Critical Defense exhibited excellent 25-yard accuracy out of a Kel-Tec P3-AT. The box will probably look much different by the time the ammo hits dealer shelves.

I fired .380 and 9mm Critical Defense through combined heavy clothing and down vest material, into gelatin and found that it performed pretty well.

The .380 load fell short of the FBI minimum, which is 12 inches of gelatin with full expansion. The Critical Defense out of a Ruger LCP managed "only" nine to 10 inches of penetration. But again, this is designed for civilian needs, not law enforcement, and compared to other .380 loads, this is darned good.

Other current hollowpoints out of .380s often fail to reliably expand, or the hollowpoints clog with cloth and act as full-metal-jacket bullets. And it's only recently that the idea of a .380 bullet expanding reliably would even be considered as hollowpoint .380 ammo from even a decade ago won't expand at all in bare gelatin, let alone in the heavy clothing test. Short barrels make expansion even less likely, and you really have to work hard to find something more compact and easier-to-carry than a Ruger LCP or, say, a Kel-Tec P3-AT.

I happen to have just such a Kel-Tec, and that's what I used for chronograph and accuracy testing. I was able to shoot groups just over four inches in size at 25 yards. That won't excite you Bullseye shooters out there, but for a double-action-only compact .380 with dinky sights, it is very accurate indeed.

As for velocity, the 90-grain bullets averaged a very consistent 860 fps. No, that isn't a blazing speed, but who wants to shoot a compact pistol with a .380 load that does all it can to approach 1,000 fps? No, 860 fps is a good velocity when you consider that you get nine to 10 inches of gelatin penetration, Hornady accuracy and reliability, and consistent expansion.

If you're certain you'll be shooting miscreants through barriers such as glass, metal and wood, or if you simply have to show off to your buddies that you carry the absolute fastest ammo, Critical Defense is not for you. For the rest of us, who balance all the factors that go into load selection, Hornady has another winner.