50g 556 TSX vs 55gr 556 Gold Dot?

**ASH556** · 04-06-12, 11:06

Both loads are on Doc's recommended lists. Both should be a good GP load to have on-hand for defense. Rifles are 10.3" SBR and 16".

Grant has both in-stock.

The Gold Dots are $1/rd, whereas the TSX is $1.40/rd. Is there a good reason to go with more expensive TSX over the GD? Essentially, I could have 40% more ammo for the same price with the GD.

Also, it seems like both should match my XM193 shooting ammo pretty closely, correct?

**ST911** · 04-06-12, 11:29

I posted this in another thread, after playing with some duty and training ammunition. I'm going to repeat it with greater precision to tighten up the results.

Both the 5.56 GDSP (24455) and the BHA 50 TSX are excellent loads. My nod goes to the latter. Additionally, the 24455 is no longer available, and isn't sustainable for you in the longer term.

I don't have the targets scanned yet, but I recently shot XM193, the Speer GDSP 5.56 (24455), Speer .223 GDSP (24446), and the BHA 5.56 50 TSX for POI deviations out of duty Colts with RDSs.

Relative to the XM193 impacts, at 50yds, the 24455 was ~1" low, the 24446 slightly lower than the 24455, and the TSX was ~1" high. The 24446 wanted to go right a little, but the TSX and 24455 were true to windage.

The 24455 and XM193 was great pairing.

**ASH556** · 04-06-12, 11:34

Originally Posted by Skintop911

I posted this in another thread, after playing with some duty and training ammunition. I'm going to repeat it with greater precision to tighten up the results.

Both the 5.56 GDSP (24455) and the BHA 50 TSX are excellent loads. My nod goes to the latter. Additionally, the 24455 is no longer available, and isn't sustainable for you in the longer term.

Well that sucks! Thanks for the info, though. Especially appreciate the shift data. When you say 1" shift, at what distance? 50yds?

**ST911** · 04-06-12, 12:06

Originally Posted by ASH556

Well that sucks! Thanks for the info, though. Especially appreciate the shift data. When you say 1" shift, at what distance? 50yds?

Distance was 50yds. I was only trying to get a snapshot of differences, so be careful how you use that data. Increasing precision and distance will be more useful and revealing. The point was to determine what I might expect if I had to grab a magazine of those loads.

I've shot the BHA 50 TSX at ~150 yds and it continued to run high. 3-4", as I recall. (I was shooting on a game target, so it's a guesstimation from memory. YMMV)

Sucks, indeed. The 24455 was a leading option in defensive ammunition that was extremely cost effective. It was nixed because people were running it in .223 or bad chambers, having problems, and blaming Federal rather than the manufacturers of their good-as guns. It's not dead completely, but you will not be seeing it commercially or often at all.

**ASH556** · 04-06-12, 12:11

Originally Posted by Skintop911

Distance was 50yds. I was only trying to get a snapshot of differences, so be careful how you use that data. Increasing precision and distance will be more useful and revealing. The point was to determine what I might expect if I had to grab a magazine of those loads.

I've shot the BHA 50 TSX at ~150 yds and it continued to run high. 3-4", as I recall. (I was shooting on a game target, so it's a guesstimation from memory. YMMV)

Sucks, indeed. The 24455 was a leading option in defensive ammunition that was extremely cost effective. It was nixed because people were running it in .223 or bad chambers, having problems, and blaming Federal rather than the manufacturers of their good-as guns. It's not dead completely, but you will not be seeing it commercially or often at all.

Grant stocks it. I wonder if he'll be able to maintain a supply stream.

**ack495** · 04-06-12, 19:29

Originally Posted by Skintop911

Additionally, the 24455 is no longer available, and isn't sustainable for you in the longer term.

I have not heard this. I was aware that the 5.56 64gr load, 24456, was discontinued, but the 55gr stuff as well??

**bp7178** · 04-06-12, 21:42

My results with the 55gr 5.56mm Gold Dot was about an inch higher and to the right compared to XM193 IIRC. I posted target pics in one of the threads.

I wasn't overly impressed with its accuracy compared to XM193. Out of the groups I've shot, including ones I haven't posted, the XM193 grouped about 1/2 + MOA better.

At this point, I'm strongly considering just going to the Fusion .223 62gr round. It has a good commercial presence, is priced decent, and according to Molon's tests, capable of 1 MOA groups given the right equipment/shooter. Very similar to the Gold Dot, being a bonded round and all.