Has there been any test results on the Speer gold Dot, 250 grain 45 colt loaded ammo? I am thinking about changing my carry load in my 4" 25-5 from the Corbon 200gr load (1100 fps) to the Speer load (listed at 900 fps from a 5.5"). Does anyone know what velocity I could expect from my 4" barrel? It would seem like If it's any where as good as the 135 grain 38 Spl load it should be a winner. It also seems like 250 at 850 - 900 fps may be easier on the gun than 200gr at 1100 fps. Any thoughts? I looked and can't find any real world data on penetration, expansion, muzzle flash, etc.

Also, The Corbon load used to be listed as standard pressure ( mine are not marked +P) and now thay ae listed as +P loads. Did they change or anly finally acknowledge that they were hot.

I would call Corbon about the pressure question. If the corbon load shoots well, I wouldn't change if this ammo is intended for self defense. Corbon uses Sierra bullets in their JHPs and I've only heard good things about their performance. I just don't see a well designed bullet not expanding at the velocity the Corbon load is launching them at. The only thing that would give me confidence in the performance of the Speer bullet at those low velocities is my firmly held belief that Speer's engineers have their crap together. All the same the Speer round is perhaps a hunting cartridge designed for deep penetration? This entire post is totally off the top of my head, and I look forward to the opinions of others, but the Speer load strikes me as an overpenetrator. I have Corbon 165 gr. JHPs in my .44 mag. right now.

They latest corbon catalog and website info now lists the 45 colt load as "exceeding SAAMI pressure" and +P.

Speer lists the 250gr gold dot load in the personal defense section not the hunting section. In the details it is called a personal defense load.

I would still go with the Corbon load. Once you're zeroed and changed over you'll only have to fire a dozen or so rounds a year. If you handload then you can make a practice round that shoots to POI and maybe save a little money on bullets, since the 200 grainers have less metal in them. All the same, it's not like Speer's 250 grain bullet won't work. That's too much metal not to make one hell of a hole. You can always try them at the same time and see what you and the gun shoot best together with.

The Speer load is a "standard" and designed to hit near the point of aim for standard lead 45 colt loads, so all the folks out there shooting fixed sighted single actions will have a defense load that hits at about the same place. They are accurate in my Blackhawk and Vaquero and very accurate in my Uberti Remington's when I use them with their Kenny Howell 45 Colt cylinders, but I have not chrono'ed them yet. I like 'em.

For what it's worth, I'm also a great fan of CorBon's, but I wanted something a bit less stressful on the Rugers and quicker for follow up shots for self defense applications. The Remington conversions would not be safe with +P loads, so CorBon's would not be an option with them. And, yes, sometimes they have to serve in an SD role because they're what I happen to be carrying at the time.

Now I get why speer is using such a heavy bullet. That makes a lot of sense.

I shot a few 250 Gold Dots thru water jugs and can attest to the fact that they fully expand by the time they are thru the first jug. Usually they measured at about .75 inch and most importantly, they kept all of their weight.
I shot them with my 4 in. MG. Good hi-perf round for the 45 Colt IMHO.
Steve

Since I normally shoot 250gr cast semi-wadcutters in my 4" 25-5 and the sights are set for them, I believe that I will get some of the Gold dots. As they are the same weight they should shoot close to point of aim without needing to re-adjust the sights. I realize that the 25-5 can take the +P Corbons with no problems but this way the load I practice with and the Gold Dot load should shoot fairly close together. A trip to the range will tell.

I believe that the Speer Gold Dot is possibly the best handgun bullet on the market right now. The bonded core does not separate from the jacket. The ones that are designed for revolvers have wide hollow points with sharp edges. My only complaint is that Speer tends to factory load them a bit soft and as a result the .40 180 GDHP sometimes literally falls out of man and beast after we shoot them. Speer seems too concerned about "over penetration" in LEO ammo and as such the bullets often don't penetrate enough. A 250 gr. .45 Colt should penetrate better by virtue of its own mass. That would certainly be my choice over any 200 gr. bullet. Another nice bullet is the Barnes XPB with its sharp hollow point and deep cavity, but being all copper they are light for caliber.

Dave Sinko