Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX vs Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd): Rimfire Ammo Comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

• Intended role: Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) is built around personal-protection / defensive terminal performance concepts (controlled expansion, reduced clogging) in a rimfire format; Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) is a varmint/pest load optimized for rapid upset/fragmentation and flatter trajectories. (static.hornady.media)
• Cartridge class: .22 WMR is a larger-diameter, heavier-bullet rimfire; .17 HMR is a smaller-diameter, higher-velocity rimfire typically chosen when trajectory/wind drift matter more than bullet mass. (static.hornady.media)
• Bullet design: Critical Defense uses a 45gr FTX (polymer insert in the nose to help resist clogging and promote expansion); Varmint Express uses a 17gr V-MAX polymer tip designed to initiate rapid expansion/fragmentation. (static.hornady.media)
• Manufacturer-listed test barrel emphasis: Hornady’s published handgun-ballistics chart for .22 WMR Critical Defense lists data from a very short test barrel (1 7/8"), reflecting a defensive-handgun context; .17 HMR Varmint Express is normally evaluated from rifle-length barrels in ballistic tables/catalog context. (static.hornady.media)
• External ballistics (practical): .17 HMR 17gr loads are commonly selected for flatter trajectory and less holdover at typical varmint distances compared to .22 WMR handgun-oriented defensive loads. (Your actual outcome depends heavily on barrel length, zero, and environmental conditions.) (static.hornady.media)

Current Market Position & Pricing

Important limitation (pricing/availability): You requested “current retail pricing across multiple retailers,” but your citation rules prohibit citing or linking to retailer/e-commerce pages. Hornady’s public catalogs and ballistic charts typically do not function as live price lists, and I did not find an official Hornady-published MSRP list for these specific rimfire SKUs during this research pass.

What I can verify from official sources:

• Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) corresponds to Item #83200 in Hornady’s catalogs/ballistics materials. (static.hornady.media)
• Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) corresponds to Item #83170 in Hornady’s catalogs. (static.hornady.media)

Market-position takeaways (non-price):

• Critical Defense (.22 WMR) generally sits in a “defensive rimfire” niche for shooters using .22 WMR handguns/revolvers where centerfire carry isn’t practical or desired.
• Varmint Express (.17 HMR) sits in the mainstream .17 HMR varmint category, where accuracy, trajectory, and explosive terminal effect on small pests are primary.

If you want, I can give you a price/availability snapshot while still honoring your rules by citing only (a) Hornady and (b) non-retail industry sources that publish price context without selling (e.g., manufacturer press releases or industry publications)—but many “street price” discussions live on retail or deal sites, which you’ve disallowed.

Specifications Comparison

Note on pressure standards (industry context): SAAMI publishes rimfire pressure/velocity standards and notes that .22 WMR can exhibit higher-than-normal rimfire variation; this matters when comparing “advertised” vs “chronographed” velocities lot-to-lot or gun-to-gun. (saami.org)

Performance and Accuracy

External ballistics (trajectory / wind)

• Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) is typically chosen because .17 HMR launches a light, streamlined bullet fast enough to deliver flatter mid-range trajectory than most .22 WMR handgun-context loads, reducing the amount of holdover required on small targets.
• Hornady’s metric rifle ballistics chart for Item #83170 shows a high initial velocity figure in m/s (and downrange velocity/energy and trajectory values), supporting its “flat-shooting rimfire” reputation. (static.hornady.media)

Terminal performance (what the bullet is designed to do)

• Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) uses the FTX concept—polymer in the nose intended to help mitigate clogging and support more consistent upset in soft targets (relative to some traditional hollowpoint designs). (press.hornady.com)
• Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) uses the V-MAX design, which Hornady describes as combining a polymer tip, jacket, and core geometry to promote rapid expansion/fragmentation and accuracy. (static.hornady.media)

Reliability / durability considerations

• Rimfire priming is inherently different from centerfire; ignition consistency is generally good with quality ammunition, but misfires and wider velocity spreads can occur compared to centerfire. (This is a general rimfire characteristic; always function-test in your firearm.)
• SAAMI’s rimfire standards document calls out that .22 WMR can show higher-than-normal variation compared to typical rimfire; that can show up on a chronograph and can affect point of impact at distance. (saami.org)

Ergonomics and Handling

Ammunition doesn’t have “ergonomics” like a firearm, but it does change how a rimfire platform handles:

• Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) is commonly paired with compact .22 WMR revolvers/pistols, where recoil is usually manageable but muzzle blast can be sharp—especially from short barrels.
• Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) is commonly used in rifles; recoil is minimal, which helps spot impacts on small varmints and supports higher hit probability from field positions.

Features and Accessories

• Compatibility: Both are standard rimfire cartridges and will run in firearms chambered for their respective rounds (.22 WMR vs .17 HMR). Do not interchange.
• Accessory implications:
  • .17 HMR’s typical use case (varminting) often benefits from a scope with repeatable adjustments, a rangefinder, and a stable rest.
  • .22 WMR defensive use places more emphasis on reliable feeding/ignition in the specific handgun and point-of-impact confirmation from that barrel length.

Real-World Applications

When Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) makes sense

• Defensive role in a .22 WMR handgun where the shooter is prioritizing a load engineered around controlled expansion concepts in soft tissue, rather than varmint fragmentation. (press.hornady.com)
• Close-range context: Hornady’s published handgun chart data for #83200 uses a very short barrel length, which aligns with small carry revolvers/pistols rather than rifles. (static.hornady.media)

When Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) makes sense

• Varmints/pest control where rapid expansion/fragmentation reduces ricochet risk relative to non-expanding solids (still not “no ricochet”) and delivers decisive effect on small animals.
• Longer rimfire distances (where legal/ethical and with safe backstop), due to flatter trajectory and strong accuracy potential typical of quality .17 HMR loads. (static.hornady.media)

Expert and User Reviews Analysis

What I can support from official/authoritative sources in this pass:

• Hornady’s own materials describe Critical Defense as oriented toward controlled expansion and performance through clothing barriers in the handgun-defense context (line-level description). (press.hornady.com)
• Hornady’s own materials describe V-MAX / Varmint Express as focused on accuracy and rapid expansion/fragmentation (varmint role). (static.hornady.media)

What I am not going to over-claim without acceptable sources:

• I’m not going to quote “average group sizes,” “gel penetration depths,” or “street-price” claims unless they come from a manufacturer/industry publication you allow (not retailers, not deal aggregators). If you approve specific non-retail publications (e.g., certain print magazines), I can target those directly.

Final Verdict

Choose based on mission and platform, not just caliber:

• Pick Hornady Critical Defense .22 WMR 45gr FTX (50rd) if your primary use is defensive carry/ready use in a .22 WMR handgun, and you want a projectile conceptually designed around controlled expansion rather than varmint-style fragmentation. (static.hornady.media)
• Pick Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (50rd) if your primary use is varmint/pest control and you value flatter trajectory and rapid terminal upset on small targets—particularly from a rifle. (static.hornady.media)

Sources

Hornady Manufacturing. "2026 HORNADY® PRODUCT CATALOG." Hornady (static.hornady.media). 2025-??-??. https://static.hornady.media/presscenter/docs/1411008168-1768498925-Hornady-2026-Product-Catalog.pdf

Hornady Manufacturing. "2026 HORNADY® PRODUCT CATALOG — International (English version)." Hornady (static.hornady.media). 2025-??-??. https://static.hornady.media/presscenter/docs/1411009257-1771261788-2026-Hornady-International-Catalog---English-version.pdf

Hornady Manufacturing. "2025 HORNADY® International Catalog — English version." Hornady (static.hornady.media). 2025-??-??. https://static.hornady.media/presscenter/docs/1411004691-1741790698-2025-Hornady-International-Catalog---English-version.pdf

Hornady Manufacturing. "Ballistics Chart (Metric) — 2022." Hornady (static.hornady.media). 2026-??-??. https://static.hornady.media/presscenter/docs/1410998059-2022-Metric-Ballistics-Chart.pdf

Hornady Law Enforcement. "The difference between Critical DEFENSE® & Critical DUTY®" Hornady LE (press.hornady.com). 2014-??-??. https://press.hornady.com/assets/templates/le/images/critical-duty-vs-critical-defense.pdf

Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI). "ANSI/SAAMI Z299.1 – Rimfire (2018) — Velocity & Pressure Data." SAAMI. 2018-06-13. https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ANSI-SAAMI-Z299.1-Rimfire-2018-Approved-2018-06-13.pdf

SAAMI. "ANSI/SAAMI Standards." SAAMI. (Accessed 2026-08-02). https://saami.org/technical-information/ansi-saami-standards/