This stuff seems to be in kinda' short supply lately. The best price I've seen for anyplace that has any in stock is Bud's and they are asking $15.18 a 20 round box PLUS shipping ($11 for 7 boxes).
A local guy is selling 7 boxes for $100 - $14.29 a box with no shipping.
Is this stuff worth over 70 cents a round? Is it really that good?

While there are several good alternatives, there's nothing better, IMO.

Think about it .... a $400 gun and 20 rounds for < $20 should last you a lifetime, right? It's certainly not plinking ammo and it certainly isn't necessary to practice with it. Even if you shoot 5 rounds every 3 months just to stay comfortable/familiar with it, that's $20 a year for something you're counting on to save your life if you need it.

Yes, it's worth it.

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Carry.."hope" isn't a strategy

Speer CCI .38 Special Gold Dot HP Hollow Point 135gr +P ammunition

It says LE only but I don’t believe they check. It may be a distributor requirement since those are 50 round boxes. I would just try and buy them regardless. There are a lot that do just as well in ballistic test but the 135 gr Gold Dot has the street crowd to match.

Here is a link to a better price, $19.99 per 50 minus a $2 rebate. Buy 1000 and they even throw in free shipping so your grandchildren don't have to order more .

Speer Gold Dot LE Duty 38 Special Short Barrel Ammo 135 +P Gr JHP

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

For the snub nose .38 Special...........................
I think this is the best all around SD ammo for performance and lowest RECOIL
that will do the job, even with heavy winter gear on.

There are a few others that will work but that is my #1 choice
if my life is on the line.

You can find the Speer Gold Dot online in 50 rounds per box for $20-$24/box plus shipping. I just paid $62 for 2 boxes. The shipping IS expensive!,but I will not have to buy anymore for MANY years. I buy Winchester white box 125gr+p at Walmart when I need to practice with +p loads which is not often. Winchester Train & Defend 130gr at Walmart makes a GOOD practice round.
Not all sites require LE credentials to buy it.
I agree that this round is one of the best. I also use Winchester Ranger Bonded 130gr+p. It is very hard to find right now! I carry one or the other depending on what a specific gun shoots the most accurately.

Be SAFE and Shoot often!

Targetsports.com is the bomb
19.99 for a box of 50 and all ammo is free shipping if you get a case!

Best defense ammo currently made as far as I'm concerned.

I bought some of the bullets and reloaded my own. Way less expensive and my chronograph tests show it just a little below their velocities. I still have a couple of hundred bullets in unopened boxes. I'm now favoring the Underwood ammo, 140 grain Xtreme P which is a .38 SPL +P.

The new HST load exceeds performance of the old Gold Dot short barrel in pretty much every test I’ve seen.

With that said, the strange profile of that loads looks very troublesome during reloads. Maybe not though, haven’t used it yet.

Remember Gentlemen, all these Youtube video tests that are using Gel Blocks with Denim are just for "relative comparison" and contain no muscle, bone, arteries & veins, organs, objects in pockets, belts, etc . In other words, they might give adequate comparisons from one load/brand to another in that particular block, but all blocks, guns, temperature, etc. are not exactly the same. Just saying......

No matter how much we test, also pay attention to the Laws of Physics (mass, velocity, foot pounds of energy). While expansion is important, penetration is the next important thing right after shot placement. Since we don't always get to precisely choose where shots are placed, penetration trumps expansion IMO.

I've not shot any of the HST's and I have heard good things about them too, but in 38 spl, my first choice is the BB (#20A) 158 grain +P LSWCHP-GC (1,025 fps from a 2" M60 & 370 ft lbs energy). My second choice is the Speer Short Barrel GDHP 135 grain +P (860 fps from a 2" M60 & 222 ft. lbs of energy). I've not personally tested or shot any HST's so I can't comment on them.

While many here do practice with our EDC gear, situations are not always as we practice, adrenaline is pumping, we are nervous, we need to worry about bystander's, groups, etc. so shot placement is always "iffy".

I shot a 158 LHP out of my J frame that was doing up to 970fps.

The recoil, noise and accuracy, lead me to believe that there were better
loads for my revolver, only three of the five were fired.

I feel that a 158 at 851fps is the max........ for my revolver.
This is only 20 ft/lbs more than the 135gr JHP, that recoils a lot less
for a second shot if needed.

Both loads are proven stoppers.......
I just prefer the 135gr SB GD load right now.

As you see most of the posts are telling you we buy them in 50 round boxes. Last time I saw a sale I bought 200 rounds. I reload so I build replica ammo for practice so what I bought will last me a very long time.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

The New York PD reports positive results for stopping bad guys. With the Speer Gold Dot 135gr 38+P load. This is a street proven ammo. Can’t ask for more than that.

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Two Handguns every day

That is one of the reasons that I opted for this load in my S&W 640-1. Yes, it is chambered in and I have shot a fair amount of 357 Magnum through this revolver, but the Speer Short Barreled 38 Special +P load works very well and is very accurate.

All my short barrel guns get GD’s.

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Sure you did

I have a pretty good stock pile of the Speer SB loads in both .38 and .357. They shot good and as said above, are a proven performer.

Last summer I tried a box of Winchester Ranger 130 grain +P with the SXT bullet, RA38 B. This stuff performed well in my limited back yards tests, and I have always like that SXT bullet. I have carried it in my duty loads in .40 and 9mm for about 15 years now. The surprising thing was the accuracy that I got out of the Winchester load. Out standing out of 5 different snub nose and 4” barrel revolvers and it hit right to point of aim in both my model 60 and 640 PRO. The same for my shooting buddy’s model 442. Sg ammo had it for $19.00 a box of 50 and he and I stocked up. I liked how it shot so much that I bought ten boxes.

I used to use the Speer Short Barrel load but after checking out recent Lucky Gunner tests here, I switched to the Remington Golden Saber +P load. Much better performance in the tests and significantly less cost at Outdoor Limited (unfortunately currently out of stock). OL had the Remington load for under $9 for 25 rounds.

Remington .38 Golden Saber 125 Gr 25 Per Box Special Purchase Far below distributor cost @ $.32 per round Remington Golden Saber .38 Special +P 125 grain Brass Jacketed Hollow Point Excellent defensive load Buy a case of 500 rds for $150! $.30 a round b

That's a great price for an excellent SD round. If I hadn't stocked up with a few hundred rounds last time OL had them, I would be all over this offer.

..............................................

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

I use it in my M442 because it's very accurate in my gun. I feel most any current SD ammo will do the job it was built for so accuracy in my focus.

I carry the FBI Load in my M36 and 145gr Winchester Silvertip .357 Magnum ammo in my M640, again because of accuracy. The group's are so tight in the M640 with the Silvertips I though someone else shot them lol.

As I always say, the best bullet and ammo in the world will do you no good unless you make good hits. Accuracy is key.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Got my 5 boxes of the Speer 135gr +P SB tuesday evening. No one around my small town sells this ammo. And like a lot of gun related I have to order it. was better to pay 19.99 for 50 rounds in a box than have to fork more money for only 20 rounds. Thanks LoyalJeeper Frank