Heads-up: 135-gr Gold Dots at Midway

[Erich]

Though I was nowhere near out of stock, last night I bought a few more boxes to put back. I thought you gents would appreciate the heads-up:

Speer Gold Dot Bullets 38 Cal (357 Diameter) 135 Grain Bonded Jacketed

 

[Rule3]

Nice find! Gold Dots are hard to come by compared to say XTP's

 

[les.b]

Thanks, Erich, these are the bullet that I carry in factory loaded 38 and 357 ammo. I have been thinking about loading my own, but was unsure where to find the component bullet. I'm ordering a couple of boxes. I've been able to find the loaded 38 SB version, but the 357 SB version has been next to impossible to find. I still have a few boxes squirreled away, but I foresee another bleak supply period ahead, and am trying to prepare.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Erich]

Nice find! Gold Dots are hard to come by compared to say XTP's

Yeah, that's because they expand!

 

[les.b]

Yeah, that's because they expand!

Erich:

I said that I carry the 357 short barrel commercial version of this bullet cartridge combination by Speer. I've told this story before on another thread, but I'll hit the highlights here. I was carrying one of my pocket 357s, the M&P 340, I think, and it was loaded with these bullets, but in the factory fodder, which is almost impossible to find anymore.

I had just come home from work and was pulling into my farm, and getting out of my SUV, when my GF's father, who has permission to deer hunt my land, yelled at me that he had wounded a deer and it was headed my way. I later learned that it had jumped just as he pulled the trigger, and he had only damaged a leg. The deer was not dying at that time. Just then it ran past me, in a direction where it was safe to fire. I double tapped the deer, and it dropped within a few feet.

When he dressed out the deer, I asked him to record, to the best of his ability how deep the bullets had penetrated, and to save them for me. I still have them, and will try to take a picture of them to post. You're right: they expand. This was out of a 1 7/8" barrel, and at about 30 yards distance. They penetrated about 14 or 15 inches, and the expansion was just like a picture from a Speer advertisement. IIRC, when I weighed them, they had only lost a couple of grains weight, and had not broken up.

I'm sure that I'm forgetting bits of the story, but I was very impressed with this performance, and it validated what I had read and heard about this fine bullet.

That's why I still carry Speer 135 gr .357 mag ammo in my pocket revolver ( I have a 340 PD, a M&P 340, and a 640-1 Pro Series).

I trust this bullet. I also carry Gold Dots in my .45 Kimber Ultra CDP, when I carry it, and I have them for my .40 Glock, although I don't carry it very much... But like to have a cartridge that I can trust if I ever do. It's what my PD issued in the .40.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Erich]

That's why I have them handloaded in my guns.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

 

[les.b]

Just ordered two boxes, I have Midway set up like Amazons one click, almost. Probably not a good thing, makes it too easy to spend money. Yesterday, at a local Gun Shop, I found Federal 22 Champion for $29.80 for a true brick of 10x 50 Rd boxes, or 500 rds. No purchase limit. We should get what we can now. November is only a couple of months away.

Best Regards, Les

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I ordered a few boxes, thank you Erich.

I would have ordered more if I had more cash lol. Now I'd Winchester would do a run if their 145gr Silvertips I would be all set!

 

[loc n load]

Thanks Erich, just ordered several hundred. I have used them for years in several calibers and share Les and your's opinion of them.

 

[Rogeronimo]

I ordered 1000 of these when Midway sent out the product arrival notification. Interestingly, Speer only recommends these be used within a very narrow velocity band, not to exceed 1000fps m.v., and has released data sheets on the subject ... 38 spl +p and less-than-max 357 mag, including load data to eliminate fragmentation and poor penetration. It's in the public domain, so I've included a screen shot. FYI: The factory 357 loads are rated at 990 fps m.v. from a 2" bbl, so it is what it is.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It's not so strange Speer recommending their 135gr bullets should be kept to 1000 fps or lower. They specifically designed that bullet to reliably expand at the lower velocities associated with a short barrel revolver. If you want to push a Gold Dot bullet harder buy their 125gr or 158gr GDHP bullet instead.

 

[johnnyflake]

Just went there to pick up a box or two and they're out of stock already!

 

[Erich]

Mine arrived yesterday: poorly packaged (boxes tossed into a lightweight mylar bubble envelope) and one of the boxes had burst as a result. A zillion bullets all over when I slit the envelope. Not what one used to expect from the Potterfields (and a marked contrast from the overpackaging one sees from Sportsman's Guide), but nothing worth griping to them about. And I'm happy Midway had them in stock and I very much appreciate their improvements on their ordering/notification system.

 

[les.b]

Mine came yesterday as well. Packed the same way, would have been here a day earlier, but when UPS received them (I could see by tracking) they then delivered them to the USPS, who then delivered them to my house. I remember when these two companies were competitors, and now they are like a football team passing the ball off to a teammate to run down the field. Adds a day or so to delivery time.

Still... Happy to have them, and my boxes didn't break, and are now sitting on the bullet shelf of my reloading bench.

Thanks again for the heads up, Erich!!!

Best Regards, Les

 

[scooter123]

I was on Midway's Notify list for these bullets so when I saw that email I didn't hesitate for a moment, ordered 5 boxes to put up and will be loading my last box remaining prior to the update this weekend. Just wish they weren't so darned expensive, not only are they great for Defense they are also distinctly accurate out of my 2 1/2 inch model 19.

 

[mjzman]

Mid-South Shooters Supply also got them in a few days after Midway. Looks like still in stock and a couple dollars a box cheaper than Midway. Speer must have just done a big run of them so maybe we will see them in several places over the next week or two.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Mine arrived yesterday: poorly packaged (boxes tossed into a lightweight mylar bubble envelope) and one of the boxes had burst as a result. A zillion bullets all over when I slit the envelope. Not what one used to expect from the Potterfields (and a marked contrast from the overpackaging one sees from Sportsman's Guide), but nothing worth griping to them about. And I'm happy Midway had them in stock and I very much appreciate their improvements on their ordering/notification system.

Mine came on Saturday in the same packaging. On of the boxes was cracked with 20 some-odd bullets in the envelope loose. Funny thing is, the sealed box was short the bullets that were loose in the envelope. I have a feeling many of the factory boxes were light on bullets and they are weighting them and adding what's needed to make a full box. I originally thought the cracked box was where the bullets came from but it was not.

 

[Fishslayer]

Mine arrived yesterday: poorly packaged (boxes tossed into a lightweight mylar bubble envelope) and one of the boxes had burst as a result. A zillion bullets all over when I slit the envelope. Not what one used to expect from the Potterfields (and a marked contrast from the overpackaging one sees from Sportsman's Guide), but nothing worth griping to them about. And I'm happy Midway had them in stock and I very much appreciate their improvements on their ordering/notification system.

My own experience and that of several others would indicate this is Midway's new normal. Maybe we SHOULD be dingin' 'em when we get our stuff this way. I don't particularly enjoy fishin' around in the nooks & crannys for loose bullets.