Hornady Critical Defense and Zombie Max 9mm

[ru44mag]

I just bought 100 rounds of each. I know balistically they are the same. My question is, what do you guys think of these Hornady rounds? I thought I lost a little accuracy compared to FMJ rounds out of my CM9. No problems feeding. Any comments or opinions?

 

[Bigtanker]

Good round. I have found them to be a lot more accurate in both of my guns. As long as they feed reliability, use them. Shot placement is still king of stopping a fight.

I have a buddy that won't carry the zombie load. His reason is if you need to use it in SD, it POSSIBLY could be used as a negative against you in court. "You are not stable because you think zombies are real. The box the ammo comes in says it is for use on the UNDEAD only. So you walk around with a gun ready to shoot zombies. Nutcase."

His thoughts are he wants as little possible reason for a case against him.

 

[Mackey]

Asking serious questions like this late at night will get you not many serious answers.
The Zombie Max is no better than the plain-Jane at killing zombies.

 

[46321]

I've had no accuracy changes with the two fired back to back from a Beretta PX4.

And I understand your friend being careful, but the Zombie ammunition marketing materials would not be an issue in a criminal trial. If someone attempted to interject the Zombie marketing, they would have to disclose it in pre-trial Discovery and his lawyer would simply motion to have it barred as beyond the scope of the proceedings.

 

[warthog]

well said 46321, I would hope so, that or let them and giggle a lot at the idea that anyone would believe Zombies are real.

I use/carry the critical defense but until lately wouldn't buy Zombie Max because they wanted more money for an already expensive round.
Now that it is filling their warehouses they have dropped the price and I have some to try back to back but haven't had a chance to do so yet.
I will say, I like the green points better for aesthetic reasons. They are just prettier. LOL

 

[Pharmacist]

/snip

I have a buddy that won't carry the zombie load. His reason is if you need to use it in SD, it POSSIBLY could be used as a negative against you in court. "You are not stable because you think zombies are real. The box the ammo comes in says it is for use on the UNDEAD only. So you walk around with a gun ready to shoot zombies. Nutcase."

His thoughts are he wants as little possible reason for a case against him.

This actually has some sound logic to it.

 

[HoughMade]

I've had no accuracy changes with the two fired back to back from a Beretta PX4.

And I understand your friend being careful, but the Zombie ammunition marketing materials would not be an issue in a criminal trial. If someone attempted to interject the Zombie marketing, they would have to disclose it in pre-trial Discovery and his lawyer would simply motion to have it barred as beyond the scope of the proceedings.

You should be right, but I wish I could predict how courts will rule on my pretrial motions that accurately.

 

[Pharmacist]

You should be right, but I wish I could predict how courts will rule on my pretrial motions that accurately.

I'm thinking my defense atty would prefer the red plastic plug (or whatever material it is) rather than the green one...

 

[HoughMade]

I'm thinking my defense atty would prefer the red plastic plug (or whatever material it is) rather than the green one...

This attorney loads his M&P 9c with Critical Defense with the red.

Chances are, it would never be a problem, but however small the chances are, this is an easy chance to avoid.....until the Zombie Max is significantly cheaper...then, maybe.....

 

[chezuki]

Zombie max is overrated in my opinion

Care to elaborate? Is Critical Defense "overrated"?

 

[9mmfan]

I use Critical Defense in my 642. Very accurate stuff.
Also have had some Zombie Max I purchased at the 1500 about 2 yrs ago. At the time, it was the only defensive ammo I could find. Turned out to be very accurate.

 

[Exodus]

I can get Zmax cheaper by $1. I like that its brass cased.

 

[warthog]

I can get Zmax cheaper by $1. I like that its brass cased.

Now that I have shot some of both SxS I can't see much difference other than the color of the plastic plug. Both are as accurate and seem to perform similarly though I lack a chrono to say for sure. Both will make a gallon jug of water explode.

Zmax is cheaper by at least a buck and sometimes more depending on who's selling and where you find it. For a while they were selling the Zmax bullets and those were dirt cheap compared to other SD reloading bullets in the same calibers. Plus I prefer to have brass cases to reload over nickel, in my experience they last longer. I plan on using the Zmax to practice and the slightly more expensive Critical Defense to carry. Like the one fellow's buddy, I hate giving prosecuting attorneys ammo, pun intended.

 

[netsecurity]

I just bought 100 rounds of each. I know balistically they are the same. My question is, what do you guys think of these Hornady rounds? I thought I lost a little accuracy compared to FMJ rounds out of my CM9. No problems feeding. Any comments or opinions?

OP says he lost accuracy vs FMJ, not between the two defense loads, which appear to be identical. I suspect the defense loads are just hotter, as well as being more grains, so the slight increase in recoil could explain the change in accuracy for him. Especially if he is shooting from a smaller, lightweight pistol.

 

[warthog]

Indeed he did, I misread that, my bad.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I just bought 100 rounds of each. I know balistically they are the same. My question is, what do you guys think of these Hornady rounds? I thought I lost a little accuracy compared to FMJ rounds out of my CM9. No problems feeding. Any comments or opinions?

I haven't shot the Zombie Max but I have shot about 200 rounds of Critical Defense with my Glock 19. That's now what I carry in my EDC.

I carried Speer Gold Dot Hollow points before switching. I compared the two and didn't notice any difference. I switched because my Gold Dot was a year or so old and Critical Defense was all I could find four months ago.

 

[ru44mag]

OP says he lost accuracy vs FMJ, not between the two defense loads, which appear to be identical. I suspect the defense loads are just hotter, as well as being more grains, so the slight increase in recoil could explain the change in accuracy for him. Especially if he is shooting from a smaller, lightweight pistol.

Thanks for all the input. 4 boxes of CD cost $91.19 shipped. 4 boxes of Zombie Max $86.39. Shipping is a killer. $15.23 per shipment. I like the Zombie Max because of the brass case and the green tip is kinda . The accuracy problem was minimal. About the same as PMC FMJ. Not quite as good as some El cheapo Russian ammo. It's been so hard to find ammo I'm shooting whatever I can find and saving all reloadable brass. I was just hoping there weren't any horror stories about the Hornady stuff. Like feeding problems, or failure to penetrate, or not expanding. I prefer to stay with 9mm and want a quality defense round. I shoot 2 Kahr CM9s and 2 Hi-Powers in 9mm.

 

[whippo]

I can get Zmax cheaper by $1. I like that its brass cased.

Critical defense is nickel which is reloadable


The whole zombie defense I think your attorney could put you on a lie detector and ask you if you believe in zombies... But nevertheless I guess if that makes you feel more comfortable. Remember these words "I was in fear for my life"

 

[ru44mag]

Critical defense is nickel which is reloadable


The whole zombie defense I think your attorney could put you on a lie detector and ask you if you believe in zombies... But nevertheless I guess if that makes you feel more comfortable. Remember these words "I was in fear for my life"

I'm saving the nickel too. Like someone else said, you can get a few more reloads out of the brass. The nickel will split a little sooner. I carry the Zombie rounds in my CM9. I'm not to worried about litigation, but if it ever becomes a factor, I will remember, "I was in fear for my life." Thanks.

 

[LEaSH]

The CD are merely nickle plated brass. It isn't conducive to cause splitting anymore than unplated brass in the ZD.