Gold Dot SP
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 973
Gold Dot SP
I was in a Gander Mountain store last weekend and the only Gold Dots they had was one box of 270 44 cal. Soft Points for $14.99 per 50. I picked them up figuring if nothing else I'd try to use up some Green .430 MMP sabots I have with them as my gun likes the green Hornady sabots with the 44 cal XTP 300's I hunt with.
In my Hawken, shooting 90 RS, how does everyone think they would perform on deer? Would I have to hit bone to open them up properly? Would 100 grains make much difference in expansion?
In my Hawken, shooting 90 RS, how does everyone think they would perform on deer? Would I have to hit bone to open them up properly? Would 100 grains make much difference in expansion?
#3
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 973
RE: Gold Dot SP
Mike -
Have you tried the SP on deer or just the HP? I couldn't find any data on recommended speed for proper expansion on the Speer site. Would most of the 30-30 soft points have been 180 grain bullets at higher velocities? I really don't want to "experiment" on the deer. I did see where "rdpettit" in a recent post had good results shooting 120 777 but that's much hotter than my charge of 90 RS.
Have you tried the SP on deer or just the HP? I couldn't find any data on recommended speed for proper expansion on the Speer site. Would most of the 30-30 soft points have been 180 grain bullets at higher velocities? I really don't want to "experiment" on the deer. I did see where "rdpettit" in a recent post had good results shooting 120 777 but that's much hotter than my charge of 90 RS.
#4
RE: Gold Dot SP
yeoman
Not 180, probably most shoot 170 grain - I normally shoot 150 grain cause, you know me, I want the velocity
30-30 will shoot a 170 around 2000 fps..
A 444 Marlin will shoot a 250 grain .430 on the average of 2150 fps...
You know in the old days most rifle bullets, well a lot of them, thatyou would buy of the shelf in your local store were Soft Points...
You probably would be shooting that bullets @ close to 1800 fps - it will have no problem dropping a deer. I would shoot that all day - I would shoot it in preference to an XTP - it is bonded... the XTP's are not...
Looking at the Speer web site it is rated for "handgun hunting"
44 Cal Gold Dot SP 44 Mag
Part Number
Caliber
Weight Grain
Weight Gram
Construction
4461
44 Cal
270
17.5
Uni-Cor
Use
Bullet Coefficient
Sectional Density
Diameter Inches
Diameter mm
Box Count
10
0.193
0.21
0.429
10.897
50
Abbreviation Key:
BT - boat tail, FMJ - full metal jacket, FN - flat nose, GD - Gold Dot, HP - hollow point, SP - soft point,
TMJ - encased-core full jacket, RN - round nose, SWC - semi-wadcutter, WC - wadcutter
Usages:
1- Varmint, 2- Big Game, 3- Match, 4- Special Purpose, 5- Large/Dangerous Game
6- Personal Protection, 7- General Purpose, 8- Practice, 9- Target, 10- Handgun Hunting
If it will group for you it will git you a deer... I just have in the past not been able to get 44 cal bullets to consistenly group - I'll get a flyer at the most inopportune time - BUT when I was testing them I was shooting the old "plastic" Green Sabots... the new HPH sabots might be the answer - just have never gone back...
Would most of the 30-30 soft points have been 180 grain bullets at higher velocities?
30-30 will shoot a 170 around 2000 fps..
A 444 Marlin will shoot a 250 grain .430 on the average of 2150 fps...
You know in the old days most rifle bullets, well a lot of them, thatyou would buy of the shelf in your local store were Soft Points...
You probably would be shooting that bullets @ close to 1800 fps - it will have no problem dropping a deer. I would shoot that all day - I would shoot it in preference to an XTP - it is bonded... the XTP's are not...
Looking at the Speer web site it is rated for "handgun hunting"
44 Cal Gold Dot SP 44 Mag
Part Number
Caliber
Weight Grain
Weight Gram
Construction
4461
44 Cal
270
17.5
Uni-Cor
Use
Bullet Coefficient
Sectional Density
Diameter Inches
Diameter mm
Box Count
10
0.193
0.21
0.429
10.897
50
Abbreviation Key:
BT - boat tail, FMJ - full metal jacket, FN - flat nose, GD - Gold Dot, HP - hollow point, SP - soft point,
TMJ - encased-core full jacket, RN - round nose, SWC - semi-wadcutter, WC - wadcutter
Usages:
1- Varmint, 2- Big Game, 3- Match, 4- Special Purpose, 5- Large/Dangerous Game
6- Personal Protection, 7- General Purpose, 8- Practice, 9- Target, 10- Handgun Hunting
If it will group for you it will git you a deer... I just have in the past not been able to get 44 cal bullets to consistenly group - I'll get a flyer at the most inopportune time - BUT when I was testing them I was shooting the old "plastic" Green Sabots... the new HPH sabots might be the answer - just have never gone back...
#5
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 973
RE: Gold Dot SP
Doing some "Googling" I found a Speer article which said that many soft points require 1300 fps to begin expansion. I went to the Hornady ballistic calculator and used a MV of 1700 which yielded 1382 fps@ 100 yds.
Is 1700 fps at the muzzle a reasonable assumption for the 270 bullet and 90 RS?
Is 1700 fps at the muzzle a reasonable assumption for the 270 bullet and 90 RS?
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
RE: Gold Dot SP
Looks like a winner. Take a look at the customer reviews on the Midway USA web site.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductreview.exe/GetReviews?productid=591708
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductreview.exe/GetReviews?productid=591708
#9
RE: Gold Dot SP
I really like the Speer gold dots, i use the 240 gr. JSP with gn. sabot 44 .429 dia. I have had 3 shots and 3 deer and all were pass thru's. My load is 70grs. of Pyro P. I don't know how they will perform at longer ranges. My longest shot so fer has been about 50 yds.