Test Results of .357 Gold Dot

700cdl · January 30, 2011, 05:03 PM

Well, I loaded up some 158 grain Gold Dots and wanted to see if they perform as Speer describes them. I shot them through my chronograph at 1250 ish fps into a cardboard box lined with a garbage can liner, then stuffed it tight with old dennim jeans, filled the box full of water. I let the jeans soak good and then topped the box off until the water was at the top. The bullets were going through and through the 20" box and buring in the sand. So I then added another box of just water to stop the bulets from going into the dirt. The end result was perfect mushroomed bullets, even the ones that went into the sand were in nice mushrooms and didn't separate at all. I switched bullets to a 125 grain XTPHP @ 1400 ish fps, and those performed excelent as well and didn;t separate either. Can't say the same for 125 grain also @ 1400 ish fps Sierra's though. they separated and fragmented into pieces. I didn't recover any that were identfiable other than the jackets.

WIL TERRY · January 30, 2011, 05:17 PM

They expand to beat the band but do it so slowly they penetrate like ball ammo---2' is common--- and leave only a slightly-enlarged-as-it-goes track through the target. This all leaves behind a gorgeously expanded bullet that looks GREAT in the ads but by 'n' large hasn't done a damned thing you'd expect it to do TO THE TARGET.

SHR970 · January 31, 2011, 09:13 AM

The Federal 357B load 125 gr. HP performs like the Sierra that you described and has done it for many years. It has also been the number one stopper for years; the standard by which all other rounds have been judged. Perfect looking mushrooms don't mean a thing if they aren't putting the energy into the target.

700cdl · January 31, 2011, 07:32 PM

Energy is measured in ft lbs.. It is calculated with a formula using velocity and bullet weight and has nothing to do with the design of the projectile. And a bullet that explodes on the first couple inches of impact, is deffinitely not going to be my choice for a self defense round that I may need to penetrate a wall or other object to get to the bad guy. That would be like using a varmit bullet from a high powered rifle to shoot big game. It will disengrate before getting into the flesh. If I wanted a shotgun effect, I would just use one.

700cdl · January 31, 2011, 07:42 PM

Almost forgot to mention the wound channel or TRACK was enormous immeadiately following first impact. Anyone having a problem with slow expansion, is not loading them with enough velocity to open as designed. The 125s are even better because they can pushed at much higher velocity than the 158s. Hydra Shocks also explode into frahments on impact and will not perform well if the need for inadvertant penetration of obstructive cover is necessary. The Feds. use the GD and another more expensive bullet called a Corbon, but not the Sierra or Federal.

SHR970 · February 1, 2011, 09:11 AM

Corbon JHP uses Sierra HP bullets for their loads....they have since they first began production.

700cdl · February 1, 2011, 03:15 PM

I got to say, after just comingg from their web site (Corbon ) about 15 seconds ago all they describe in every type of bullet they have, and with all, none are even remotly simular to a Sierra. Every thing they talk about is protected by 19 patents and is lead free. Made of a compressed core, not bonded and so on. But for a Sierra bullet I find it rather entertaining to compare what they MAKE as being a Sierra product. I would bet Sierra would just love to hear that concept. A rumor like that would be really good for Sierra. I shoot Sierra, just don't care for their handgun application. I load Sierra for high powered rifle only.

goodspeed(TPF) · February 1, 2011, 03:30 PM

If I'm ever attacked by a box of watery jeans then I know which bullets to use.

Quote:

Can't say the same for 125 grain also @ 1400 ish fps Sierra's though. they separated and fragmented into pieces.

This is a GOOD thing. Not a bad thing. At that velocity the fragmentation is ADDING to the wounding.

SHR970 · February 1, 2011, 04:48 PM

Call or email them and ask them if they use Sierra bullets in other than their rifle loads. In their rifle line, you will find the Registered Trademark 'BlitzKing' listed; that is a Sierra TM. Just because you don't see the brand name listed doesn't mean they don't use them. They have also used Nosler bullets in the past.

goodspeed(TPF) · February 1, 2011, 05:14 PM

Sierra Power Jacket(R). Yummy.

January 30, 2011, 05:03 PM	#1
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	Test Results of .357 Gold Dot Well, I loaded up some 158 grain Gold Dots and wanted to see if they perform as Speer describes them. I shot them through my chronograph at 1250 ish fps into a cardboard box lined with a garbage can liner, then stuffed it tight with old dennim jeans, filled the box full of water. I let the jeans soak good and then topped the box off until the water was at the top. The bullets were going through and through the 20" box and buring in the sand. So I then added another box of just water to stop the bulets from going into the dirt. The end result was perfect mushroomed bullets, even the ones that went into the sand were in nice mushrooms and didn't separate at all. I switched bullets to a 125 grain XTPHP @ 1400 ish fps, and those performed excelent as well and didn;t separate either. Can't say the same for 125 grain also @ 1400 ish fps Sierra's though. they separated and fragmented into pieces. I didn't recover any that were identfiable other than the jackets.

January 30, 2011, 05:17 PM	#2
WIL TERRY Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: BLACK HILLS Posts: 1,322	And therein lies the PROBLEM with SPEER GOLD DOT bullets. They expand to beat the band but do it so slowly they penetrate like ball ammo---2' is common--- and leave only a slightly-enlarged-as-it-goes track through the target. This all leaves behind a gorgeously expanded bullet that looks GREAT in the ads but by 'n' large hasn't done a damned thing you'd expect it to do TO THE TARGET.

January 31, 2011, 09:13 AM	#3
SHR970 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 1,427	The Federal 357B load 125 gr. HP performs like the Sierra that you described and has done it for many years. It has also been the number one stopper for years; the standard by which all other rounds have been judged. Perfect looking mushrooms don't mean a thing if they aren't putting the energy into the target.

January 31, 2011, 07:32 PM	#4
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	Energy is measured in ft lbs.. It is calculated with a formula using velocity and bullet weight and has nothing to do with the design of the projectile. And a bullet that explodes on the first couple inches of impact, is deffinitely not going to be my choice for a self defense round that I may need to penetrate a wall or other object to get to the bad guy. That would be like using a varmit bullet from a high powered rifle to shoot big game. It will disengrate before getting into the flesh. If I wanted a shotgun effect, I would just use one.

January 31, 2011, 07:42 PM	#5
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	Almost forgot to mention the wound channel or TRACK was enormous immeadiately following first impact. Anyone having a problem with slow expansion, is not loading them with enough velocity to open as designed. The 125s are even better because they can pushed at much higher velocity than the 158s. Hydra Shocks also explode into frahments on impact and will not perform well if the need for inadvertant penetration of obstructive cover is necessary. The Feds. use the GD and another more expensive bullet called a Corbon, but not the Sierra or Federal.

February 1, 2011, 09:11 AM	#6
SHR970 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 1,427	Corbon JHP uses Sierra HP bullets for their loads....they have since they first began production.

February 1, 2011, 03:15 PM	#7
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	I got to say, after just comingg from their web site (Corbon ) about 15 seconds ago all they describe in every type of bullet they have, and with all, none are even remotly simular to a Sierra. Every thing they talk about is protected by 19 patents and is lead free. Made of a compressed core, not bonded and so on. But for a Sierra bullet I find it rather entertaining to compare what they MAKE as being a Sierra product. I would bet Sierra would just love to hear that concept. A rumor like that would be really good for Sierra. I shoot Sierra, just don't care for their handgun application. I load Sierra for high powered rifle only.

February 1, 2011, 04:48 PM	#9
SHR970 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 1,427	Call or email them and ask them if they use Sierra bullets in other than their rifle loads. In their rifle line, you will find the Registered Trademark 'BlitzKing' listed; that is a Sierra TM. Just because you don't see the brand name listed doesn't mean they don't use them. They have also used Nosler bullets in the past.

February 1, 2011, 05:14 PM	#10
goodspeed(TPF) Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: WI Posts: 1,162	Sierra Power Jacket(R). Yummy.