How does the new hollow-point bullet perform?
Thats what the author sets out to discover.
Ammunition was provided by Speer to the author for this article.
Speer’s Gold Dot G2 ammo takes duty-grade 9mm performance to the next level. Shown with Echelon 4.5F pistol.
The search for a perfect self-defense round for everyday carry (EDC) is a seemingly never-ending one.
Now, obviously, thats not intended as legal advice to you, the reader.
But, its certainly an interesting anecdote.
The author put the Speer ammo to the test on the range, finding it to be both reliable and accurate.
[Dont miss Massad Ayoobs articleWhat Are Hollow Point Bullets Designed to Do?]
In particular, we are considering the 147-gr.
Is it as reliable, effective and accurate as they claim?
The G2 round features a shallow cavity in the nose of the bullet filled with a durable elastomer that prevents clogging. Fissures cut into the projectile encourage expansion.
Background on the Speer Self-Defense Ammunition
First things first, what is Speer Gold Dot ammunition?
Speer introduced Gold Dot in 1991, hailing it as a revolutionary step forward in bullet design.
Speer went in a totally different direction: They would fuse a pressure-formed lead core to a plated jacket.
The author fires Speer Gold Dot G2 9mm rounds from a Springfield Echelon equipped with a red dot sight. A Ransom Multi-Cal Steady Rest ensured consistent accuracy during testing at the shooting range.
This design created a molecular bond between the jacket and the core, eliminating any risk of bullet separation.
Speer named this process UNICOR construction.
Moving Forward
Now, what exactly is the Speer Gold Dot G2?
The author charted the velocity of the G2 ammo with a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph. Shown are the results in the associated app.
Speer chose a totally different bullet design for these G2 projectiles.
Now you might ask, what is elastomer?
Hence the nameelastomer, from elastic polymer.
The author used Clear Ballistics gel to test the expansion and penetration of Speer Gold Dot G2 bullets. Results provide insight into the ammo’s defensive performance.
This provides more consistent performance through tough barriers.
At its simplest, it prevents that hollow point from getting plugged.
This is a very interesting design.
In other cases, I have seen projectiles prematurely expand upon hitting a barrier, causing under-penetration.
Testing the Gold Dot G2 on the Shooting Range
Okay.
Enough theory and tech talk.
Lets get on to the testing.
It pretty much fulfills all my handgun needs, and its versatility is unequaled.
Like always, I did my testing at C2 Tactical in Scottsdale, Arizona.
My first test was to determine the velocity and kinetic energy that this load would provide.
Its compact, lightweight design makes it an ideal addition to your range bag.
The chronograph result for the 147-gr.
load was 1010.6 feet per second (fps), with a kinetic energy of 333 ft-lb.
Speer advertises the load with a velocity of 1,020 fps, with a kinetic energy of 340 ft-lb.
Why is there a minor discrepancy between my results and the factory-provided results?
First, no two chronographs will provide the same, exact results.
Secondly, the barrel length of the test gun can affect results.
And lastly, several environmental factors will affect chronograph results.
Humidity, elevation, barometric pressure and ambient temperature are all variables that can affect results.
And lets be frank, my numbers came very, very close to the published ones.
The next step was a gel test.
I use the Clear Ballistics gelatin because of its ease of use and reusability.
Plus, refrigeration is not required.
The first round fired into the gel penetrated approximately 14.5.
This falls within the FBI requirements for a duty round.
My third and final test was for accuracy.
My results were consistent.
The smallest group was .825 while the largest group which included a called flyer was 1.5.
My average was 1.073.
If it werent for that pesky flyer, my average would have been under 1.
Clearly, the Speer Gold Dot G2 showed itself to be more than capable of very solid accuracy.
This is an absolute must for any ammunition intended for a defensive-style firearm.
Over the course of my testing of the Gold Dot G2 ammo, I didnt have a single stoppage.
Every round I fired reliably fed, fired, extracted and ejected, consistently.
The velocity test confirmed how consistent this ammunition is.
The extreme spread between the fastest and slowest shots was only 18.1 fps, which is quite impressive.
My results were merely 9.4 fps slower than the factory-advertised velocity.
In the penetration test, 14.5 is a superb result for this kind of duty ammunition.
The projectile expanded perfectly and penetrated as expected.
I couldnt have asked for a better performance.
Its accurate and reliable with superb performance.
The question is, would I use this ammunition to defend my life?
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