Hornady Critical Defense 00 Buckshot (Versatite)

Hornady Critical Defense 00 buckshot is the main competitor to Federal FLITECONTROL, and it earns the comparison. Its Versatite wad works on the same principle, gripping the shot column to delay separation so the eight 00 pellets stay together off the muzzle and open into a controlled pattern rather than a wide spread. In side-by-side testing against FLITECONTROL, Critical Defense patterns competitively at the distances that matter for home defense.

Pay attention to the velocity numbers. The box advertises 1,600 fps, but that figure comes from a 30-inch test barrel. From the 18- to 20-inch barrel on an actual defensive shotgun, this load runs closer to 1,400 fps. That is still a stout, full-power 00 loading with strong penetration, but it is worth knowing so you are not surprised by recoil or pattern behavior. Hornady sells it in 10-round boxes, which is a convenient quantity for keeping a gun loaded plus a spare side-saddle.

For shooters who want a tight-patterning defensive buckshot and either prefer Hornady or find Critical Defense more available than FLITECONTROL, this is a fully equivalent choice. Pattern it in your gun and load whichever of the two performs best.