Hornady Critical Duty 9mm Illegal
in San Francisco
In a completely illogical effort to interfere with the 2nd Amendment the City of San Francisco has deliberately created danger to innocent civilians and prevented trained CCW permit holders from using sound judgment to protect themselves and the public. This is one of many laws and ordinances in California designed to make it so cumbersome to carry a concealed weapon that people just give up.
The short version is this. The less rounds that have be fired to stop an attacker the better. The bullet should stay in the attacker and not continue through and hit an innocent person. Is this in dispute? Of course not but San Francisco has required that safer and more effective ammunition be taken out of the hands of legitimate people. Here's the breakdown.
The FBI Finds the Critical Duty Ammo Safe & Effective
The Hornady Critical Duty 9mm 135-grain +P Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) is a premium self-defense round designed for law enforcement and civilian concealed carry. Engineered to meet stringent FBI ballistic testing protocols, it offers exceptional reliability and performance. However, San Francisco, California, has a city ordinance that restricts its use, pushing residents toward full metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition, which may pose greater risks to public safety. This blog explores the round’s features, performance, the San Francisco ordinance, the potential dangers of FMJ ammunition in self-defense scenarios, and efforts to investigate enforcement of the ordinance.
Key Features
The Hornady Critical Duty 9mm 135-grain +P JHP stands out due to its innovative design:
FlexLock Bullet Technology: Combines a Flex Tip insert with a cannelured jacket to prevent clogging and ensure consistent expansion, even through heavy clothing or barriers like drywall or auto glass.
High-Antimony Lead Core: Enhances penetration and weight retention, critical for stopping power in defensive scenarios.
Nickel-Plated Brass Cases: Ensures corrosion resistance and smooth feeding in semi-automatic firearms.
+P Pressure Rating: Delivers higher velocity (1,110 fps from a 4-inch barrel) and energy (369 ft-lbs) for improved terminal performance.
These features make the round versatile, balancing penetration and expansion to meet FBI standards.
Performance Metrics
Testing by Firearms News highlights the round’s capabilities:
Velocity: Achieves approximately 1,110 fps from a 4-inch barrel, with +P pressures providing a slight boost over standard 9mm loads.
Penetration: Consistently penetrates 12–18 inches in ballistic gelatin, ideal for self-defense to minimize over-penetration while reaching vital organs.
Expansion: Expands reliably to about 0.55–0.60 inches, creating a large wound channel for effective stopping power.
Barrier Performance: Maintains performance through barriers like heavy clothing, drywall, and auto glass, making it suitable for law enforcement and home defense.
The round’s consistent performance underscores its reliability in high-stress situations.
Practical Applications
The Hornady Critical Duty 9mm 135-grain +P JHP is tailored for:
Law Enforcement: Meets FBI protocols, ensuring performance in duty scenarios involving barriers or heavy clothing.
Concealed Carry: Offers civilians a dependable round for self-defense, particularly in compact handguns where +P loads maximize performance.
Home Defense: Balances penetration and expansion to reduce over-penetration risks in residential settings.
So given all of these positive factors why wouldn't a person use this ammunition?
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Reliable expansion and penetration, even through barriers.
Meets stringent FBI ballistic standards.
Nickel-plated cases enhance feeding and corrosion resistance.
Optimized for a wide range of 9mm handguns.
Cons:
+P pressure may increase recoil, affecting follow-up shots for some shooters.
Premium pricing compared to standard 9mm ammunition.
May not be ideal for older or lightweight firearms not rated for +P loads.
Okay so for 99% of the guns that a person would carry and for about a dollar and twenty five cents per round this has no real downside. (The recoil issue is just a training issue and the 135 grain load was arrived at as the optimal propellant amount based upon extensive testing)
San Francisco’s Hollow-Point Ammunition Ban
Now we get to San Francisco’s Police Code Section 618, enacted in 1994 and upheld by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2014, prohibits the sale of hollow-point ammunition within city limits. The ordinance defines “Prohibited Ammunition” as:
Ammunition sold under the brand name “Winchester Black Talon,” or that has physical properties resulting in ballistics performance identical to ammunition presently or formerly sold under the brand name Winchester Black Talon.
Ammunition designated by its manufacturer for purchase by law enforcement or military agencies only, unless other ammunition is available to the general public that has physical properties resulting in ballistics performance identical to such ammunition.
Impact on Hornady Critical Duty
The Hornady Critical Duty 9mm 135-grain +P JHP is explicitly marketed for both law enforcement and civilian use, and equivalent ammunition is available to the public, so it does not strictly fall under the second clause. However, as a hollow-point round, it is still subject to the broad prohibition on JHP sales within San Francisco. This restriction prevents local retailers from selling the Critical Duty, though possession by individuals is not explicitly banned, creating a legal gray area. Residents may need to purchase it outside city limits or face challenges finding compliant ammunition locally.
Enforcement of the Ordinance
To understand the practical impact of this ordinance, we have sent a Public Records Act request to the San Francisco District Attorney’s office to determine if criminals have ever been prosecuted under this ordinance and how many legitimate concealed carry weapon (CCW) holders have been charged. This information could clarify whether the ordinance is actively enforced against violators, particularly those with criminal intent, or if it disproportionately affects law-abiding CCW holders. The response to this request may shed light on the ordinance’s application and its effectiveness in enhancing public safety.
Risks of Jacketed Ammunition in San Francisco
Due to the hollow-point ban, San Francisco residents often turn to full metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition, which is legal for sale. However, FMJ rounds pose significant risks in self-defense scenarios, particularly in urban environments like San Francisco, where population density increases the likelihood of collateral damage. Below are key concerns:
Over-Penetration
FMJ Characteristics: FMJ rounds consist of a lead core fully encased in a harder metal, such as copper, designed to maintain structural integrity and penetrate deeply. Unlike JHP rounds, FMJ does not expand upon impact.
Risk: FMJ rounds often penetrate beyond the FBI-recommended 12–18 inches in ballistic gelatin, sometimes exceeding 24 inches. In a defensive shooting, this increases the risk of the bullet passing through the target and striking bystanders, walls, or other unintended targets, especially in crowded urban settings or homes with thin walls.
Contrast with JHP: The Hornady Critical Duty’s controlled expansion (0.55–0.60 inches) and limited penetration (12–18 inches) reduce over-penetration risks, making it safer for use in populated areas.
Reduced Stopping Power
FMJ Performance: FMJ rounds create smaller, less disruptive wound channels due to their lack of expansion. This can result in less immediate incapacitation, potentially requiring more shots to stop a threat, increasing danger to the shooter and bystanders.
Contrast with JHP: The Critical Duty’s expansion creates a larger wound channel, enhancing stopping power and reducing the number of rounds needed to neutralize a threat, which is critical in high-stress self-defense scenarios.
So San Francisco wants more bullets to fly and more holes in an attacker because it is safer?
Barrier Penetration Issues
FMJ Limitations: While FMJ rounds penetrate barriers like drywall or auto glass, their lack of expansion means they retain more energy after passing through, increasing the risk of unintended harm. JHP rounds like the Critical Duty are designed to expand and dissipate energy, reducing this risk.
Public Safety Concern: In San Francisco’s dense urban environment, stray FMJ rounds pose a higher risk of collateral damage compared to JHP rounds, which are engineered to balance barrier performance with controlled energy transfer.
One important factor to remember is that the FBI wants rounds to NOT over penetrate for the same reason that a CCW holder has. The job is to protect the public not harm the public.
Conclusion
The Hornady Critical Duty 9mm 135-grain +P JHP is a top-tier self-defense round, blending advanced technology with proven performance. Its ability to meet FBI standards, with reliable expansion and penetration, makes it ideal for law enforcement, concealed carry, and home defense. However, San Francisco’s Police Code Section 618 restricts its sale due to its hollow-point design, pushing residents toward FMJ ammunition. While FMJ is legal, its tendency to over-penetrate and reduced stopping power make it less safe and effective for self-defense, particularly in a dense urban environment like San Francisco. This creates a paradoxical situation where the ordinance, intended to enhance public safety, may inadvertently increase risks by limiting access to safer, controlled-expansion rounds like the Critical Duty.
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT - Does San Francisco Prosecute Legitimate Citizens and Not Criminals!
The Public Records Act request sent to the San Francisco District Attorney’s office will help determine the ordinance’s enforcement history, revealing whether it targets criminals or impacts law-abiding CCW holders. Residents should ensure their firearms are rated for +P ammunition, test for compatibility, and consider purchasing JHP rounds outside city limits if legally permissible. For those restricted to FMJ, careful consideration of over-penetration risks and training for shot placement are critical to minimizing harm.
