Hornady Critical Defense 73 gr FTX

.223 Rem · 73 gr · Critical Defense · #80260. Maker-published figures, velocity measured in a 24″ barrel. Below: the drop chart, the wind, the energy, and how far it is an ethical hunting load — then shoot it.

Shoot this load through the glass →Hunt with it

G1 BC: 0.260maker G1
Muzzle velocity: 2,790 fps24″ test barrel · ~25 fps per inch
Muzzle energy: 1,262 ft·lb73 gr at 2,790 fps
Transonic: 500 ydMach 1.2 — where the solver stops being sure
500 yd: 4.2 mil282 ft·lb on arrival
Twist: 1:8typical factory twist for the solve

Drop chart · 100 yd zero · 10 mph full-value wind

Range yd	Elev mil	Elev MOA	Drop in	Wind mil	Wind MOA	Wind in	Vel fps	Energy ft·lb	TOF s
50	0.1	0.5	-0.3	0.2	0.6	0.3	2,610	1,104	0.06
100	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	1.2	1.3	2,438	963	0.12
150	0.2	0.8	-1.2	0.5	1.9	2.9	2,272	836	0.18
200	0.6	2.0	-4.1	0.8	2.6	5.4	2,112	723	0.25
250	1.0	3.4	-8.9	1.0	3.4	8.8	1,959	622	0.32
300	1.5	5.1	-16.0	1.2	4.2	13.1	1,813	533	0.40
350	2.0	7.0	-25.8	1.5	5.1	18.5	1,675	455	0.49
400	2.7	9.2	-38.7	1.7	6.0	25.2	1,545	387	0.58
450	3.4	11.7	-55.2	2.0	7.0	33.1	1,426	330	0.68
500	4.2	14.5	-76.0	2.4	8.1	42.4	1,318	282	0.79
550	5.1	17.7	-101.8	2.7	9.2	53.1	1,224	243	0.91
600	6.2	21.2	-133.4	3.0	10.4	65.2	1,144	212	1.04
650	7.3	25.2	-171.6	3.4	11.5	78.6	1,080	189	1.17
700	8.6	29.6	-217.3	3.7	12.7	93.2	1,029	172	1.31
750	10.0	34.5	-271.2	4.0	13.8	108.7	987	158	1.46
800	11.6	39.9	-334.0	4.3	14.9	125.2	951	147	1.62
850	13.3	45.7	-406.4	4.7	16.0	142.5	919	137	1.78
900	15.1	51.9	-489.2	5.0	17.0	160.6	891	129	1.94
950	17.0	58.6	-582.9	5.2	18.0	179.4	864	121	2.11
1000	19.1	65.7	-688.3	5.5	19.0	198.9	840	114	2.29

Orange rows are transonic (Mach 1.2–1.0), red subsonic. Elevation is the come-up; wind is the bullet's drift for 10 mph at 90°, so halve it for 5 mph and for a 30° wind. The app builds this for your barrel length, your altitude and today's weather, and lets you true the MV against what you actually hit.

Energy on the animal

Max ethical range, vitals shot

Coyote / varmint500 ydKeeps 250 ft·lb and expansion velocity to 500 yd. Behind the shoulder only — not a bone-breaking bullet.

Pronghorn150 ydKeeps 800 ft·lb and expansion velocity to 150 yd. Behind the shoulder only — not a bone-breaking bullet.

Whitetail deer50 ydKeeps 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity to 50 yd. Behind the shoulder only — not a bone-breaking bullet.

Mule deer50 ydKeeps 1,000 ft·lb and expansion velocity to 50 yd. Behind the shoulder only — not a bone-breaking bullet.

Wild hogWrong bulletTarget / varmint construction — not for this animal.

Black bearWrong bulletTarget / varmint construction — not for this animal.

ElkWrong bulletTarget / varmint construction — not for this animal.

MooseWrong bulletTarget / varmint construction — not for this animal.

Energy floors: Coyote 250 · Pronghorn 800 · Whitetail 1,000 · Mule 1,000 · Wild 1,000 · Black 1,200 · Elk 1,500 · Moose 1,500 ft·lb (see the sources on each animal in the app). Expansion floor from the bullet family's published minimum impact velocity. A bone-breaking shoulder shot wants a bonded, partition or monolithic bullet regardless of energy.

Same cartridge

All .223 Rem factory loads · best for coyote · best for whitetail · best for wild · best for elk

Source: https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/223-remington-73-gr-critical-defense · 24" test barrel per product page