Speer's standard-pressure Gold Dot is a 125-grain bonded hollow point, with the jacket bonded to the lead core so the two stay together, and it leaves the muzzle at 865 fps with 208 ft-lbs. That makes it the slowest and softest load in this group. Power factor is 108. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 2.6 inches low at 50 yards and 17.5 inches low at 100. In the same revolver it produces about 6 percent less recoil energy than the Hornady American Gunner 125-grain XTP, and less than any other load here.

Every comparison is faster. The American Gunner leaves at 900 fps, 35 fps ahead, and holds 203 ft-lbs at 50 yards to the Gold Dot's 188. The +P loads open a wider gap: the CCI Blazer +P and Remington UMC +P at 945 fps carry 40 ft-lbs more at the muzzle, Magtech +P at 938 fps carries 36 more, and the Remington Golden Saber +P at 975 fps carries 56 more with about 18 percent more recoil energy than the Gold Dot. At 100 yards the Magtech holds 201 ft-lbs and the Blazer 196, against 171 for the Gold Dot. Drop at 50 yards runs from 2.1 inches for the Blazer +P and Magtech +P to 2.6 for this one; the half inch does not matter at revolver distances.

Buy this for a revolver that is not rated for +P, or for a shooter who wants the softest-recoiling 125-grain hollow point in the caliber and accepts 208 ft-lbs to get it. It pairs with the Speer Lawman 125-grain TMJ for practice: 863 fps against 865, and recoil energy within 1 percent in the same revolver, so ball practice feels like the carry load. If your .38 Special revolver is rated for +P and you want more energy, the Magtech +P 125-grain carries 221 ft-lbs at 50 yards to this load's 188. A shooter who wants the heavy bullet should look at Hornady's 158-grain XTP at 800 fps: its power factor of 126 clears the 120 USPSA revolver-minor floor, with about 41 percent more recoil energy than this Gold Dot.