Good SD Ammo that is not +P

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just a question- why is it that the Speer Gold Dots are so highly recommended? i picked up a box of them based on how highly they seem to be regarded on these forums....but i noticed there were TONS of other brands of JHP's, many which were more expensive...the gold dots were some of the least expensive actually..what is it that sets them apart from all these other brands?
 
why is it that the Speer Gold Dots are so highly recommended? ...
... what is it that sets them apart from all these other brands?
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Part of it is that they're a proven design and not over-hyped, and come at a price point that you can do your own reliability / expansion testing in your own gun.
No ammo is reliable until you test it in your gun(s) yourself.

That said, I like Gold Dots because they feed in everything I own, even my oldest gun (A Walther P.1 from 1979 that doesn't like anything but steel-case or Winchester white box ball ammo, I actually keep a box of standard pressure Gold Dots around just for that gun).

I buy +P for any gun that's rated for it, and do my testing for feeding and blow up some water jugs with it, then I only shoot the stuff to expend old carry ammo, mostly I shoot cheap standard pressure stuff for range time.
+P is generally not going to make a huge difference in terminal ballistics, unless the HP design is marginal and needs a bit more speed to expand well ... basically +P is wringing the last 5-10% of performance out of a platform at the cost of some longevity, load up with standard pressure if you like so long as it runs well in your chosen defensive gun
You've already solved step 1 - have a gun
I assume you've solved step 2 - know how to use it
So don't stress out about step 87 - pick the perfect defensive ammo
It is nowhere near as important as step 0 - don't panic
 
why is it that the Speer Gold Dots are so highly recommended? i picked up a box of them based on how highly they seem to be regarded on these forums....but i noticed there were TONS of other brands of JHP's, many which were more expensive...the gold dots were some of the least expensive actually..what is it that sets them apart from all these other brands?
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20 round boxes of GD's in some calibers can be pricey.

Gold Dots have been used by cops very successfully for a while. They have been around and they are consistent.

Ranger T's have been tweaked from the black talon days and HST's are newer kids on the block sort of a newer and better? version of the hydra shocks.

While some ammo and loadings has come and gone an been tweaked the Speer GD's just hum along.


That being said I go with the Ranger 127 +P+ but that is most certainly not standard pressure ;)

I would probably go with Federal HST 124 or maybe 147 Grain for standard pressure. (Rangers if I couldn't find the HST - which is becoming an issue at times).

But I would not hesitate or have any doubt's that Speer GD's would do the job.

As I said I was issued and used the older silvertips 115 grain and it did the job I needed it to do when I needed it to the most. But in general I prefer the 124 and up 9mm bullets.

The only 115 I would consider today is Corbon's DPX 115 +P. And that is $$$ stuff.
 
I like heavy-for-caliber bullets in non-+P loadings in order to get sufficient penetration.

In 9mm, I carry either Federal HST or Winchester Ranger T in 147gr (the Winchester is easier to find right now). I'd feel fine with Speer Gold Dots as well.
 
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