Hornady Critical Defense .223 Remington 73gr FTX Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 80260
Hornady Critical Defense .223 Remington 73gr FTX Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • FTX • MPN: 80260
Solved from this product's advertised 2790 fps, 73gr bullet and G1 BC 0.260, with the sight 1.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .223 Remington.
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 8" vital zone, ±4" 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 500 yards.
.223 Remington 73gr with a 36-yard zero
Zeroed at 36 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 36 yards, peaks +1.0" at 97 yards, crosses back down at 156 yards, and is -13.4" at 300 and -34.8" at 400 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,790 | 1,262 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.4" | -1.50 | -0.44 | 2,701 | 1,183 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +0.4" | +0.76 | +0.22 | 2,615 | 1,109 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.9" | +1.12 | +0.33 | 2,531 | 1,038 | 0.7 |
| 100 | +1.0" | +0.97 | +0.28 | 2,448 | 971 | 1.3 |
| 125 | +0.8" | +0.61 | +0.18 | 2,366 | 908 | 2.1 |
| 150 | +0.2" | +0.12 | +0.04 | 2,286 | 847 | 3.0 |
| 175 | -0.8" | -0.46 | -0.13 | 2,207 | 790 | 4.2 |
| 200 | -2.3" | -1.10 | -0.32 | 2,130 | 736 | 5.5 |
| 225 | -4.3" | -1.81 | -0.53 | 2,055 | 685 | 7.1 |
| 250 | -6.7" | -2.57 | -0.75 | 1,981 | 636 | 8.9 |
| 275 | -9.7" | -3.38 | -0.98 | 1,909 | 591 | 11.0 |
| 300 | -13.4" | -4.25 | -1.24 | 1,838 | 548 | 13.3 |
| 325 | -17.6" | -5.17 | -1.50 | 1,770 | 508 | 15.9 |
| 350 | -22.6" | -6.15 | -1.79 | 1,703 | 470 | 18.8 |
| 375 | -28.3" | -7.20 | -2.09 | 1,638 | 435 | 21.9 |
| 400 | -34.8" | -8.30 | -2.41 | 1,576 | 402 | 25.4 |
| 425 | -42.2" | -9.47 | -2.75 | 1,515 | 372 | 29.2 |
| 450 | -50.5" | -10.71 | -3.12 | 1,457 | 344 | 33.4 |
| 475 | -59.9" | -12.03 | -3.50 | 1,402 | 319 | 37.9 |
| 500 | -70.3" | -13.43 | -3.91 | 1,349 | 295 | 42.8 |
73gr G1 .260 at 2,790 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.223 Remington 73gr with a 50-yard zero
Zeroed at 50 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 50 yards, peaks +0.3" at 83 yards, crosses back down at 116 yards, and is -15.8" at 300 and -38.0" at 400 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,790 | 1,262 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.6" | -2.27 | -0.66 | 2,701 | 1,183 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 2,615 | 1,109 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.3" | +0.35 | +0.10 | 2,531 | 1,038 | 0.7 |
| 100 | +0.2" | +0.21 | +0.06 | 2,448 | 971 | 1.3 |
| 125 | -0.2" | -0.16 | -0.05 | 2,366 | 908 | 2.1 |
| 150 | -1.0" | -0.65 | -0.19 | 2,286 | 847 | 3.0 |
| 175 | -2.3" | -1.22 | -0.36 | 2,207 | 790 | 4.2 |
| 200 | -3.9" | -1.87 | -0.54 | 2,130 | 736 | 5.5 |
| 225 | -6.1" | -2.57 | -0.75 | 2,055 | 685 | 7.1 |
| 250 | -8.7" | -3.34 | -0.97 | 1,981 | 636 | 8.9 |
| 275 | -12.0" | -4.15 | -1.21 | 1,909 | 591 | 11.0 |
| 300 | -15.8" | -5.02 | -1.46 | 1,838 | 548 | 13.3 |
| 325 | -20.2" | -5.94 | -1.73 | 1,770 | 508 | 15.9 |
| 350 | -25.4" | -6.92 | -2.01 | 1,703 | 470 | 18.8 |
| 375 | -31.3" | -7.96 | -2.32 | 1,638 | 435 | 21.9 |
| 400 | -38.0" | -9.07 | -2.64 | 1,576 | 402 | 25.4 |
| 425 | -45.6" | -10.24 | -2.98 | 1,515 | 372 | 29.2 |
| 450 | -54.1" | -11.48 | -3.34 | 1,457 | 344 | 33.4 |
| 475 | -63.7" | -12.80 | -3.72 | 1,402 | 319 | 37.9 |
| 500 | -74.3" | -14.19 | -4.13 | 1,349 | 295 | 42.8 |
73gr G1 .260 at 2,790 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.223 Remington 73gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 59 yards, peaks +0.1" at 79 yards, returns to zero at 100, and is -16.4" at 300 and -38.9" at 400 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,790 | 1,262 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.7" | -2.48 | -0.72 | 2,701 | 1,183 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.1" | -0.21 | -0.06 | 2,615 | 1,109 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.1" | +0.15 | +0.04 | 2,531 | 1,038 | 0.7 |
| 100 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,448 | 971 | 1.3 |
| 125 | -0.5" | -0.36 | -0.11 | 2,366 | 908 | 2.1 |
| 150 | -1.3" | -0.85 | -0.25 | 2,286 | 847 | 3.0 |
| 175 | -2.6" | -1.43 | -0.42 | 2,207 | 790 | 4.2 |
| 200 | -4.4" | -2.07 | -0.60 | 2,130 | 736 | 5.5 |
| 225 | -6.6" | -2.78 | -0.81 | 2,055 | 685 | 7.1 |
| 250 | -9.3" | -3.54 | -1.03 | 1,981 | 636 | 8.9 |
| 275 | -12.6" | -4.35 | -1.27 | 1,909 | 591 | 11.0 |
| 300 | -16.4" | -5.22 | -1.52 | 1,838 | 548 | 13.3 |
| 325 | -20.9" | -6.15 | -1.79 | 1,770 | 508 | 15.9 |
| 350 | -26.1" | -7.13 | -2.07 | 1,703 | 470 | 18.8 |
| 375 | -32.1" | -8.17 | -2.38 | 1,638 | 435 | 21.9 |
| 400 | -38.9" | -9.27 | -2.70 | 1,576 | 402 | 25.4 |
| 425 | -46.5" | -10.44 | -3.04 | 1,515 | 372 | 29.2 |
| 450 | -55.1" | -11.69 | -3.40 | 1,457 | 344 | 33.4 |
| 475 | -64.7" | -13.00 | -3.78 | 1,402 | 319 | 37.9 |
| 500 | -75.4" | -14.40 | -4.19 | 1,349 | 295 | 42.8 |
73gr G1 .260 at 2,790 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Hornady Critical Defense 73-grain FTX is a polymer-tipped .223 Remington load made for personal defense. The FTX has a lead core and a soft polymer plug filling its hollow nose. It leaves the muzzle at 2,790 fps with 1,262 ft-lbs and a G1 BC of .260.
With a 50-yard zero it drops 15.8 inches at 300 and 38.0 inches at 400, arriving with 402 ft-lbs. From a 100-yard zero the drop at 400 is 38.9 inches.
If you're cross-shopping, Federal's MSR Fusion 62-grain is a bonded bullet on the higher G1 BC of .310, 40 fps slower at the muzzle, and from a 50-yard zero it drops 35.7 inches at 400. Barnes' VOR-TX 55-grain TSX is one of the caliber's two copper loads, 450 fps faster at the muzzle.
- Arrives at 400 yards with 402 ft-lbs, level with Federal's MSR Fusion 62-grain and ahead of every other load compared
- The heaviest bullet of the loads compared, at 73 grains
- A polymer plug filling the nose, where Speer's Gold Dot 55-grain SP leaves bare lead at its tip
- The hardest-kicking of the .223 loads compared, about 41 percent more than Federal's MSR Fusion 62-grain in the same rifle
- The most drop at 400 yards of the loads compared, from any of the three zeros
- A lead-core bullet, so it can't be used where lead-free ammunition is required. Barnes' VOR-TX 55-grain TSX is one of the caliber's two copper loads
Similar Products Compared
All Hornady Critical Defense .223 Remington 73gr FTX Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 20 | $30.00 | $18.43 | $48.43 | $2.42 |
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