Surprisingly, both Gold Dots failed to expand at all. Also surprising, the lighter bullet penetrated deeper. Now I need to find a better .38 spl load for a short barrel revolver. Maybe the “FBI load”? Anybody have any recommendations?
Video:
I’m not persuaded, having seen many more gel shoots and tissue recoveries (wild, human) of those rounds that were excellent.
I carry that 135gr GDHP, the 110gr Corbon DPX, and the 125 GDHP +P (BHA loading). There are some more threads with test results and opinions on snub loads here as well.
I agree.I’ll stick with the 135’s in my snubs as well.
You’ll note that the velocity is significantly lower than is typically reported for this load. It was about 40 degrees out but that shouldn’t be enough to make that big of a difference in velocity. I’d like to see what other folks are getting for velocity out of 2" barrels with the 135 gr +P.
The 135+P load averaged 877fps out of my LCR.
I’ll definitely have to do this test again with more shots.
I had been carrying the FBI load in my back up gun for over 15 years after speaking with a FBI agent about the round. The only things I shot with it were injured deer and coyotes.
A few years ago ammunition testing was being conducted at work and we tested the Speer Gold Dot 135g +P hollow point round. We fired it out of my S&W Model 60 with 1-7/8" barrel into bare ballistic gelatin. The round penetrated over 12" and opened up beautifully. Muzzle velocity was 832 fps measured 15 feet from the muzzle. The temperature was 70 degrees at 94% relative humidity.
We also tested the FBI 158g +P all lead hollow point the same day and the round did not expand. An ammunition expert was on site and he explained to me that the 158g load was developed for a 4" barrel.
I have been carrying the Speer Gold Dot 135g + P round ever since I participated in the test.
I am anxious to hear the results of future testing of the round.
I will follow this thread with interest.
7 Ring,back in the day those who didn’t carry magnums with my department used the 158gr.+P LSWHP almost exclusively.While I believe your information is correct that it was developed for 4 inch barrels,it’s not too shabby from snubs.
Three of our LEO shootings involved snubs and although there was little to no expansion of this round,it penetrated well and put down the miscreants effectively.
Like yourself,and as I stated previously, I’ll stick with the better Gold Dots anyway.After seeing Doc Roberts’recommendations for these loads,and doing some unscientific testing of my own,I laid in a small supply of the 135+P’s for carry in all the snubs.
If the old FBI loads are all one can get though,they could do a lot worse. Like your sig line says,an old school solution sometimes works pretty well.;)
A slightly expanded or unexpanded LSWCHP is in effect, a wadcuttter. They work well even at standard velocities.
Maximum expansion isn’t always maximum effectiveness.