Speer 200gr GSHP performance

[Zhukov]

This comes up as a question from time to time, but I don't have any hard evidence to back it up. There was some talk of the 200gr variant in .45ACP not expanding as reliably as the 230gr variant. A brief search of the internet brought up this pic, which looks a lot like something DocGKR would have posted (hosted at parkcitiestactical.com):



Does anyone have some hard info on this?

[DocGKR]

Yes, that is a picture from our testing.

.45 ACP +P Speer 200 gr JHP 53969, lot #48621, S&W 4566, Gel Calib: 8.5 cm @ 588 f/s
BG: vel=1008 f/s, pen=11.0”, RD=0.72”, RL-0.35”, RW=200.4 gr
4LD: vel=995 f/s, pen=18.2”, RD=0.55”, RL-0.54”, RW=199.6 gr

As has been reported for many years, the Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 200 gr +P JHP is NOT recommended for duty use. This load has demonstrated numerous failures to expand both in lab testing and in actual officer involved shooting incidents; it also has exhibited numerous failures to feed and function in a variety of .45 ACP pistol types.

[DRT]

Seems like the gold dots are a hit or miss design. Some caliber/bullet weight combos work well, others are inconsistent and fail. This load is obviously the latter.

[Zhukov]

Thanks Doc - I knew that pic was yours...

[ETA] I've updated my FAQ to include this information.

[WS6]

I have read accounts of this load having 7 petals and a deeper hollow-point now. Does anyone know if ATK re-designed it and if it is viable or not?

[kenb]

i have seen data posted by Speer that the 200 grain .45 GAP GD did pass the tests. Is this because the +p ACP was moving faster? I'll post a link if requested.

[kenb]

http://www.speer-bullets.com/pdf/45G...ief_150dpi.pdf

Hope that works. I'm not going to pretend I know all about the FBI tests but doesn't the 200 grain JHP gold dot .45 GAP pass all the tests. Is the difference in performance between the .45 GAP and the .45 ACP +p the fact the ACP is moving too fast??? Am I correct that the .45 GAP does meet the FBI tests. Thanks

[kenb]

Sorry. I couldn't get the link to work when I tried it and I don't know how to test the link before posting. So....here is another link to a place where the .45 GAP link works. http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1184357

Do the 200gr .45 GAP gold dot jhp's pass the FBI tests and why don't the ACP +p's??
Thanks