Ballistic gelatin test results : .357 Magnum 158gr Speer Gold Dot JHP

[Brass Fetcher]

Special thanks to SB for supplying the firearm and ammunition used in this test.

Cartridge : .357 Magnum 158gr Speer Gold Dot JHP

Firearm : .357 Magnum revolver with 2.5" barrel length

Block calibration : All depths corrected (From 12.4cm @ 601 ft/sec)

Shot 1 - Impacted at unknown velocity (chronograph malfunction). Expanded to 0.510" average diameter. Penetrated to 13.2"+. The 'plus' is because the bullet exited the back of the block and penetrated ~ 4" into the polyester bullet arresting box.

Shot 2 - Impacted at 1041 ft/sec. Expanded to 0.506" average diameter. Penetrated to 13.2"+. The 'plus' is because the bullet exited the back of the block and penetrated ~ 4" into the polyester bullet arresting box.

Shot 3 - Impacted at 1052 ft/sec. Expanded to 0.497" average diameter. Penetrated to 13.2"+. The 'plus' is because the bullet exited the back of the block and penetrated ~ 4" into the polyester bullet arresting box.

 

[Jim March]

Huh.

Great data. The results...are kinda mixed.

First, the stuff is expanding a LOT for the velocity achieved. That's good.

It's not going very fat though. On a good 357, we expect to see at least .6" and usually a bit over that. The stuff is also punching very deep.

Looks like expansion is going to be very reliable at least.

John, in this particular case, would you mind posting pics of the projectiles or at least loaded ammo BEFORE it was shot? Showing the cavity size, shape and depth?

THANKS!

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Hmmm.... I will have to let someone else fill in on that ... the ammo was purchased by the owner of the gun and he has the box of unfired ammo... I'll ask next time I see him.

Perhaps the ammunition was not maximum pressure? I remember being kicked very hard by .357s, but this one recoiled on the order of a full-size .44 Special revolver - not much.

 

[gomer]

My wife used this load this past year to kill a nice whitetail doe with her Rossi '92 in .357. It was a pass thru shot into one shoulder and out right behind the offside shoulder. The deer only ran about 10 yards before piling up. From what I've seen in her practice and my shooting in my 4in S&W M13, this is a pretty deep penetrating round that won't fragment or fail when penetration is needed.

 

[Feanaro]

Disappointing. I hoped for better from the Gold Dot. Perhaps it would have expanded better out of a 4 or 6 inch barrel.

 

[loplop]

Dunno, Feanaro, it looks fully expanded in the photos.

 

[ChristopherG]

Speer does market this bullet as a hunting bullet, right? They might just be telling the truth; if deep penetration is the goal, you can't have it expanding TOO much. May be it's performing exactly as designed.

Which would be pretty impressive at just over a thousand fps.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks for the post and info....

I think I would rather have seen a test with Speer's Gold Dot 135 gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel rounds out of a 2.5" barrel.

ChristopherG,
No, Speer isn't marketing their 158 gr GDHP round as a hunting round. They have a 170 gr GDSP round they market for hunting. http://www.speer-ammo.com/ballistics/ammo.aspx

 

[ChristopherG]

Ah--I stand corrected, and thank you for the link.

 

[denfoote]

That's what I'm using in my snub.
Looks like I made a good choice!!!
Thanks for the data.

 

[loplop]

I think I would rather have seen a test with Speer's Gold Dot 135 gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel rounds out of a 2.5" barrel.

I would like to see that out of a 1 7/8" barrel, which is what the load was designed for. The Scandium snubbies of the world.

 

[old4x4]

Disappointing. I hoped for better from the Gold Dot. Perhaps it would have expanded better out of a 4 or 6 inch barrel.

Holy Mackerel! What more could you want??

 

[Ben Shepherd]

JE223, Jim, and any others interested:

I run that slug in front of enough 2400 to hit 1250 out of my 2 1/4" sp101.(happens to be my carry load). Accuracy is outstanding. 1250 seems to be about perfect in "non-calibrated" mediums, at least IME. Same load goes just shy of 1500 out of the 7.5" redhawk.

At 1250ish, expansion seems to max out. Faster, and it just folds back. But I've never had one come apart, even running around 2000 f.p.s. out of a win 94 carbine.

 

[The Amigo]

Just out of curiosity how far away (ft) from the gel was the gun fired?

 

[Brass Fetcher]

10 feet distance.

 

[Plink]

As folded back as the petals appears in the photos, it looks like the bullets actually overexpanded and doubled back, reducing the final diameter. That's odd from a Gold Dot, expecially at such low velocities. I've never had them fold completely back like that unless they were overdriven.

 

[Iggy]

I got my 36 back.

posted in the wrong place.

 

[Iggy]

JE223

Others have said it, but I want to repeat how much those of us on this forum appreciate your tests and informative posts.

Thanks, and keep up the good work.

 

[sansone]

I'm a ho for these tests

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Cartridge : .357 Magnum 158gr Speer Gold Dot JHP

Firearm : .357 Magnum revolver with 2.5" barrel length

I would like to see that out of a 1 7/8" barrel, which is what the load was designed for. The Scandium snubbies of the world.

loplop,
I think you missed my point. He did the test with a standard Magnum round out of a short barrel revolver and I was commenting that it would have been nice to see the "Short Barrel Round" tested in that short barrel revolver when I said:

I think I would rather have seen a test with Speer's Gold Dot 135 gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel rounds out of a 2.5" barrel.

I mentioned a 2.5" barrel instead of a 1.875" barrel because it's obvious he has a 2.5" barrel revolver but I didn't know if he had a 1.875" barrel Magnum available for testing.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

I don't know if I can get a revolver like that - I'm thinking that that 12-ounce S&W is the only .357 revolver with a 1 7/8" barrel that I have seen.

If that is the case, the owner will have to be shooting that gun... not me!

 

[Dr.Rob]

Another great looking load for snubbies. Thanks again!

 

[loplop]

oplop,
I think you missed my point. He did the test with a standard Magnum round out of a short barrel revolver and I was commenting that it would have been nice to see the "Short Barrel Round" tested in that short barrel revolver when I said:
Quote:
I think I would rather have seen a test with Speer's Gold Dot 135 gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel rounds out of a 2.5" barrel.
I mentioned a 2.5" barrel instead of a 1.875" barrel because it's obvious he has a 2.5" barrel revolver but I didn't know if he had a 1.875" barrel Magnum available for testing.

ArchAngel, I didn't miss your point. The GDHP 135gr 357 load was designed for the Scandium snubs, with 1 7/8" barrels. Speer publishes the test figures for the 1 7/8" snubs on their website. As I stated in my post, I'd like to see that round tested out of a 1 7/8" revolver, to see if it beats the same bullet thrown out of a J-frame 38 (the Speer 38 +P Short Barrel load).

John, the internet hype is unfounded, IMO, about the scandium snubs. Your hand won't fly off shooting them, you won't experience immediate nerve damage, and they don't kick so hard you hit yourself in the face with the barrel. They may not be my first choice for a range session, but it's not the ridiculous event some folks make it out to be. Especially in a "light" magnum like the Speer.

 

[2ndamd]

Thanks Jeff for the great info and testing!
Much appreciated!

 

[Marshall]

JE, thanks a ton!

I'm a tad disappointed though after seeing the results of the Gold Dot 124gr +P 9mm out of a Glock 26. I carry a 2" Model 60 in 357 with 158gr Gold Dots and although I have no question whether they will get the deed done, those 9mm's look very impressive. I was hoping the 357 would look similar. Something doesn't seem right but I don't know what it is?

Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P 9mm results