Hornady Critical Defense Handgun Ammunition .32 Auto 60gr FTX 1000 fps 25/ct

Hornady Critical Defense Handgun Ammunition in .32 Auto (ACP) with a 60-grain FTX bullet is a purpose-built self-defense load featuring 1000 fps muzzle velocity, 133 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, and comes in a box of 25 rounds.

Hornady 32 ACP Critical Defense Key Features:

• Bullet: 60 gr Flex Tip Expanding (FTX), designed to provide reliable expansion and resist clogging, even through heavy clothing, making it highly effective for personal defense.
• Velocity: 1000 fps measured from a 2-inch test barrel.
• Energy: 133 ft-lbs at the muzzle.
• Case: Nickel-plated brass for corrosion resistance and reliability in feeding.
• Application: Optimized for short-barrel, concealed-carry handguns, intended for personal and law enforcement defense scenarios.
• Availability: Sold in 25-round boxes, typically retailing around $25–$29 as of recent listings.

How does the FTX bullet technology improve defense performance in .32 Auto rounds?

• Polymer Flex Tip: The patented polymer tip in the FTX bullet prevents the hollow point from clogging with materials like clothing, which is a common failure mode for conventional hollow points. This ensures that the bullet expands as intended upon impact with soft tissue, even after passing through heavy clothing layers.
• Consistent, Reliable Expansion: The FTX bullet expands dependably to large diameters (up to 150% of the original size in bare gelatin), creating larger wound channels for greater stopping power.
• Adequate Penetration: In independent testing, the expanded FTX bullet reached average penetration depths of approximately 12.5 inches in ballistic gelatin, which meets widely accepted standards for defensive ammunition. This is achieved without excessive over-penetration, balancing stopping power with safety.
• Performance Through Barriers: The FTX’s design solves an issue where traditional hollow points might clog and thus fail to expand when passing through intermediate barriers (like denim or leather), ensuring effective, predictable performance regardless of clothing.
• Additional Features: Nickel-plated cases (corrosion resistance) and specially blended low-flash powders provide reliability, easier chamber checks in low light, and help preserve night vision—critical in defensive scenarios.

Hornady Critical Defense 32 Auto Review

FTX bullet technology upgrades .32 Auto’s defensive capability by delivering dependable expansion, effective penetration, and improved performance through barriers, overcoming the historic limitations of both the caliber and traditional hollow point designs.