G&A "Handguns" review of Hornady handgun ammo

[Solus]

Metcalf must be drinking from the same well as the Crook county politicians. Gotta keep an eye on that northern IL water.

Solus, like you I won't be burning up my carry stores anytime soon. Blasting ammo that sells for close to or over a $1 a round into a berm isn't in my near future. The Gold Dots, Golden Sabers, Cor-Bons, etc. are going to be in my house for a while.
I like the idea that Hornady came up with - it should give the other ammo companies a kick in the butt to refine their loads.  

I know.   My lament was a yin-yang type of comment.   I have always been a sucker for the latest and greatest but realize it is often a marketing  ploy, if not always to some degree.   I use Hornady Critical Defense or CORBON DPX which do as well without the improved barrier penetration of the new stuff.  

I'd say the replacement ammo I'd be buying would be the Hornady Critical Duty, but because of a side benefit of this product introduction, the other Hornady, and perhaps other producers, ammo will fall in price, I might take a deal on still very effective loadings.  

[robheath]

You have to hand it to Hornady though...They stay buisy with R&D when it comes to new stuff and when it comes to marketing.

[Solus]

You have to hand it to Hornady though...They stay buisy with R&D when it comes to new stuff and when it comes to marketing.

That is true...in recent years from TAP to Critical Defense to Critical Duty....each adding advantages...

Just  pick where you budget and need falls 

[Ping]

I use Hornady TAP and Hornady Critical Defense. Great ammunition. As for what message Mr. Metcalf was trying to convey ? Who knows? Laws vary from state to state but I really love the "Castle Doctrine". And if it comes down to you and a bad guy in a firefight, I hope you win with whatever ammo you are using.

[twyacht]

It's Ammo and the evolution of a product....Federal Hydra-Shok were LEO issued, than civilians were marketed and it was the shiznit premium ammo back in the day. Winchester Ranger, PMC Starfire, Those evil Black Talons, that are now the SXT, same lubalox coating and everything without the non-PC name...

Than came the Golden Sabre, Speer GD's and others, which helped improve the ballistic performance of even "leetle" rds. like the 9mm, .380, even the .32.

So good for Hornady, They make great SD/carry stuff. My Speer Gold Dot's in my Kel-Tec .380, work great, feed reliably, and are an effective rd. in that platform. When I can't carry my M85 snub with Golden Sabre .38 +P's. or my 1911 with Federal HST's....or my M&P .40 with Winchester SXT's...etc,....etc,...

Point is, they have to stay in the game of a growing gun market...Gun sales are way up...The latest greatest of 2 years ago, needs a new face, new technology, a little marketing, and I read the performance reviews, even through auto-glass, heavy clothing, sheetrock, and other barriers, and the weight/shape retention is pretty impressive.

Still comes down to shot placement and practice.....Many thousands and thousands of folks have died with "ball ammo"...also...

and so it goes,....

The gun rags, play to the hype, and if your life is on the line,....you shoot what you got,...if it's a premium super dee duper ammo, all the better.

Stop the threat. Protect you and your family. That's the bottom line.

[Sponsor]

[billt]

Whoa, ease up kmitch, Metcalf is from IL. Have a little respect for his deprived up bringing. He has to remain politically correct.

Pecos

Having spent 38 years of my life in the unfriendly confines of Illinois, and 21 years here in Arizona, I can somewhat understand Metcalf's poor thought process on this matter. If you were to shoot someone in a self defense situation, (you be the judge of the actual meaning of "self defense"), you stand a much worse chance of being prosecuted in Illinois, than you would most other states, especially out here in Arizona where firearms are an all but accepted way of life.

Remember, Illinois is one of the few states left that won't allow concealed carry of any kind. And it's highly doubtful they ever will. They are worse than California, New York, or even Hawaii in regards to anything Second Amendment related. The last thing they want in that state is a highly publicized legal self defense shooting that involves a handgun, or any other type of firearm for that matter. It is really sad how all of this effects peoples thought process there.

In the neighborhood where I lived, I wouldn't get invited to block parties because neighbors knew I owned guns, and "was into" firearms. After we moved out here it was like moving to a completely different country. I grew up in Oak Park, Illinois where it was illegal to even own a handgun. And the police didn't have to enforce it. Your neighbors would rat you out to them if they knew. These people were more wrapped up in their Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, than they were their freedoms or personal liberty. This is how you get a socialistic government run by idiots like Rod Blagojevich and Rahm Emanuel in power, and keep them there. How hard did Emanuel have to campaign? He didn't. He all but walked into office.

This is how you get guys that think like Metcalf. They just don't know any better. They're like inbred puppies in that regard. And there are a lot of them! As we see idiots like the "occupy" crowd increase in numbers, this type of stupid thinking is on the rise. People are completely willing and able to flush their freedoms right down the toilet with a great big smile on their face because they don't know any better, and they don't care. Just as long as they get something from the government. A nice job with a big pension, or if you prefer not to work, a handout. None of this favors gun ownership, and only promotes idiotic thinking on the subject.

[MikeBjerum]

As the guys at Hornady informally put it, Critcal Defense ammo is for us. Critcal Duty ammo is for cops.

[MikeBjerum]

There is a fork in the road that we missed, and there is no right or wrong choice when you come to the fork except to do nothing.  This fork leads to either continuous change or status quo.  When it comes to self defense gun choice and ammunition choice we often get so wrapped up in the latest, greatest, handiest, and most powerful that we forget that the tool that works best for me is the best tool for me.

What drives change?  Do we change because we have a need, or do we change because of marketing?  Researchers and tinkerers develop new ideas out of a drive to do the best they can, and to keep their paychecks.  Manufacturers develop new and more products to drive their sales up.  Sometimes these are better for someone or everyone, and sometimes they are nothing but marketing gimmicks.  Development of new products often leads to better products, but it also often leads to better ways to empty bank accounts of nonthinking consumers.

There was a time when magazines, like all media, were sources of valuable information.  However, today magazines, like all media, they are a source of expanded promotion of sponsors products.  When we read articles like this we need to not only evaluate the product, but we must also evaluate who is writing the article, where their information is coming from, and what they are truly trying to tell us.

What benefit does this new ammunition really offer you?  That is the question, and the only correct answer is the one that applies to your situation.  If you look at this from the same point of view as selecting a firearm to carry and use, and in selecting other ammunition there will be as many different answers as there are options:

1.  Is it made in your caliber;
2.  Is it available in strong quantities in your market;
3.  Does it work in your gun;
4.  Can you afford to shoot several hundred rounds for reliability checking and at the end of each regular practice session;
5.  Does it objectively offer any benefit over your current ammunition choices?

Answer yes to all of these and it is worth a try.  Answer no to any of these and it is time to resist the urge to jump on the "new and improved" bandwagon.  Even if you answer yes to all five questions it still may not mean that jumping on the bandwagon is the best choice.

[Solus]

There is a fork in the road that we missed, and there is no right or wrong choice when you come to the fork except to do nothing.  This fork leads to either continuous change or status quo.  When it comes to self defense gun choice and ammunition choice we often get so wrapped up in the latest, greatest, handiest, and most powerful that we forget that the tool that works best for me is the best tool for me.

What drives change?  Do we change because we have a need, or do we change because of marketing?  Researchers and tinkerers develop new ideas out of a drive to do the best they can, and to keep their paychecks.  Manufacturers develop new and more products to drive their sales up.  Sometimes these are better for someone or everyone, and sometimes they are nothing but marketing gimmicks.  Development of new products often leads to better products, but it also often leads to better ways to empty bank accounts of nonthinking consumers.

There was a time when magazines, like all media, were sources of valuable information.  However, today magazines, like all media, they are a source of expanded promotion of sponsors products.  When we read articles like this we need to not only evaluate the product, but we must also evaluate who is writing the article, where their information is coming from, and what they are truly trying to tell us.

What benefit does this new ammunition really offer you?  That is the question, and the only correct answer is the one that applies to your situation.  If you look at this from the same point of view as selecting a firearm to carry and use, and in selecting other ammunition there will be as many different answers as there are options:

1.  Is it made in your caliber;
2.  Is it available in strong quantities in your market;
3.  Does it work in your gun;
4.  Can you afford to shoot several hundred rounds for reliability checking and at the end of each regular practice session;
5.  Does it objectively offer any benefit over your current ammunition choices?

Answer yes to all of these and it is worth a try.  Answer no to any of these and it is time to resist the urge to jump on the "new and improved" bandwagon.  Even if you answer yes to all five questions it still may not mean that jumping on the bandwagon is the best choice.

Very good criteria.

This new ammo in question is said to offer better barrier penetration than the current Critical Defense ammo.

To some this will be a plus, to others a negative..

If it is a plus and it is available, but costs more, which would be expected, you only need to determine if the cost is worth that plus.



One thing this reminds me of is the theory that every complicated decision can be broken down into a series of yes or no questions.

This is a good example for that and m58 has pretty much laid them out.

[ellis4538]

From reading the article it would seem that "Critical Defense" (which I already carry) is all I need because I don't need all the characteristics of the "Critical Duty" and some of them might work against me down the line if I have to defend myself and/or family.

Richard