Speer gold dot expansion test

[snuffy]

A couple of weeks ago I tested some factory speer gold dots in the test tube expansion media. Take a look at some pics;



Viewed from the back of the bullet, just above where it came to rest. I cut in from the backside to remove the bullet.



Entire wound path with the bullet resting almost completely through. This was deeper penetration than any other 200 grain 45 HP bullet I have fired into the "test tube" media. But that's not too many, as I just started experimenting with it.



Frontal view, a bit out of focus. Expansion was .865 at it's widest with the rest at .705.



If there's any doubt about whether the gold bond is a bonded bullet, the appearance of the lead clinging to the copper plate, the 100% retained weight, AND the total absence of lead in the wound channel should be proof enough.

Now, Speer has stopped selling gold dots as reloading components. Instead they are now calling them "deep curl". It's basically the same bullet only a different packaging. As soon as the 45-200 deep curl becomes available, I'll get some and load them to re-test.

http://www.thebullettesttube.com/

 

[MtnCreek]

How would that media compare to tissue? 8" penetration is less than I would have expected.

Thanks!

 

[longdayjake]

I have recently started selling pulled gold dots and I have had an opportunity to shoot quite a few of them into water to see how they expand. Not only that, I have also had an opportunity to see how they work when they hit a person (forensic autopsy). My conclusion is that they do not penetrate as far as you might expect.

A point blank shot to the head traversed through the skull but lodged just under the skin of the opposite side. The bullet expanded perfectly even though it penetrated through both sides of the skull. I think that the bullets work well as a self defense round because you don't want too much over penetration when shooting at a person.

For what it is worth, I have also shot a lot of hydrashoks and HST's into water to compare the expansion between them and the gold dot. Of the hydrashoks, HST's, and Gold dots, the HST's expanded the most but the Gold dots held together ALMOST 100% of the time. That said, not a single brand of premium hollow point that I have shot has expanded reliably and held together 100% of the time.

In all, I have seen 5 gold dots pulled out of people. Three were pulled from a dead man and two were pulled from people that were still alive. All of them expanded perfectly and did a good job of tearing up tissue but let me stress that regardless of the caliber you use, (all that I saw were .45 cal) if your shot placement is not in the central nervous system, the fight is not over until one of you is dead or unconcious. Superior bullet design cannot make up for crappy shooting. TRAIN HARD and then train harder!!!

 

[gamestalker]

Where can I get some of that test media?

 

[snuffy]

Where can I get some of that test media?

The company that supplied it is now defunct. All that's left is their website, who knows how long that'll be up?

Brownells has the rifle size test tubes available-------,,,wait I'll go check---, yup both the handgun and rifle sizes are still available. They're expensive, they do NOT sell the tubes for when you melt and re-cast the media. You will have to find some kind of cardboard tube to cast the melted media into. I got some from an online search, they're mailing tubes from U-line.

The large tubes come with the fine wire/cable and two big rings that are used to split the media to expose the wound track,(after you cut the paper tube). It's difficult to follow the bullet path, they don't always go straight in. I stick a short section of an old al. cleaning rod into the hole, then align a line to follow on the outside. The wire is then pulled through the wax to split it.

Jake, a buddy gave me a couple of hydroshocks to test. He said he has used them to dispatch several animals, they performed great. I'll do a test with one to compare. He also gave me some Hornady FTX in 9mm. I'll test that as well.

 

[snuffy]

How would that media compare to tissue? 8" penetration is less than I would have expected.

Thanks!

The media is pretty dense, it consists of an emulsified wax. It is about the density of muscle tissue.

 

[amlevin]

Not only that, I have also had an opportunity to see how they work when they hit a person (forensic autopsy). My conclusion is that they do not penetrate as far as you might expect.

If you made this observation from "autopsy results" apparently the penetration was more than enough.

Results are all that matter.

 

[longdayjake]

If you made this observation from "autopsy results" apparently the penetration was more than enough.

If you read the rest of my post you will find that the bullet did not penetrate completely through the head. That is pretty shallow penetration from point blank range. That said, .45's don't really penetrate that well so it isn't a surprise to me. The guy had 3 other holes in him that were non life threatening. Shot placement was what finally did him in.