CraigC said:
Your OP said faster powders would yield higher velocities. The .22Mag may have been born in rifles but it has much more in common with magnum revolver cartridges, much like the .30Carbine. As such, they are loaded with a magnum revolver powder, not a rifle powder. I don't know if the short barrel loads use a low flash powder but whatever it is, it's not going to be faster. I have Gold Dots to test but haven't got around to it yet.
Actually what I said was that it is
supposed to yield velocities as fast or faster. I am just repeating the information from the article in Am Handgunner magazine. I, like you, have not chronographed any of this ammo as yet because I have not received any of it, which is not surprising, since I didn't know it was being loaded until yesterday. I have chronographed a good quantity of .22 Mg. in 2 handguns thus far, both with 5-1/2" bbls and in those guns the 40 gr. stuff yields in the 1200 FPS range with the heavier 45 and 50 gr. samples yielding less than that. The lighter ammo comes in higher of course. The article was written using a North American Arms revolver w/2" bbl. My understanding is that the Hornady Critical Defense ammo features a 45 Gr. bullet. My expectation would be that it will generate about 1000 to 1100 fps. We will see when it arrives. 8)
EDIT: I picked this off Hornady's web site. They are claiming 1000 fps with a 1-7/8" bbl. If that proves to be an accurate number, it at least hints of better than usual velocities in a handgun and a 45 grainer. Guns vary in terms of velocity delivery, so we will see. https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rimfire/22-wmr-45-gr-ftx-critical-defense#!/#specs
