230gr Gold Dot in .45 Auto: what are your experiences?

[BHPshooter]

In my 1911 -- which, admittedly, gets used less than my Hi Powers, occasionally finds itself loaded on my hip or under my pillow. I've tried a few JHP loads in it, and settled on the 230-grain Speer Gold Dot, slightly edging out the 230-grain Remington Golden Saber.

The reasons for that are: 1) the Speer penetrated deeper in my tests, 2) the Remington just wouldn't hold on to its jacket, and 3) the 124-grain Gold Dot in 9mm is, IMHO, where it's at for the Hi Power... So I have a high opinion of the Speer.

I recently found myself doing some recreational un-scientific testing with the Gold Dots again, and noticed that every time I've tested them, ever, they haven't opened up all the way (to where you can see that cute little gold dot that it's named for).

Has anybody else had this experience with these? I hypothesize that it's just not getting enough velocity to open up enough, and I have thought about trying out the "short barrel" Gold Dots, even though they're launching from a 5" 1911.

I'd like to hear your two cents.

Wes

 

[DAVE RICHARDS]

I usually carry the Winchester Rangers +P's or Speer Gold Dots in my guns. I use the Georgia Arms +p version of the 230gr. Gold Dot. They have opened beautifully in every medium we've tested them in. Ran around 880 f.ps. average out of a 1911. My buddy shot a large ram with with one a couple of months ago. Perfect heart-lung shot. Ram DRT. Recovered the bullet perfectly mushroomed on the othe side of the Rams fur. Expanded even through it's thick wool.
Ranger is hotter. About 970 f.p.s. out of a 1911. Still doing 930 f.p.s. from my G30. Both great rounds.

 

[BHPshooter]

Hmmm... I haven't tried the Georgia Arms loadings yet. I'll have to look into them.

Wes

 

[orionengnr]

+1 on the 230 Ranger +P.

I've also been looking hard at the DPX. Pricey, but very consistent expansion/penetration.

 

[The Law]

I may be stating what everybody already knows, and if so, please disregard. The Speer Gold Dot "Short Barrel" rounds use a different bullet, not a different load. The "short barrel" JHPs have a deeper/wider cavity to aid in expansion at lower velocities when shot from a shorter barrel.

Again, everybody probably already knows this, but I though I'd give a reminder.

 

[Johnny Guest]

My experience - -

Several years, quite a few boxes of the ammo - - But zero experience with shooting flesh and blood. I've just never been carrying it when opportunity for small game presented itself.

The 230 GDHP feeds very reliably and is quite accurate --for me-- in my Colts: Two Commanders, a Government Model, a National Match, and an Officers ACP LW. My son has similar experiences with his Kimber Classic stainless.

There's an accuracy edge over the Win Ranger SXT and the Fed HydraShok. I have no illusions that the GDHP 230 will expand from the OACP's short barrel. The bullet shape, without any exmansion, is still good, though. I carried ball in it for a long while, and didn't feel uneasy about it.

I have a box of 185 GDHP on hand, but haven't tested it in the OACP. I MIGHT switch over for that purpose.

Best,
Johnny

 

[CypherNinja]

If you want some more juice, try www.doubletapammo.com.

 

[sm]

Runs in every gun I have used it in.
Bone stock Gov't Model of 1911s,[every single one] to Kimber Series I, Kimber Series I Target, Old Springfields, Caspian built guns, and Commander sized guns.
I do not do officer sized guns, never have, never will.

Accuracy depended on gun, or me, probably me more than anything.

I concern myself with the gun running, including magazines and Shot Placement.
I'm just as content carrying Hardball, my deal is hitting what aiming at, quick effective hits and that means the gun has to run.

Penetration? Expansion? I dunno, I shoot dirt, commonly known as the Scientific Mud/Dirt Test Basically to see if (1) I hit the spot I was aiming for, (2) if bullet stayed together or went whomper-jawed.

From a bone stock Gov't Model of 1911, with USGI 7 round mag, an ~ 95# rabid dog was DRT from a head shot from ~ 10 yds using this loading.
Gun ran, threat stopped, works for me.

I don't worry about this stuff. All I really care about is feeding, extraction, magazines working and appreciate POA/POI.

Just me...

Current load in a 1911 is hardball...'cause that is what was handy when I loaded up.

 

[Coronach]

We used 'em for a year or two in our 4506s. We switched to them from Hydrashoks, and eventually switched back to the Hydras. I don't think that this was based upon any performance issue- I think that one year the ordies got city council to buy Gold Dots with the idea that they were better, and afterwards they decided to go back to the Hydras because they were "good enough" and cheaper. That, however, is just a SWAG. Many departmental decisions like that are based upon economics, not performance.

They fed reliably, shot accurately, and seemed to perform okay in the handful of shootings we had during that timeframe.

Mike

 

[The Law]

Here's an answer I got from Doubletap regarding the Speer Gold Dot "Short Barrel" bullets.

SB Gold Dots show no advantage at the velocities at which we run them. Even from a 3.5" bbl, the standard GDHP is best using DoubleTaps.
Mike McNett
President
DoubleTap Ammunition
1-866-357-10mm
www.doubletapammo.com

Both my babies get fed Doubletap's offerings as it is.

 

[cherryriver]

It so happens I have two friends who are veteran municipal officers and also very experienced SWAT coordinators, from departments almost 70 miles apart on the opposite edges of a metro area known for the second-highest violent crime rate in the country.
Both have attended a good number of shootings.
Both use Gold Dot 230s. One, who is his department's training officer, has made Gold Dots the standard load, both in .40 and .45.
Neither allows 9mm for his charges.
For what it's worth.
I buy Gold Dots, too.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

For what its worth, I chronographed several different lots of Speer Gold Dot 45 ACP's and was only getting about 700-725 fps.

I think that is too slow.

 

[cherryriver]

Yup, I got 735 out of a Commander on a cool day, too.
Does seem slow. But they say they work good in real life, so I still pack 'em.

 

[Sundles]

One of the benfits of the 45 acp is that you really dont need expansion for the bullet to be an effective human stopper. That said, we run our 230gr. GD load at around 975 fps out of a 5 inch 1911 and do it flash suppressed. These days I find myself carrying our 230gr. FMJ-FN the most.

 

[Hypnogator]

SB Gold Dots show no advantage at the velocities at which we run them. Even from a 3.5" bbl, the standard GDHP is best using DoubleTaps.
Mike McNett
President
DoubleTap Ammunition
1-866-357-10mm
www.doubletapammo.com

Gee, the president of an ammo company asserting that the competition's rounds aren't as good as his. Who'd a thunk it?

I personally prefer Federal Tactical Bonded but wouldn't hesitate to load up a magazine of Gold Dots if my preferred fodder wasn't available.

 

[daysleeprx]

I just ordered a couple boxes of DoubleTap's 230g Gold Dot ammo after reading this thread. Their ballistics claim sounds intriguing. I'll let you know how it runs in my guns.

 

[The Law]

Gee, the president of an ammo company asserting that the competition's rounds aren't as good as his. Who'd a thunk it?

Uninformed skepticism.

Doubletap uses Speer Gold Dot bullets in their loads. I'm sure if they felt that they needed the "short barrel" bullets, they'd load them too.

 

[dust_101]

Just did some time at the range with my Sistema 1927 (1911A1) and it had no problems with the Speer GD JHPs and the Speers had no problem expanding:



This was shooting at approx 10ft into a tree stump that has since left the earth and is now .45 ACP fodder. The SWC was a dirt shot that missed, the other 2 were both in the stump, the JHP had less penetration (2.5") but it did tumble as you can see from the one part of the jacket turned up.

So no problems thus far on expansion.

 

[Sigdude]

These are my choice !

These bullets have been found to expand more than the other popular brands after going through barriers such as heavy clothing,doors,walls,and windows.
They are the orginal " Flying Ashtrays ",but now,on steriods.They have more agressive cuts on the hollow point fronts for better mushrooming.

By far,the " DoubleTap ammo." brand of Gold Dots offer the highest non +P velocities from any manufactor.This is great because it won't be so hard on your pistol,[mine,the esteemed Sig P220st .45].

The bottom-line with ANY .45 cal. bullet is that if you shoot someone at least twice in the chest area,they're going to go down fast and hard ! It's called the "shock of the yawn",which means the body fluids are violently pushed away by a the "wave" of the bullet.

I like the Speer Gold Dots,but Remington Golden Sabers are great also.

 

[melikesguns]

I always carried .45 gold dot, until I found .45 Hornaday Tap

 

[Richard.Howe]

I ran two rounds of 230gr. Gold Dot through a south Texas whitetail, using the warm loads from Double Tap Ammunition. Both opened perfectly and retained all their "petals," even after traveling through bone. I'll be keeping this load.

Rich