22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Name: 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds
Brand: Hornady
Price: 19.5 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (10 reviews)

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$19.50

(39¢ per round)

55 In Stock

Overview

Quantity - 50 rounds
Manufacturer - Hornady
Bullets - 45 grain jacketed hollow-point flex tip technology (JHP FTX)
Casings - Rimfire-primed brass

Product Type	Ammo
Manufacturer	Hornady
Condition	New
Bullet Weight	45 Grain
Bullet Type	Flex-Tip-Technology (FTX)
Ammo Casing	Brass
Quantity	50
Ammo Caliber	.22 Magnum (WMR)
Manufacturer SKU	83200
Primer Type	Rimfire
Muzzle Velocity (fps)	1000
Muzzle Energy (ft lbs)	100
Attracts Magnet	No
UPC Barcode	90255832006
Cost Per Round	39¢ per round

Use Type

Subsonic

Varmint Hunting

See More Information

Hornady's latest introduction to their critical defense line is the 22 Magnum cartridge specially designed for short-barreled firearms. The critical defense flex tip technology is especially designed to penetrate through thick clothing such as denim making this a great concealed carry load.

The propellants used in this cartridge are specially formulated to minimize muzzle flash reducing night blindness.

This cartridge is great for both handguns and rifles and it delivers devastating terminal performance.

Hornady ammunition is still a family owned company headquartered in Nebraska.

Ballistic Gel Test

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Image showing Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) 45 Grain rounds fired into ballistic gel

Ballistics Test Summary

We test fired five rounds of .22 Magnum (WMR) Hornady 45 gr Critical Defense FTX into synthetic ballistic gelatin to observe its expansion and penetration characteristics. The ammo was fired from a Ruger LCR pistol at a distance of 10 feet. A four-layer barrier of heavy fabric was placed in front of the gelatin to simulate clothing.

The complete data for this load from our test can be found on the chart below. The photo slider displays the expanded bullets that were retrieved from the gel. Pictured below is a high speed video that shows the bullet entering the gel at approximately 10,000 frames per second. The diagrams at the bottom of the page should give you an idea of how this load compares to other .22 Magnum (WMR) loads.

Find out more about ballistic gel testing and how this load compares to other self-defense ammo on Lucky Gunner Labs.

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			Median
22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds
Bullet Depth (in.)	11.3	11.7	11.8	12.5	12.5
Expanded Diameter (in.)	0.28	0.28	0.36	0.37	0.56
Bullet Weight after shot (gr.)	43	44	44	44	45
Bullet Velocity (fps)	1040	1084	1100	1142	1170

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Ballistics Test Summary

We test fired five rounds of .22 Magnum (WMR) Hornady 45 gr Critical Defense FTX into synthetic ballistic gelatin to observe its expansion and penetration characteristics. The ammo was fired from a KelTec PMR30 pistol at a distance of 10 feet. A four-layer barrier of heavy fabric was placed in front of the gelatin to simulate clothing.

Find out more about ballistic gel testing and how this load compares to other self-defense ammo on Lucky Gunner Labs.

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			Median
22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds
Bullet Depth (in.)	12.1	13.1	13.8	14	15.1
Expanded Diameter (in.)	0.35	0.37	0.39	0.43	0.47
Bullet Weight after shot (gr.)	44	44	45	45	45
Bullet Velocity (fps)	1163	1225	1239	1250	1277

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Questions & Answers

Ask a Question Our customer service team has published this Q&A information as a free service to the shooting community. Please note that LuckyGunner.com expressly disclaims any and all liability with regard to how the shooting community might use this Q&A information. See Terms of Use for more details.

Q: I'm interested in using this ammo in my Kel-Tec PMR30 as a self-defense round. I'm not sure it would be better in this role than the Hornady Varmint Express, given the difference in energy between the two ammo types (100 lbs vs. 322 lbs). Is there a reason this ammo might be better suited to self defense than Hornady's other ammo, given the lower energy on impact?

Posted On: 6/4/2026 By: Sean Tyson

A: Hello Sean! The difference in muzzle energy is actually attributable to test barrel length. See, the Varmint Express ammo is intended for hunting with a rifle. As such, Hornady recorded its advertised muzzle velocity with a 24" test barrel. On the other hand, Critical Defense is intended for defense with a handgun. That's why Hornady reports that round's muzzle energy with a 1-7/8" long barrel. That accounts for the huge difference in performance. (If you're unaware, a longer barrel generally produces a higher muzzle velocity/energy, because it gives exploding powder more time to push against the bullet.) In actuality, the Critical Defense ammo is better suited for defense, like Hornady says. Its bullet weighs 50% more. That extra weight gives the bullet a lot more momentum, which helps it penetrate deeper – and when you're defending your life with a rimfire load, you'll be blessed to penetrate the threat as deeplt as you can. The Critical Defense bullet is also designed to expand much more gradually (another factor that works in favor of deeper penetration). Conversely, the Varmint Express load's V-MAX bullet is designed to expand as quickly as possible (which is better for killing very small animals that a normal bullet would just cut clean through). LONG STORY SHORT: you noticed a difference in the way Hornady tests two different cartridges – not a fundamental disparity in their striking power. The Critical Defense load's the one you want for personal protection.

Q: What is the fps when shot out of a 24" Henry octagonal barrel?

Posted On: 4/24/2024 By: Donna

A: Thanks for reaching out Donna! I had no idea, so I sent your question to Hornady. Here is what they said: "I'm sorry but we do not have this specific data. However, as a general rule, you can expect an increase in velocity with a longer barrel. Since we know that rounds start out at 2910 fps out of a 20-inch barrel and you lose an average of 30-35 fps per inch of barrel loss, you can estimate that with a 24-inch barrel, you might see an increase in velocity due to the additional 4 inches of barrel length. This could potentially add approximately 50-100 fps to the velocity, but please note hat this is just an estimate and actual results can vary based on several factors including the specific ammunition lot, barrel tolerances, and chamber size."

Q: Surely a mistake Hornady critical defense with 100 lbs muzzle energy??!

Posted On: 2/4/2019 By: Dan Jones

A: The Hornady test data shows this to be from a 1.8" barrel, a very common length for small .22WMR handguns. The velocity is only 1000 fps from these short barrels. At this velocity, 100 FTLBS would be accurate

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22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Overview

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Ballistics Test Summary

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Ballistics Test Summary

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Customer Reviews

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22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Overview

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Ballistics Test Summary

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Ballistic gel test for 22 WMR - 45 gr FTX Critical Defense - Hornady - 50 Rounds

Ballistics Test Summary

How do the results for this Hornady .22 Magnum (WMR) compare to other Subsonic 22 Mag Ammo?

Customer Reviews

The most helpful favorable review

Write Your Own Reviews

Questions & Answers

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