I tried to search, but didn't come up with much. I hear bullets (mainly HP's) described as 'old' or 'new' technology bullets. What exactly is meant? The Gold Dot seems to be described as 'new technology,' the Silver Tip as 'old,' and I've seen the Hornady XTP described as both (I think it came out in 1990.)

So what's the story? Thanks.

The determination of old vs. new rests on the person making that determination. Hollowpoints of the 70s-80s tend to be termed as old.
For example the 9mm Silvertip came out in the late 1970s.
Most of the hollowpoints back then were ultra light for caliber
and were basically a jacketed soft point with a hole in the nose.
Some expanded and most didn't. They were ultra light to get enough velocity to open up.

The only real exception is the 38+p 158 LSWCHP which came out in 1971.
It was full weight and expanded well. It is always termed old tech because lead hollowpoints have been around for over one hundred years.

Hydra Shok came out in the early 90s and is still very popular. It is now getting called called old. It is still very reliable. I carry them regularly.

The latest and most modern hp loads right now are Corbon DPX, Federal HST, CCI-Speer Gold Dot, Winchester Ranger SXT.

Old technology was swaging a piece of lead into a copper cup. New technology is electroplating the copper onto the lead. It holds on tighter and you can do more things with it.

I don't put much stock in what is "old tech", or "new tech". Testing one's own ammo, finding online gel tests and street reputation will give serious clues as to what's good and what isn't. Look at a couple of examples; the Remington 125 gr. SJHP in .357 magnum is a very highly regarded anti-personell round. If you wanted to get any more old tech, you'd probably be using SWCs. Not being bonded, it won't be the best available against auto glass, but for frontal shots without barriers, you're not likely to find a better handgun cartridge, especially from long barrels. It was introduced ~ 1977, IIRC.

As far as the new tech stuff goes, pretty much all of it is decent, but some, like the FTX bullets Hornady is using in it's Critical Defense line, don't strike me as anything that would get me excited enough to pick them over competing products. I fired .380 Critical Defense into Perma-Gel and while decent, didn't do anything that the Speer Gold Dot didn't do better.

Hello. Though not a real answer to the original poster's question, I find it interesting that the (fine) .38 Special LHP +P aka "FBI Load" is "old tech" while the Corbon 110-gr. DPX +P is "new".

Both use homogeneous non-jacketed hollow points, one being of lead, the other of copper.

Best.

Look up 'Lee Jurras' and 'Super Vel' for a little history. Last I heard Mr. Jurras is still alive.

__________________
John