Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special +P 110gr FTX Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 90311
Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special +P 110gr FTX Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 90311
Solved from this product's advertised 1090 fps, 110gr bullet and G1 BC 0.131, with the sight 0.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .38 Special.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 4" vital zone, ±2" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 100 yards.
.38 Special 110gr with a 10-yard zero
Zeroed at 10 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 10 yards, peaks +0.2" at 21 yards, crosses back down at 32 yards, and is -1.2" at 50 and -10.7" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,090 | 290 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.89 | -1.13 | 1,078 | 284 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.06 | -0.02 | 1,068 | 279 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.77 | +0.22 | 1,058 | 273 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.2" | +0.82 | +0.24 | 1,048 | 268 | 0.3 |
| 25 | +0.1" | +0.55 | +0.16 | 1,038 | 263 | 0.4 |
| 30 | 0.0" | +0.11 | +0.03 | 1,029 | 259 | 0.5 |
| 35 | -0.2" | -0.42 | -0.12 | 1,020 | 254 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.4" | -1.02 | -0.30 | 1,012 | 250 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -0.8" | -1.67 | -0.49 | 1,004 | 246 | 1.1 |
| 50 | -1.2" | -2.35 | -0.68 | 996 | 242 | 1.3 |
| 55 | -1.8" | -3.06 | -0.89 | 988 | 239 | 1.5 |
| 60 | -2.4" | -3.79 | -1.10 | 981 | 235 | 1.8 |
| 65 | -3.1" | -4.55 | -1.32 | 973 | 232 | 2.1 |
| 70 | -3.9" | -5.32 | -1.55 | 966 | 228 | 2.4 |
| 75 | -4.8" | -6.10 | -1.78 | 960 | 225 | 2.7 |
| 80 | -5.8" | -6.90 | -2.01 | 953 | 222 | 3.0 |
| 85 | -6.9" | -7.72 | -2.25 | 947 | 219 | 3.4 |
| 90 | -8.1" | -8.54 | -2.49 | 940 | 216 | 3.8 |
| 95 | -9.4" | -9.38 | -2.73 | 934 | 213 | 4.1 |
| 100 | -10.7" | -10.23 | -2.98 | 928 | 210 | 4.6 |
110gr G1 .131 at 1,090 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 110gr with a 15-yard zero
Zeroed at 15 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 15 yards without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -1.7" at 50 and -11.6" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,090 | 290 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.3" | -4.67 | -1.36 | 1,078 | 284 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.84 | -0.24 | 1,068 | 279 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 1,058 | 273 | 0.2 |
| 20 | 0.0" | +0.04 | +0.01 | 1,048 | 268 | 0.3 |
| 25 | -0.1" | -0.23 | -0.07 | 1,038 | 263 | 0.4 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.67 | -0.19 | 1,029 | 259 | 0.5 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.20 | -0.35 | 1,020 | 254 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.8" | -1.80 | -0.52 | 1,012 | 250 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -1.2" | -2.45 | -0.71 | 1,004 | 246 | 1.1 |
| 50 | -1.7" | -3.13 | -0.91 | 996 | 242 | 1.3 |
| 55 | -2.2" | -3.84 | -1.12 | 988 | 239 | 1.5 |
| 60 | -2.9" | -4.58 | -1.33 | 981 | 235 | 1.8 |
| 65 | -3.6" | -5.33 | -1.55 | 973 | 232 | 2.1 |
| 70 | -4.5" | -6.10 | -1.77 | 966 | 228 | 2.4 |
| 75 | -5.4" | -6.89 | -2.00 | 960 | 225 | 2.7 |
| 80 | -6.5" | -7.69 | -2.24 | 953 | 222 | 3.0 |
| 85 | -7.6" | -8.50 | -2.47 | 947 | 219 | 3.4 |
| 90 | -8.8" | -9.33 | -2.71 | 940 | 216 | 3.8 |
| 95 | -10.1" | -10.16 | -2.96 | 934 | 213 | 4.1 |
| 100 | -11.6" | -11.01 | -3.20 | 928 | 210 | 4.6 |
110gr G1 .131 at 1,090 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 110gr with a 25-yard zero
Zeroed at 25 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 25 yards and never rises more than 0.1" above it (effectively a tangent zero), and is -1.5" at 50 and -11.3" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,090 | 290 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.43 | -1.29 | 1,078 | 284 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.59 | -0.17 | 1,068 | 279 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | +0.23 | +0.07 | 1,058 | 273 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.28 | +0.08 | 1,048 | 268 | 0.3 |
| 25 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 1,038 | 263 | 0.4 |
| 30 | -0.1" | -0.43 | -0.12 | 1,029 | 259 | 0.5 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -0.96 | -0.28 | 1,020 | 254 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.7" | -1.56 | -0.45 | 1,012 | 250 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -1.0" | -2.21 | -0.64 | 1,004 | 246 | 1.1 |
| 50 | -1.5" | -2.89 | -0.84 | 996 | 242 | 1.3 |
| 55 | -2.1" | -3.60 | -1.05 | 988 | 239 | 1.5 |
| 60 | -2.7" | -4.33 | -1.26 | 981 | 235 | 1.8 |
| 65 | -3.5" | -5.09 | -1.48 | 973 | 232 | 2.1 |
| 70 | -4.3" | -5.86 | -1.70 | 966 | 228 | 2.4 |
| 75 | -5.2" | -6.64 | -1.93 | 960 | 225 | 2.7 |
| 80 | -6.3" | -7.44 | -2.16 | 953 | 222 | 3.0 |
| 85 | -7.4" | -8.26 | -2.40 | 947 | 219 | 3.4 |
| 90 | -8.6" | -9.08 | -2.64 | 940 | 216 | 3.8 |
| 95 | -9.9" | -9.92 | -2.89 | 934 | 213 | 4.1 |
| 100 | -11.3" | -10.77 | -3.13 | 928 | 210 | 4.6 |
110gr G1 .131 at 1,090 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Hornady Critical Defense +P 110-grain is an FTX .38 Special load made for personal protection. Hornady fills the hollow point's cavity with a soft polymer plug. At 1,090 fps it makes 290 ft-lbs, the most of any defensive load in the caliber.
Zeroed at 25 yards, it is 1.5 inches low at 50, where it still carries 996 fps and 242 ft-lbs, more than any other .38 Special defensive load holds at that distance. Estimated recoil sits just under the +P 125-grain pair at 945 fps.
If you're cross-shopping, Hornady's Critical Defense 110-grain is the standard-pressure version of the same bullet, 80 fps slower at 1,010 fps with 41 ft-lbs less. Remington's Golden Saber +P 125-grain BJHP is the heavy-bullet route, at 975 fps and 264 ft-lbs.
- About 2 percent less estimated recoil than the +P 125-grain loads at 945 fps, on 15 fewer grains of bullet
- A polymer plug in the cavity, which no other +P load in the caliber uses
- Hornady states a 4-inch vented barrel for the 1,090 fps
- +P pressure, so it belongs only in a revolver rated for it, and many small-frame and older .38s are not
- At 110 grains it carries the least bullet of the caliber's +P loads
- Hornady's Critical Defense 110-grain at standard pressure is the softer-shooting version of the same bullet
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 gr | FTX | 1090 fps | 290 ft-lbs | 0.131 |
$1.31
250 Rounds
|
|
| 110 gr | FTX | 1010 fps | 249 ft-lbs | 0.131 |
$1.28
250 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | BJHP | 975 fps | 264 ft-lbs | 0.142 |
$2.42
20 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | JHP | 945 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.141 |
$0.82
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | XTP JHP | 900 fps | 225 ft-lbs | 0.151 |
$1.00
250 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | JHP | 945 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.132 | N/A |
All Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special +P 110gr FTX Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 250 | $309.00 | $19.56 | $328.56 | $1.31 |
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