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Old 07-10-2018, 09:29 PM
noshow noshow is offline
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Default Anyone use Speer GD+P 124gr Short Barrel in Shield

I know NYPD issues the Speer GD+P 124gr for duty use and range qualifications. That tells me it is a great load for the 9mm service pistol. How does it perform in the Shield or Compact? Would the Short Barrel version be a better choice for an off duty gun?
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Old 07-10-2018, 10:06 PM
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While I have no way to retrieve slugs and measure expansion, I know for a fact that Speer GD+P 124 gr feeds, fires and ejects reliably in the XDsc, G26, PF-9 and Shield.

GD has been my preferred SD round for over 8yrs.
I usually buy it in the 'LE' 50 round box, as opposed to the usual 20 round box.
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Old 07-10-2018, 11:07 PM
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I don't buy factory ammo, but I load my own using Speer 124gr. Testing shows this performs well.
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Old 07-11-2018, 05:17 AM
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They run fine in my Sig P938.
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Old 07-11-2018, 11:17 AM
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I use them in a C9 pistol that I have.

They shoot just a little low but the group is ok for SD use.

I just noticed that there is a lot of total weight DIFFERENCE
when you weigh each load from the new box of ammo.

I use the 50% "Heavies" for my SD use and practice with the
others that are on the light side, be they lighter bullets or powder
in the case, or what ever.

I weigh ALL my ammo for SD use, no matter what brand.
Just an old habit.
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:52 PM
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I plan on running a box of the 124gr GDHP +P regular version through my PX4 Compact (3.27" barrel) to see how it shoots. FWIW, I wouldn't worry about using the short-barrel version. The regular version is more economical as you can get it in 50-round boxes. I doubt that real world results would have any significant difference between the two versions as far as terminal ballistics go.

But if you want to try the short-barrel version, and you end up preferring it, there's nothing wrong with that choice, either.
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Old 07-11-2018, 03:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noshow View Post
I know NYPD issues the Speer GD+P 124gr for duty use and range qualifications. That tells me it is a great load for the 9mm service pistol. How does it perform in the Shield or Compact? Would the Short Barrel version be a better choice for an off duty gun?
Really! Which division? They also use .40 S&W in their Glock 23 and 22 models. Why in the hell would you want all that recoil in a gun fight? Have you ever been in a gun fight? I won my last one in NYC with a Model 36 revolver and 148 grain wad gutter going at 850 fps and I shot him in the foot!
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Retired Cop View Post
Really! Which division? They also use .40 S&W in their Glock 23 and 22 models. Why in the hell would you want all that recoil in a gun fight? Have you ever been in a gun fight? I won my last one in NYC with a Model 36 revolver and 148 grain wad gutter going at 850 fps and I shot him in the foot!
What does being in a gun fight have to do with the question the OP asked? Since when are they using a G22/G23 at the NYPD? I'm fairly sure they are only issuing Glocks in G17, G19 and G26 plus a few SIGs and S&W 9mm pistols. (I could be wrong) I don't think they are issuing handguns in 40 S&W.
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:48 AM
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I use the non plus P Speer Gold Dot LE 124 grain HP's in my Shield 9. It has functioned flawlessly with them.
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Old 08-16-2018, 08:45 PM
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I shoot both the regular and the +P (124gr SGD) in my Shield. It groups better in my particular gun (+P gets tight group in X ring at 7 yards). You have to shoot both to see what YOUR gun likes best. They both are good rounds!
I loaded mine with +P.

Be SAFE and shoot often!
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:52 PM
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I've never had a failure in either my Shield9 or my Shield45 with SGD. However, I use the standard velocity. See no real need for the additional stress on me or the gun. I have fired many rounds of this through each gun, as well as low thousands of FMJ, different brands, through the 9MM and well over a thousand of FMJ, different brands, through the .45. I have had no issues with any of it. Lucky, I guess? But I am fully confident in both of them.
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Old 08-16-2018, 10:20 PM
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Although it is not our current duty round at the PD I work for (current 9mm duty round is Fed 124gr +P HST), the 124gr +P Gold Dot was our former duty round and had been issued for quite a few years. We have never (yet, anyway) had an Officer Involved Shooting, so I can't tell you how they work from first hand experience, but experience from other Departments shows that it is a very good round, even in shorter barrels. We have quite a few guys that carry 9mm Shields for off duty guns and the Gold Dots always functioned flawlessly.

For us, the reason for using +P isn't because of higher velocities or anything like that; it is because the extra "oomph" of the +P cartridge should, hopefully, help reduce malfunctions in the event of having to shoot when in less than optimum positions or if the Officer isn't holding the gun as rigidly as they should in the heat of an armed encounter to make sure the gun functions as reliably as possible. Admittedly, there isn't much extra velocity, but every little bit helps.
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Old 08-18-2018, 03:36 PM
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My Shield 9 is so ammo picky that I decided that I would not carry any self-defense round unless it would fire at least 200 consecutive times without a failure of any kind. I tested many SD rounds, (including Gold Dot 124g+P), but only two passed the test: Hornady Critical Duty 135g+P (313 rounds with no failures), and Federal HST 147g (200 rounds with no failures). Remington Golden Saber 147g also did well, but I had an early failure to eject with it, and then a second FTE about round 230. As I recall, I had about three FTEs with Gold Dots in 150 rounds. Admittedly, my Shield is unusually cranky, but even if your Shield functions perfectly, I'll echo what Execpro says above: You need to find out what works reliably in YOUR gun.

FYI, my Shield 9 carries the Hornady Critical Duty rounds.

As to range ammo, I like Speer Lawman 124g.
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Old 08-18-2018, 04:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ContinentalOp View Post
I plan on running a box of the 124gr GDHP +P regular version through my PX4 Compact (3.27" barrel) to see how it shoots. FWIW, I wouldn't worry about using the short-barrel version. The regular version is more economical as you can get it in 50-round boxes. I doubt that real world results would have any significant difference between the two versions as far as terminal ballistics go.

But if you want to try the short-barrel version, and you end up preferring it, there's nothing wrong with that choice, either.
FWIW, ContinentalOp’s response was pretty much the only one on point regarding the original question from noshow...
Speer produces the 124GD in a regular version and a Short Barrel specific version, both of which are +p: #23617 and #23611

I recently ordered from my LGS a couple of boxes of the SB specific ammo to run through my G43 off duty/BUG. I’m also curious as to what, if any benefit there is to gain with the SB version...
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