Gold Dot 124 Grain +P ammo for Glock 17

[Glockamole]

I recently purchased some Speer Gold Dot 124 Grain +P for my Glock 17 Gen 4. From doing some readings on the internet and youtube, the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P are excellent rounds.

Take a look at this video from YOutube, and see the excellent expansion propelled against water jogs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwaMwB13Gg. This video was showned from a Glock 19.

If I am correct, I think the NYPD also uses the Gold Dot 124 grain +P with their Glock 19.

Since I have a Glock 17, and that the barrel is .5 inches longer than the Glock 19, the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy would be greater. So the question is, will this +P ammo cause excessive wear on the Glock 17 and cause the Gold Dot to over-expand, and if so, should I not use the +P rounds? My guess is that I should be fine and not worry about it, but would like make sure of this if I wanted purchase more of this ammo.

 

[Bikebreath]

I'd go with the, "I should be fine and not worry about it" part.

 

[Bikebreath]

...and welcome.

 

[MikeTF]

I recently purchased some Speer Gold Dot 124 Grain +P for my Glock 17 Gen 4. From doing some readings on the internet and youtube, the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P are excellent rounds.

Take a look at this video from YOutube, and see the excellent expansion propelled against water jogs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwaMwB13Gg. This video was showned from a Glock 19.

If I am correct, I think the NYPD also uses the Gold Dot 124 grain +P with their Glock 19.

Since I have a Glock 17, and that the barrel is .5 inches longer than the Glock 19, the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy would be greater. So the question is, will this +P ammo cause excessive wear on the Glock 17 and cause the Gold Dot to over-expand, and if so, should I not use the +P rounds? My guess is that I should be fine and not worry about it, but would like make sure of this if I wanted purchase more of this ammo.

You should be fine! You can target practice with the $10 a box Federal Ammo from Walmart, and only occasionally shoot the defensive rounds through your gun.

 

[mikec]

Unless you have more $$ then sense you will buy enough of the +P ammo to test in the gun and make sure it functions and that you can handle the recoil, right? You also will fire the ammo in the mags every now and then and replace with new ammo, right? If you do that, the Glock will still out live you. If you decide to fire 2,000+ +P rounds a year, you may wear the frame.

You are over thinking the situation.

 

[Baccusboy]

I'd be more interested in this test:



Doubtful you'll ever fire enough +P rounds to damage your gun noticeably.

As for expansion, the thing is, shooting into plastic water jugs (filled with media or not) is just one way of testing how a round might work. When you put real body parts, bones, organs, etc., in front of a bullet, any number of things can happen. To me, the water jug tests give you an idea of the maximum expansion. Putting some denim in front of the jugs helps, but as you can see if you search where people have videoed bullets hitting pork ribs in front of the jugs, the bullet often won't expand well.

The Speer Gold Dot 9mm+P is a proven round that many people are very happy with. You've got a premium player, regardless. There's more to a good round than just expansion... excellent, reliable primers and materials like low-flash powders are also important.

From what I've read, the top boolits are these, in no particular order:

1. Winchester Ranger +P
2. Federal HST (pick your flavor of weight/power)
3. Corbon DPX
4. Speer Gold Dot +P

Honorable mention: Remington Golden Saber

Some rounds do better in some calibers compared to others. Based on the tests i've seen, I'm not a fan of the Speer Gold Dot in .40 at all. They don't seem to open well. In 9mm+P, they're decent.

The best round for YOU will be one that shoots good in your gun, expands reliably, penetrates 12 to 14 inches, and is controllable as you shoot multiples. Do not settle on one round just because it expands the best in Youtube tests. That's a good start to help you begin trying some rounds, but your gun is going to be more accurate (and you will be more accurate) with one brand of round over another. Accuracy and control trumps expansion.

If you want something low-recoil that meets this criteria, then look into the Hornady Critical Defense rounds. The only downfall is that the Critical Defense rounds aren't likely going to do so well if you're trying to shoot through barriers.

 

[Glockamole]

I was thinking about getting the 500 rounds of +P 9mm from sgammo.com. With the inflating dollar value, I am sure the prices would go up. Comparing these +P rounds to the walmart ones, I wouldn't be using the +P for target practicing. I might go broke before that happens.

 

[Baccusboy]

Glockamole, the price of ammo is going to drop like a rock soon, IMHO (maybe not 9mm, so much though).

 

[Baccusboy]

I know you aren't talking a .45, but if you want a decent round that does very well on the cheap in .45, take a look at the Winchester White Box Hollow Point Personal Defense rounds. Heck of a value.

 

[Baccusboy]

And by the way... you're the perfect candidate for a nice, big, fat, 147grain HST:

 

[mikec]

Glockamole, the price of ammo is going to drop like a rock soon, IMHO (maybe not 9mm, so much though).

"drop like a rock"? Fuel costs going to drop or labor or raw materials?

 

[Glockamole]

This might sound like playing with stocks prices, but when should the prices drop? One thing for sure, I am going to hold off on bulk purchases for the time being, while looking at ammotogo.com or sgammo.com peridically to catch a good deal. Thanks for the heads up on this.

 

[pop-gunner]

124 +p Gold Dot has been the issue round for ICE in their 9mm for a few years now.
I have seen what these bullets look like after being removed from a body.
I now have them in all of my 9mm defense guns.
You will not hurt your GLOCK shooting +p Gold Dot ammo in it.

 

[Hynes57]

Great advice! Thanks folks! Iwas wondering what to run in my newly acquired CZ-85 and now I know where to start. I figured it could handle most hot loads being full sized and steel.

 

[Fishguy]

"drop like a rock"? Fuel costs going to drop or labor or raw materials?

Supply verses demand. Remember, many folks paniced and hoarded in the "year of the gun" aka 2009...

 

[mikec]

Supply verses demand. Remember, many folks paniced and hoarded in the "year of the gun" aka 2009...

But to me, "drop like a rock" means $10 a box of 50 .45ACP 230gr ball. Major US brand, not steel cased Russian stuff. Back in the Fall of 2001 I got 10 boxes of US made .45 ball for $99. How about 240gr JHP .44 magnum for $12-$15 box of 50? I seriously doubt I will see those prices again. How about Winchester M855, five 20 round boxes for I think $22/100?

What is the going price for a good 9mm JHP? $1.00 per round in 25 round boxes, right? Will they ever hit $20-$25 for 50 rounds, same quality? I doubt it.

 

[Fishguy]

But to me, "drop like a rock" means $10 a box of 50 .45ACP 230gr ball. Major US brand, not steel cased Russian stuff. Back in the Fall of 2001 I got 10 boxes of US made .45 ball for $99. How about 240gr JHP .44 magnum for $12-$15 box of 50? I seriously doubt I will see those prices again. How about Winchester M855, five 20 round boxes for I think $22/100?

What is the going price for a good 9mm JHP? $1.00 per round in 25 round boxes, right? Will they ever hit $20-$25 for 50 rounds, same quality? I doubt it.

I think the point is that prices ran up in the panic quite noticeably more due to demand than rising manufacture/transport costs. As ammo sits on the shelf longer and longer, it will have to drop. How far? Nobody knows, if they did know, they wouldn't be telling you or me because that would be some pretty valuable information.

 

[Baccusboy]

I don't think you'll be seeing it that cheap, but we certainly have seen nutty amounts of hoarding. Obama came into office, and everyone went bonkers buying guns and ammo. Some spent a pretty penny on ammo. I predict that once the ammo prices go down, you'll see a sudden explosion of people who hoarded trying to unload much of their stash while prices are still high. This will drive prices lower very quickly. You'll probably see great deals at gunshows.

No, you won't see $10 boxes of .45 cal, but it will be cheaper than now!

 

[mikec]

I don't think you'll be seeing it that cheap, but we certainly have seen nutty amounts of hoarding. Obama came into office, and everyone went bonkers buying guns and ammo. Some spent a pretty penny on ammo. I predict that once the ammo prices go down, you'll see a sudden explosion of people who hoarded trying to unload much of their stash while prices are still high. This will drive prices lower very quickly. You'll probably see great deals at gunshows.

No, you won't see $10 boxes of .45 cal, but it will be cheaper than now!

But that is not "drop like a rock".

I will however add this, March of '09, 1000 round case of PMC Bronze 115gr 9mm FMJ from a local shop, $210 + 6% sales tax. AIM Surplus a few weeks back, the same ammo, $195 +S/H. Better, but ......

 

[Baccusboy]

We'll see.