New Gold Dot round for the snubbie!

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Intune

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Thought I'd share this with my board brothers (and sisters) in case you haven't heard about it yet.

Lewiston, ID – February 5, 2004 – Speer is introducing another innovative product that is sure to be a success in the Law Enforcement and Personal Defense markets—a 38 Special +P Gold Dot load that performs flawlessly in short barrel, or “snub-nose,†revolvers.

This exciting offering carries a newly designed 135-grain Gold Dot Hollow Point bullet built specifically for 38 Special velocities. It features a broad, deep cavity and has true bonded core construction.

According to Ernest Durham, Development Engineer on this breakthrough project, “This round is perfect for both law enforcement professionals and personal defense use. Its consistent expansion and patented Gold Dot bullet technology offer users extreme confidence in its performance. And with an increasing number of citizens gaining concealed carry licenses, we feel it’s just the right product to chamber in the most demanding of situations.â€

From the law enforcement side, this round was specifically designed to perform in the most prevalent back-up revolver: the Smith & Wesson J-Frame with a 1-7/8†barrel. Extensive lab testing of this application demonstrated excellent terminal performance using the exacting standards of FBI Ammunition Test Protocol. Velocity exceeds 860 feet per second in 1-7/8†production revolvers (4†test barrel velocity is 975 ft/sec).

Such peak performance in small frame revolvers also makes it an ideal concealed carry cartridge for citizens. Nickel-plated brass cases and renowned, non-corrosive CCI® primers make this product a sure bet, no matter what the situation.

Getting reliable expansion from a short-barrel 38 revolver used to be a chore—not anymore—this Gold Dot product is specially tuned for 38 Special velocities and reliable expansion.

This 38 Special Gold Dot product is now available.
 
Speer Gold Dot is good. I have done some unscientific testing, it works. Penetration was good. 0 overpenetration. Expansion was excellent. I can say that it would be a great nightstand load. I performed a test that I like to duplicate real world conditions. I have access to an abandoned house. When fired from my S&W M36 J frame there was expansion and penetration through one 1/2" thickness of sheetrock. The round lodged in the exterior pine sheathing without exiting. A nice bloom was present from the jacket. One fragment of the jacket was stuck in the sheetrock. That indicates that there was separation when exiting the barrel. I would have confidence in them. My 6" K frame S&W gave much better penetration though. Imagine that.
 
I'm curious about this one, too.

What I would really like to find is someone producing a heavy wadcutter at +P velocities, using hard, linotype type bullets (not soft swaged bullets).

Steve
 
I carry .38 +P's in my S&W 340PD scandium/titanium revolver. This sounds like a good round for that, *if* they have the bullets crimped tight enough that they won't start backing out under recoil and bind the cylinder (a problem some ammo has in this light revolver).

Is this stuff out on the market yet, or just announced as "coming soon"?
 
If you look around there're already hi performance loads using the 38spl gold dot bullet.Black hills 38spl+P is loaded to 1070fps from a 4" barrel
This was my carry load when i carried a 2" M15,very accurate and recoil was about the same as other 38+P's of the same weight.
 
I think that their bonding method seems to hold together quite well. I don't have any test results but will post if found/done. Might not go deep enough for a 300# leather-clad biker wrapped in a bearskin rug but might zip through the 125# accountant in the swimsuit. ;) Choose your targets wisely and have at least three major calibers on your person for just the right "oomph." The accountant biker in leather will confuse most rounds and cause ricochets. :D
 
Read the report and I'm not impressed. Penetration is marginal, and it looks like the cavity plugs (as expected) when it passes through heavy cloth or wood, giving better penetration then.

My priorities are: 1 - reliability, 2 - penetration, 3 - acccuracy, 4 - expansion. I won't trade either of the 1st two for better expansion. Accuracy is negotiable.
 
I like the sound of this, and when I can find some, I will buy and try them out.
The only thing that worries me is the bullet weight, of 135 grains. For instance, my favorite .38 CCW piece, a Smith Model 60, with three inch heavy barrel, shoots to point of aim with Federal HydroShock 125 grain . I will have to see what point of impact change I get with the heavier load.
I have another .38, a Model 10, that seems to shoot about the same no matter what load I feed it.
 
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