Gelatin test: .40 S&W 180 gr Gold Dot fired from pistol and carbine

**AndrewWiggin** · 02-26-14, 14:43

video link

40 S&W 180 gr Speer Gold Dot loaded over 9.2 gr of AA#7 fired from a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 carbine and Glock model 22 pistol through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin.

BB: 593.6 fps, 3.4"

Pistol data:

Impact velocity: 1,081 fps
Penetration: 14.5"
Retained weight: 179.7 gr
Max expansion: 0.741"
Min expansion: 0.492"

Carbine data:

Impact velocity: 1,320 fps (approx.)
Penetration: 16.6"
Retained weight: 178.9 gr
Max expansion: 0.781"
Min expansion: 0.538"

A few notes: The chronograph did not catch the impact velocity from the carbine shot so I took a four shot average. Velocities were:

1,312 fps
1,317 fps
1,327 fps
1,324 fps

I was surprised at how much velocity the bullet gained from the longer barrel and I was surprised to note that the faster bullet actually went deeper. I had to double check. The only explanation I can come up with is that the extra velocity pushed the petals back against the shank earlier.

Speer lists the factory velocity as 1,025 from a pistol so I believe that I got fairly close to what they put out but I do not know what powder they use so the burn rate could be substantially different. I did not have any extra factory ammo available for testing.

Pistol:

Carbine:

**Heavy Metal** · 02-26-14, 15:21

The carbine velocity should closely mimic what that projectile would do in a 10mm Pistol loaded full-house.

**AndrewWiggin** · 02-26-14, 15:31

Yeppers. Almost exactly the same as Underwood 10mm 180 gr Gold Dot.

**Heavy Metal** · 02-26-14, 21:32

Same expansion, deeper penetration. That is what I want in a 10mm. if I am packing 10mm, its is for Black Bear and I want penetration above all.

**jmk** · 02-26-14, 22:03

lots of work went into the OP.

thank you for doing both pistol and carbine with the same load - enlightening!

seems like your load is warmer compared to GD tested by BallisticsByTheInch - do you know how yours compares to the factory powder charge?

i wouldn't be surprised that the carbine rounds went deeper - same heavy bullet with higher velocity. lighter bullets (which tend to have higher velocities relative to heavy bullets) are the ones that penetrate less (e.g., 115gr 9mm vs 147gr 9mm).

**AndrewWiggin** · 02-26-14, 22:25

I have no idea what powder is used in Speer's factory Gold Dot load. The MV from the pistol was very close but it could be a very different burn rate. If Speer uses a faster powder for their load, the carbine velocities would probably be a little lower.

I have often seen the same bullet penetrate less at higher velocity. I believe that might be a result of the bullet expanding more at higher speeds.