Hornady Critical Defense Flex Tip Ammo

[Howdah460]

Hi,

Has anyone with the Forum been able to run the new Hornady Critical Defense Flex-Tip jacketed hollow point 115 gr 9mm loads through their R9's yet? I was wondering what some of your experiences have been with them compared to some of the other preferred rounds that are often recommended here.

These have been next to impossible to find in the gun shops in the Birmingham area but I located a couple of boxes on-line and they're inbound to try out once they arrive.

A couple of the reviews I saw on them happened to be marginal, with some misfires occurring with the initial rounds (I don't recall the firearm they were using them in) but the company's performance review looks quite interesting as a standard carry load.

If anyone's been able to run some through their pup yet I'd appreciate hearing what you thought about them.

Thanks,
Jim

[kjtrains]

Jim.  There's been a lot of discussion on the Hornady Critical Defense and on the primers they are using.  Some here on the Forum have had good results and others, not so good.  Here is a link on much discussion.  Just scroll down on the link:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/YaBB.cgi?board=R9S;action=display;num=1254080760;start=60

[yankee2500]

Jim,
   I have fired them in my pup and had no problem, but it seems the issue was with certain lot numbers and not across the board with the ammo.

John

[kjtrains]

I believe the link discusses S&B primers used in a lot of the Honady Critical Defense could be a problem with the R9.  Winchester primers seem to work just fine.  

[jetboater]

I believe the link discusses S&B primers used in a lot of the Honady Critical Defense could be a problem with the R9.  Winchester primers seem to work just fine.  

kj's correct--I have about a dozen boxes of the 9mm HCD and it's hit or miss on which primer is in which lot---some are just too hard to fire reliably in the R9 and I'm not experienced enough to tell which primer is which so I went back to GD 115s in my pup and use the HCD in my HKs.
Love the concept behind the HCD round and hope they get back to some sort of standardization on the primer so I can carry them with confidence in the pup.
I understand from one of the earlier threads that Hornaday actually boought a pup to test fire the HCD but I've not seen any followup

[kjtrains]

tracker has an update on the way Hornady is now seating the primers in the following link:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/YaBB.cgi?board=R9S;action=display;num=1269747941;start=12#12

[tracker]

In addition to the comments posted I would have to see a lot of continuous range performance and reliability before I would consider carrying Critical Defense ammo again.

[birdman]

  When Marine Ordnance started that thread about the CD ammo I went thru my ammo stash and found that I was the not-so-proud owner of 8 boxes of CDs. There were 4 boxes of the infamous lot#3091459 and 4 boxes of another lot# (I don't remember the lot# of those) anyway, I tried them both and had the same results as MO did with lot#3091459. The other lot worked fine in the R9 and I shot the bad ones in an old S&W 659 that will eat anything that even LOOKS like a 9mm! To make a long story even longer, There are too many good brands out there for me to take a chance. I have enough GDs to last 'til the silvertips are available again. So I simply won't buy Hornadys' again.   Gene

[kjtrains]

I agree.  Can't wait for 9mm Silvertips to be available again.  Don't know why, I don't need 'em.  Just like to know they're available.

I have so many back orders in, I get surprised when a shipping notice comes in.  In the mist of finding Silvertips, I had already placed orders, and didn't cancel them after finding so many in early and mid '09.  

So when 9mm's are available, that will be interesting!        

[Chihuahua TN]

 To make a long story even longer, There are too many good brands out there for me to take a chance. I have enough GDs to last 'til the silvertips are available again. So I simply won't buy Hornadys' again.   Gene

100% AGREE

[sslater]

I've tried 3 or 4 mags of Hornady C.D. in my R9s with no apparent problems, but have followed the issues that other forum members have suffered thru.  The ammo I have is not from the problem lot.

Hornady makes pretty good products, but they are at the mercy of primer shortage like the rest of us mortal handloaders,  and I think that's at the root of Hornady's problem, at least for ammo - sensitive guns like the R9 (& other small pistols).

I've just re-read an article from the September 2009 issue of American Rifleman magazine.  They compared Hornady Critical Defense ammo with Winchester PDX1.  PDX1 has been available only to L.E., but now is being sold to the civilian market.  (Winchester thinks enough of PDX1 that they're discontinuing STX, which replaced the notorious Winchester Black Talon.
What attracts me to Winchester ammo - other than the fact that I used Silvertip for years, is that Winchester makes all of their own components - including primers.  In fact, Winchester primers are my favorite brand for reloading.  i just cannot find them lately.....

I did a quick search of the Forum archives, but didn't turn up any hits on Winchester PDX1.  
Question: Has anyone used PDX1 in their R9?


Steve  

[birdman]

     Steve, if my memory serves, the pdx in 9mm is only made in 147gr standard pressure and 124gr +P. Which only leaves the 147gr available to use in the R9. I don't really like the heavier bullets, so as a result I have not tried them. I do have some Winchester SXZ 115gr JHP that my pup seems to like. I guess I could have just said no.       Gene                    

[scar2783]

Jim.

They work perfectly in my gun and are what I carry.

Mark

[kjtrains]

Mark.  Glad they're working for you!  Excellent.

[kanuist]

I haven't had a single failure with the HCD in my pup and I've put about 30 rounds through it.  The "fried egg" primer strikes do bother me though.

Did anyone ever figure out if this was due to a higher pressure or just the different flatter primers?