Speer Gold Dot JHP "short barrel" (.45acp)

G

gedenke

New member
The only personal defense ammo my local shop has in .45 Auto is one (yeah, one :() box of 230g Speer Gold Dot JHP for "short barrels". I'm shooting a SA 1911 with a 5" barrel. Question is, can I safely and effectively use these in my 5" barrel or should I look elsewhere?
 
What Elvis said. See, Gold Dots are neat in one department: the jacket is firmly bonded to the lead core because it's a heavy electroplate. So when you drive them faster than intended, they still hold together.

There's limits of course, I know of one batch of test Gold Dot-based loads that fell apart. Cor-Bon tested the 60gr .32cal Gold Dot slugs meant for 32ACP use in 32H&RMagnum cases at about double their intended speed :). They managed to prove you CAN get a Gold Dot to shed it's jacket but you have to get really stupid to do it.

In this case, at most you'll be punching them about 100fps past their "happy place" speed range. Gold Dots will be juuuust fine doing that.

Load the same projectile in 45LC cases loaded super-hot and shoot 'em out of a Blackhawk at 44Magnum performance levels and they'll fall apart like a cheap suit :D.
 
Good enough for me, I just wasn't sure. I'll go and get 'em after work today, cause they're the only defense rounds in town right now. Thanks guys!
 
gedenke, how much are they getting per box for those? Just curious 'cause
I carry a short-barreled Springfield 1911-style pistol and I've been thinking
about trying some of those.

Walter
 
The Gold Dot are $25 for 20. He also got some 230gr Hornady TAP FPD (+P) today, so I got a couple boxes of those instead.
 
Kinda' implied with the other responses, but to clarify -- the Gold Dot bullet itself is the same for the short barrel loads or other loads. It's the powder formulation which is changed to maximize velocity in the shorter barrels.
 
the Gold Dot bullet itself is the same for the short barrel loads or other loads
Click to expand...

The Short Barrel Gold Dot cartridge does use a different bullet than the normal 230gr Gold Dot cartirdge. Speer sells the Gold Dot bullets as components, as well as loaded ammunition, and the short barrel versions are seperate product.

That said, I have them loaded in 5" 4506 for a lack of anything better available, and I'm not too worried about it.
 
Yeah I almost bought a box of this stuff in 40 today, but noticed it before the guy rang it up, and I decided to just get a box of American Eagle for target practice instead. I wondered why I'd be so lucky to run upon the only box of Speer Gold Dot left in the store, now I know why.
 
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