Any doubt for the Golden Saber?

[500SNW]

I love Golden Sabers. IMHO they are the most consistent JHP I've seen. Consult the Lucky Gunner tests to see their results. FWIW, I believe that, if you are buying bulk GS bullets for reloading, there are two distinct variations - a .38 Special GS and a .357 GS - designed specifically to expand at those velocity ranges.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/

EDIT: Ignore the viglink redirect and proceed on to the site GRRR

 

[typetwelve]

I have little doubt in them...and in many other modern defensive rounds.

Lucky Gunner did one of the most comprehensive tests I've ever seen on that round as well as many others:

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/

The Golden Saber performed well in many different tests, from many different firearms, in many different calibers.

There are a few exceptions to that, mostly being the .380, the 9mm bonded, and the 9mm 147gr. The rest in .38 +P, .357, other 9mm offerings, .40, and .45 all performed just fine.

Would I chose this round over others? Probably not. Would I trust them to do their job? Well...I have them loaded in my wife's S&W 67-1 is that says anything...

 

[mike campbell]

Mike-

What did you use for a target medium? At what range?

An editor who has shot many animals says that bullets perform on animals a lot like they perform in water. He's killed alligators with a 2.5 inch barreled .357 and 125 grain Rem. bullets, but I think they were full velocity rounds, not Golden Saber.

I've been shooting into six 1-gallon milk jugs full of water lined up on a sawhorse at 10-20 feet for 30-40 years because I value bullet expansion for thin-skinned, warm-blooded creatures up to 400lbs. When that included big game animals I shot into water-soaked phonebooks set at distances up to 300 yds. That allowed to me to have an inkling more info than others about the terminal performance of hunting ammo.

Here's a wide range of a few from among the dozens I've saved....

The first is a cast bullet intended for big game ... failure.
Second is as low-tech as it gets ... pure lead .45 HP at only 800fps that expanded to one inch.
Third is a modern, premium JHP at 5 times the cost of the second bullet.
Fourth is a standard quality Remington HP that's been available in bulk for 40 years.... long before all the miracle HP's available today. Anyone who was handloading for critters as far back as the 1980's new that it expanded from snub-nosed revolvers like nothing else.

Individuals who don't place a premium on bullet expansion for critters from handguns are in the minority. The minority is mostly populated by geniuses and dummies. I'm neither.

 

[rwsmith]

From what I gather so far.......

I've been shooting into six 1-gallon milk jugs full of water lined up on a sawhorse at 10-20 feet for 30-40 years because I value bullet expansion for thin-skinned, warm-blooded creatures up to 400lbs. When that included big game animals I shot into water-soaked phonebooks set at distances up to 300 yds. That allowed to me to have an inkling more info than others about the terminal performance of hunting ammo.

Here's a wide range of a few from among the dozens I've saved....

The first is a cast bullet intended for big game ... failure.
Second is as low-tech as it gets ... pure lead .45 HP at only 800fps that expanded to one inch.
Third is a modern, premium JHP at 5 times the cost of the second bullet.
Fourth is a standard quality Remington HP that's been available in bulk for 40 years.... long before all the miracle HP's available today. Anyone who was handloading for critters as far back as the 1980's new that it expanded from snub-nosed revolvers like nothing else.

Individuals who don't place a premium on bullet expansion for critters from handguns are in the minority. The minority is mostly populated by geniuses and dummies. I'm neither.

I haven't seen any reason yet to make an SWCHP when an SWC or flat nose can do as well or better. This kinda goes against the grain of what I think SHOULD be. I'm gonna have to find the Brinell hardness of these 158 grain jobs. I know that they deform easily on the press, but seem to act contrarily otherwise. Anyway. Im jacking my own thread going into why my SWCHP didn't perform which the Golden Saber did. Beautifully.

 

[vipermd]

well, I now know not to shoot a big dog through a thick collar.
I guess the bullet did stop the advance of the Rottweiler, if I
savvy the OP's abb. well.
OP: why call yourself Viper MD? Do you treat a lot of snakes?

The Rott was not attacking! It was only barking, and fortunately only required a little cleansing, anti- biotics, and a stitch or 2. The dog prob retreated from the noise, not being shot. There is no bad actor in this situation- Dog protecting family from unknown man yelling at them/ Trooper yelling to them to save them from oncoming forest fire. As for the collar it was a very light, less than 1/8" thick nylon, it was not a heavy leather working collar.
I agree, I dislike dogs running loose, which is why My Rotts, are on my property, or on a leash when in public.

No I do not Tx any snakes. Be Safe,

 

[JayFramer]

yep i have shot them into a jug of water and they expand real good. perfect carry shells.

 

[Irn-Bru]

Looking at the luckygunner test, the 124 grain Golden Saber didn't test so well. Lots of jacket separation. Stick to my Federal HST 147 grain.

 

[500SNW]

Looking at the luckygunner test, the 124 grain Golden Saber didn't test so well. Lots of jacket separation. Stick to my Federal HST 147 grain.

I think people over-analyze bullet configuration and performance. IMHO, in the end it comes down to a 125 grain .357 diameter piece of lead flying through the air at a specific velocity. Hitting the target in the vitals is more important than what type of bullet you use. That's why I use cast bullets for my carry loads. They are the most accurate and most reliable (meaning they have never pulled crimp and locked up my cylinder like some of the JHP's).