GT Bullets .45 200 gr LHP?

[Shivahasagun]

Anyone tried these? Tested for expansion?

I wanted to get some hollow points to load in my 4.6 in barrel .45 and am deciding between the 200 gr Gold Dot (hard to find, 50 cents each) 200 gr XTP (under 30 cents each), or GT 200 gr (16 cents each).

The XTP's expand at 900 fps I found in other people's tests. Will they expand at slower speeds? I don't know.

How about the 200 gr GT's? How much velocity do they need?

Lower recoil is important.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Sorry no personal experience with that bullet but the 4 reviews were pretty positive about expansion. I would expect a 2-2-96 Alloy to deform on impact at anything over 750fps. Maybe even less. The question is how to test it. Water jugs are not flesh and bone. Neither is ballistic gel. But those seem to be the standards for guesstimate work. Can’t go around shooting goats anymore to perform autopsy. Maybe the “meat pack” guy on UTube?
I suggest sending them an email asking George how he got the one they picture to expand like that. They’re really nice folks. Might take a few days to get a response.

 

[Shivahasagun]

I am concerned the GT bullet could expand too much and penetrate little.

The old-style Winchester .45 acp 185 gr Silver Tip had an alluminum jacket that was like an M&M candy shell over lead and that bullet was famous for feeding and expanding but penetrating poorly. Using modern test gels the old style Silvertip tests out to 10-11 inches.

I'm concerned the a 200 gr LHP that does expand may duplicate this. They do make a 215 gr but I was hoping to keep things light. Plus I practice with 200 gr.

The new style Silvertips, HST, Ranger T, Golden Sabre, etc. are all about a dollar + a shot these days.

The only affordable options are LHP's like GT or loading / buying XTP's.

 

[Shivahasagun]

I needed some .45 bullets anyway, so I ordered 500 of the GT 200 gr LHP to try out.