Hornady XTP Review (2026): Gel Tested in 7 Calibers

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This Hornady XTP review covers the loaded ammunition, not just the bullet: Custom, American Gunner, BLACK and Subsonic. We fired sixteen XTP loads in seven calibers through four layers of heavy clothing into gel, five shots each, from the same carry guns we used for Critical Defense, HST and Gold Dot.

The short version: 37 of 100 shots landed in the FBI window of 12 to 18 inches. The .380 90 gr and both 10mm loads put all five in. In 9mm, .40 and the .45 185 gr the XTP ran deep, 19 to 24 inches, and opened modestly. For hunting, Hornady loads the XTP in magnums up to the .500 S&W.

Last updated October 17, 2026

Table of Contents

Hornady XTP Review at a Glance

XTP is Hornady’s jacketed hollow point for handguns, loaded today in 39 handgun loads across seventeen calibers. Through heavy clothing it shines in .380 and 10mm and runs deep in 9mm, .40 and .45.

Our Rating: 7.5/10

XTP load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in
.380 ACP 90 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	910	14.14 in	0.39 in	5 of 5
9mm 115 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,079	19.04 in	0.46 in	1 of 5
9mm 124 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,097	19.66 in	0.45 in	0 of 5
9mm 147 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	994	19.28 in	0.49 in	1 of 5
.40 S&W 155 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,101	22.42 in	0.49 in	0 of 5
.40 S&W 180 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	933	20.92 in	0.50 in	1 of 5
.45 ACP 185 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	914	23.76 in	0.46 in	1 of 5
.45 ACP 200 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	863	18.04 in	0.54 in	2 of 5
.45 ACP +P 230 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	908	18.56 in	0.60 in	2 of 5
10mm 155 gr	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,344	14.00 in	0.68 in	5 of 5
10mm 180 gr	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,158	16.88 in	0.64 in	5 of 5

Read the table by row, not by brand. The same bullet design that stops at 14 inches from a Glock 20 can sail to 24 inches from a short .45, so caliber and gun matter more than the box name. The sections below give every shot.

How We Ran Our XTP Gel Test

Our XTP gel test follows the FBI heavy clothing protocol: four layers of fabric in front of synthetic ordnance gel, five shots per load from 10 feet, each bullet measured for depth and recovered width.

The guns are short on purpose, because carry guns are short. A Glock 42 with a 3.25 inch barrel shot .380, an S&W M&P9c at 3.5 inches shot 9mm, a Glock 27 at 3.42 inches shot .40 S&W and a Kahr CW45 at 3.64 inches shot .45 ACP. 10mm went through a Glock 20 Gen 4 with a 4.6 inch barrel.

Revolver loads went through two guns: a Kimber K6s snub with a 2 inch barrel and a Ruger GP100 with a 4.2 inch barrel. Every rival in this review, from Critical Defense to HST, went through the same guns and the same fabric, and a chronograph at the block logged each shot.

The FBI band is 12 to 18 inches: deep enough to reach the vitals from a bad angle, shallow enough to stay in the target. Width is the other half. A hollow point that opens to 1.5 times its caliber is doing its job, and one that comes out at bullet diameter did not open.

What XTP Stands For and How the Bullet Works

XTP stands for eXtreme Terminal Performance. It is a cup and core jacketed hollow point with serrations cut into the cavity mouth, a jacket that thickens toward the base, and no bonding between core and jacket.

Hornady’s own feature list explains the design. Serrations split the nose “into symmetrical sections, strategically weakening the jacket and initiating controlled expansion even at low velocities.” The jacket covers the nose, “so the hollow cavity functions properly on impact and ensures proper feeding in semi-automatics.”

The core is swaged lead, and Hornady says “Total uniformity of core density ensures balanced expansion as well as in-flight stability.” Expansion “is controlled by varying jacket thickness down the length of the XTP”. On revolver bullets, “the cannelure helps achieve accurate, consistent crimping.”

Is the XTP bonded? Hornady never calls it bonded, and the feature list describes no bond between core and jacket. The magnum version, XTP Mag, rides in the .454 Casull and .480 Ruger loads, and the .500 S&W load uses a flat point FP-XTP that Hornady’s product title also calls InterLock.

Hornady says XTP bullets “were specifically designed to expand reliably at a wide range of handgun velocities to deliver deep penetration with every shot.” Our gel agrees with the deep penetration part. Through heavy clothing from short barrels, the reliable expansion part depends on the caliber.

Hornady American Gunner, Custom, BLACK and Subsonic: Same Bullet, Four Boxes

Hornady American Gunner, Custom, BLACK and Subsonic all load the XTP. The bullet weights overlap, so the box name changes the price, the packaging and sometimes the speed, not the bullet design.

Custom is the biggest line: 21 XTP handgun loads from .25 Auto and .357 Sig to .500 S&W, and Hornady says every round “is hand-inspected before packaging to ensure the highest levels of quality control.” Hornady American Gunner holds eight XTP handgun loads, in .380, 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .40, 10mm and .45, and Hornady says it is “Loaded to conventional velocities”.

Hornady BLACK carries four XTP loads in .380, 9mm, .40 and .45, sold as loads “optimized for excellent performance from America’s favorite guns.” Subsonic holds six, built for quiet shooting with or without a suppressor, and Hornady says its handgun loads use XTP bullets “that expand reliably at subsonic velocities.” A 10mm 200 gr Subsonic sits in Hornady’s 2027 new-products gallery, and its page lists no ballistics yet.

Some loads we tested have moved boxes. Hornady’s site no longer lists the Custom 9mm 115 gr, .380 90 gr, .40 180 gr or .45 185 gr, or the .45 +P 200 gr. The same bullet weights live on: the 90 gr .380 and 115 gr 9mm in American Gunner and BLACK, rated 1,000 and 1,155 fps.

Is Hornady American Gunner the same bullet as Custom? In bullet type and weight, yes: both use the XTP. The 9mm 124 gr shows the speed difference. Custom lists 1,110 fps and the American Gunner +P load 1,175 fps, both from a 4 inch test barrel.

Our Hornady brand page covers the rest of Hornady’s ammunition, from Critical Defense to the rifle lines.

Is Hornady XTP Good for Self Defense?

Is Hornady XTP good for self defense? In 10mm, .380 and a 4.2 inch .357 Magnum, yes. In 9mm, .40 and the .45 185 gr it ran past the FBI ceiling through heavy clothing and opened modestly from short barrels.

Across the whole XTP gel test, 37 of 100 shots landed between 12 and 18 inches. Fifteen of the twenty load and gun pairs averaged deeper than 18 inches, and only three opened to 1.5 times caliber: both 10mm loads and the .357 Magnum 125 gr from the GP100.

That is the XTP’s character: it was built for deep penetration and it delivers it, and through heavy clothing from a compact that depth often comes with a narrow wound path. So, is Hornady XTP good for self defense in your gun? Find your caliber below before you buy.

9mm XTP: 115, 124 and 147 Grain

All three 9mm XTP loads ran deep from a 3.5 inch M&P9c: 19.04, 19.66 and 19.28 inches on average, with two of 15 shots inside the FBI band and widths of 0.45 to 0.49 inches.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
9mm 115 gr XTP	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,079	19.04 in	0.46 in	1 of 5	17.1, 18.8, 19.0, 19.4, 20.9
9mm 124 gr XTP	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,097	19.66 in	0.45 in	0 of 5	18.2, 19.6, 19.7, 20.2, 20.6
9mm 147 gr XTP	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	994	19.28 in	0.49 in	1 of 5	15.9, 18.5, 19.3, 21.0, 21.7
Critical Defense 115 gr FTX	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,143	13.06 in	0.50 in	4 of 5	11.6, 12.9, 13.3, 13.7, 13.8

The 124 gr Custom never landed a shot in the band; its shortest went 18.2 inches. The 115 gr and the 147 gr each put one in. Widths of 0.45 to 0.49 inches are about 1.3 times a 9mm bullet, short of the 1.5 times we want.

Hornady’s own Critical Defense 115 gr went 13.06 inches from the same gun with 4 of 5 in the band. For a 9mm carry gun that is the better Hornady box, and our Critical Defense review has every shot.

Low speed did not cause it. The 124 gr ran 1,097 fps, 13 fps under its 1,110 fps box speed from a 4 inch barrel. The 147 gr ran 994 fps, faster than the 975 fps Hornady lists. Our best 9mm ammo guide ranks the rest of the field.

.380 ACP 90 gr XTP: All Five in the Window

The .380 ACP 90 gr XTP put all five shots between 13.1 and 15.0 inches from a 3.25 inch Glock 42, averaging 14.14. It opened to only 0.39 inches, so it is a narrow .380 load.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
.380 90 gr XTP	Glock 42 3.25 in	910	14.14 in	0.39 in	5 of 5	13.1, 13.6, 14.4, 14.6, 15.0
Critical Defense 90 gr FTX	Glock 42 3.25 in	910	13.24 in	0.52 in	5 of 5	12.3, 12.8, 13.5, 13.6, 14.0
Federal HST 99 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	893	22.48 in	0.35 in	0 of 5	20.1, 20.2, 21.1, 22.3, 28.7
Speer Gold Dot 90 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	937	11.00 in	0.49 in	0 of 5	10.8, 10.8, 11.0, 11.1, 11.3

That is a strong .380 result. Gold Dot stopped at 11.00 inches with every shot short of 12, and HST went 22.48 inches. Only XTP and Critical Defense kept all five in the window, and Critical Defense opened wider, 0.52 inches to 0.39.

We shot the Custom .380 load. Hornady now sells the same 90 gr XTP weight as American Gunner and BLACK, both rated 1,000 fps from a 4 inch barrel; the Glock 42 ran it at 910 fps. Our best .380 ammo guide covers the pocket gun picks.

.40 S&W XTP: 155 and 180 Grain

Both .40 S&W XTP loads ran deep from a 3.42 inch Glock 27. The 155 gr averaged 22.42 inches with no shot in the band, and the 180 gr averaged 20.92 with one.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
.40 155 gr XTP	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,101	22.42 in	0.49 in	0 of 5	21.0, 21.5, 22.4, 23.3, 23.9
.40 180 gr XTP	Glock 27 3.42 in	933	20.92 in	0.50 in	1 of 5	17.5, 18.8, 19.5, 22.5, 26.3
Critical Defense 165 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,075	16.60 in	0.60 in	5 of 5	14.3, 16.5, 16.5, 17.8, 17.9
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	955	14.50 in	0.65 in	5 of 5	13.4, 13.6, 14.3, 14.4, 16.8

The 155 gr is the fast one, 1,101 fps from the Glock 27, and it still went 21.0 to 23.9 inches. The 180 gr spread from 17.5 to 26.3 inches. Both opened to about 0.49 to 0.50 inches.

Gold Dot 180 gr and Critical Defense 165 gr each put all five in the band from the same pistol. For a .40 carry gun we would buy either first; our Gold Dot review has the Gold Dot details. The 180 gr XTP weight now ships as American Gunner, BLACK and Subsonic.

.45 ACP XTP: 185, 200 and 230 Grain

The .45 ACP results split by weight. The 185 gr XTP averaged 23.76 inches with two shots near 30, while the 200 gr, 200 gr +P and 230 gr +P averaged about 18 inches from a Kahr CW45.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
.45 185 gr XTP	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	914	23.76 in	0.46 in	1 of 5	17.2, 19.7, 21.3, 29.8, 30.8
.45 200 gr XTP	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	863	18.04 in	0.54 in	2 of 5	16.5, 17.9, 18.1, 18.3, 19.4
.45 +P 200 gr XTP	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	965	18.12 in	0.59 in	3 of 5	17.6, 17.8, 18.0, 18.3, 18.9
.45 +P 230 gr XTP	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	908	18.56 in	0.60 in	2 of 5	17.4, 17.7, 18.4, 19.2, 20.1
Federal HST 230 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	822	14.02 in	0.85 in	5 of 5	13.1, 13.3, 13.4, 13.6, 16.7

The 185 gr went from 17.2 to 30.8 inches, the widest spread of any XTP load we shot. The heavier loads were steadier: the 200 gr +P put 3 of 5 in the band and the 230 gr +P opened to 0.60 inches, the widest .45 XTP.

None of them matched HST 230 gr, which put all five in the band and opened to 0.85 inches from the same Kahr. Our HST review and best .45 ACP ammo guide cover the .45 picks. The 200 gr +P is gone from Hornady’s list; the 230 gr +P is current at 950 fps from a 5 inch barrel.

Hornady XTP 10mm: 155 and 180 Grain

Hornady XTP 10mm is the best result on this page. From a Glock 20 the 155 gr averaged 14.00 inches and the 180 gr 16.88, every shot of both inside the FBI band, and both opened past 0.60 inches.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
10mm 155 gr XTP	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,344	14.00 in	0.68 in	5 of 5	12.9, 13.2, 13.8, 14.9, 15.2
10mm 180 gr XTP	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,158	16.88 in	0.64 in	5 of 5	16.8, 16.8, 16.9, 16.9, 17.0
Critical Duty 175 gr	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,071	20.50 in	0.56 in	2 of 5	17.5, 17.7, 21.6, 22.4, 23.3
Sig V-Crown 180 gr	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,138	19.36 in	0.76 in	1 of 5	16.4, 18.9, 19.2, 20.2, 22.1
Speer Gold Dot 200 gr	Glock 20 4.6 in	1,029	19.74 in	0.68 in	0 of 5	18.6, 19.2, 19.5, 20.4, 21.0

The 180 gr shots landed between 16.8 and 17.0 inches, a 0.2 inch spread, the tightest of any XTP load we shot. It opened to 0.64 inches. The 155 gr went faster, 1,344 fps, and opened wider, 0.68 inches, while stopping shallower.

Neither Critical Duty, V-Crown nor Gold Dot 200 gr put more than two shots in the band from the same Glock 20. For a 10mm carry or trail gun loaded for people, either Hornady XTP 10mm load is a strong pick, and our best 10mm ammo guide ranks the field.

Hornady tags the 180 gr for medium game from 50 to 300 pounds and the 155 gr for personal defense and varmints. American Gunner sells the 155 gr at the same 1,410 fps, and the 200 gr Subsonic is new.

In a separate session for our Glock 40 review, the 180 gr XTP averaged 1,194 fps over ten shots from a Glock 20 and 1,252 fps from the 6 inch Glock 40, and it printed that gun’s best 25 yard group.

.38 Special and .357 Magnum XTP From a Snub and a 4.2 Inch Revolver

Revolver results flip with barrel length: the .38 Special 125 gr put 5 of 5 in the band from a 2 inch snub and 0 from the GP100; the .357 Magnum 125 gr went 0 and 4.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
.38 158 gr XTP	Kimber K6s 2 in	716	18.18 in	0.35 in	2 of 5	16.5, 16.5, 18.8, 18.9, 20.2
.38 125 gr XTP AG	Kimber K6s 2 in	821	16.72 in	0.35 in	5 of 5	14.8, 16.6, 17.2, 17.5, 17.5
.357 158 gr XTP	Kimber K6s 2 in	1,082	21.60 in	0.50 in	0 of 5	20.0, 21.1, 22.1, 22.1, 22.7
.357 125 gr XTP AG	Kimber K6s 2 in	1,125	21.38 in	0.48 in	0 of 5	20.5, 20.8, 21.3, 21.9, 22.4
.38 158 gr XTP	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	744	21.42 in	0.36 in	0 of 5	19.6, 20.8, 21.1, 21.7, 23.9
.38 125 gr XTP AG	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	892	19.58 in	0.35 in	0 of 5	19.0, 19.4, 19.5, 19.7, 20.3
.357 158 gr XTP	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	1,242	24.70 in	0.53 in	0 of 5	21.3, 22.9, 25.9, 26.6, 26.8
.357 125 gr XTP AG	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	1,379	16.74 in	0.54 in	4 of 5	14.8, 16.2, 16.7, 17.2, 18.8

The .38 Special loads did not open. Widths of 0.35 to 0.36 inches are the size of the bullet itself, so the 125 gr reached 16.72 inches from the snub without expanding. Critical Defense 110 gr opened to 0.44 from the same snub; our best .38 Special ammo guide compares the rest.

In .357 Magnum the 158 gr XTP went 21.60 inches from the snub and 24.70 from the GP100, no shot in the band either way. The 125 gr American Gunner from the GP100 put 4 of 5 in and opened to 0.54 inches, 1.5 times its caliber.

From the 2 inch snub that same 125 gr load ran 1,125 fps, 375 fps under its 8 inch box figure, and went 21.38 inches. Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 gr put all five in the band from both revolvers.

Our best .357 Magnum ammo guide ranks the .357 loads by use, and our GP100 review has the gun those 4.2 inch results come close to.

Box Speed vs Short Barrels

Eighteen of the nineteen XTP load and gun results we chronographed ran under Hornady’s box speed from our short guns. Most gaps were under 100 fps; the big ones came from revolvers and the 10mm 180 gr.

Hornady rates most semi-auto XTP loads from a 4 or 5 inch test barrel and the Custom and American Gunner .357 Magnum loads from 8 inches. Our pistols ran 3.25 to 4.6 inches, so slower is normal. The 9mm 124 gr lost only 13 fps; the 10mm 180 gr lost 117 from a Glock 20.

The revolvers show it best. The .357 Magnum 125 gr ran 1,379 fps from the 4.2 inch GP100 and 1,125 from the 2 inch snub, against an 8 inch box figure of 1,500. That 253 fps drop goes with its deep, narrow result from the snub.

Hornady XTP vs FTX, HST and Gold Dot

Hornady XTP vs FTX is the question most buyers ask. FTX, the Flex Tip bullet in Critical Defense, opened wider and stopped shallower than XTP in all eight same-gun pairs we shot.

Caliber and gun	XTP depth / width	XTP in band	FTX depth / width	FTX in band
.380	14.14 in / 0.39 in	5 of 5	13.24 in / 0.52 in	5 of 5
9mm	19.04 in / 0.46 in	1 of 5	13.06 in / 0.50 in	4 of 5
.40	20.92 in / 0.50 in	1 of 5	16.60 in / 0.60 in	5 of 5
.45	23.76 in / 0.46 in	1 of 5	17.62 in / 0.59 in	2 of 5
.38 snub	16.72 in / 0.35 in	5 of 5	14.12 in / 0.44 in	5 of 5
.38 GP100	19.58 in / 0.35 in	0 of 5	14.32 in / 0.46 in	5 of 5
.357 snub	21.38 in / 0.48 in	0 of 5	15.28 in / 0.52 in	5 of 5
.357 GP100	16.74 in / 0.54 in	4 of 5	14.54 in / 0.57 in	5 of 5

The Flex Tip in the FTX is there to keep fabric from plugging the cavity, and on this protocol that shows. In those eight pairs the FTX loads put 36 of 40 shots in the band against 17 for XTP. Hornady XTP vs FTX for carry: FTX, in every caliber we could pair.

Against Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot the picture is the same in 9mm, .40 and .45, and better for XTP in .380 and 10mm. Our HST vs Gold Dot comparison and Hornady vs Federal page go deeper on those rivals, and Hornady’s duty load is in our Critical Duty review.

XTP also turns up in other boxes. Underwood loads XTP bullets in many of its handgun loads, covered in our Underwood review, and our V-Crown review and PDX1 Defender review cover two more defensive lines.

Rival card for comparison, not an XTP load: Hornady Critical Defense 9mm 115 gr.

Hornady XTP for Deer, Hogs and Bear: The Magnum Loads

Hornady XTP for deer is what the magnum loads are for. Hornady tags the .44 Magnum 240 and 300 gr, both .454 Casull loads, the .480 Ruger and the .500 S&W for medium and large game.

Hornady’s game tags are specific. Medium game means 50 to 300 pounds, which takes in most deer and hogs; large game means 300 to 1,500 pounds, which takes in elk and big black bear. The 10mm 180 gr, the .357 Magnum 158 gr, the .41 Magnum 210 gr, the .44 Magnum 200 gr and the .50 Action Express 300 gr carry the medium game tag only.

Load	fps	Test barrel	Muzzle ft-lb	100 yd ft-lb	Hornady game tag
41 Rem Mag 210 gr XTP	1,545	10 in	1,113	722	medium
44 Mag 200 gr XTP	1,500	7.5 in	999	633	medium
44 Mag 240 gr XTP	1,350	7.5 in	971	684	medium + large
44 Mag 300 gr XTP	1,150	7.5 in	881	706	medium + large
454 Casull 240 gr XTP Mag	1,900	7.5 in	1,924	1,164	medium + large
454 Casull 300 gr XTP Mag	1,650	7.5 in	1,813	1,210	medium + large
480 Ruger 325 gr XTP Mag	1,350	7.5 in	1,315	837	medium + large
50 Action Express 300 gr XTP	1,475	6 in	1,449	795	medium
500 S&W 500 gr FP-XTP	1,300	8.5 in	1,876	1,308	medium + large

We have no factory-load gel data for the .41 Magnum and up, so this section is Hornady’s specs, said plainly. One handload gives a clue. With the 240 gr XTP bullet from a 7.5 inch Ruger Bisley Hunter, we saw 1,389 fps and a 3 fps standard deviation.

That handloaded bullet went 25 inches in synthetic gel, opened to 0.628 inches and kept 228 grains, 95% of its weight. For whitetails and hogs, the .44 Magnum 240 gr XTP is a common choice; Hornady’s factory load lists 1,350 fps from a 7.5 inch barrel, and our .44 Magnum ammo guide compares it.

For bear, look past the 10mm XTP. Hornady tags it for medium game only, and our 10mm ammo guide covers hard cast and bonded choices. In .44 Magnum and .454 Casull, the 300 gr loads carry the most energy at 100 yards.

XTP Bullets for Reloading and Muzzleloaders

Hornady sells the XTP as a component bullet for reloading, in XTP Mag form for magnums, and in a muzzleloader sabot. We print no load data here; Hornady’s handbook and its reloading app are the place for load data.

For muzzleloader hunters, Hornady lists a 50 caliber sabot with a 44 caliber 240 gr XTP and describes the bullet as “specifically designed for deep penetration and proper expansion at all practical muzzleloading velocities.” There is also a 17 HMR 20 gr XTP rimfire load, outside the scope of this review.

Known Problems and Accuracy

XTP’s problems are predictable. Through heavy clothing from short barrels it often runs past 18 inches and opens modestly, the .38 Special loads did not open at all, and box speeds assume longer barrels.

• Over-penetration risk: fifteen of twenty load and gun pairs averaged past 18 inches, led by the .357 Magnum 158 gr at 24.70 inches from the GP100.
• Narrow expansion: only three of twenty pairs opened to 1.5 times caliber, and the four .38 Special results came back at bullet diameter.
• Inconsistent .45 185 gr: shots from 17.2 to 30.8 inches in one string.
• Box names move: five Custom loads we tested are off Hornady’s list, and the same weights now ship as American Gunner or BLACK. Buy by caliber and weight.
• Speed from short guns: eighteen of nineteen load and gun results ran under box speed from our carry guns.

Load	Gun	Distance and groups	Group	Rounds and function
Custom 10mm 180 gr XTP	Glock 40, 6.02 in, red dot	25 yd, five-shot, off a bag	best 1.6 in	150 rounds, ran clean
Custom 10mm 180 gr XTP	Colt Delta Elite	25 yd, five-shot, from a rest	best 2.1 in	50 rounds, fed without a problem
Custom .357 Magnum 158 gr XTP	Ruger GP100, single action	25 yd, bench rest	around 2 in	100 rounds
American Gunner 9mm +P 124 gr	SIG P320 full size	25 yd, three-shot strings	best about 1.16 in	no issues

Accuracy is the XTP’s strong suit. In our Glock 40, Colt Delta Elite and GP100 reviews the XTP printed the best group of each session, and it fed without a stoppage in both pistols. From a full size SIG P320 the American Gunner 9mm +P best three-shot string measured about 1.16 inches.

Which XTP Load for Which Gun

Match the XTP load to the barrel. It earns its place in a 10mm, a .380, a 4 inch .357 Magnum and a hunting revolver, and loses to FTX, HST and Gold Dot in short 9mm, .40 and .45 guns.

• 10mm Glock 20 or similar: Custom 10mm 180 gr or 155 gr XTP; all ten shots landed in the band. Our Glock 20 review covers the gun.
• .380 pocket pistol: American Gunner .380 90 gr XTP, all five in the band from a Glock 42.
• 4 inch .357 Magnum: American Gunner 125 gr, 4 of 5 in the band from the GP100.
• 9mm, .40 or .45 compact: Critical Defense, HST or Gold Dot first; our concealed carry ammo guide ranks them.
• .44 Magnum hunting revolver: Custom 240 gr or 300 gr XTP for deer, hogs and black bear.

Hornady XTP Variants

These six XTP loads cover what most buyers need: the Custom 9mm 124 gr, American Gunner 9mm 115 gr and .380 90 gr, both Custom 10mm loads and the Custom .44 Magnum 240 gr.

Speeds and box counts are Hornady’s. American Gunner and Custom 9mm and .380 come 25 to a box; the 10mm and .44 Magnum loads come 20 to a box.

Who Should NOT Buy Hornady XTP

XTP is a fine bullet in 10mm, in .380 and in a 4.2 inch .357. It is the wrong buy for five kinds of shooter, and each of them has a better pick on our site.

• Short 9mm carriers: all three 9mm XTP loads averaged past 19 inches from a 3.5 inch gun. Buy Critical Defense 115 gr; see our Critical Defense review.
• .40 S&W carriers: the XTP put one of 10 shots in the band from a Glock 27. Speer Gold Dot 180 gr put five of five; see our Gold Dot review.
• .45 ACP carriers who want width: Federal HST 230 gr opened to 0.85 inches; see our HST review.
• Snub .38 and .357 owners: the .38 XTP loads did not open from the 2 inch K6s and the .357 loads went past 21 inches. Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel put 5 of 5 in the band in .357; see our .38 Special ammo guide.
• Duty buyers who want a bonded bullet: XTP is not bonded. Read our defensive ammo guide.

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Price and Where to Buy

Hornady pitches American Gunner as its affordable XTP line. The cards on this page carry live prices per round from several stores, so we print no prices in the text, where they would go stale.

On October 17, 2026, American Gunner 9mm 115 gr cost less per round than Critical Defense 115 gr on our cards. Watch for 25 round boxes against 20 round boxes when you compare; our ammo buying guide explains how to read a deal.

Hornady XTP Review: The Verdict

Hornady XTP earns 7.5 out of 10. It is a strong pick in 10mm, a solid one in .380 and a hunting bullet in the magnums, but in short 9mm, .40 and .45 guns it ran deep and opened modestly.

Our XTP gel test put 37 of 100 shots in the FBI band. Buy the XTP for a 10mm, a .380, a 4 inch .357 or a hunting revolver. For a short 9mm, .40 or .45, Critical Defense, HST and Gold Dot did better from the same guns, and our best defensive ammo guide has the full field.

Hornady XTP FAQ

Quick answers to the questions buyers ask most about Hornady XTP.