Hornady Critical Defense 357 Magnum

Revolver Defense Load

Hornady Critical Defense in .357 Magnum is a personal-protection load for revolvers and lever guns chambered in .357 Mag. Each round carries a 125-grain FTX bullet, whose soft red tip keeps the hollow point from plugging with clothing so it can still expand. This is ammunition for a nightstand revolver, a concealed-carry wheelgun or a trail gun, where reliable expansion matters more than range-day economy. Each box holds 25 cartridges.

Features

• 125 Grain FTX Bullet — FTX stands for Flex Tip eXpanding, Hornady's patented bullet with a flexible polymer insert seated in the hollow-point cavity.
• Red Polymer Tip — The tip fills the hollow point so fabric and other debris cannot pack the cavity and stop the bullet from expanding.
• .357 Magnum Chambering — Made for firearms marked .357 Magnum, and not for guns chambered only in .38 Special.
• 1,500 FPS Muzzle Velocity — The box lists 1,500 feet per second at the muzzle for this 125-grain load.
• Nickel-Finish Cases — The bright silver-colored cases resist corrosion and make it easy to tell defense rounds from practice ammo in a speed loader or cylinder.
• 25-Round Box — Enough to load several cylinders and confirm the load shoots to your sights before you carry it.
• Product Number 90500 — Hornady's catalog number for this load, printed on the box end for easy reordering.
• Made In USA — Manufactured by Hornady in the United States, as marked on the packaging.

Bullet and Case Design

A conventional hollow point can fill with heavy fabric and act like a solid bullet. Hornady designed the FTX around that problem: the elastomer tip blocks the cavity on the way in, then pushes into the bullet on impact to start expansion. The 125-grain weight keeps velocity high for a .357 Magnum. If your revolver is chambered in .357 Magnum, it can also fire .38 Special, so practice with the lighter round and carry this one.