I really appreciate your reviews. The only thing I would like to see a little different would be tests out of a three inch barrel. That seems to be a more prevalent barrel length for concealed carry.
I shot this in my new G43 and it destroyed my target. No different recoil than fmj but it has a great punch. I wasnt too sure on this round but I trust this with my life. Great Round!
Ezra Henderson I cant say I agree on the recoil, I shot fmj then these side by side and these feel a lot less snappy compared to fmj... then again I was using a Glock 19... any 9mm outta a g43 is gonna feel snappy because it’s such a small platform
This is my preferred carry round for my Smith and Wesson shield. When carrying my full frame Taurus 92 AF, I utilize hornady Critical Duty in standard pressure. Both really viable rounds. While these rounds do not expand like other ammunition, I prefer the fact that it is a more reliable expansion and that you do get good penetration. Penetration to me, is more important than expansion. Shot placement is key in stopping a threat and I want enough penetration to make it through barriers or bone. Hornady has really came up with a great round in my opinion. If you have a shorter barrel gun I would highly recommend the hornady Critical Defense for any 5 inch barrel going to Critical Duty is excellent.
chris baker What's the God damn difference what he dose for a living, they just picked the wrong house to fuck with. Not all gang members are super brave as some people think, I think some do think about dying just like every one else, so they hunt in packs like wild dogs, hoping the other guy will get shot, any way they broke in and are now dead or near death. If you take the chance on going into some place you don't belong you could end up DEAD.
"If you go into some place you don't belong you can end up dead." Well no shit buddy, that's common sense! My original question was meaning the most perps I've heard or seen breaking in a house was 4. Usually it's low like 1-3 guys or girls So 7 to me was pretty crazy. I'm not saying it isn't possible or can't happen.
I do understand that 7 is really out there, and I don't think they made mention of the type of house it was. It could have been a nice place with 2 classy cars in the driveway. but it did say he was Disabled with a Walker, maybe they just thought it would be a easy mark, I guess you could say they were DEAD wrong. and good for him for taking out 7 all in one sitting.
TN9, your professionalism and consistency makes you the "Truth" in ballistics testing. One not need look any further for answers to ballistics questions. Thank you for your hard work and God Bless America. - tnpbro
Don't forget that the Zombie Max rounds have their tips filled with kryptonite in case you have to defend yourself against General Zod and his minions!
A good all around bullet. Decent expansion, impressive penetration, light recoil for follow up shots and the shape allows for reliable feeding in a reputable handgun.
14.75" penetration is well within the FBI requirement of min 12" and max of 18". Other tests from reviewers shown similar results. This is a very good carry round IMO
Thanks for the quality work you do. This has been my preference to use in my Glock 17 (home defense), S&W M&P9 Shield (CC), and Ruger LCP 380 (backup carry). When ammo supply got short, I bought some Liberty USM4/9mm (/ added for clarity). After your tests with that, I will stick with the Hornady.
I think the lighter critical defense is as good as any defense load. That polymer tip when pushed to the correct velocity performs every single time. Every time!
Tracy Clark I agree I like to see the ballistics in a smaller barrel gun cuz I think they're going to be very disappointing so you'd rather have something that's shooting at least 50 ft per second more cuz you're going to lose a lot more than that when you step down a couple of inches in the barrel...
The Hornady 165 gr Critical defense FTX Is advertised as 1175 fps in 40 S&W WOULD LOVE TO SEE A VIDEO TEST ON THAT BULLET... Thanks keep up the good work my friend.
I think I'll stick with my Speer Gold Dots........which I decided on after another one of your tests. Your testing is AWESOME! I don't think I've seen another channel here that does it as precisely and scientifically as you do. GREAT job!
Critical duty is also in case you need to be shooting through a windshield/wall/etc. This is not a round you want to be carrying around as a normal defense around, you WILL penetrate a body.
I am impressed there was a polymer filled hollow point that worked as designed. As opposed to preventing expansion like I have seen often in your videos.
My local shop here in CT sells these for 22.99 in 9, 40, 45 ,38 etc. I use these and switch out with Speer GDHP's every now and then. Thanks for your reviews, Mr. TN! Been a fan for years.
When I shoot it out of my Glock17, the recoil is very minimal, and time back onto target is quick and consistent. This is what I keep in my home defense pistol.
I use this round in my Kahr PM9 it's good to see it has good stopping power. Great job as usual thanks for what you do. Your tests give a lot of confidence in the ammo we carry.
This is the ammo I use in my LC9. It is good to see how it works in the clear block. I would love to see a test done with a smaller gun sometime to see how it does.
I like to see b238 but I carry better ammo than this and it half of these don't even expand in a Sig p238 that's why even the Second Amendment ammunition if you can find it is 1050 feet per second listed on the box so you're at least going to get the $950 standard ballistics of a 380 and I also like the Underwood 1300 ft per second with a 70 grain bullet out of the 380 small barrel 380 and Buffalo Bore makes one load that is not a grain bullet 1200 ft per second on the box so out of these little 380s you're getting about 1100 which is very very effective hollow point out of a small 380! Although I wouldn't shoot a lot of those Buffalo bore out of him I've shot a few to make sure they cycle properly and I'll probably never see the full box out of the gun I think that's just a little bit hot you can also tap a little of that weight out if you have a scale and make that money about 85 grains or something so it's not as hard on your gun but still highly effective!
This is my first video of yours I've seen using the clear ballistics gel... and it's great! Keep these awesome videos coming. These are very cool to watch what a bullet can do when entering a medium. Thanks!!!
great info. i use these for my home defense and soon to be carry pistol. as always make sure you know whats beyond the target but its good to know they are a great round to atleast make someone stop what they are doing.
The Hollow Point causes the bullet diameter to expand increasing the size of the wound channel (or hole) meaning it will make your target bleed faster which is ultimately what causes your opponent to drop (not the energy of the bullet as many beleive) So with a hollow point you get a bigger hole...this comes at the cost of penetration since the bullets expansion transfers more energy to the target than a Full metal jacket does.
RenaissanceMan929- you're absolutely right! These are the best ballistics tests on the Internet hands down.. LOVE the clear ballistics gel!!! Keep up the good work TnOutdoors!
You have to consider how they're testing their velocities. There's going to be variance between brands, models, and barrel lengths. I'm ignorant when it comes to the manufacturing and testing of ammunition, but I think it's safe to assume that they're using one type of test fire device which may have a longer barrel than your glock. I'm sure you've already thought about that, I just wanted to point it out to some people. Great videos and reviews! You're my go to for ammo reviews.
Thanks for your informative reports. They and the gracious comments of other viewers' and subscribers continues to impress me with the following; first, with few notable exceptions, handguns are limited in their capabilities in self defense. The variables of engagement such as environment (ambient light, obstructions, clothing and physical condition of assailant(s) bullet placement, and follow ups are critical factors. Second, training and preparation are more important than ammo or weapon
This round is actually designed for short barrel handguns that's why I think you got so much penetration opposed to the tests I've seem with 3 inch barrel handguns.
That's a good point. I use Critical Defense in my little Ruger LC9, and Critical Duty in my SIG, which has a longer barrel. I'll have to chrono the Critical Defense in both weapons to see how much difference there is, though. The Critical Defense, I'm told, has a faster-burning powder so that most of it burns while the bullet is still in short barrels, so a longer barrel may not make as much difference as shooting Critical Duty in different-length barrels would.
Not the tests Hornady did when developing the FTX round. Slower velocities result in more penetration because of lack of expansion of traditional hollow points. Critical Defense was specifically designed for shorter barrels because of this.
After years of doing my own research I choose this round as our CCW round. The chance of pass through and co-lateral damage is low while giving better performance initially. We didn't like any other 9 mm projectile's performance.
Shep: I carry a S&W M&P 9c (12 round with spare mag.) in the winter and Wife and I carry S&W M&P Bodyguard other times. We both use Hornady 380 90 gr. FTX in the bodyguards and I use Hornady 9 MM 115 gr FTX in our other M&P's (9c with thumb safety and M&P 9 MM 2.0. I also have sleeves that allow 17 round mags to fit the c's) I choose S&W after years of research. I choose Hornady's FTX bullets after years of trying other rounds.
In my opinion, this is the best 9mm carry load that you can buy. Hornady is such a great company, and the critical defense line is such a high quality ammo you just cant go wrong. I know some guys will say you need 124 grain bonded +p, I disagree. You can see the performance in the block is superb. Thanks for a great video, and all of your ammo test videos.
Would love to see how the Hornady critical defense does out of a 16” barrel. Something that you would use for personal protection in your home that does an over penetrate. I’ve looked all over & haven’t found this test yet. Great video.
I just received some of these in the mail after doing some research. I just found this video though, and it's the most in depth and informative one I've seen. Thanks!
In my town we had a gun show yesterday and I acquired a Ruger P89, bought a hundred rounds of Full Metal Jacket to practice with and I bought 40 rounds of 135 grain Hornady Flex lock bullets, those were the last two boxes of it so I found a box of this ammo. I was originally going to hold it until I bought some more expanding rounds and shoot these if you have three rounds because I didn't think their penetration would be anything special. But after seeing this I think I'm going to keep these.
awesome show.nice to see the results of your test. I have use Hornady in both my 9mm and .380 ever since i got my ccl because the gun dealer recommended it. now i see why
Thing I hate about Hornady is that they always inflate the velocity numbers on the box. It never achieves the stated velocity from common handguns. You have to subtract anywhere from 50FPS to 100 FPS to get close to actual velocity out of your handgun.
was looking for this review yesterday as this week on Glockforum we were talking about the difference between critical defense and Zombie attack (green or red gel). Will watch the vid after it loads. Thanks
Interesting request, but I don't see the value of that figure in this process. Besides, the shot, if it passed through, would have to be perfectly placed and not deviate it's path in order to pass through the chronograph. Modern hollowpoints are generally not going to pass through.
I was JUST about to ask you to re-test the Critical Defense 9mm in gel. Digging the new gel, graphics, photos etc. Amazing resource on the web. Thanks!
FMJ's and Lead projectiles will go through multiple people. Hollow point are made to help make sure that all of the energy from the projectile is deposited in the intended target, and not go through. As it expands it slows down rapidly. Like deploying a parachute during free fall.
Guy at my local gun shop recommended me this PD round based on the claim that if I were to hit an attacker in an area of soft flesh and no bone (ie: stomach) that the round wouldn't over-penetrate and possibly fuck up my dry wall (or injure an innocent). With penetration just shy of 15" and my barrel being 4.25", unless a D-Lineman breaks into my home, that will not be the case.. I'll just have to place my shots a bit north of center mass. Excellent video, appreciate the analysis.
I hand load the 115 GD for my 3" Kahr. At 1150 fps I'm very please with the result. Shooting down into Levi covered and drained wet pack, at less than 1/2" expansion started. At about 3" I had a cavity I could stick my fist in. Then things settled down with a total penetration of 14" with last 3 inches into mud. I too was inspired with his testing and achieved the same result. I need a taller bucket .. :-)
Great video as always. I would like to see a comparison like this with 9MM, .40 S&W and .45 ACP all on the same block of the hornady. I think that would be a good video to show the comparison side by side for them all.
I recently observed a ballistic test where the vendor was shooting their ammo through various targets. I asked if they would shoot one of my Hornady 9mm Critical Defense rounds to compare with other projectiles. They shot their rounds through 1.5 inches of plywood into an 18 inch block of ballistic gel. All of the rounds penetrated the plywood and into the gel. The Federal HST did not expand much at all. A frangible bullet did not break up at all. My Hornady round went through the plywood, through the gel, exited the gel with no deformity or expansion, and went to the back of the range wall 22 yards away. This was confirmed on a high speed camera. I am surprised that my self-defense round penetrated in this fashion. Of course, this is one specific test of an unlikely scenario. But it shows that bullets do odd stuff in real life. My theory is that the bullet was both clogged by plywood and the velocity was lowered below the threshold necessary for expansion and thus continued on much like a FMJ round. But that remains a theory until I can test it.
I'm pretty much done with exotic ammo. If everyone hasn't figured out by now that high velocity light for caliber is going to underpenetrate, I don't know what more to say other than a short video stating this fact.....again.
Tests I saw in 3" barrels had around 13" of penetration with the Gel and Denim. And the pedals were not as pinned back as much as yours. Slightly less penetration (about an inch to an inch and a half) and about a MM more diameter in expansion.
Good to see it expands well and still goes as deep as it does because I carry that round in a Kel Tec PF9. Don't want to carry any +P's in it, not really supposed to in that gun. Would not penetrate as deep coming out of the PF9 though, slightly shorter barrel and you get a slight velocity increase from glock's polygonal rifling.
TN i'ts looking like clear gel is doing about 3" less than FBI blocks. So this would mean you get around 11.75" and that puts it right at what we would expect and what Horniday data claims. Just a thought.
your tests are always consistent, full of good data, and you have a great speaking talent, many people cannot speak correctly, your vids are very professional. thank you. The big question with this stuff is window deflection. What do you think it would do at about a 30 percent angle off a car windshield? side windows are usually made to shatter, deflection is minimal, light refraction becomes more of an issue, however, the front window is made differently, I've seen 9mm/s bounce
Awesome videos!! Thanks for posting them I've seen some of your other tests videos for the pdx1 and all of them are great thanks again for taking the time to post the videos
Just tested this load out of a 3.2" barrel. I got a bigger stretch cavity and 10.5" penetration. May be due to slightly denser gel. BB calibration was 3 1/16"
The original point of hollow point bullets was so that the projectile would expand and stay inside the person it hits. The benefit of using them is threefold, you get a bigger hole, use all the bullet's energy on the target and help prevent bullet passthrough which could wound innocent bystanders. Regular FMJ rounds, especially with small fast moving bullets, tend to make a small hole and exit out the back of your target with enough energy left to kill another person (yes 9mm can do this).
They are not quite the same round, but close. Since you shoot both you'll notice the CD rounds are nickel-plated brass while the Zombie rounds are plain brass casings.
i agree there is a, as you stated, *slight difference* between "defense" and "duty". but both designators are marketing tools. there's nothing wrong with that but i don't think we should be building one up to be significantly better than the other because of that. M&P is a suitable firearm for military and police. but that is still 100% marketing because so are countless other options. and i don't use either in question for duty or personal carry, though i'm not against either.
You just have to be aware of what is beyond your target and decide when to shoot if you have the luxury of making a move when you chose to do so. Otherwise I figure if someone is threatening or taking other's lives, a round or two over penetrating is the least of your worries. Even if it does hit someone else I can't imagine it's very likely to be fatal for them.
Brayden Kenney exactly, like Jesse if someone move while you’re trying to lay down a good shot placement and you hit their 🖐 on accident. any bullet you carry will go through and destroy what’s behind it. know your 4 rules Most of the times it’s not gonna matter if lives are in danger
Jesse they make things like glazer safety slugs that come apart when they hit a human body they won't go through you're that worried about it or they won't go through the walls and hit your other family members if you're protecting your home at night or something!
I noticed from past test that lower velocity tend to expand less casuing them to penetrate more. A regular 115gr JHP moving at 1220 fps or so would be under penetrating im assume.
Thanks again for the video....I like the idea of amme designed for smaller handguns. It would be interesting to see if there is a difference when fired from a Glock 26 subcompact.
Although I think we are talking about different things, what you said was not correct. Energy transfer is extremely important. You can shoot a 50 BMG or an 8 gauge standing up and not be knocked down. Does that mean they don't have "stopping power"? That's not what I'm talking about. Energy transfer is crucial for wound channel, permanent and stretch cavities and hydrostatic shock, all of which play a major role in defense. So what's the harm in testing it to see how it compares?
I really appreciate your reviews. The only thing I would like to see a little different would be tests out of a three inch barrel. That seems to be a more prevalent barrel length for concealed carry.
I appreciate "No-Nonsense" Ammo reviews... and yous are no-nonsensest.
Also, this is my preferred carry round.
I shot this in my new G43 and it destroyed my target. No different recoil than fmj but it has a great punch. I wasnt too sure on this round but I trust this with my life. Great Round!
Ezra Henderson I cant say I agree on the recoil, I shot fmj then these side by side and these feel a lot less snappy compared to fmj... then again I was using a Glock 19... any 9mm outta a g43 is gonna feel snappy because it’s such a small platform
@@tylersanders3818
They felt the same to me
The G43 is usually snappy, but critical defense was the smoothest shooting out of any 9mm I’ve ever shot, FMJ or hollow point.
This guy is scientific as hell
This is my preferred carry round for my Smith and Wesson shield. When carrying my full frame Taurus 92 AF, I utilize hornady Critical Duty in standard pressure. Both really viable rounds. While these rounds do not expand like other ammunition, I prefer the fact that it is a more reliable expansion and that you do get good penetration. Penetration to me, is more important than expansion. Shot placement is key in stopping a threat and I want enough penetration to make it through barriers or bone. Hornady has really came up with a great round in my opinion. If you have a shorter barrel gun I would highly recommend the hornady Critical Defense for any 5 inch barrel going to Critical Duty is excellent.
What kinda job do you do that makes 7 perps want to break in your house?
chris baker What's the God damn difference what he dose for a living, they just picked the wrong house to fuck with. Not all gang members are super brave as some people think, I think some do think about dying just like every one else, so they hunt in packs like wild dogs, hoping the other guy will get shot, any way they broke in and are now dead or near death. If you take the chance on going into some place you don't belong you could end up DEAD.
"If you go into some place you don't belong you can end up dead." Well no shit buddy, that's common sense! My original question was meaning the most perps I've heard or seen breaking in a house was 4. Usually it's low like 1-3 guys or girls So 7 to me was pretty crazy. I'm not saying it isn't possible or can't happen.
I do understand that 7 is really out there, and I don't think they made mention of the type of house it was. It could have been a nice place with 2 classy cars in the driveway. but it did say he was Disabled with a Walker, maybe they just thought it would be a easy mark, I guess you could say they were DEAD wrong. and good for him for taking out 7 all in one sitting.
My wife prefers penetration AND expansion. I just tell her she'll have to make do.
TN9, your professionalism and consistency makes you the "Truth" in ballistics testing. One not need look any further for answers to ballistics questions. Thank you for your hard work and God Bless America. - tnpbro
Very good presentation. No unnecessary babbling or lip smacking. Really enjoy your vids
Don't forget that the Zombie Max rounds have their tips filled with kryptonite in case you have to defend yourself against General Zod and his minions!
Aww that's so cute
Hahaha wow educate yourselves ...kryptonite? It's actually uranium thought everyone knew that
I actually have some…lol
A good all around bullet. Decent expansion, impressive penetration, light recoil for follow up shots and the shape allows for reliable feeding in a reputable handgun.
I have a Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 9mm with a four inch barrel. I carry this ammo.
14.75" penetration is well within the FBI requirement of min 12" and max of 18". Other tests from reviewers shown similar results. This is a very good carry round IMO
Thanks for the quality work you do. This has been my preference to use in my Glock 17 (home defense), S&W M&P9 Shield (CC), and Ruger LCP 380 (backup carry). When ammo supply got short, I bought some Liberty USM4/9mm (/ added for clarity). After your tests with that, I will stick with the Hornady.
I think the lighter critical defense is as good as any defense load. That polymer tip when pushed to the correct velocity performs every single time. Every time!
This stuff works great in my Beretta Nano. Nice load for such a small gun.
Very long awaited test! Critical defense has to be one of the more popular self defense round as of late.
Probably one of the best footage quality from 11years ago.
I know the 19 is the standard but it would be good to see many it these tests include a shorter barrel gun like 26 or Shield. Thanks for what you do.
Or the 43x
Tracy Clark I agree I like to see the ballistics in a smaller barrel gun cuz I think they're going to be very disappointing so you'd rather have something that's shooting at least 50 ft per second more cuz you're going to lose a lot more than that when you step down a couple of inches in the barrel...
P365
My Shield 2.0 and I love these rounds!
Glock 17 is the standard
The Hornady 165 gr Critical defense FTX Is advertised as 1175 fps in 40 S&W WOULD LOVE TO SEE A VIDEO TEST ON THAT BULLET... Thanks keep up the good work my friend.
This is what I carry since I target/IDPA shoot with 115gr. It's around $22 a box in SC. Great vid
As always, great review. You provide a great service to your fellow shooters.
I got two boxes of these exact ones for 19 dollars locally from Atwoods and use it for my Walther PPS for edc. Thanks for the review.
$19 ??? Wow times have changed. I just paid double that..
I think I'll stick with my Speer Gold Dots........which I decided on after another one of your tests. Your testing is AWESOME! I don't think I've seen another channel here that does it as precisely and scientifically as you do. GREAT job!
Critical duty is for service weapons ( Long Barrel). Critical defense is for ( short barrel).
Oathkeeper🔥🔥👍
Yup. I have critical duty for my full sized 5.25" and critical defense for my 4" compact.
Critical duty is also in case you need to be shooting through a windshield/wall/etc. This is not a round you want to be carrying around as a normal defense around, you WILL penetrate a body.
I am impressed there was a polymer filled hollow point that worked as designed. As opposed to preventing expansion like I have seen often in your videos.
My local shop here in CT sells these for 22.99 in 9, 40, 45 ,38 etc. I use these and switch out with Speer GDHP's every now and then. Thanks for your reviews, Mr. TN! Been a fan for years.
When I shoot it out of my Glock17, the recoil is very minimal, and time back onto target is quick and consistent. This is what I keep in my home defense pistol.
Its a fucking 9mm dude.. theres not a gun made in 9mm thats has anything close to "recoil"
Lol, not as little as a 38 special though, the polymer frame makes it snappy.
I use this round in my Kahr PM9 it's good to see it has good stopping power. Great job as usual thanks for what you do. Your tests give a lot of confidence in the ammo we carry.
Thanks for that test! I was at least one of the people on Twitter asking about it. This confirms my decision of Critical Defense for my LC9.
This is the ammo I use in my LC9. It is good to see how it works in the clear block. I would love to see a test done with a smaller gun sometime to see how it does.
One of my favorite rounds on a good video. I carry this the most on those I carry regularly.
carry this in the Shield. Love it. I also carry the .380 version of this in a Sig P238 and it works great as well. Very nice work!
I like to see b238 but I carry better ammo than this and it half of these don't even expand in a Sig p238 that's why even the Second Amendment ammunition if you can find it is 1050 feet per second listed on the box so you're at least going to get the $950 standard ballistics of a 380 and I also like the Underwood 1300 ft per second with a 70 grain bullet out of the 380 small barrel 380 and Buffalo Bore makes one load that is not a grain bullet 1200 ft per second on the box so out of these little 380s you're getting about 1100 which is very very effective hollow point out of a small 380! Although I wouldn't shoot a lot of those Buffalo bore out of him I've shot a few to make sure they cycle properly and I'll probably never see the full box out of the gun I think that's just a little bit hot you can also tap a little of that weight out if you have a scale and make that money about 85 grains or something so it's not as hard on your gun but still highly effective!
This is my first video of yours I've seen using the clear ballistics gel... and it's great!
Keep these awesome videos coming. These are very cool to watch what a bullet can do when entering a medium.
Thanks!!!
great info. i use these for my home defense and soon to be carry pistol. as always make sure you know whats beyond the target but its good to know they are a great round to atleast make someone stop what they are doing.
It is a perfect round that doesn't ger clogged by clothing or debris. Carry 115 grain in my Shield
Love it. That’s the cartridge I use in my S&W SD9VE for Home and Carry. Paid $40 for box of 25.
Can’t go wrong.
The Hollow Point causes the bullet diameter to expand increasing the size of the wound channel (or hole) meaning it will make your target bleed faster which is ultimately what causes your opponent to drop (not the energy of the bullet as many beleive) So with a hollow point you get a bigger hole...this comes at the cost of penetration since the bullets expansion transfers more energy to the target than a Full metal jacket does.
As always excellent video, the only thing I ever feel they lack would be the testing in different length barrels, but as always great impartial video.
RenaissanceMan929- you're absolutely right! These are the best ballistics tests on the Internet hands down.. LOVE the clear ballistics gel!!! Keep up the good work TnOutdoors!
Your videos are very informative. I am new to the gun world and your uploads have really helped shine some light on the subject.
You have to consider how they're testing their velocities. There's going to be variance between brands, models, and barrel lengths. I'm ignorant when it comes to the manufacturing and testing of ammunition, but I think it's safe to assume that they're using one type of test fire device which may have a longer barrel than your glock. I'm sure you've already thought about that, I just wanted to point it out to some people. Great videos and reviews! You're my go to for ammo reviews.
Thanks for your informative reports. They and the gracious comments of other viewers' and subscribers continues to impress me with the following; first, with few notable exceptions, handguns are limited in their capabilities in self defense. The variables of engagement such as environment (ambient light, obstructions, clothing and physical condition of assailant(s) bullet placement, and follow ups are critical factors. Second, training and preparation are more important than ammo or weapon
Out of all the ammo in the universe this is the one that jams on a very regular basis in all of my pistols. Don't know why but it does.
"wow that penetrated much deeper than I would have expected!"
That's what she said
@@GodGunsGills Classic!😂
@@subzrodagr8689 He beat me to it ☹
@@GodGunsGills Good God, like nobody has ever heard that one.
@@mmabagain definitely know it's old, but was a good time to use it. I guess it's still good enough that you acknowledged it and commented
This round is actually designed for short barrel handguns that's why I think you got so much penetration opposed to the tests I've seem with 3 inch barrel handguns.
That's a good point. I use Critical Defense in my little Ruger LC9, and Critical Duty in my SIG, which has a longer barrel. I'll have to chrono the Critical Defense in both weapons to see how much difference there is, though. The Critical Defense, I'm told, has a faster-burning powder so that most of it burns while the bullet is still in short barrels, so a longer barrel may not make as much difference as shooting Critical Duty in different-length barrels would.
I think it's the opposite. This round out of a shorter barrel would be slower and theoretically expand less - penetrate more
Tracy Clark tests show differently
Not the tests Hornady did when developing the FTX round. Slower velocities result in more penetration because of lack of expansion of traditional hollow points. Critical Defense was specifically designed for shorter barrels because of this.
The block is to warm
Just started carrying this in my Beretta APX centurion. Recoil wasn't to bad but it didn't match the fmj 115. More in line w/ the fmj 124 gr.
After years of doing my own research I choose this round as our CCW round. The chance of pass through and co-lateral damage is low while giving better performance initially. We didn't like any other 9 mm projectile's performance.
Tom n what are you carrying if you don't mind me asking
Shep: I carry a S&W M&P 9c (12 round with spare mag.) in the winter and Wife and I carry S&W M&P Bodyguard other times. We both use Hornady 380 90 gr. FTX in the bodyguards and I use Hornady 9 MM 115 gr FTX in our other M&P's (9c with thumb safety and M&P 9 MM 2.0. I also have sleeves that allow 17 round mags to fit the c's) I choose S&W after years of research. I choose Hornady's FTX bullets after years of trying other rounds.
Tom n Same here
Link? Need a link to a report before I believe this.
@@abcdaw22 you're a liar
In my opinion, this is the best 9mm carry load that you can buy. Hornady is such a great company, and the critical defense line is such a high quality ammo you just cant go wrong. I know some guys will say you need 124 grain bonded +p, I disagree. You can see the performance in the block is superb. Thanks for a great video, and all of your ammo test videos.
I like the clear jell apposed to the blocks you used to have to cut apart.
I see you having some more wonderful weather !
Thank you. Just purchased a box, and your demo and analysis is great.
Your the best at these gel tests on youtube. Great vids TN Can't wait until the next one!!
Another fantastic and highly professional video, Sir. Thank you.
I carry Hornady CD in one of my g19s. Good vid.
Would love to see how the Hornady critical defense does out of a 16” barrel. Something that you would use for personal protection in your home that does an over penetrate. I’ve looked all over & haven’t found this test yet. Great video.
I just received some of these in the mail after doing some research. I just found this video though, and it's the most in depth and informative one I've seen. Thanks!
In my town we had a gun show yesterday and I acquired a Ruger P89, bought a hundred rounds of Full Metal Jacket to practice with and I bought 40 rounds of 135 grain Hornady Flex lock bullets, those were the last two boxes of it so I found a box of this ammo. I was originally going to hold it until I bought some more expanding rounds and shoot these if you have three rounds because I didn't think their penetration would be anything special. But after seeing this I think I'm going to keep these.
awesome show.nice to see the results of your test. I have use Hornady in both my 9mm and .380 ever since i got my ccl because the gun dealer recommended it. now i see why
Thing I hate about Hornady is that they always inflate the velocity numbers on the box. It never achieves the stated velocity from common handguns. You have to subtract anywhere from 50FPS to 100 FPS to get close to actual velocity out of your handgun.
was looking for this review yesterday as this week on Glockforum we were talking about the difference between critical defense and Zombie attack (green or red gel).
Will watch the vid after it loads. Thanks
Very interesting. I never have bought Hornady and don't think I ever will but I enjoyed the video.
Thanks for sharing. It's been awhile since I checked performance of this load. It did better than I expected.
Interesting request, but I don't see the value of that figure in this process. Besides, the shot, if it passed through, would have to be perfectly placed and not deviate it's path in order to pass through the chronograph. Modern hollowpoints are generally not going to pass through.
I was JUST about to ask you to re-test the Critical Defense 9mm in gel. Digging the new gel, graphics, photos etc. Amazing resource on the web. Thanks!
FMJ's and Lead projectiles will go through multiple people. Hollow point are made to help make sure that all of the energy from the projectile is deposited in the intended target, and not go through. As it expands it slows down rapidly. Like deploying a parachute during free fall.
Great Information, thanks for sharing your test results.
Guy at my local gun shop recommended me this PD round based on the claim that if I were to hit an attacker in an area of soft flesh and no bone (ie: stomach) that the round wouldn't over-penetrate and possibly fuck up my dry wall (or injure an innocent).
With penetration just shy of 15" and my barrel being 4.25", unless a D-Lineman breaks into my home, that will not be the case..
I'll just have to place my shots a bit north of center mass.
Excellent video, appreciate the analysis.
I use this ammo in my concealed carry gun glad to know its a quality load. Great video sir as usual.
I hand load the 115 GD for my 3" Kahr. At 1150 fps I'm very please with the result. Shooting down into Levi covered and drained wet pack, at less than 1/2" expansion started. At about 3" I had a cavity I could stick my fist in. Then things settled down with a total penetration of 14" with last 3 inches into mud. I too was inspired with his testing and achieved the same result. I need a taller bucket .. :-)
Nice test results, was surprised to see that much penetration, I am sure the tumble helped it dig in deeper.
Great video as always. I would like to see a comparison like this with 9MM, .40 S&W and .45 ACP all on the same block of the hornady. I think that would be a good video to show the comparison side by side for them all.
I recently observed a ballistic test where the vendor was shooting their ammo through various targets. I asked if they would shoot one of my Hornady 9mm Critical Defense rounds to compare with other projectiles. They shot their rounds through 1.5 inches of plywood into an 18 inch block of ballistic gel. All of the rounds penetrated the plywood and into the gel. The Federal HST did not expand much at all. A frangible bullet did not break up at all. My Hornady round went through the plywood, through the gel, exited the gel with no deformity or expansion, and went to the back of the range wall 22 yards away. This was confirmed on a high speed camera.
I am surprised that my self-defense round penetrated in this fashion. Of course, this is one specific test of an unlikely scenario. But it shows that bullets do odd stuff in real life.
My theory is that the bullet was both clogged by plywood and the velocity was lowered below the threshold necessary for expansion and thus continued on much like a FMJ round. But that remains a theory until I can test it.
I'm pretty much done with exotic ammo. If everyone hasn't figured out by now that high velocity light for caliber is going to underpenetrate, I don't know what more to say other than a short video stating this fact.....again.
Nice review. That clear gel is a major enhancement.
This is what I carry in my M&P Shield. Nice to see it did well.
Have you tried to make your own polymer inserts? Gel test? Maybe a gel test of HPs made with a DIY HP maker?
Tests I saw in 3" barrels had around 13" of penetration with the Gel and Denim. And the pedals were not as pinned back as much as yours. Slightly less penetration (about an inch to an inch and a half) and about a MM more diameter in expansion.
Good to see it expands well and still goes as deep as it does because I carry that round in a Kel Tec PF9. Don't want to carry any +P's in it, not really supposed to in that gun. Would not penetrate as deep coming out of the PF9 though, slightly shorter barrel and you get a slight velocity increase from glock's polygonal rifling.
TN i'ts looking like clear gel is doing about 3" less than FBI blocks. So this would mean you get around 11.75" and that puts it right at what we would expect and what Horniday data claims. Just a thought.
your tests are always consistent, full of good data, and you have a great speaking talent, many people cannot speak correctly, your vids are very professional. thank you.
The big question with this stuff is window deflection. What do you think it would do at about a 30 percent angle off a car windshield? side windows are usually made to shatter, deflection is minimal, light refraction becomes more of an issue, however, the front window is made differently, I've seen 9mm/s bounce
Thanks for putting out great videos like this it really helps folks like me know what ammo to buy
Pass-through lethality foreknowledge would be valuable to know for shot placement confidence of a shooter respecting lives in a populated background.
Awesome videos!! Thanks for posting them I've seen some of your other tests videos for the pdx1 and all of them are great thanks again for taking the time to post the videos
I have noticed this too. Everything seems to penetrate deeper in ClearBallistics compared to Sim-Test.
Your my go to guy for ballistic test on bullet choice. I'm a fan
Just tested this load out of a 3.2" barrel. I got a bigger stretch cavity and 10.5" penetration. May be due to slightly denser gel. BB calibration was 3 1/16"
The original point of hollow point bullets was so that the projectile would expand and stay inside the person it hits. The benefit of using them is threefold, you get a bigger hole, use all the bullet's energy on the target and help prevent bullet passthrough which could wound innocent bystanders. Regular FMJ rounds, especially with small fast moving bullets, tend to make a small hole and exit out the back of your target with enough energy left to kill another person (yes 9mm can do this).
This is the first video I've seen with the clear media. It's pretty neat, will it be the new standard?
My God, you didn't stop to talk about random, inane nonsense. It was all info, all the time. Thanks!
They are not quite the same round, but close. Since you shoot both you'll notice the CD rounds are nickel-plated brass while the Zombie rounds are plain brass casings.
Very good, thorough review with solid facts. thanks.
Thanks for the vid! Keep 'em coming!
i agree there is a, as you stated, *slight difference* between "defense" and "duty". but both designators are marketing tools. there's nothing wrong with that but i don't think we should be building one up to be significantly better than the other because of that. M&P is a suitable firearm for military and police. but that is still 100% marketing because so are countless other options. and i don't use either in question for duty or personal carry, though i'm not against either.
I have been looking for self-defense ammo for a while The only fear I have is it over penetrating and going through and hitting someone else
You just have to be aware of what is beyond your target and decide when to shoot if you have the luxury of making a move when you chose to do so. Otherwise I figure if someone is threatening or taking other's lives, a round or two over penetrating is the least of your worries. Even if it does hit someone else I can't imagine it's very likely to be fatal for them.
Brayden Kenney exactly, like Jesse if someone move while you’re trying to lay down a good shot placement and you hit their 🖐 on accident. any bullet you carry will go through and destroy what’s behind it. know your 4 rules
Most of the times it’s not gonna matter if lives are in danger
Use mag safe
Jesse they make things like glazer safety slugs that come apart when they hit a human body they won't go through you're that worried about it or they won't go through the walls and hit your other family members if you're protecting your home at night or something!
I tend to find the Zombie loads 1 to 2$ cheaper
picked up my first box today for my g17
I noticed from past test that lower velocity tend to expand less casuing them to penetrate more. A regular 115gr JHP moving at 1220 fps or so would be under penetrating im assume.
So glad u brought up the zombies! 🧟♂️ I was going to look them up
Great round for a single stack/ short barrel 9mm ! Choose the right round for your particular handgun
Excellent, test & review, as usual, sir!
hornady is the only defensive ammo i use
In 2020 you use whatever you can get
Thanks again for the video....I like the idea of amme designed for smaller handguns. It would be interesting to see if there is a difference when fired from a Glock 26 subcompact.
Although I think we are talking about different things, what you said was not correct. Energy transfer is extremely important. You can shoot a 50 BMG or an 8 gauge standing up and not be knocked down. Does that mean they don't have "stopping power"? That's not what I'm talking about. Energy transfer is crucial for wound channel, permanent and stretch cavities and hydrostatic shock, all of which play a major role in defense. So what's the harm in testing it to see how it compares?