Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 185gr JHP Ammo Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • JHP • MPN: 23964GD
Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 185gr JHP Ammo Ballistics
Nickel-Plated Brass Case • JHP • MPN: 23964GD
Solved from this product's advertised 1050 fps, 185gr bullet and G1 BC 0.109, with the sight 0.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .45 ACP.
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.
.45 ACP 185gr with a 10-yard zero
Zeroed at 10 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight on the way up at 10 yards, peaks +0.2" at 20 yards, crosses back down at 29 yards, and is -1.5" at 50 and -12.0" 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 | 1,050 | 453 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.83 | -1.11 | 1,038 | 443 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.05 | -0.02 | 1,027 | 434 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.72 | +0.21 | 1,017 | 425 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.2" | +0.70 | +0.20 | 1,007 | 417 | 0.3 |
| 25 | +0.1" | +0.37 | +0.11 | 997 | 409 | 0.4 |
| 30 | 0.0" | -0.12 | -0.04 | 988 | 401 | 0.6 |
| 35 | -0.3" | -0.72 | -0.21 | 979 | 394 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.6" | -1.39 | -0.40 | 971 | 387 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -1.0" | -2.10 | -0.61 | 962 | 380 | 1.2 |
| 50 | -1.5" | -2.85 | -0.83 | 954 | 374 | 1.4 |
| 55 | -2.1" | -3.63 | -1.06 | 946 | 368 | 1.7 |
| 60 | -2.8" | -4.43 | -1.29 | 939 | 362 | 2.0 |
| 65 | -3.6" | -5.25 | -1.53 | 931 | 356 | 2.3 |
| 70 | -4.5" | -6.10 | -1.77 | 924 | 351 | 2.6 |
| 75 | -5.5" | -6.96 | -2.02 | 917 | 346 | 2.9 |
| 80 | -6.6" | -7.83 | -2.28 | 910 | 341 | 3.3 |
| 85 | -7.8" | -8.72 | -2.54 | 904 | 336 | 3.7 |
| 90 | -9.1" | -9.63 | -2.80 | 897 | 331 | 4.1 |
| 95 | -10.5" | -10.55 | -3.07 | 891 | 326 | 4.6 |
| 100 | -12.0" | -11.48 | -3.34 | 884 | 321 | 5.0 |
185gr G1 .109 at 1,050 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.
.45 ACP 185gr with a 15-yard zero
Zeroed at 15 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 15 yards without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -1.9" at 50 and -12.8" 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 | 1,050 | 453 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.3" | -4.55 | -1.32 | 1,038 | 443 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.77 | -0.22 | 1,027 | 434 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,017 | 425 | 0.2 |
| 20 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 1,007 | 417 | 0.3 |
| 25 | -0.1" | -0.34 | -0.10 | 997 | 409 | 0.4 |
| 30 | -0.3" | -0.84 | -0.25 | 988 | 401 | 0.6 |
| 35 | -0.5" | -1.44 | -0.42 | 979 | 394 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.9" | -2.11 | -0.61 | 971 | 387 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -1.3" | -2.82 | -0.82 | 962 | 380 | 1.2 |
| 50 | -1.9" | -3.57 | -1.04 | 954 | 374 | 1.4 |
| 55 | -2.5" | -4.35 | -1.26 | 946 | 368 | 1.7 |
| 60 | -3.2" | -5.15 | -1.50 | 939 | 362 | 2.0 |
| 65 | -4.1" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 931 | 356 | 2.3 |
| 70 | -5.0" | -6.82 | -1.98 | 924 | 351 | 2.6 |
| 75 | -6.0" | -7.68 | -2.23 | 917 | 346 | 2.9 |
| 80 | -7.2" | -8.55 | -2.49 | 910 | 341 | 3.3 |
| 85 | -8.4" | -9.44 | -2.75 | 904 | 336 | 3.7 |
| 90 | -9.8" | -10.35 | -3.01 | 897 | 331 | 4.1 |
| 95 | -11.2" | -11.26 | -3.28 | 891 | 326 | 4.6 |
| 100 | -12.8" | -12.19 | -3.55 | 884 | 321 | 5.0 |
185gr G1 .109 at 1,050 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.
.45 ACP 185gr with a 25-yard zero
Zeroed at 25 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 25 yards and never rises more than 0.1" above it (effectively a tangent zero), and is -1.7" at 50 and -12.4" 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 | 1,050 | 453 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.19 | -1.22 | 1,038 | 443 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.41 | -0.12 | 1,027 | 434 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.36 | +0.10 | 1,017 | 425 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.35 | +0.10 | 1,007 | 417 | 0.3 |
| 25 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 997 | 409 | 0.4 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.48 | -0.14 | 988 | 401 | 0.6 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.08 | -0.31 | 979 | 394 | 0.7 |
| 40 | -0.7" | -1.75 | -0.51 | 971 | 387 | 0.9 |
| 45 | -1.2" | -2.46 | -0.72 | 962 | 380 | 1.2 |
| 50 | -1.7" | -3.21 | -0.93 | 954 | 374 | 1.4 |
| 55 | -2.3" | -3.99 | -1.16 | 946 | 368 | 1.7 |
| 60 | -3.0" | -4.79 | -1.39 | 939 | 362 | 2.0 |
| 65 | -3.8" | -5.61 | -1.63 | 931 | 356 | 2.3 |
| 70 | -4.7" | -6.46 | -1.88 | 924 | 351 | 2.6 |
| 75 | -5.8" | -7.32 | -2.13 | 917 | 346 | 2.9 |
| 80 | -6.9" | -8.19 | -2.38 | 910 | 341 | 3.3 |
| 85 | -8.1" | -9.08 | -2.64 | 904 | 336 | 3.7 |
| 90 | -9.4" | -9.99 | -2.91 | 897 | 331 | 4.1 |
| 95 | -10.9" | -10.91 | -3.17 | 891 | 326 | 4.6 |
| 100 | -12.4" | -11.84 | -3.44 | 884 | 321 | 5.0 |
185gr G1 .109 at 1,050 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 Gold Dot 185-grain JHP is a bonded hollow point .45 ACP load made for self-defense. Speer bonds the jacket to the lead core so the two hold together as the bullet expands, and 185 grains is the lighter of the two Gold Dot bullets compared. It leaves the muzzle at 1,050 fps with 453 ft-lbs of energy.
From a 25-yard zero it prints 1.7 inches low at 50 yards, the flattest of the standard-pressure loads compared. Estimated recoil in a compact pistol is 8.9 ft-lbs, 1.6 under Federal HST 230-grain JHP.
If you're cross-shopping, Federal HST 230-grain JHP starts 160 fps slower yet reaches 50 yards with the same energy, from its heavier bullet. Speer Gold Dot Carry Gun +P 200-grain JHP adds 65 ft-lbs at the muzzle and 64 at 50 yards.
- Keeps 374 of its 453 ft-lbs at 50 yards, 83 percent of the muzzle figure
- The most muzzle energy of any load compared that is not +P
- A bonded jacket and core, where Hornady Custom uses a conventional jacketed hollow point
- Sheds 96 fps by the 50-yard line, the most of the loads compared
- Kicks harder than Hornady Critical Defense at the same bullet weight
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185 gr | JHP | 1050 fps | 453 ft-lbs | 0.109 |
$1.43
200 Rounds
|
|
| 185 gr | FTX | 900 fps | 333 ft-lbs | 0.14 |
$1.36
500 Rounds
|
|
| 200 gr | JHP | 1080 fps | 518 ft-lbs | 0.138 |
$2.76
20 Rounds
|
|
| 200 gr | XTP | 900 fps | 360 ft-lbs | 0.151 | N/A | |
| 220 gr | FlexLock | 975 fps | 464 ft-lbs | 0.18 |
$1.45
500 Rounds
|
|
| 230 gr | JHP | 890 fps | 404 ft-lbs | 0.19 |
$0.64
1000 Rounds
|
All Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 185gr JHP Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentry Ammo | 200 | $274.95 | $10.99 | $285.94 | $1.43 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 200 | $290.32 | $0.00 | $290.32 | $1.45 |
| Sentry Ammo | 100 | $138.92 | $12.99 | $151.91 | $1.52 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 100 | $161.96 | $10.99 | $172.95 | $1.73 |
| Sentry Ammo | 20 | $33.91 | $11.99 | $45.90 | $2.30 |
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