Speer Gold Dot question

It's good stuff. I carry it in my G22. NC Troopers carry it in .357Sig for duty ammo.

Im thinking of getting some myself, Ive heard go things about it. :wavey:

I think in .40 it's only offered in 165gr and 180gr but I couldn't tell you how to figure out which one it is. I use Golt Dot for all of my defense guns.

Trey83 said:

I think in .40 it's only offered in 165gr and 180gr but I couldn't tell you how to figure out which one it is. I use Golt Dot for all of my defense guns.

Click to expand...

I carry 155gr Gold Dot in all my .40's.

glock2740 said:

I carry 155gr Gold Dot in all my .40's.

Click to expand...

I stand corrected. Thank you kind sir :wavey: 155, 165, and 180.

Pull a slug and put it on a scale. I love the 165gr for all my .40 needs.

jeb_ingram said:

Pull a slug and put it on a scale. I love the 165gr for all my .40 needs.

Click to expand...

This +1

Does it have an A stamped on the primer? These were recalled by CCI for some kind of primer problem and marked as such.

The Gold Dot is a great round. You will have no issues with it. Lock-n-Load!

Adawg38 said:

So I got a batch of loose Speer Gold Dot .40 Ammo. It has it looks light knickel casing. Any way to tell what grain it is? it doesn't say on the casing. Also I see alot of you guys love that ammo for home defense but also for cheap practice ammo. Is it better for 1 or the other? I don't want to waist good ammo on plinking but if it's good enuff for home defense I'll use it. I'm kinda a Corbon guy but if this is good stuff I'll use this.

Thanks! :wow:

Click to expand...

It should say what grain it is on the side of the box the rounds came in.

I googled and found someone saying a .40sw casing weighs 65gr, with a spent primer it weighs 68.3gr. Looking through some loading data the powder charge is anywhere from 3.2gr to 12.1gr. Depending on the type of powder of course, an average powder charge for 155gr is 6-8gr, 165 is 6-7.5gr, 180 is 5-11.

1 gram is 15.432 grains

Averaging out, a 155gr should weigh 230gr+/-, a 165gr should weigh 240gr+/-, a 180gr should weigh 255gr+/-. So 155gr should weigh 14.91 grams, 165gr around 15.55 grams, 180gr around 16.53 grams.

Okay I weighed some of my cartridges. PDX1 180gr is 16.8grams, Gold Saber 180gr is 16.7grams, Hornady Custom XTP 180gr is 16.8grams, Hornady TAP FPD 155gr is 15grams, Hydra Shock 155gr is 14.8grams, American Eagle 165gr FMJ is 15.4grams.

>>>In other words the average I got is 155gr ~ 15 grams, 165gr ~ 15.5 grams, 180gr ~ 16.8 grams.

Adawg38 said:

So I got a batch of loose Speer Gold Dot .40 Ammo.....

Click to expand...

That's why he can't look at the box

Knickel.:rofl::rofl:

Wash-ar15 said:

Does it have an A stamped on the primer? These were recalled by CCI for some kind of primer problem and marked as such.

Click to expand...

No nothing like that just says Speer .40S&W

voyager4520 said:

I googled and found someone saying a .40sw casing weighs 65gr, with a spent primer it weighs 68.3gr. Looking through some loading data the powder charge is anywhere from 3.2gr to 12.1gr. Depending on the type of powder of course, an average powder charge for 155gr is 6-8gr, 165 is 6-7.5gr, 180 is 5-11.

1 gram is 15.432 grains

Averaging out, a 155gr should weigh 230gr+/-, a 165gr should weigh 240gr+/-, a 180gr should weigh 255gr+/-. So 155gr should weigh 14.91 grams, 165gr around 15.55 grams, 180gr around 16.53 grams.

Okay I weighed some of my cartridges. PDX1 180gr is 16.8grams, Gold Saber 180gr is 16.7grams, Hornady Custom XTP 180gr is 16.8grams, Hornady TAP FPD 155gr is 15grams, Hydra Shock 155gr is 14.8grams, American Eagle 165gr FMJ is 15.4grams.

>>>In other words the average I got is 155gr ~ 15 grams, 165gr ~ 15.5 grams, 180gr ~ 16.8 grams.

Click to expand...

Cool! Thank You for the Data!

DaveCharlie09 said:

Knickel.:rofl::rofl:

Click to expand...

Yeah I know huh?

It's probably the most consistently well performing round in history. There are as good or better options today, such as the Winchester pdx1 bonded, but the Gold Dot has been proven to function as advertised since the mid 90s.

Cor-bon, IMO, is overrated. They use the sierra hollow point, which is not bonded to the jacket and can separate, and their velocities are not much better than standard loads for the extra kick/flash. Their dpx line, as well as any line using the Barnes-X all copper bullet is something I as well don't like because of the lesser bullet weights.

^ Just my opinion.

I personally use Buffalo Bore ammo for my defensive pistols. Loaded with gold dots and velocity increases don't include excessive snap and flash. The .45+p and 9mm+p+ from them kicks only a little more than standard ball loads and has hardly any flash. I can't imagine it being different with the .40.

With pictures, could probably tell you based on the size of the cavity in the HP between the 155/165 gr vs the 180. But between 155 and 165, not a freaking clue. I personally prefer the 155gr.

Wash-ar15 said:

Does it have an A stamped on the primer? These were recalled by CCI for some kind of primer problem and marked as such.

Click to expand...

I had about 10,000 rounds of this stuff and not all of it has the "A." I still have one 250rd box with no "A" and 4 boxes with the "A". They're all marked the same but from different orders I made.

Never had a failure of any kinds with this stuff though despite the "Not for LE use" marking.


180gr gold dot cartridge = 16.5 grams