Late in 2004 I began hearing rumors that Hornady was bringing out a new line of superior-quality, high-performance personal-defense ammunition. At that time I didn't know what it would be called, nor did I know what it would look like. Then I received a shipment of several black boxes marked with the familiar Hornady name and carrying a simple "TAP FPD" designation. The ammunition looked special as soon as I opened one of the boxes. It was time to learn more about this new line of ammunition.

Hornady's new TAP load is designed for policework as well as self-defense. You can rely on this ammo, to be sure.

Hornady has been in the ammunition business since the end of World War II. Joyce Hornady and Vernon Speer started out by making bullets from spent .22 rimfire cases and rolls of lead wire. The bullet business was good, and their gross sales for 1949 totaled $10,000. Although things slowed down during the Korean War, it didn't take Hornady long to get back into the bullet business when hostilities ended.

Today it's hard to imagine the shooting world without Hornady. The company introduced Frontier Ammunition in 1964. Initially, the line of ammo was loaded in surplus military cases, but when the Vietnam War heated up, Hornady shifted to new cases.

The name has grown into one of the most respected ammunition lines in the world today. In 1990 Hornady added a new bullet to the mix. Available in bulk quantities for reloading or loaded ammunition, the new XTP JHP bullet also became standard fare in Hornady's premium-ammunition line. Associated with excellent accuracy and superb downrange performance, the XTP bullet is one of the most respected projectiles in the industry.

Hornady's TAP FPD designation refers to "Tactical Application for Police" and "For Personal Defense." The new line is constructed of only the best materials, and it will be loaded under strict guidelines and rigid quality control. In that light Hornady wisely started things out (with the XTP bullet) on top. Offering controlled, predictable expansion and deep penetration, the load proves the choice was a wise one. I've been using XTP hunting bullets since day one, and they can be relied on to put meat on the table. I've also run a few of them into ballistic gelatin over the past few years, and they continue to perform with perfection.

This is a closeup of the .40 S&W load. Hornady doesn't use sealant on the primer or bullet.

Hornady won't divulge what powder is behind the XTP bullet in its new TAP FPD loads. I pulled several bullets, and if I had to guess, I'd say that it might come from Winchester. It looks very much like Winchester ball powder, to be honest. Hmm, let's see: 7.3 grains of WW Super Field will launch a 155-grain slug at 1,180 fps, generating 33,200 psi, according to the latest Winchester reloading book. That might be a good place to start, anyhow.

I had only two TAP FPD loads to work with: a great 147-grain 9mm load and another gem, the 155-grain .40 S&W. It was obvious that whatever the powder is, Hornady pretty much fills the case with the propellant.