Hornady Critical Defense Lite .38 Special 90gr FTX Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 90300
Hornady Critical Defense Lite .38 Special 90gr FTX Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 90300
Solved from this product's advertised 1200 fps, 90gr bullet and G1 BC 0.095, 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 90gr 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 23 yards, crosses back down at 36 yards, and is -0.8" at 50 and -9.3" 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 | 1,200 | 288 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.01 | -1.17 | 1,178 | 277 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.06 | -0.02 | 1,158 | 268 | 0.2 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.88 | +0.26 | 1,138 | 259 | 0.3 |
| 20 | +0.2" | +1.03 | +0.30 | 1,120 * | 251 | 0.4 |
| 25 | +0.2" | +0.86 | +0.25 | 1,103 * | 243 | 0.6 |
| 30 | +0.2" | +0.52 | +0.15 | 1,087 * | 236 | 0.8 |
| 35 | 0.0" | +0.08 | +0.02 | 1,072 * | 230 | 1.0 |
| 40 | -0.2" | -0.43 | -0.13 | 1,058 * | 224 | 1.3 |
| 45 | -0.5" | -0.99 | -0.29 | 1,044 * | 218 | 1.6 |
| 50 | -0.8" | -1.60 | -0.46 | 1,032 * | 213 | 2.0 |
| 55 | -1.3" | -2.23 | -0.65 | 1,019 * | 208 | 2.3 |
| 60 | -1.8" | -2.89 | -0.84 | 1,008 * | 203 | 2.8 |
| 65 | -2.4" | -3.58 | -1.04 | 997 * | 199 | 3.2 |
| 70 | -3.2" | -4.28 | -1.25 | 986 * | 194 | 3.6 |
| 75 | -3.9" | -5.01 | -1.46 | 976 * | 190 | 4.1 |
| 80 | -4.8" | -5.75 | -1.67 | 966 * | 187 | 4.7 |
| 85 | -5.8" | -6.51 | -1.89 | 957 * | 183 | 5.2 |
| 90 | -6.9" | -7.29 | -2.12 | 948 * | 180 | 5.8 |
| 95 | -8.1" | -8.08 | -2.35 | 939 * | 176 | 6.4 |
| 100 | -9.3" | -8.89 | -2.59 | 931 * | 173 | 7.0 |
90gr G1 .095 at 1,200 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. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 19 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 90gr 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 -1.3" at 50 and -10.3" 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 | 1,200 | 288 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.3" | -4.89 | -1.42 | 1,178 | 277 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.94 | -0.27 | 1,158 | 268 | 0.2 |
| 15 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 1,138 | 259 | 0.3 |
| 20 | 0.0" | +0.15 | +0.04 | 1,120 * | 251 | 0.4 |
| 25 | 0.0" | -0.02 | -0.01 | 1,103 * | 243 | 0.6 |
| 30 | -0.1" | -0.36 | -0.10 | 1,087 * | 236 | 0.8 |
| 35 | -0.3" | -0.80 | -0.23 | 1,072 * | 230 | 1.0 |
| 40 | -0.6" | -1.31 | -0.38 | 1,058 * | 224 | 1.3 |
| 45 | -0.9" | -1.88 | -0.55 | 1,044 * | 218 | 1.6 |
| 50 | -1.3" | -2.48 | -0.72 | 1,032 * | 213 | 2.0 |
| 55 | -1.8" | -3.11 | -0.91 | 1,019 * | 208 | 2.3 |
| 60 | -2.4" | -3.78 | -1.10 | 1,008 * | 203 | 2.8 |
| 65 | -3.0" | -4.46 | -1.30 | 997 * | 199 | 3.2 |
| 70 | -3.8" | -5.17 | -1.50 | 986 * | 194 | 3.6 |
| 75 | -4.6" | -5.89 | -1.71 | 976 * | 190 | 4.1 |
| 80 | -5.6" | -6.64 | -1.93 | 966 * | 187 | 4.7 |
| 85 | -6.6" | -7.40 | -2.15 | 957 * | 183 | 5.2 |
| 90 | -7.7" | -8.18 | -2.38 | 948 * | 180 | 5.8 |
| 95 | -8.9" | -8.97 | -2.61 | 939 * | 176 | 6.4 |
| 100 | -10.3" | -9.77 | -2.84 | 931 * | 173 | 7.0 |
90gr G1 .095 at 1,200 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. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 19 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 90gr 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 without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -1.3" at 50 and -10.2" 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 | 1,200 | 288 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.3" | -4.87 | -1.42 | 1,178 | 277 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.92 | -0.27 | 1,158 | 268 | 0.2 |
| 15 | 0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 1,138 | 259 | 0.3 |
| 20 | 0.0" | +0.17 | +0.05 | 1,120 * | 251 | 0.4 |
| 25 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,103 * | 243 | 0.6 |
| 30 | -0.1" | -0.34 | -0.10 | 1,087 * | 236 | 0.8 |
| 35 | -0.3" | -0.78 | -0.23 | 1,072 * | 230 | 1.0 |
| 40 | -0.5" | -1.29 | -0.38 | 1,058 * | 224 | 1.3 |
| 45 | -0.9" | -1.85 | -0.54 | 1,044 * | 218 | 1.6 |
| 50 | -1.3" | -2.45 | -0.71 | 1,032 * | 213 | 2.0 |
| 55 | -1.8" | -3.09 | -0.90 | 1,019 * | 208 | 2.3 |
| 60 | -2.4" | -3.75 | -1.09 | 1,008 * | 203 | 2.8 |
| 65 | -3.0" | -4.43 | -1.29 | 997 * | 199 | 3.2 |
| 70 | -3.8" | -5.14 | -1.50 | 986 * | 194 | 3.6 |
| 75 | -4.6" | -5.87 | -1.71 | 976 * | 190 | 4.1 |
| 80 | -5.6" | -6.61 | -1.92 | 966 * | 187 | 4.7 |
| 85 | -6.6" | -7.37 | -2.14 | 957 * | 183 | 5.2 |
| 90 | -7.7" | -8.15 | -2.37 | 948 * | 180 | 5.8 |
| 95 | -8.9" | -8.94 | -2.60 | 939 * | 176 | 6.4 |
| 100 | -10.2" | -9.75 | -2.84 | 931 * | 173 | 7.0 |
90gr G1 .095 at 1,200 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. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 19 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Hornady Critical Defense Lite 90-grain is an FTX .38 Special load made for personal protection, built as the low-recoil version of the line. At 1,200 fps it makes 288 ft-lbs, and 90 grains is the lightest bullet the caliber is loaded with.
Zeroed at 25 yards, it is 1.3 inches low at 50, the least drop of any .38 Special load, and it arrives at 1,032 fps with 213 ft-lbs. Estimated recoil is the least of any defensive load in the caliber.
If you're cross-shopping, Hornady's Critical Defense 110-grain is 190 fps slower at 1,010 fps with 39 ft-lbs less at the muzzle, yet it holds 215 ft-lbs at 50 yards against 213 here. Hornady's Critical Defense +P 110-grain carries 290 ft-lbs, 2 more than this load.
- About 10 percent less estimated recoil than Hornady's Critical Defense 110-grain
- Standard pressure, so a revolver with no +P rating gets the caliber's highest standard-pressure defensive energy
- The lightest bullet in .38 Special at 90 grains
- 213 ft-lbs at 50 yards, the least of the three Critical Defense loads
- Hornady's Critical Defense +P 110-grain is the strongest of the three line-mates at 50 yards
- Remington's UMC +P 125-grain SJHP is the heavier route at 945 fps, with a good deal more push for it
All Hornady Critical Defense Lite .38 Special 90gr FTX Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 25 | $33.00 | $18.43 | $51.43 | $2.06 |
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