Anybody Shoot Hornady Critical Defense in Your R9?

[Ghost Chili]

Got back from a gun show yesterday and came across a new (at least to me) Hornady ammo called Critical Duty.  The bullet looked like it had a more pointed profile and the red rubber plug has a "H" in it.  The 9mm bullet is 135gr.  Did some looking online and found a page on Hornady's website detailing the differences between the two:

http://www.hornady.com/support/critical-duty-and-critical-defense

Suppose I can pick up a couple boxes of the Critical Duty and have a try with the R9.  Nice that the bullet is heavier than 124gr., but lighter than 147gr.  Perhaps it offers a better balance of heavier bullet with higher velocity? 

[billib]

Yah, I had read somewhere that Critical Defense
was designed for Short Barreled Guns so I picked
up a few box's. I like the bullet wight, sorta splits
the difference. Hadn't had an opportunity to
shoot it yet, though. I guess it'll just be you
(Ghost Chili) and me since everyone else on
this Forum seem to dislike Hornady ammo.
Something about primers, I think. Not sure
why the primers Hornady uses are somehow
unacceptable. Maybe someone came alluminate
it for us.

[Reinz]

There were/are some members that had primer strike/ignition issues with their R9's.

Some called Hornady and were not happy with the company reply.

Maybe Tracker can give his veiw.  He is a real Hornady FanBoy!  He runs Red through and through.   I think he shoots exclusively Hornady. 

[MRC]

I have shot Hornady Critical Defense in all my "pocket nines" and all have fired fine with normal accuracy.  I did have some "fried egg" looking primers with those fired in the R9 but all went off on the first pull.  I took the R9 and spent cases to my Gunsmith to check headspace as that is normally the problem.  The R9's chamber was on the long side of the tolerances and the brass was on the short side of the spec which was the probable cause.  Also the R9 has by far the lightest strike of any of my pistols.  That is the price you pay to have the lightest and smoothest trigger pull of any hammer fired DAO pistol.

I found the Critical Defense to be a very low energy round and only available in 115 gr weights.  That being I prefer the Gold Dot 124's as my carry choice.

In the 380 guns though, I feel it is a real winner as all tests I have seen it expands well even through denim so it is my choice when I carry my P380.

I have fired the Critical Duty ammo but only in the +P pressure so not in the R9.  It works fine but is designed for LE who perhaps will be shooting through barriers.  The tests I have seen when not fired through a barrier have expanded minimumly and over penetrated.  Probably not a good choice for civilian carry.

[tracker]

There have been many excellent reasons given on this forum for not using Critical Defense in the R9; not the least of which is that they don't make their own primers like the other recommended manufacturers such as Winchester, Federal, Speer, etc.. Despite the warnings about hard primers, headspace, and general incompatibility with small, light striking 9mm pistols, forum members continue to ask about using Critical Defense ammo in the R9. The remaining boxes I have left will go to the range as Glock fodder.

[Reinz]

Ah nuts! I tried to get a rise out of Tracker.

[tracker]

I saw you coming on that one, Reinz, and tried to tone down how I really feel about the subject. As far as I am concerned anyone can have that ammo with the Brooklyn Bridge thrown in together. I wouldn't wear a ball cap with the Hornady name on it.

[billib]

When I had spoken with Maria Ayala at
Rohrbaugh (before I shot my PUP) she
suggested I really PULL the trigger and
not baby it with slow trigger pulls. The
potential for light trigger strikes is probably
why. Also, the Hornady Critical Duty I
had bought is 135gr bullet weight and
not 115gr. Thats what I ment when I
said it split the difference (being between
115gr and 147gr which are typical bullet
weights).

[MRC]

Critical Duty and Critical Defense are two different products and you are mixing up the names.  In your first post you referenced Critical Defense.

9mm Critical Defense comes only in the 115 gr standard pressure load,

9mm Critical Duty comes in 135 gr std pressure and 135 gr +P.

[billib]

Yah, I caught it, thats why I clarified it.
I usually don't catch my mistakes till its
to late to matter.

[MRC]

I like and use Hornady products a lot in reloading.  The 380 Critical Defense is a great carry round in my opinion, but when it comes to the short barreled 9mm's I think there are better rounds available than either the Critical Defense or the Critical Duty.

JMO

[smokemup]

I shot some Critical Defense today without issue.

[tracker]

That is the thing about Critical Defense: one can never know for sure. Sometimes it goes bang and sometimes it goes click.

[Reinz]

Tracker wrote a screenplay for a movie that stared Robert Downey Jr. a few yrs ago.

It was called Critical Defense; Click, Click, Bang!Bang!   

[tracker]

Write it? I produced and directed that movie.