NRA Gun Gear of the Week: Hornady Wins FBI 9 mm Contract

by
posted on May 12, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

For a company that often bills itself as a small ammunition maker, Hornady of Grand Island, Neb., is making big waves by landing perhaps the most important ammunition contract in the United States, outside of military procurement. Cutting to the chase, Hornady’s 135-gr. +P Critical Duty 9 mm Luger ammunition has been selected by the FBI for an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract to become the new duty ammunition of the country’s premier law enforcement agency. Competition for this contract is fierce, for one, because the testing protocol is so difficult, and includes barrier penetration tests which require not only ample and consistent penetration, but also expansion—no mean feat, especially against the surprisingly formidable auto glass barrier. The other reason this contract is so hotly contested is because many, many other law enforcement agencies—especially those without the resources to conduct thorough internal testing—rely on the FBI’s ballistic findings, and follow the Bureau’s lead when it comes to procurement. The downstream effects are massive.  

During NRA’s 2018 Annual Meeting and Exhibits, American Rifleman’s Joe Kurtenbach caught up with Jason Hornady and Neal Emery to talk about the FBI contract and the top-performing Critical Duty ammunition.

Additional Reading:
Understanding Hornady's Critical Defense and Critical Duty Ammo  
Hornady Awarded FBI 9 mm Plus P Ammunition Contract   
FBI Selects Hornady Critical Duty Ammo






Latest

Gotw Influencer X Web
Gotw Influencer X Web

Gun Of The Week: EAA Corp. Girsan Influencer X

We're on the range with an M1911 that is one of the smoothest-shooting versions we’ve shot in recent memory. And best of all? It’s incredibly affordable, to boot. This is the EAA Girsan Influencer X.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 8, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Hopkins & Allen: The Armsmaking Giant That Didn't Survive

Founded in 1868 in the northeast U.S., Hopkins & Allen grew from a friendly business venture into a prolific maker of affordable guns for brand names such as Merwin & Hulbert and Forehand & Wadsworth.

Burris Optics Celebrates 50 Years Of Fullfield Riflescopes

Firearms and ammunition ballistics have changed greatly over the last half-century, but one of the biggest leaps in performance hit the scene five decades ago, when Burris Optics introduced its Fullfield line of riflesopes.

I Have This Old Gun: Heckler & Koch P7

In the mid-1970s, the German federal police sought a replacement for its existing World War II-era sidearms and put out stringent guidelines for what it wanted in a handgun. The result was the Heckler & Koch P7.

New For 2025: Smith & Wesson Shield X

Smith & Wesson's new Shield X micro-compact handgun combines elements from the company's M&P Shield Plus with some cues from its smaller Bodyguard 2.0 design.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.