I work in a gun store and we carry both these rounds. Videos such as this help me answer customers questions, and we get a lot of questions every day. Very informative video, thank you for posting.
I think its prettt cool you care enough about your job that you make an effort to know facts to help people.. gun salesmen are impprtant. Yout the first point of contact and advice for new owners needing help . Thanks for what you do.. your very important to freedom
Less recoil with nearly identical results makes me want the lites. I’m not recoil sensitive, but less recoil makes it easier in high stress scenarios to get hits on target. Also, I appreciate the grid you put against the gel.
I didn't notice anything dramatically different when shooting these through a G3C while breaking in and testing ammo with my new pistol. The only major difference was shooting Winchester 9mm NATO 124 grain ball ammo and some 147 grain jhp. Everything else had a negligible difference to me, but this was my first 9mm handgun.
Getting older everyday ( 76 ) and losing hand and arm strength so have been considering a lighter recoil option in my 9mm . This video helps a lot , thank you !
i'm getting older too, (62) my problem is my close in eyesight is failing and finding my front site is getting hard to see without my corrective lenses on (I don't sleep with my glasses on). i am considering putting a red dot on my glocks for better accuracy especially when things go bump in the night.
I just got my fiance a hellcat and bought some of these critical defense lites in hopes of reducing the kick on the hellcat. Glad to hear these performed so well! Thanx for this vid brother🤙👊
I’m now 70, and my hands are simply not as strong as they used to be, due to age and arthritis. I’m fine shooting JHP (including +P) ammo in my Glocks 26, 19, and 17, but I have some control issues with my Glock 43. I’ve started using these Lite rounds in the 43 and it has made a tremendous difference! Great video-thanks!
I generally prefer heavier bullets, but after watching the video wouldn't hesitate to use either of these. Like most posters below, I found the performance of the little 100gr impressive. This is one of the most interesting videos you've done. 👍
These are my go-to defense rounds. Sig Elite Def. 124gr JHP, Horny Crit. Duty 124gr +P, & Horny Crit Defense Lite 100gr. Fantastic defense rounds for any scenario. The Crit. Defense Lite works fantastic for shorter barrels.
This may be a little off topic, so my apologies. I have a Taurus G3C. It's a great little gun but I have to note that when I use hollow points without the little pink or red tip Hornady uses, I've experienced jams. I've done all the oiling and polishing and saw some improvements. My point is that for self-defense in a small 9 mm with a steep slide angle, you can't go wrong with either Hornady or Hornady Lite. I'll have to buy some Lites to experience the recoil difference from the 115. It appears that it performs very well and could be very helpful with follow-up shots. Thanks for a great video, sir. I love your videos. You seem to have no agenda other than sharing your knowledge with those of us who can use it. Thank you. I hope you check your responses after all this time because I really want you to know I and many others appreciate it.
Thank you sir. I bought a G3 TORO recently but haven't run a whole lot of different rounds through it so far. Might need to try out a few and see if I have the same thing going on.😎👊
Wow I am surprised by the pink bullets! Definitely want to get some of that for my wife, she hates recoil! I think a big benefit on the Lite would be getting back on target faster after firing initial round! I would even carry that and not be concerned a bit! Thanks for the GREAT info brother! Very helpful! Have a good one!
I'm impressed with the performance of the Lite, I bought a box of the 115gr about 2 1/2 years ago, And fired a few to make sure they would run in my compact, And every test I've seen with them, They always expanded, Just not as large as some others, The Lites, I've not seen any tests of them, And assumed they wouldn't be too good, Boy was I wrong, Thank you my friend, Stay Safe. 👍
Critical defense is great for home defense, or in a populated place. It avoids passthrough, yet has terminal results and great expansion. LOVE YOU VIDEOS. VERY HELPFUL
I carry Critical Duty 135gr +P in my ported Performance Center Shield, Hellcat Pro, XD9 Mod2, and Staccato C2 carry pistols. Love the round. Unfortunately, I had to use my Shield in a defensive shooting incident about 4 years ago, and it worked perfectly. Thank God no one lost their life, but the fight was over, and my attacker wasn't having a great day be any means. Let just say his life will never be the same. I absolutely trust my life to this round, and it got my home to my family. It actually work so well I started using the Critical Duty 185gr +P in .45 ACP in my .45 ACP carry pistols. God willing I'll never have to see how well they work in a real self defense situation like I did with the 9mm. If the situation ever does happen, I know I can trust the ammo I'm using.
I'm going to try out the Lite. Many concealed carriers seem obsessed with packing the most punch they can, but the more I learn, the more I lean toward focusing on reliability, recoil management, and availability. Small gun means more recoil and tougher time aiming. Pistol rounds mean you're probably going to need to get two or more hits no matter what, even if you don't miss. I want a round with good ballistics while being able to get another round on target as quickly as possible. This seems to have the same penetration and expansion as the standard Critical Defense, probably because the velocity increase balances out the drop in bullet weight. If it performs in the same ballpark but I can shoot even 10% faster or more accurately, I'll take that boost to speed/accuracy over a little bullet momentum, particularly in a handgun round in a concealed carry context. Your best shot at ending the threat is always delivering one more shot on target as quickly as possible.
100% my thought too. I'm pretty sure good enough is any kind of round hitting an aggressor. Followups matter more, same fallacy the FBI did after the shootout actually!
My wife just got a new 9mm and I have ordered some of the 9mm lite rounds. This video confirms my thoughts that she will be better able to handle the lite version. Thanks for posting it!
Glad I went with the Lite for my EDC Kimber Mako. At the range after a 250 round break in with the Mako, I ran a box of the Lite to check for function, which proved to be flawless. There was a very noticeable reduction in recoil and my shot groups were tighter. This excellent video confirmed the right choice. The same basic penetration with the enhanced accuracy of a lighter load is a win win combination for self defense.
Sold! I’ve been eyeballing this ammo at my range and now I’m switching over lol thank you for this I’ve been searching for a thorough break down comparing the two 😊
@@inOZ8434 when shooting you literally can’t tell a difference. Unless I do a test like he did lol but shooting into the paper target it feels like my practice rounds lol.
@@simplyzhara really no difference in recoil from your target rounds?? Damn I was hoping to it would be before I picked some up..lol what practice rounds are you using/grain etc..?
Hit thumbs up cause you mentioned it at the end had it in the background. Cheers man, I'm shopping around for my EDC and this is so helpful all the different tests you do. Narrowing it down to HST 124gr and Lite...
1080 fps with 115gr already is quite a lite load. Interesting you still can feel a difference. With 1100 fps 100gr its .380 +p level. I think its a good option if you want lower recoil but want to avoid the higher coast of .380 ammo.
From the New Jersey State Police Firearm FAQ's: ammo compliance: I’m not a police officer, are hollow points legal for me to possess? Yes. They are legal for purchase and possess in your home or on land owned by you. They are legal to possess and use at a gun range. They are also legal to possess while traveling to and from such places. Ammunition lacking a hollow cavity at the tip, such as those with a polymer filling, are not considered to be hollow point ammunition. An example of this can be seen with the Hornady Critical Defense / Critical Duty, Cor-Bon PowRball / Glaser Safety Slug and Nosler Inc. Defense ammunition.
Another excellent video. I'm going to pick me up some Critical Defense Lite 9mm after seeing your video. Thank you for taking the time and resources for making this very informative video.
I carry Critical Defense Light in my Ruger. Not because I am recoil sensitive or anything like that but my local shop stocks them and rarely has the regulars so I just choose them for availability.
Such a great video. I have both of these rounds and was thinking which more to stack more off and after watching this video I am going with the lite. Thank you for the testing!
My wife carries the same pistol, this might be a good option for her. Anytime you can get good performance with less recoil it's a positive thing because you're able to put your shots on target quicker and more accurately. Thanks for the video 👍👍
I carry 124 grain HST in my 9mm but I'm getting ready to buy a Taurus G3C for my wife. I was impressed by the 100 grain lite round and I think it would be a good one for my wife to carry. Thanks for all the informative videos Tools, keep em coming!
@@michaelhenderson5098 Yeah, I've seen a few videos on them and they seem like a very good gun for the money. I carry a Canik TP9SF but it's a bit large for her. I owned a Taurus 357 magnum quite a while ago and it was a great gun. I've heard nothing but good stuff about the Taurus G3C.
LOL, I had to watch the vid twice... Multi tasking and totally missed everything You did... Crazy that they were similar in penetration! Great vid Brother!!! Definitely good to know that there is a lighter recoil round out there for those who want them. Thanks!!
Excellent review!! My wife was very comfortable with a full size 9mm and after shooting my 9mm compact carry a number of times she decided to go with the same carry firearm. We ordered it but before it arrived we went to the range for her to shoot the carry a again to get more familiar but she became a bit concerned of the recoil. After watching this video, not only is she more comfortable with her choice of carry, but given the tests I'm very comfortable of the performance of this round for her use. Can't say enough great things of the competency of the tests performed....just great!
I like your style sir. Excellent test with pistols your "average" gun owner would carry. Your dialogue is spot on without unnecessary babble like I see in other channels. Thank you for the good work you do.
The lite looks like it folded back on the copper petals and then when it turned around and was going backwards, the pressure pealed some of the petals back up. (which would explain why it only pealed up some of them, due to it being canted at an angle?)
I not sure a person would ever notice any recoil difference in a self defense situation. That said, the lite looked like a better round in this test. Better expansion and slightly higher speed. However, I won't be changing out my 147 gr & 124 gr HST's for either one of these.
Although the reduced felt recoil is definitely a plus for recoil sensitive people I believe the reduced recoil is a bigger plus for quick follow up shots. A person can stay on target better.
@@JohnLloydScharf if you don’t mind sharing your thought process, why is that your standard? I would imagine a given person would want X minimum penetration, but would want as close to X penetration as possible, not more, to minimize likelihood of over penetration
I have at least one mag for all of my 9s loaded with the 115s they work and as far as I can tell pretty good. I have shot a few of the lighter grains in different brands and mostly they are a little faster but for me currently I will keep my 115-124-147 in rotation but as someone who buys what he can afford when I can find I do enjoy collecting lighter loads of self defense rounds
@@ToolsandTargets My prime self-defense is 3 shots, 3 seconds, 3 yards into a 3 inch target. 99% are stopped in 3 shots of any caliber. I like the idea of mixing heavy and light for caliber in my magazines, chambers, and reloaders. I will let the doctors decide which stopped them.
I also carry the HST 147 grain in my 9 EZ. I think it’s so cool when everything goes right during tests and bullets expand the way they are designed to expand, without fragspansion. I’d watch these videos even if you had to use two cans and a string. Don’t care about the technical problems. Good stuff. Lots of fun. Learning a lot.
The shield ez is great. It's become my every day carry, love the feel of it and the thin design makes it very easy to conceal and carry. I run federal hst 124 gr out of mine. 65gr +p Xtreme defenders out of my 9mm carbine
EZ 2.0 9mm is my go too everyday. I was shooting and carrying 80 gr TUI but just switched to these 100 Lites and they are also great too shoot. The double tap is so fast with this round on target.
I’m impressed by both rounds. I would use either one or both rounds. I like that they didn’t over penetrate. Very viable self defense rounds. Thank You for another great video Keep em coming.
Thanks for another excellent comparison. Our spouses seem similar in recoil tolerance and I bought a ton of the Lite’s for her for similar reasons. Wouldn’t cycle in her Glock 19. At. All. Thousands of rounds without a jam, various brands etc. Tried new magazine, clean, lube - even polishing the barrel on the loading end. Posting just to get that out there. I suggest actually shooting a few magazines before loading up on this terrific little cartridge…
@@ToolsandTargets Upon further review I find others with the same issue and not all with the Glock 19. Since I have so much (of the 100gr) I bought an LCR in 9mm and it’s all good…
Have you noticed when you compare different projectiles the price goes up on both the next day? Looked like the Lite had a better wound channel. Either will work at close distance. How much difference in price or not enough to choose one over the other. Both are worth it. Thanks. 👍
@@ToolsandTargets I think you said you would be doing a test with ARX soon. I will be eager to see that as well. I have switched to ARX or Black Hills Honey Badger for 380 ammo. Based on todays results, I think as my HST 9mm runs low I will replace it with this Lite ammo.
@@Wyoming_Gramps Yessir. I wanna put that up against Extreme Defenders since they're a similar design. I have to make myself take the time to load up some so I can get that test done.
Those Hornady rounds are nice man. I’m still partial to the Ranger T- Series that I carry in my Glock 9mm. I do have a Kimber micro 9 I carry HST’s in. But, those Hornady are impressive though and I hear they do really when going through clothing.
Hornady has all of their tests performed to win the fbi contract on UA-cam. Very interesting learning about "barrier blindness", especially through glass. I always saw rounds deflect when hitting windshields etc...this round stays straight.
For my House Gun I use Hornady Critical defense Ammo 110gr.JHP non +P 38special in my 4inch bbl.RIA M200....I feel well armed and sleep very well at night ....as you have proven Critical defense Ammo is good Stuff....as Always Tools great info....I've been with you since day one!😃
Well looks like the lite are better for self defense if recoil is a concern since they seem to do the same thing in the gel. These videos are really helpful and I look forward to them. Thanks Tools!👍 And FJB
Nice review. I have a box of the Critical Defense Lite and S&B 100 gr. I need to get them both to the range soon. I have a friend who is a newer shooter and this CD Lite sounds like it'll be just what she'll need to be a more manageable shooting self defense round. Nice review.
Great test, I use this brand ammo in my carry piece. I was hoping you could do the exact same test with the clothing barrier for a little more realistic view of the performance.
I think critical defense lite is one of the best carry rounds on the market for small 9mm handguns especially because smaller handguns are generally always harder to shoot so having less recoil in a round that still delivers the same performance as normal critical defense is a very good thing to take advantage of
1000 thank you's for this video you just saved me from going out and spending more money on a 2nd 380EZ and holsters ! 115's out of my VP9 are cool...but out of my 43x, they kinda suck on my wrist (scaphoid has been surgically repaired)
Tools you should remove the polymer plug in the critical defense and see if the projectile will clog or still give the same performance. CD always seems to preform very consistently
I wish this video came out early. Bass Pro had the Critical Defense Lite rounds for 9mm. I thought they were ladies rounds made for women who do not like recoiil so I passed on the rounds. The box had pink on it. Would have bought them. Good video as always.
I'm old and set in my ways. I still like the V Crown 124g . And the 8 year is getting a remote control car. I didn't care how much I spent. It's Christmas for him.
The lite looked like it expanded MORE than the regular and it has almost identical penetration. The only positive for the regular is it might have more ft lbs of energy.
We’re these rounds shine is that they still expand identical with heavy clothing in the way whereas other rounds still expand but less than normal and penetrate further.
I carry the 9mm regular critical defense in my edc but I would be willing to use the lite after seeing this jelly test! Thanks for a good video Tools! Keep up the good work! I just ordered a couple things through your Amazon link so I’m trying to help 😁
With the nerve damage in my hands, I may try those Lites in my EZ9. I carry Underwood Extreme Defender but they do put the hurt on my hand and fingers at times such that follow-up shots are a bit harder to control. If it is light enough I might be able to carry a micro 9 again. Thanks for this comparison, my friend. I had fired some Lites years ago but never compared them as my hands were fine then.
Great video as usual, i shoot hornady critical defense lite out of sccy cpx-2 9mm and taurus 856 38 special revolver and the recoil is significantly less in my 38spl shot accuracy is great out of both. Great job thanks.
liked this one tools..myself after watching this i got no problem with either one of these rounds..right now in my 9 i got the regular ones...but these would be a good choice too if the recoil was a issue...and once again....THANKS FOR THE FIX.....lol
Great video tools as always.i think you have done a video comparing hornady to a regular hollow point.testing if the regular hollow point clogges up with heavy clothing.if there's really a difference.i would like to see a video of that
I work in a gun store and we carry both these rounds. Videos such as this help me answer customers questions, and we get a lot of questions every day. Very informative video, thank you for posting.
Nice. Appreciate the comment!
I think its prettt cool you care enough about your job that you make an effort to know facts to help people.. gun salesmen are impprtant. Yout the first point of contact and advice for new owners needing help
. Thanks for what you do.. your very important to freedom
I also work in a gun store. Same with me.
I commend you for that. Shows your passion and I always appreciate someone who educates themselves to help others. 👍🏾
Thanks for caring about your job and doing your research outside of work brother
Less recoil with nearly identical results makes me want the lites. I’m not recoil sensitive, but less recoil makes it easier in high stress scenarios to get hits on target. Also, I appreciate the grid you put against the gel.
Definitely agree. Could make a difference in getting good follow up shots if needed. Thank you sir.😎
@@ToolsandTargets I am with Chis. I really like how this grid works!
The "bang" alone is difficult enough to deal with, without hearing protection.
I didn't notice anything dramatically different when shooting these through a G3C while breaking in and testing ammo with my new pistol. The only major difference was shooting Winchester 9mm NATO 124 grain ball ammo and some 147 grain jhp. Everything else had a negligible difference to me, but this was my first 9mm handgun.
Absolutely!
Getting older everyday ( 76 ) and losing hand and arm strength so have been considering a lighter recoil option in my 9mm . This video helps a lot , thank you !
It was definitely a noticeable recoil decrease with just as good of a performance.👍
i'm getting older too, (62) my problem is my close in eyesight is failing and finding my front site is getting hard to see without my corrective lenses on (I don't sleep with my glasses on). i am considering putting a red dot on my glocks for better accuracy especially when things go bump in the night.
Look at taking creatine to restore your strength and mental stamina. It's clinically proven to work but it's super cheap so no one recommends it
@@BigTomInTheBasement I have COPD and Dr. recommends against usage due to potential breathing side effects.
@@disgustedvet9528 that's unfortunate. good luck sir.
I just got my fiance a hellcat and bought some of these critical defense lites in hopes of reducing the kick on the hellcat. Glad to hear these performed so well! Thanx for this vid brother🤙👊
"Pink Bullet Jelly Time" Haaa. Love it. You're videos are a nice retreat from the craziness that is our country. Thank you
Appreciate that my friend!
I’m now 70, and my hands are simply not as strong as they used to be, due to age and arthritis. I’m fine shooting JHP (including +P) ammo in my Glocks 26, 19, and 17, but I have some control issues with my Glock 43. I’ve started using these Lite rounds in the 43 and it has made a tremendous difference! Great video-thanks!
Thank you sir.
I generally prefer heavier bullets, but after watching the video wouldn't hesitate to use either of these. Like most posters below, I found the performance of the little 100gr impressive. This is one of the most interesting videos you've done. 👍
Thank you sir. It definitely wasn't what I expected.
These are my go-to defense rounds. Sig Elite Def. 124gr JHP, Horny Crit. Duty 124gr +P, & Horny Crit Defense Lite 100gr. Fantastic defense rounds for any scenario. The Crit. Defense Lite works fantastic for shorter barrels.
😎👊
This may be a little off topic, so my apologies. I have a Taurus G3C. It's a great little gun but I have to note that when I use hollow points without the little pink or red tip Hornady uses, I've experienced jams. I've done all the oiling and polishing and saw some improvements. My point is that for self-defense in a small 9 mm with a steep slide angle, you can't go wrong with either Hornady or Hornady Lite. I'll have to buy some Lites to experience the recoil difference from the 115. It appears that it performs very well and could be very helpful with follow-up shots. Thanks for a great video, sir. I love your videos. You seem to have no agenda other than sharing your knowledge with those of us who can use it. Thank you. I hope you check your responses after all this time because I really want you to know I and many others appreciate it.
Thank you sir. I bought a G3 TORO recently but haven't run a whole lot of different rounds through it so far. Might need to try out a few and see if I have the same thing going on.😎👊
I was surprised myself how much less recoil there is in the lite. It's nice to see the performance is excellent too, thanks for the video!
It's definitely a noticeable difference. Appreciate ya checkin it out!
Wow I am surprised by the pink bullets! Definitely want to get some of that for my wife, she hates recoil! I think a big benefit on the Lite would be getting back on target faster after firing initial round! I would even carry that and not be concerned a bit! Thanks for the GREAT info brother! Very helpful! Have a good one!
Thank you, sir. definitely agree about getting back on target faster. it was definitely noticeable. 👍
I'm impressed with the performance of the Lite, I bought a box of the 115gr about 2 1/2 years ago, And fired a few to make sure they would run in my compact, And every test I've seen with them, They always expanded, Just not as large as some others, The Lites, I've not seen any tests of them, And assumed they wouldn't be too good, Boy was I wrong, Thank you my friend, Stay Safe. 👍
Yep, they're pretty much the same as regular in terms of performance.👍
Critical defense is great for home defense, or in a populated place. It avoids passthrough, yet has terminal results and great expansion.
LOVE YOU VIDEOS. VERY HELPFUL
I carry Critical Duty 135gr +P in my ported Performance Center Shield, Hellcat Pro, XD9 Mod2, and Staccato C2 carry pistols. Love the round. Unfortunately, I had to use my Shield in a defensive shooting incident about 4 years ago, and it worked perfectly. Thank God no one lost their life, but the fight was over, and my attacker wasn't having a great day be any means. Let just say his life will never be the same. I absolutely trust my life to this round, and it got my home to my family. It actually work so well I started using the Critical Duty 185gr +P in .45 ACP in my .45 ACP carry pistols. God willing I'll never have to see how well they work in a real self defense situation like I did with the 9mm. If the situation ever does happen, I know I can trust the ammo I'm using.
Glad you made it home, brother!
I'm going to try out the Lite. Many concealed carriers seem obsessed with packing the most punch they can, but the more I learn, the more I lean toward focusing on reliability, recoil management, and availability. Small gun means more recoil and tougher time aiming. Pistol rounds mean you're probably going to need to get two or more hits no matter what, even if you don't miss. I want a round with good ballistics while being able to get another round on target as quickly as possible. This seems to have the same penetration and expansion as the standard Critical Defense, probably because the velocity increase balances out the drop in bullet weight. If it performs in the same ballpark but I can shoot even 10% faster or more accurately, I'll take that boost to speed/accuracy over a little bullet momentum, particularly in a handgun round in a concealed carry context. Your best shot at ending the threat is always delivering one more shot on target as quickly as possible.
Any updates on the lite?
100% my thought too. I'm pretty sure good enough is any kind of round hitting an aggressor. Followups matter more, same fallacy the FBI did after the shootout actually!
My wife just got a new 9mm and I have ordered some of the 9mm lite rounds. This video confirms my thoughts that she will be better able to handle the lite version. Thanks for posting it!
Glad I went with the Lite for my EDC Kimber Mako. At the range after a 250 round break in with the Mako, I ran a box of the Lite to check for function, which proved to be flawless. There was a very noticeable reduction in recoil and my shot groups were tighter. This excellent video confirmed the right choice. The same basic penetration with the enhanced accuracy of a lighter load is a win win combination for self defense.
Yessir. They're a great option from what I see.👍
Sold! I’ve been eyeballing this ammo at my range and now I’m switching over lol thank you for this I’ve been searching for a thorough break down comparing the two 😊
Appreciate you checkin it out!
Any updates on the switch over to the lite?
@@inOZ8434 when shooting you literally can’t tell a difference. Unless I do a test like he did lol but shooting into the paper target it feels like my practice rounds lol.
@@simplyzhara really no difference in recoil from your target rounds?? Damn I was hoping to it would be before I picked some up..lol what practice rounds are you using/grain etc..?
@@inOZ8434 okay yes slight difference in recoil but I’ll continue to buy. I am a CCI girl Blazer…between the 115 and 124 grain
The both are adequate but it looks like the lite on the bottom had a little bigger wound channel
Yeah, pretty surprising.👍
Hit thumbs up cause you mentioned it at the end had it in the background. Cheers man, I'm shopping around for my EDC and this is so helpful all the different tests you do.
Narrowing it down to HST 124gr and Lite...
Appreciate that, brother.😎👊
1080 fps with 115gr already is quite a lite load. Interesting you still can feel a difference. With 1100 fps 100gr its .380 +p level. I think its a good option if you want lower recoil but want to avoid the higher coast of .380 ammo.
Thanks for another great comparison of rounds. The Critical Defense is what I have in my .380. Again, well done brother.
Thank you sir. These things did great.
Fantastic video. Succinct, very thorough, and exceptional quality of visuals. Nice to see hard data and measurements. Well done.
From the New Jersey State Police Firearm FAQ's: ammo compliance: I’m not a police officer, are hollow points legal for me to possess? Yes. They are legal for purchase and possess in your home or on land owned by you. They are legal to possess and use at a gun range. They are also legal to possess while traveling to and from such places. Ammunition lacking a hollow cavity at the tip, such as those with a polymer filling, are not considered to be hollow point ammunition. An example of this can be seen with the Hornady Critical Defense / Critical Duty, Cor-Bon PowRball / Glaser Safety Slug and Nosler Inc. Defense ammunition.
👍
Another excellent video. I'm going to pick me up some Critical Defense Lite 9mm after seeing your video. Thank you for taking the time and resources for making this very informative video.
I carry Critical Defense Light in my Ruger. Not because I am recoil sensitive or anything like that but my local shop stocks them and rarely has the regulars so I just choose them for availability.
Good info! I've got someone who will be glad to hear your test results!
Thank you sir.😎
Such a great video. I have both of these rounds and was thinking which more to stack more off and after watching this video I am going with the lite. Thank you for the testing!
My wife carries the same pistol, this might be a good option for her. Anytime you can get good performance with less recoil it's a positive thing because you're able to put your shots on target quicker and more accurately. Thanks for the video 👍👍
Yessir. Appreciate you watching.😎
Man, awesome test !! I would literally buy those lite’s, feel like it’s the better round. Thanks for doing this
Thanks! I wouldn't hesitate to carry these Lite's.👍
I carry 124 grain HST in my 9mm but I'm getting ready to buy a Taurus G3C for my wife. I was impressed by the 100 grain lite round and I think it would be a good one for my wife to carry. Thanks for all the informative videos Tools, keep em coming!
Appreciate you brother. These Lite rounds definitely put on a good performance.👍
I have the G3c. Love it. I bought the factory Taurus 15 round mag with the sleeve. Nice fit and finish.
@@michaelhenderson5098 Yeah, I've seen a few videos on them and they seem like a very good gun for the money. I carry a Canik TP9SF but it's a bit large for her. I owned a Taurus 357 magnum quite a while ago and it was a great gun. I've heard nothing but good stuff about the Taurus G3C.
Great presentation. Very thoughtful and well laid out. You just may be saving the lives of good people. Thank you. Subscribed.
I’ve always been impressed with these rounds. Clothing is no barrier for these. If they only made a +P round I’d consider using them.
LOL, I had to watch the vid twice... Multi tasking and totally missed everything You did... Crazy that they were similar in penetration! Great vid Brother!!! Definitely good to know that there is a lighter recoil round out there for those who want them. Thanks!!
Thank you sir. I definitely figure there would be more performance difference.
Excellent review!! My wife was very comfortable with a full size 9mm and after shooting my 9mm compact carry a number of times she decided to go with the same carry firearm. We ordered it but before it arrived we went to the range for her to shoot the carry a again to get more familiar but she became a bit concerned of the recoil. After watching this video, not only is she more comfortable with her choice of carry, but given the tests I'm very comfortable of the performance of this round for her use. Can't say enough great things of the competency of the tests performed....just great!
Thank you sir. Really appreciate that!😎👍
Very helpful. Just picked up both. Thanks.
I like your style sir. Excellent test with pistols your "average" gun owner would carry. Your dialogue is spot on without unnecessary babble like I see in other channels. Thank you for the good work you do.
Appreciate that!😎👊
The lite looks like it folded back on the copper petals and then when it turned around and was going backwards, the pressure pealed some of the petals back up. (which would explain why it only pealed up some of them, due to it being canted at an angle?)
having an effective choice is always good, and less recoil turns to stay on target quickly. great test
Thank you sir.😎
I not sure a person would ever notice any recoil difference in a self defense situation. That said, the lite looked like a better round in this test. Better expansion and slightly higher speed. However, I won't be changing out my 147 gr & 124 gr HST's for either one of these.
HST's are tough to beat.👍
Prices have been pretty good online for the 50 round boxes, too.
Although the reduced felt recoil is definitely a plus for recoil sensitive people I believe the reduced recoil is a bigger plus for quick follow up shots. A person can stay on target better.
@@ToolsandTargets HSTs run over 15 and less than 21 inches in clear ballistic; which is my standard.
@@JohnLloydScharf if you don’t mind sharing your thought process, why is that your standard? I would imagine a given person would want X minimum penetration, but would want as close to X penetration as possible, not more, to minimize likelihood of over penetration
I have at least one mag for all of my 9s loaded with the 115s they work and as far as I can tell pretty good. I have shot a few of the lighter grains in different brands and mostly they are a little faster but for me currently I will keep my 115-124-147 in rotation but as someone who buys what he can afford when I can find I do enjoy collecting lighter loads of self defense rounds
I'm a 124 guy myself but I'll shoot pretty much whatever these days.👍
@@ToolsandTargets My prime self-defense is 3 shots, 3 seconds, 3 yards into a 3 inch target. 99% are stopped in 3 shots of any caliber. I like the idea of mixing heavy and light for caliber in my magazines, chambers, and reloaders. I will let the doctors decide which stopped them.
Shield EZ is a perfect tester for the recoil sensitive community.
I also carry the HST 147 grain in my 9 EZ. I think it’s so cool when everything goes right during tests and bullets expand the way they are designed to expand, without fragspansion. I’d watch these videos even if you had to use two cans and a string. Don’t care about the technical problems. Good stuff. Lots of fun. Learning a lot.
Appreciate that brother!😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets My best rounds are 150 HST in 9mm.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE LITE AMMO WOULD WORK IN A GLOCK 43X.THE AVUALLY LENGTH OF THE AMMO IS SHORTER THAN THE REGULAR CRITICAL DEFENSE
I don't think it would have any problem. Glocks usually aren't too picky from my experience.
Enjoyed your test, bought the lite loads for wife's pistol glad to see they preformed well
Thank you sir.😎👍
Brother all your gel tests are above and beyond
Appreciate that.😎👊
Somehow you even manage to answer questions I didn't know I had
The shield ez is great. It's become my every day carry, love the feel of it and the thin design makes it very easy to conceal and carry. I run federal hst 124 gr out of mine. 65gr +p Xtreme defenders out of my 9mm carbine
The EZ line are some of my favorite pistols for sure.👍
EZ 2.0 9mm is my go too everyday. I was shooting and carrying 80 gr TUI but just switched to these 100 Lites and they are also great too shoot.
The double tap is so fast with this round on target.
I’m impressed by both rounds. I would use either one or both rounds. I like that they didn’t over penetrate. Very viable self defense rounds.
Thank You for another great video
Keep em coming.
Appreciate ya my friend!
Thanks for another excellent comparison.
Our spouses seem similar in recoil tolerance and I bought a ton of the Lite’s for her for similar reasons.
Wouldn’t cycle in her Glock 19. At. All.
Thousands of rounds without a jam, various brands etc. Tried new magazine, clean, lube - even polishing the barrel on the loading end.
Posting just to get that out there.
I suggest actually shooting a few magazines before loading up on this terrific little cartridge…
Interesting.🤔
@@ToolsandTargets Upon further review I find others with the same issue and not all with the Glock 19.
Since I have so much (of the 100gr) I bought an LCR in 9mm and it’s all good…
Good work on showing the advantages of the lite ammo for some people. I'm thinking about carry it if it's faster to fire.
Have you noticed when you compare different projectiles the price goes up on both the next day? Looked like the Lite had a better wound channel. Either will work at close distance. How much difference in price or not enough to choose one over the other. Both are worth it. Thanks. 👍
I think they're identical in price. Honestly don't remember.
@@ToolsandTargets Won't matter if they are needed. Only makes a difference if shot at the range for practice for us penny pinchers on a budget.
Thank you. Been waiting to see this test info. Always fun to watch.
Appreciate you checkin it out!
Great video with surprising results. I did not think they would perform so similarly.
Thank you sir. If it weren't for the different colored insert, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
@@ToolsandTargets I think you said you would be doing a test with ARX soon. I will be eager to see that as well. I have switched to ARX or Black Hills Honey Badger for 380 ammo.
Based on todays results, I think as my HST 9mm runs low I will replace it with this Lite ammo.
@@Wyoming_Gramps Yessir. I wanna put that up against Extreme Defenders since they're a similar design. I have to make myself take the time to load up some so I can get that test done.
Those Hornady rounds are nice man. I’m still partial to the Ranger T- Series that I carry in my Glock 9mm. I do have a Kimber micro 9 I carry HST’s in. But, those Hornady are impressive though and I hear they do really when going through clothing.
They did the trick on this one for sure.👍
Hornady has all of their tests performed to win the fbi contract on UA-cam. Very interesting learning about "barrier blindness", especially through glass. I always saw rounds deflect when hitting windshields etc...this round stays straight.
For my House Gun I use Hornady Critical defense Ammo 110gr.JHP non +P 38special in my 4inch bbl.RIA M200....I feel well armed and sleep very well at night ....as you have proven Critical defense Ammo is good Stuff....as Always Tools great info....I've been with you since day one!😃
Appreciate the keck out of that brother!😎👊
Well looks like the lite are better for self defense if recoil is a concern since they seem to do the same thing in the gel. These videos are really helpful and I look forward to them. Thanks Tools!👍 And FJB
Thank you sir. Let's Go Brandon!
Nice review. I have a box of the Critical Defense Lite and S&B 100 gr. I need to get them both to the range soon. I have a friend who is a newer shooter and this CD Lite sounds like it'll be just what she'll need to be a more manageable shooting self defense round.
Nice review.
Have a box of the lites didn't know what to expect thanks for the test as i now know that they preform rairly good
Great test, I use this brand ammo in my carry piece. I was hoping you could do the exact same test with the clothing barrier for a little more realistic view of the performance.
I think critical defense lite is one of the best carry rounds on the market for small 9mm handguns especially because smaller handguns are generally always harder to shoot so having less recoil in a round that still delivers the same performance as normal critical defense is a very good thing to take advantage of
This is the video that convinced me on critical defense.
😎👊
The lite round look like a mix of the regular and the talons. Nice
It did great for sure.👍
Whoa almost a tie right there.. Thanks for sharing
Looked almost identical.👍
1000 thank you's for this video
you just saved me from going out and spending more money on a 2nd 380EZ and holsters !
115's out of my VP9 are cool...but out of my 43x, they kinda suck on my wrist (scaphoid has been surgically repaired)
😎👍
I would guess that the lite one turned around from pedals flairing out on the one side. Both were impressive.
Good videos, check to make sure it will work in your gun. It wouldn't cycle my Glock 19 but works fine in my other guns.
Looking for something for my wife that she can control better. This video is exactly what I wanted. Thank you!
I also like the lites , but both good . I have an all steel Spanish Star Bm-9 4inch will work very well. Thanks BL ,very good call for Wifey
Thank you sir. These will definitely do the trick.👍
Awesome test. Everyone would expect the regular critical round to surpass the “lite” round. Keep up the great content brother.
Thank you sir. Plenty more on the way.😎👍
I really like the performance of the lighter rounds in a short barrel pistol. I'm going to get some of those Lite's for my wife's little SCCY.
😎👍
VERY good informative video!
Thanks for sharing.
I'm considering changing to all Critical Defense Lite for my EDC 9mm
Thank you sir.
Tools you should remove the polymer plug in the critical defense and see if the projectile will clog or still give the same performance. CD always seems to preform very consistently
😎👍
Love seeing that sub count going up!
Rollin along! Appreciate you being here for it!
Great test! This is going to be what I have some women and older people with recoil sensitivity try for recoil sensitivity as a 380 alternative.
Appreciate that.😎👍
I wish this video came out early. Bass Pro had the Critical Defense Lite rounds for 9mm. I thought they were ladies rounds made for women who do not like recoiil so I passed on the rounds. The box had pink on it. Would have bought them. Good video as always.
Thank you sir. They definitely performed great.👍
I'm old and set in my ways. I still like the V Crown 124g . And the 8 year is getting a remote control car. I didn't care how much I spent. It's Christmas for him.
Awesome! I'm sure he'll love it!😎
I carry the critical defense 115 gr and I really like them they are very accurate and it has the penetration needed.
Good stuff.😎👍
The lite looked like it expanded MORE than the regular and it has almost identical penetration. The only positive for the regular is it might have more ft lbs of energy.
Yep, Barely any noticeable difference at all.
I think the Lite looked a little overdriven. The metal used in the bullet could be softer.
We’re these rounds shine is that they still expand identical with heavy clothing in the way whereas other rounds still expand but less than normal and penetrate further.
👍
Good options. Options are good. Thank you sir.
Absolutely.👍
I carry the 9mm regular critical defense in my edc but I would be willing to use the lite after seeing this jelly test! Thanks for a good video Tools! Keep up the good work! I just ordered a couple things through your Amazon link so I’m trying to help 😁
Thank you ma'am. It's the perfect excuse to buy stuff!😜
Hey TOOLS! I like it, just not well enough to swap out my V-Crowns.
V Crowns are some good stuff.👍
I would carry either. I would choose the lite in a micro 9mm. Thank you for your hard work on another great video.
Definitely good stuff.
I run the regular in my Glock 19. Thank s for showing.
Appreciate you watching!😎
you sold me on the light just ordered 100 rounds to try thanks tools what you do
Nice! I was pretty impressed with them.
With the nerve damage in my hands, I may try those Lites in my EZ9. I carry Underwood Extreme Defender but they do put the hurt on my hand and fingers at times such that follow-up shots are a bit harder to control. If it is light enough I might be able to carry a micro 9 again. Thanks for this comparison, my friend. I had fired some Lites years ago but never compared them as my hands were fine then.
They may do the trick.😎👍
Awesome video. Love these side by side comparisons. I shoot a lot of 9mm and this I will take into consideration for EDC. Thank you
Appreciate that my friend!
Another one in the books brother thanks.
Thank you my friend!
Great video very professional I carry the lights absolutely love them
Thank you sir.😎👊
Just got the lite rds wasn’t sure they had stopping power but your video proved me otherwise thanks for the info.
My wife has the pink lite defense loves them
Both are great defense 9mm ammo .
Don’t mess with huckberry 🤠
Nice. They did great here!
Definitely not recoil sensitive. But I will be going with the lite. I feel like I will have better accuracy on my follow up shots.
Thank you for this comparison. Earned a sub.
Dunno how I missed this one. Great stuff. Hope you had a Merry Christmas
Thank you sir. Can't complain too much.😎👍
Great Video Sir! Very Helpful.
Thank you, brother!
Great video as usual, i shoot hornady critical defense lite out of sccy cpx-2 9mm and taurus 856 38 special revolver and the recoil is significantly less in my 38spl shot accuracy is great out of both. Great job thanks.
Thank you sir.😎👊
liked this one tools..myself after watching this i got no problem with either one of these rounds..right now in my 9 i got the regular ones...but these would be a good choice too if the recoil was a issue...and once again....THANKS FOR THE FIX.....lol
Thank you for always watching my friend!
Great video tools as always.i think you have done a video comparing hornady to a regular hollow point.testing if the regular hollow point clogges up with heavy clothing.if there's really a difference.i would like to see a video of that
Yessir, I did one with the Critical Defense and The Federal Train and Protects.👍
Ty tools i just watched that video with hornady versus federal.answered my questions about hornady
Excellent video! Thank you!
Thank you sir.
Very informative and well done. Thank you sir!
Appreciate that!😎👍