Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX Ammo Ballistics
Nickel Case • FTX
Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX Ammo Ballistics
Nickel Case • FTX
Solved from this product's advertised 1000 fps, 45gr bullet and G1 BC 0.110, with the sight 1.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .22 Magnum.
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 200 yards.
.22 Magnum 45gr with a 50-yard zero
Zeroed at 50 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 16 yards, peaks +0.6" at 33 yards, returns to zero at 50, and is -8.8" at 100 and -29.4" at 150 yards. This load is subsonic from the muzzle.
| 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 | 1,000 | 100 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +0.5" | +1.71 | +0.50 | 957 | 91 | 0.4 |
| 50 | 0.0" | +0.02 | 0.00 | 920 | 85 | 1.3 |
| 75 | -3.0" | -3.81 | -1.11 | 887 | 79 | 2.7 |
| 100 | -8.8" | -8.36 | -2.43 | 857 | 73 | 4.6 |
| 125 | -17.5" | -13.35 | -3.88 | 830 | 69 | 7.1 |
| 150 | -29.4" | -18.68 | -5.43 | 804 | 65 | 10.1 |
| 175 | -44.6" | -24.32 | -7.07 | 781 | 61 | 13.5 |
| 200 | -63.4" | -30.25 | -8.80 | 758 | 57 | 17.5 |
45gr G1 .110 at 1,000 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. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.22 Magnum 45gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 8 yards, peaks +4.5" at 55 yards, returns to zero at 100, and is -16.2" at 150 yards. This load is subsonic from the muzzle.
| 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 | 1,000 | 100 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +2.7" | +10.11 | +2.94 | 957 | 91 | 0.4 |
| 50 | +4.4" | +8.41 | +2.45 | 920 | 85 | 1.3 |
| 75 | +3.6" | +4.58 | +1.33 | 887 | 79 | 2.7 |
| 100 | 0.0" | +0.03 | +0.01 | 857 | 73 | 4.6 |
| 125 | -6.5" | -4.96 | -1.44 | 830 | 69 | 7.1 |
| 150 | -16.2" | -10.29 | -2.99 | 804 | 65 | 10.1 |
| 175 | -29.2" | -15.93 | -4.63 | 780 | 61 | 13.5 |
| 200 | -45.8" | -21.86 | -6.36 | 758 | 57 | 17.5 |
45gr G1 .110 at 1,000 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. 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 45-grain is a polymer-tipped hollow point .22 Magnum load made for personal defense in short-barreled handguns. The FTX carries a soft polymer plug in the nose of the hollow point. It leaves the muzzle at 1,000 fps with 100 ft-lbs and a G1 BC of .110.
At 1,000 fps it is the slowest load in the caliber by a wide margin. From a 50-yard zero it drops 8.8 inches at 100 yards, and from a 100-yard zero it drops 16.2 inches at 150 yards. By 150 yards it is down to 804 fps.
If you're cross-shopping, Winchester's Dynapoint 45-grain CPHP is the only other 45-grain load in the caliber, and its copper-plated lead bullet sits in a brass case. Winchester sells that load for target and range use.
- Below the speed of sound at the muzzle, so a suppressed .22 Magnum pistol has only the muzzle blast left
- A nickel-plated case, where the rest of the caliber is brass
- At 45 grains, no .22 Magnum load carries a heavier bullet
- More drop than any other load in the caliber past the zero
- The least muzzle energy in the caliber
- The 1,000 fps is measured from a short handgun barrel, so a longer barrel beats it and a shorter one will not reach it
All Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Basin Outdoors | 1000 | $305.91 | $0.00 | $305.91 | $0.31 |
| Sentry Ammo | 1000 | $283.41 | $22.99 | $306.40 | $0.31 |
| Sentry Ammo | 500 | $141.15 | $17.99 | $159.14 | $0.32 |
| Fast Ammo | 1000 | $280.91 | $39.99 | $320.90 | $0.32 |
| Fast Ammo | 500 | $137.24 | $30.99 | $168.23 | $0.34 |
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