recoil to begin with. If you plan to use a snubnose 357 wheel gun as your EDC, you might want to consider a 38 Special +P if you feel you need less recoil.

Ballistics for Hornady Critical Defense Ammo

We compiled ballistics tables for several of the different variants of Hornady Critical Defense ammunition available on the market. Please note that (A) muzzle velocities were calculated using different barrel lengths that are listed on the charts, and (B) if your concealed carry gun has a short barrel (like a SIG Sauer P365 or Glock 26) – or you use a short-barreled rifle for home defense – then your muzzle velocity will be lower than what is listed below.

Parting Shots: Hornady Critical Defense Review

Picking the right carry ammo for your personal defense handgun is critically important. Having a round that offers reliable expansion, peerless reliability, and exceptional accuracy is key to surviving a self-defense situation.

Hornady Critical Defense ammo checks all the boxes. It is designed for civilian shooters and meets the needs ballistic needs of almost all self-defense situations they might face.

If you’re in the market for some self-defense ammo, make sure you check out all the Hornady ammunition we have in stock and ready to ship to your door. When something goes bump in the night, the last thing you need to think about is whether or not you stocked up on ammo!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions Ammo.com is most frequently asked about Hornady Critical Defense ammunition.

Is Hornady Critical Defense worth buying?

Yes, Hornady Critical Defense ammo is extremely reliable, accurate, and has excellent terminal performance.

What is the range of Hornady Critical Defense ammo?

The effective range of cartridges depends on the firearm being used and the capabilities of the cartridge in question. Regardless, Hornady Critical Defense ammo will be effective over all typical self-defense ranges.