A Velocity Study - .40/180 Grain Gold Dots & GOEX

Semisane · 02-01-2011, 10:48 AM

Did this one last Friday.

As a point of comparison, a very hot loaded 180 grain bullet out of a seven and a half inch barrel .357 Magnum revolver has a muzzle velocity of around 1200 fps. The lightest load listed below is still moving along at about 1200 fps at 150 yards.

(So, anyone who thinks a .357 Mag revolver with 180 grain bullets is suitable for deer at ten feet should be comfortable with this load at 150 yards.)

Here are the targets.

Now don't get excited about that last group. Although it's the best I've ever gotten with 180 grain GDs at 50 yards, it's not typical. It does show that with 3-shot groups, every now and then you get something spectacular. However, the 95 grain load has always proved to be the most accurate with this bullet/sabot/powder combination and normally gives me one-inch groups at 50 yards.

builder459 · 02-01-2011, 11:30 AM

Good shooting there SEMI.looks like a good deer load for a .45 cal muzzy from 0-150 yds, don't think i would extend it out beyond that.and you can't beat the overall performance of the GD/DC bullets lol! i will be trying the 300 gr DC bullets this weekend. Ray

cayugad · 02-01-2011, 12:11 PM

that is some good shooting. At 50 yards that 95 grain load looks like the one I would be shooting. I will have to try that load in mine one of these days.

sabotloader · 02-01-2011, 12:45 PM

Semi

Those 180 grain Dold Dot/Deep Curl's are just an accurate bullet for me. Last trip to the rock pit I was shooting @ clay pigeons from 80 yards to 100 yard with them. If shooting can be boring I was really getting to that point - it just was not a challenge with those tack drivers.

bronko22000 · 02-01-2011, 01:34 PM

Semi - that's some good info. Just wondering though how it would be at 90 and 100 gr. A little 'tweeking' if you will.
Personally, I am dying to get out and do some shooting. Its just that we've been getting snow every other day (seems like it) and I just can't work up enough ambition to go out after working all week in this weather.

oldsmellhound · 02-01-2011, 05:27 PM

That's some nice shooting, especially with the 95 grains. I have thought about trying out the 180 Gold Dots, but the 200 XTP's just shoot so well and perform good for me that I haven't seen the need. Plus, I prefer the extra 20 grains in weight.

I've never understood why people think you need heavier bullets in a muzzy to kill deer. Handgun hunters use lighter bullets with less velocity and still kill deer cleanly. Most people I know would feel okay about using a very hot .357 mag load at bowhunting ranges for deer, yet some think you need a minimum 250 grain bullet in their muzzy's. All of the deer I've taken with the 200 XTP (with impact velocities estimated from 1,600 - 2,000 fps) have gone down instantly or only gone a short distance.