Hornady .357 magnum 135 gr Critical Duty (Factory Data link added)

General Firearms Handguns - Revolvers
1

Finally got to try this out recently. Sorry I have no data, only my meager observations.

(Somebody please test this stuff…we need numbers!)

Obviously the ammo looks well made and has the “H” on the polymer nose like other Critical Duty ammo.

http://www.hornady.com/store/Critical-DUTY-New

Fired from a 4-inch S&W 627 recoil felt exactly what you’d expect a medium powered 135 gr .357 load to feel.
It doesn’t push like a 158 gr full power .357 mag load and doesn’t have the muzzle blast of the 125 gr full power loads. Muzzle flip is somewhere in between.

It really feels half way between a .38 special +p and a full power .357 magnum in all respects but one. The muzzle blast is closer to .38 +p type.

Hornady advertises flash retardant and I believe them. I don’t recall any flames, just some smoke.

In the 17 ounce Ruger LCR the recoil and muzzle flip again feel exactly half way between a .38 special +p and a full .357 magnum. Muzzle blast again is more like that of a 158 gr +p load.

The ammo was very accurate from both guns.

There was no bullet pull. In fact I’ve fired many kinds of lead bullets and 110 gr - 180 gr jacketed bullets from this LCR and have not had any bullet pull issues.

The only .357 magnum I have that I think has less recoil and muzzle flip than this Hornady is Remington 110 gr SJHP (1295 fps adv. from 4-inch). The Remington ammo had more muzzle blast and some fire, but did push less and have less muzzle rise than the Hornady.

Right now I put the Hornady Critical Duty in my 4-inch gun and the Remington 110 SJHP in the Ruger LCR.

We need some serious testing of the Hornady Critical Duty .357 magnum in 4 inch and 2 inch guns!

Edited to add Hornady factory gelatin data below!

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/handgun/critical-duty/357-mag-135-gr-flexlock

2

Sounds like a winner. Insanely pricey, though, right?

3

No. Similar to premium rifle or dpx pistol ammo at about 80 cents a round.
Thankfully you don’t have to run many through to test for proper function in a revolver.

4

No kidding right? Point goes to Wheelguns.

5

Yup. Three cylinder’s full through a revolver and I’ll depend on it. Especially when it’s from a premium line like this ammo is.

Point of impact, accuracy, recoil characteristics, noise/flash, primer ignition, cycling, and bullet-pull test can all be done in a small amount of shooting in a revolver. (Mind you this is after the gun itself has already proven reliable with other ammo!)

Then after I like to find a cheaper practice load that sorta mimicks the SD load. With this load +p .38’s in 125 gr - 158 gr are close enough.

Hornady was cool enough to publish some data!

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/handgun/critical-duty/357-mag-135-gr-flexlock

Overall it performs like other ammo in this Critical Duty Line: (According to Hornady’s own ballistics gelatin test numbers)

9x19 +p 135 gr 1162 fps
.357 Auto 135 gr 1221 fps
.357 Magnum 135 gr 1272 fps

Yup. It’s all the same performance. It’s nice to have .357 magnum ammo loaded to modern duty-ammo expectations. (not to say the older designs don’t work anymore of course!)

6

10 months and still no independent testing of this ammo. Anyone know of any? (Especially would like to see from 1 7/8 in. barrel)

I’m saving what I have in case I get an opportunity to test it.

I carry the Remington 158 gr SJHP in in my LCR. It performs well in the testing I’ve seen from 2-4 inch barrels. Low flash, too, for some reason. I think the Hornady would do fine with more penetration and less expansion and a little less recoil for faster shots.

I’ll carry the Hornady Critical Duty and buy more after I see/do some testing from a snub nose.

(Edited to add: Shooting them back to back, I shoot the Hornady CD better. It’s a little lighter, too. Going with it. FWIW it can be found for $20/25)