speer gold dot 135 gr 38 +P ammo

Doc Holliday 1950 · October 1, 2014, 06:06 PM

SGammo.com just got in 600 boxes of Speer Gold dots 135 gr HP spec+P
ammo.
50 round box - 38 Special +P Speer Gold Dot 135 grain Hollow Point Ammo - 53921
In case anybody wants them

Nick_C_S · October 1, 2014, 07:16 PM

Good ammo. Good to know. Thank you.

I've shot this ammo. Even chronographed it (955 fps 3" bbl; & 1011 fps 4" bbl). It's a good round, and if I carried a J-frame snubbie (even if it were a 357), it'd be my carry ammo of choice.

But I carry an L-frame and so its extra bulk allows me to move up to the 357 mag version of this ammo (1176 fps 3" bbl; 1223 fps 4" bbl). Speer's Short Barrel line of ammo is great stuff - low flash, low recoil, very controllable.

fastbolt · October 12, 2014, 01:38 PM

Decent load for the caliber, for guns rated for +P.

I remember seeing it first used in an informal gel test (hosted event) when it was brand new. It was fired from a 360PD alongside the gun owner's Rem 125gr +P HPJ/BJHP (Golden Sabre) +P loads in a 4-layer denim-covered block. Did pretty well, but then so did the Rem HPJ round in that test, on that day.

Since then I've tried to keep some of the Speer load on hand among my normal selection of carry loads in my +P capable J-frames. Due to ammo availability my normal carry loads vary a bit, from time to time.

Last time my agency ordered several cases of the Speer 135gr GDHP +P for snub qual loads (for +P rated snubs, and standard pressure loads for others), it took several months for it to arrive. Good thing we also had some Win RA38B (50-rd boxes of the same .38 130gr +P load packaged as PDX1 in 20-rd boxes), as well as some Rem 125gr HPJ +P. I went out and bought a case of the Win RA38B of my own to tide me over back then.

Doc Holliday 1950 · October 13, 2014, 08:43 PM

Great answer. I have the Speer ammo & theRem ammo and also Hornady 110 gr. 38 sp +P .
I have 2- 357 mags. 1- 2" and the other is 4" all steel. Any thoughts on the Hornady? I appreciate your input. I spent 4 yrs. as a Special on my home Police force in the early 70's & I'm just starting to get back into this.

fastbolt · October 14, 2014, 03:21 PM

While I've used some of the older lines of Hornady for my pistols and revolvers, and some of their rifle ammo, I've not yet had the opportunity to become familiar with their newer bullet designs offered in their Critical Duty & Defense lines.

Once they start making some inroads into LE use in the way of major procurements or contract placements, and it's been around long enough to have developed a bit of a record in extensive LE testing and usage, I'll take a closer look at it.

In the meantime, the major makers often associated with LE/Gov sales (Winchester, Remington, Federal & Speer) seem to be offering a pretty decent line of defensive loads in .38 S&W Special to meet the needs of a lot of folks.

In recent years I've become much more concerned about dusting off my older DA revolver skills, and running the little 5-shot snubs controllably & accurately with whatever good quality loads I have available at any given time.

I can't always predict what loads will remain consistently available to me due to production & market conditions, and I like to use as much of the carry ammo as possible for training, quals & drills practice. I'll use some standard pressure loads, as may be available, but since I carry +P in all the snubs I have which are suitable for its use, I like to use +P for as much of my range sessions as possible. (I only carry & use standard pressure in a M37-2 I picked up several years ago.)

October 1, 2014, 06:06 PM	#1
Doc Holliday 1950 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2014 Location: Bout as south as it gets Posts: 1,238	speer gold dot 135 gr 38 +P ammo SGammo.com just got in 600 boxes of Speer Gold dots 135 gr HP spec+P ammo. 50 round box - 38 Special +P Speer Gold Dot 135 grain Hollow Point Ammo - 53921 In case anybody wants them

October 1, 2014, 07:16 PM	#2
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,522	Good ammo. Good to know. Thank you. I've shot this ammo. Even chronographed it (955 fps 3" bbl; & 1011 fps 4" bbl). It's a good round, and if I carried a J-frame snubbie (even if it were a 357), it'd be my carry ammo of choice. But I carry an L-frame and so its extra bulk allows me to move up to the 357 mag version of this ammo (1176 fps 3" bbl; 1223 fps 4" bbl). Speer's Short Barrel line of ammo is great stuff - low flash, low recoil, very controllable. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 12, 2014, 01:38 PM	#3
fastbolt Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2002 Location: northern CA for a little while longer Posts: 1,931	Decent load for the caliber, for guns rated for +P. I remember seeing it first used in an informal gel test (hosted event) when it was brand new. It was fired from a 360PD alongside the gun owner's Rem 125gr +P HPJ/BJHP (Golden Sabre) +P loads in a 4-layer denim-covered block. Did pretty well, but then so did the Rem HPJ round in that test, on that day. Since then I've tried to keep some of the Speer load on hand among my normal selection of carry loads in my +P capable J-frames. Due to ammo availability my normal carry loads vary a bit, from time to time. Last time my agency ordered several cases of the Speer 135gr GDHP +P for snub qual loads (for +P rated snubs, and standard pressure loads for others), it took several months for it to arrive. Good thing we also had some Win RA38B (50-rd boxes of the same .38 130gr +P load packaged as PDX1 in 20-rd boxes), as well as some Rem 125gr HPJ +P. I went out and bought a case of the Win RA38B of my own to tide me over back then. __________________ Retired LE - firearms instructor & armorer

October 14, 2014, 03:21 PM	#5
fastbolt Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2002 Location: northern CA for a little while longer Posts: 1,931	While I've used some of the older lines of Hornady for my pistols and revolvers, and some of their rifle ammo, I've not yet had the opportunity to become familiar with their newer bullet designs offered in their Critical Duty & Defense lines. Once they start making some inroads into LE use in the way of major procurements or contract placements, and it's been around long enough to have developed a bit of a record in extensive LE testing and usage, I'll take a closer look at it. In the meantime, the major makers often associated with LE/Gov sales (Winchester, Remington, Federal & Speer) seem to be offering a pretty decent line of defensive loads in .38 S&W Special to meet the needs of a lot of folks. In recent years I've become much more concerned about dusting off my older DA revolver skills, and running the little 5-shot snubs controllably & accurately with whatever good quality loads I have available at any given time. I can't always predict what loads will remain consistently available to me due to production & market conditions, and I like to use as much of the carry ammo as possible for training, quals & drills practice. I'll use some standard pressure loads, as may be available, but since I carry +P in all the snubs I have which are suitable for its use, I like to use +P for as much of my range sessions as possible. (I only carry & use standard pressure in a M37-2 I picked up several years ago.) __________________ Retired LE - firearms instructor & armorer

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October 13, 2014, 08:43 PM	#4
Doc Holliday 1950 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2014 Location: Bout as south as it gets Posts: 1,238	Great answer. I have the Speer ammo & theRem ammo and also Hornady 110 gr. 38 sp +P . I have 2- 357 mags. 1- 2" and the other is 4" all steel. Any thoughts on the Hornady? I appreciate your input. I spent 4 yrs. as a Special on my home Police force in the early 70's & I'm just starting to get back into this.