Speer Gold Dot .38 Special +P 125gr JHP Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • JHP • MPN: 53720
Speer Gold Dot .38 Special +P 125gr JHP Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • JHP • MPN: 53720
Solved from this product's advertised 945 fps, 125gr bullet and G1 BC 0.141, with the sight 0.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .38 Special.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 4" vital zone, ±2" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 100 yards.
.38 Special 125gr with a 10-yard zero
Zeroed at 10 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 10 and 25 yards, peaks +0.1" at 17 yards, and is -2.2" at 50 and -14.8" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 945 | 248 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.65 | -1.06 | 939 | 245 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.05 | -0.01 | 933 | 242 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.55 | +0.16 | 928 | 239 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.38 | +0.11 | 922 | 236 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 0.0" | -0.11 | -0.03 | 917 | 233 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.77 | -0.22 | 911 | 231 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.6" | -1.53 | -0.44 | 906 | 228 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.0" | -2.34 | -0.68 | 901 | 225 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.5" | -3.21 | -0.93 | 896 | 223 | 0.8 |
| 50 | -2.2" | -4.10 | -1.19 | 891 | 220 | 1.0 |
| 55 | -2.9" | -5.03 | -1.46 | 886 | 218 | 1.1 |
| 60 | -3.8" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 881 | 216 | 1.3 |
| 65 | -4.7" | -6.94 | -2.02 | 877 | 213 | 1.5 |
| 70 | -5.8" | -7.92 | -2.30 | 872 | 211 | 1.8 |
| 75 | -7.0" | -8.91 | -2.59 | 867 | 209 | 2.0 |
| 80 | -8.3" | -9.92 | -2.89 | 863 | 207 | 2.3 |
| 85 | -9.8" | -10.94 | -3.18 | 858 | 205 | 2.5 |
| 90 | -11.3" | -11.98 | -3.48 | 854 | 203 | 2.8 |
| 95 | -13.0" | -13.02 | -3.79 | 850 | 200 | 3.1 |
| 100 | -14.8" | -14.07 | -4.09 | 845 | 198 | 3.5 |
125gr G1 .141 at 945 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 125gr with a 15-yard zero
Zeroed at 15 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 15 and 17 yards, peaks 0.0" at 16 yards, and is -2.4" at 50 and -15.3" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 945 | 248 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.20 | -1.22 | 939 | 245 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.60 | -0.17 | 933 | 242 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 928 | 239 | 0.2 |
| 20 | 0.0" | -0.17 | -0.05 | 922 | 236 | 0.2 |
| 25 | -0.2" | -0.67 | -0.19 | 917 | 233 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.4" | -1.32 | -0.38 | 911 | 231 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.8" | -2.08 | -0.60 | 906 | 228 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.2" | -2.90 | -0.84 | 901 | 225 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.8" | -3.76 | -1.09 | 896 | 223 | 0.8 |
| 50 | -2.5" | -4.65 | -1.35 | 891 | 220 | 1.0 |
| 55 | -3.2" | -5.58 | -1.62 | 886 | 218 | 1.1 |
| 60 | -4.1" | -6.52 | -1.90 | 881 | 216 | 1.3 |
| 65 | -5.1" | -7.49 | -2.18 | 877 | 213 | 1.5 |
| 70 | -6.2" | -8.47 | -2.46 | 872 | 211 | 1.8 |
| 75 | -7.5" | -9.46 | -2.75 | 867 | 209 | 2.0 |
| 80 | -8.8" | -10.47 | -3.05 | 863 | 207 | 2.3 |
| 85 | -10.3" | -11.49 | -3.34 | 858 | 205 | 2.5 |
| 90 | -11.8" | -12.53 | -3.64 | 854 | 203 | 2.8 |
| 95 | -13.5" | -13.57 | -3.95 | 850 | 200 | 3.1 |
| 100 | -15.3" | -14.63 | -4.25 | 845 | 198 | 3.5 |
125gr G1 .141 at 945 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 125gr with a 25-yard zero
Zeroed at 25 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 10 and 25 yards, peaks +0.1" at 17 yards, and is -2.1" at 50 and -14.6" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 945 | 248 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.51 | -1.02 | 939 | 245 | 0.1 |
| 10 | +0.0" | +0.10 | +0.03 | 933 | 242 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.70 | +0.20 | 928 | 239 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.52 | +0.15 | 922 | 236 | 0.2 |
| 25 | +0.0" | +0.03 | +0.01 | 917 | 233 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.63 | -0.18 | 911 | 231 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.5" | -1.38 | -0.40 | 906 | 228 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -0.9" | -2.20 | -0.64 | 901 | 225 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.5" | -3.07 | -0.89 | 896 | 223 | 0.8 |
| 50 | -2.1" | -3.96 | -1.15 | 891 | 220 | 1.0 |
| 55 | -2.8" | -4.89 | -1.42 | 886 | 218 | 1.1 |
| 60 | -3.7" | -5.83 | -1.70 | 881 | 216 | 1.3 |
| 65 | -4.6" | -6.80 | -1.98 | 877 | 213 | 1.5 |
| 70 | -5.7" | -7.78 | -2.26 | 872 | 211 | 1.8 |
| 75 | -6.9" | -8.77 | -2.55 | 867 | 209 | 2.0 |
| 80 | -8.2" | -9.78 | -2.85 | 863 | 207 | 2.3 |
| 85 | -9.6" | -10.80 | -3.14 | 858 | 205 | 2.5 |
| 90 | -11.2" | -11.84 | -3.44 | 854 | 203 | 2.8 |
| 95 | -12.8" | -12.88 | -3.75 | 850 | 200 | 3.1 |
| 100 | -14.6" | -13.93 | -4.05 | 845 | 198 | 3.5 |
125gr G1 .141 at 945 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Speer's Gold Dot +P 125-grain leaves the muzzle at 945 fps with 248 ft-lbs. Gold Dot is Speer's bonded hollow point, with the jacket bonded to the core so the two stay together, and it is built for defensive use. The power factor is 118: over the 105 IDPA stock-revolver floor, under the 120 USPSA revolver-minor floor by 2. From a 25-yard zero the bullet drops 2.1 inches at 50 yards, where it is still moving 891 fps, and 14.6 inches at 100. It is a +P load, so check that your revolver is rated for it. The nickel-plated brass case is reloadable.
Three of the +P 125-grain hollow points here share its muzzle numbers. CCI Blazer +P 125 and Remington UMC +P 125 both list 945 fps and 248 ft-lbs, so recoil energy in the same revolver is identical and drop matches within 0.1 inch at 100 yards; the Blazer's aluminum case is the difference, and it is not reloadable. Magtech +P 125 is 7 fps and 4 ft-lbs behind with about 1 percent less recoil. Remington Golden Saber +P 125 is the hot one at 975 fps and 264 ft-lbs, 30 fps and 16 ft-lbs ahead, with about 5 percent more recoil energy and a power factor of 122 that does make 120. The standard-pressure Speer Gold Dot 125 is 80 fps and 40 ft-lbs behind, with about 13 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver, and drops 2.9 inches more at 100 yards.
Buy it if your revolver is rated for +P and you want a bonded 125-grain hollow point at the 945 fps that most of the +P loads here run. If the revolver is not rated for +P, the standard-pressure Speer Gold Dot 125 at 865 fps is the same bullet at lower pressure. For practice that feels like this load without the hollow point, Speer Lawman 125 TMJ runs 863 fps with about 14 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver, so it is a fair stand-in but a soft one.
- Bonded Gold Dot jacket and core at the same 945 fps and 248 ft-lbs as Remington UMC +P 125 and CCI Blazer +P 125
- Still carries 198 ft-lbs at 100 yards, 27 more than the standard-pressure Speer Gold Dot 125
- Power factor of 118 clears the IDPA stock-revolver floor of 105 by 13
- Needs a +P-rated revolver, where the standard-pressure Speer Gold Dot 125 runs in any .38 Special at 865 fps
- Remington Golden Saber +P 125 carries 209 ft-lbs at 100 yards to the Gold Dot's 198
- About 16 percent more recoil energy than the standard-pressure Speer Gold Dot 125 in the same revolver
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 gr | JHP | 945 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.141 |
$0.67
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | JHP | 865 fps | 208 ft-lbs | 0.141 |
$1.17
50 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | JHP | 945 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.132 | N/A | |
| 125 gr | SJHP | 945 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.14 |
$0.64
500 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | SJHP | 938 fps | 244 ft-lbs | 0.163 |
$1.01
50 Rounds
|
|
| 125 gr | BJHP | 975 fps | 264 ft-lbs | 0.142 |
$2.42
20 Rounds
|
All Speer Gold Dot .38 Special +P 125gr JHP Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 1000 | $649.00 | $23.92 | $672.92 | $0.67 |
| Lucky Gunner | 50 | $33.00 | $18.43 | $51.43 | $1.03 |
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