Hornady .30 Carbine Critical Defense Ammo Test

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Hornady .30 Carbine Critical Defense Ammo Test

Posted: 4/28/2013 1:26:21 PM EDT

Picked up 100 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense .30 carbine ammo a couple months ago and took some out today to ensure it feeds through my Saginaw carbine. I also had plenty of LC 72 ball ammo and a couple one-gallon jugs of water.

The jugs of water were both shot at approximately 30 yards, hanging on a chain connected to some sawhorses. I double-tapped with the critical defense ammo, so the jug on the right had two rounds through it. The jug on the left was hit with one round of LC72 ball.

Hardly an exhaustive test, but somewhat telling in the explosive expansion of the Critical Defense ammunition. In fact, the expansion was so severe, it gives me pause. The expansion appears completely uncontrolled. The bullet jackets disintigrated in one gallon of water.

Jug on the left has a normal entry point and the exit is basically an uneven, five-inch vertical cut. The jug on the right was shot twice with Critical Defense ammo and is completely shredded. I will repeat this test shortly in a more controlled "one shot each" manner. Until then, I'm sticking with Prvi soft-points.

Posted: 4/28/2013 3:44:15 PM EDT

[#1]

I sent Old_Painless a link to this thread, maybe he can contribute.

Posted: 4/28/2013 4:01:19 PM EDT

[#2]

Cool! I didn't even know that they were going to make a .30 Carbine version.

Looks like it should feed well. What weight is the bullet?

25 rounds is an odd package size. I prefer my 15 round magazines, so a 50 round box worked fairly well.

The carbine is not my first line HD long gun, but with the right load it is very effective, and might indeed be perfect for the small framed or recoil sensitive.

Posted: 4/28/2013 4:55:07 PM EDT

[#3]

DocGKR is very positive about the M-1 carbine with good JHP ammo. I haven't tested this ammo, but it looks like quality stuff.

Line up enough jugs to see if it will penetrate 24+ inches of water. That will tell us something.

Posted: 4/29/2013 7:39:54 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
DocGKR is very positive about the M-1 carbine with good JHP ammo. I haven't tested this ammo, but it looks like quality stuff.

Line up enough jugs to see if it will penetrate 24+ inches of water. That will tell us something.

Will do. I'll repost after the next test.

Posted: 5/5/2013 9:20:27 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
DocGKR is very positive about the M-1 carbine with good JHP ammo. I haven't tested this ammo, but it looks like quality stuff.

Line up enough jugs to see if it will penetrate 24+ inches of water. That will tell us something.

Hornady has a video of a gelatin test on their web-site. They list the bullet as 110 grains. Watching the video, it looks like it might be a good performer. Hopefully, Hornady did it right.

Posted: 6/6/2013 6:45:56 PM EDT

[#6]

I went out, shot it again into jugs of water. Did the test twice--both times it went all the way through one of the larger water containers, then exited out the side of the second container, and lost.

I will try again, with jugs on the side to stop and escapee projectiles. The jugs didn't explode like before--I'm wondering if one of my shots hit the chain the jug was hanging on...