.38 Spl. +P Hornady Critical Defense 110-grain FTX

This new load from Hornady—purpose built for snub-nose revolvers carried for personal protection—was tested in 10-percent ordnance gelatin out of a Smith & Wesson Model 36. It consistently penetrated to a depth of 10 inches and expanded to an average of .52 inches—1.45-times its unfired diameter. This bullet is very similar in construction to Hornady's famously deep-penetrating XTP bullets. It differs in that it has a soft rubber tip that prevents the hollow point cavity from clogging with clothing or some other material when passing through intermediate barriers. The tip also promotes expansion because it is driven back into the hollow point cavity during penetration.