Very impressed with Speer Gold Dot after informal ammo test..

[Island Beretta]

First off, all protocols observed, Mr. Moderator if anything here might be prohibited or seems off please close thread.


Over the weekend I did an informal ammo test consisting of 4 premium rounds:

1. Speer Gold Dot 115g +P
2. Corbon 115g +P
3. Winchester SXT 147g
4. Winchester Silvertip 115g

The gun used was a Beretta 92fs compact L with 4.3" barrel.

Felt Recoil:

The Gold dot had the highest and gave the Beretta quite a thump this was surprising because the Beretta is such a soft-shooter. This was one hot round.

Second was the corbon, followed by the silvertip and last the sxt.


Test Media Results:

Sand

The gold dot expanded impressively into a full mushroom shape and penetrated about 9 inches whilst retaining most of its mass. The bonding also did not separate from the lead. Next impressive was the silvertip which expanded impressively too but not as much as the gold dot with about a 6 inch penetration. The plating adhered pretty well too. The corbon fragmented in little pieces and the sxt did not expand at all though it penetrated about 12 inches. Inspection of the sxt showed sand clogged in the tip. The gold dot and the silvertip also showed that it had picked up sand in the tip but they still expanded.

Clothed dummy (dummy made of heavy foam which is soaked with water with old heavy wool jacket and wet t-shirt on).

Again the gold dot expanded impressively with even less of the non-expanded material remaining. The silvertip again followed suit and this time the corbon did not fragment but expansion was mild. The sxt came into its own here and gave a full mushroom bloom but still not as impressive as the gold dot. Penetration was great with the gold dot, silvertip and sxt which all penetrated about 10 inches into the target. The corbon was about 8 inches but really rocked the dummy. We wondered if the dummy was stabler if the corbon would have penetrated more.

Clothed dummy as above but with windshield:

Again the gold dot just did its thing!! The sxt performed admirably here as well and penetrated the dummy the most about 13 inches. We wondered if this was because the sxt took a bit longer to expand (i.e. it behaved a bit more like a round nose). Whilst most of the rounds went cleanly through the windscreen the corbon created a huge shatter and barely penetrated the dummy. The silvertip seemed to have been radically slowed by the windscreen and only mildly expanded.


I know there have been countless ammo tests done, but really when you do the tests it is a different thing than reading about it. You learn so much more. For me the Gold dot was the clear winner and I give the silvertip second only because the sxt failed the sand test miserably. To me the corbon was disappointing given all the claims made but then some argue that it is too fast.. it is clear that on bare flesh it can be devastating but this doesn't carry through very well, it appears, once barriers/intervening factors are there.

Take this for what it's worth which might be nothing because tomorrow I or you could do the same tests and get totally different results but I just thought I would share.

Sorry I don't have a digital camera to show the rounds but the gold dot measured the widest in the clothed dummy at .75 of an inch, this means an expansion of about 200% (please check my maths) and the silvertip of about .60 in the sand.

Peace.

 

[P95Carry]

All results are useful .... true, repeatability is often a problem but still - all info adds to ''the pot'' . You probably present your data ''as is'' for others to take or leave - but still useful. This is how I regard any testing I do.

I did quite a lot of 9mm testing thru my Rohrbaugh R9 ... a pocket rocket in 9mm. I also found Gold Dot to come out best overall - remembering this testing was also re functionality. The R9 does not like all ammo equally.

My second test was actually the first to really check out ammo thoroughly ... Here and some while later I had another batch of stuff to test and this was the third overall test Here

The actual first test was more of an overall gun appraisal when just aquired and that is on THR ... still some ammo trials in that - tho I did have chrono way too close! That is Here

I consolidated all the data on ammo thru that gun, to date ....... Here

It did show that velocities and so muzzle energies were nicely ''up there'' thru this small gun for Gold Dot.... plus reliability.

You might find some interest in these tests - there are some pics to accompany expansion tests in wetpack.

 

[orangeninja]

Lots of good info here.

I think the Corbon result was particularly interesting. I'm wondering if these bullets would act almost as frangibles in a real situation. I carry Federal Hydrashock 147 gr. due to the old law enforcement standard attached to it's reputation. But I also carry Gold Dot 147 gr.

I would love it if someone would do some ballistic testing on the various 147 gr. offerings and 115 gr. in 147 gr. vs 147 gr. rather than 115gr. vs. 147. Just to see the type of results to expect.

It may be that certain weights of bullets act differently.

 

[Island Beretta]

Thanks for that..I always welcome the learning!! What is the barrel length of the pistol??

 

[afvoo52]

In all the data I have read on the 124gr Gold dot in testing and real world shootings it seems to be the bullet to beat and sets the standard. The Gold dot has passed the FBI testing standard also. I have found the Gold Dot to shoot the best in the Majority of guns from 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP, accuracy is usually better than enything else I have tried in factory ammo. As far as reloads it also seems to work best along with Sierra bullets which I use for target only as they seem to be a bit soft for hunting or protection. Corbon uses alot of Sierra bullets and thier penetration is usually on the shallow side with these bullets. Gold dots are known for holding together penetrating windshields where others have failed. Golden Sabers have a stiff jacket being brass and I read in one magazine where in this authors testing they didnt always expand at none +p velocities and even with +p they had problems with expansion with short barrels which alot of people dont seem to take into consideration. I have read numerous test with short barrels verses standard 5inch barrels and depending upon the powder used loss can be over 100FPS or more with a 1000FPS load. Some bullets have a very narrow velocity window when it comes to expansion and the gold dots seem to have overcome that in most cases. The gold dots are not expensive when compared to top name bullets in same weight and are also bonded which is one of thier keys to success. I also would like to see a comprehensive 147gr 9mm bullet test, the one factory round that keeps being mentioned as excellent is the winchester ranger 147gr law enforcement round. I would like to see a test with the 147gr Golden Saber, Gold Dot and Ranger in the same gun loaded to the same velocity against the 124 gr offerings as well as the 127gr Ranger Law enforcement round as these seem to be the ones that get the most attention.
As of now my carry load is the 124gr Gold Dot +p in my H&K compact and in my CZ 75D compact this factory load shoots a ragged hole at 50ft in both guns.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I did an informal test on some old junked car and truck doors about a year ago with Gold Dot 115, 124, 147, and Ranger SXT 147. The doors and one trunk lid were in an old barn I was cleaning out, and were from assorted vehicles mostly from the early 80's. The Speer 124 +P penetrated better than any of the others. Sometimes, 147gr (Winchester and Speer) wouldn't go all the way through the doorsbut would stop between the metal outside and the interior parts. I think one (of five) 115s stopped in a door too, and the other four fragmented pretty badly, maybe so much they'd not be nearly as damaging to someone on the inside of the car as you'd hope.

I like recovering bullets and examining them. My Kel-Tec Carbine (16") will nearly turn 124 gr. Gold Dots completely inside out firing into a 5 gallon bucket of half dirt and half water mud. It often does separate the core and jacket completely, sometimes flower petal-ing the jacket, sometimes fragmenting it into 5 pieces. You can tell a big difference in the same bullet shot from it or my G17.

 

[Zundfolge]

I did quite a lot of 9mm testing thru my Rohrbaugh R9 ... a pocket rocket in 9mm. I also found Gold Dot to come out best overall - remembering this testing was also re functionality.

Can you shoot +p out of your Rohrbaugh?

 

[P95Carry]

Can you shoot +p out of your Rohrbaugh?

Zund - unfortunately no - std pressure only. In fact to keep pressures safe in such a small piece, there is a quarter inch freebore ... hard to make such a small piece take any more stresses.

 

[happy old sailor]

i like these reports. kinda like my own testing. i test in sand, river bank mud, and milk jugs. also with whatever i come across. i am out for the fun and this is. after this report, i may switch to gold dots. havent tried them yet, to my sorrow it seems. ty

 

[RyanM]

Golden Sabers have a stiff jacket being brass and I read in one magazine where in this authors testing they didnt always expand at none +p velocities and even with +p they had problems with expansion with short barrels which alot of people dont seem to take into consideration.

Sounds like that magazine is full of it (did they also say that Winchester Black Talon expands real slow? That's a lie, too). All test data I've seen on Golden Saber shows that they perform best at low to moderate velocities, and the +P stuff has a nasty overexpansion problem with duty-sized guns.

http://www.stevespages.com/page8f45acp.html
http://www.firearmstactical.com/test_data/45acp/rem45-185gs+p-g30.htm

 

[Island Beretta]

nice thread..

Roland, so it would seem from your post that the hps have a velocity window to be really effective.. Traditionally I think we focused on the media but really we may need to start paying more attention to handgun barrel design and dimensions..this could give rise to a multitude of threads such as 'Are Corbons better in 3 inch barrel guns than in 5 inch barrel guns etc.?'

 

[Lennyjoe]

also give www.ammolab.com a look for some other test results.

 

[41 Mag]

Similar Results with Gold dot...

Like many of you it seems, I also do informal testing with most of my loads and guns. Due to the fact that I hunt with most of my pistols I am always curious and cautious about just what I am shooting at game.

Several years back I was hunting with my 10mm quite a bit. The main load I was using was a 180gr GD over 13.5 grs of Acurate powder. It gave me right at or just over 1500 fps. out of the 7" barrel. This said, the GD packed one heck of a whollop when used for hogs. One trip I switched over to the Golden Sabre as I had been doing some new developement with it. I hadn't had much time to really ring it out though. First hog I got on was a big brute boar well exceeding 250#. The dogs had him bayed so I took careful aim and put one just below his left ear. With the GD, that would have been that. However the hog just soaked it up, grunted in a really displeased way and took off. The dogs once again did their part and once again, I put one into the same area only about 2" further back thinking I might have just hit jaw bone. This shot should have been right in the neck bone and dropped him like a hot potatoe. However same results. This hog was eventually taken with a 30-30 shortly thereafter and we found that neither of the bullets had penetrated much more than about 2" under the hide. However they had completely turned inside out.

I have since found that a good practical alturnative to this bullet is the Winchester 180gr bullet loaded to the same load. For practice as well as hunting it makes a good comparison. However when heading in for the big boy's I now am never without my Redhawk in 41 mag.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Roland, so it would seem from your post that the hps have a velocity window to be really effective.. Traditionally I think we focused on the media but really we may need to start paying more attention to handgun barrel design and dimensions..this could give rise to a multitude of threads such as 'Are Corbons better in 3 inch barrel guns than in 5 inch barrel guns etc.?'

I think that barrel length (and rifling type among other things) definitely is a factor in what bullet works best. FI, after I did some of my "tests" I started carrying the 124gr. +P in my G17, which is my "outside" carry pistol and sometimes my truck pistol. I chose that combo for the great penetration and good expansion. In my G26 I carry 147gr Hydroshooks or SXTs. I found that from the G26, they not only won't penetrate car doors, they often won't penetrate my interior house walls (I found this out when I remodeled a few rooms in my house. We cut out a new doorway with a chainsaw, I took that wall section for my ballistics "tests". My house walls are old, fireproof sheetrock c.1960) I also don't think overpenetration on a human would ever be a problem. So that is my main CCW round. I figure if I get in a shootout with the CCW it'll prolly be 25' or less, and overpenetration will be something to really worry about, and that combo seems to help quell it. I also started using the G26/147gr. combo as my nightstand gun, as I figure accidently shooting someone thru a wall is less likely with this set up.

None of my "tests" are very scientific, but I think (and those of you who do this stuff will agree) that you can really get a good idea of what your gun/ammo combo are capable of with this kind of "testing".