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 at 10 and 29 yards, peaks +0.2" at 20 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 crosses the line of sight at 15 and 20 yards, peaks +0.0" at 17 yards, 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 crosses the line of sight at 12 and 25 yards, peaks +0.1" at 18 yards, 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's Gold Dot 185-grain JHP is the fastest standard-pressure load in this group. Gold Dot is Speer's bonded hollow point, built for carry and home defense. It leaves the muzzle at 1,050 fps with 453 ft-lbs, a power factor of 194 that clears the 165 USPSA major floor by 29 points. The light bullet sheds speed faster, falling to 954 fps at 50 yards and 884 at 100. From a 25-yard zero it drops 1.7 inches at 50 yards and 12.4 inches at 100.
Against Federal HST 230 the Gold Dot leaves 160 fps faster with 49 ft-lbs more and produces about 15 percent less recoil energy in the same pistol. That energy lead is gone by 50 yards, where both carry 374 ft-lbs. Hornady Critical Defense 185 and Hornady Custom 200 XTP both start at 900 fps, 150 fps behind, and the Gold Dot has 120 and 93 ft-lbs more, for about 29 and 11 percent more recoil energy. The +P loads add more recoil than speed: Speer Gold Dot Carry Gun +P 200 is 30 fps faster with 65 ft-lbs more and about 23 percent more recoil energy, and Hornady Critical Duty +P 220 is 75 fps slower with about 25 percent more. Drop at 50 yards is within 0.2 inch of both +P loads.
Buy it for a pistol rated only for standard pressure when you want the most speed and energy that rating allows. It has the most muzzle energy of the four standard-pressure loads here. If your pistol is rated for +P, Speer Gold Dot Carry Gun +P 200 uses the same bullet family and still has 438 ft-lbs at 50 yards. If recoil in a small pistol limits you, Hornady Critical Defense 185 is the softer carry choice.
- At 453 ft-lbs it comes within 11 ft-lbs of Hornady Critical Duty +P 220 without needing a +P-rated pistol
- The flattest standard-pressure load here: 1.7 inches of drop at 50 yards against 2.3 for Hornady Custom 200 XTP and 2.4 for Federal HST 230
- Still moving 884 fps at 100 yards, 60 fps faster than Federal HST 230 there
- Loses 96 fps by 50 yards where Federal HST 230 loses 35, so its speed lead shrinks fast
- Carries 321 ft-lbs at 100 yards, 26 less than Federal HST 230 despite starting with more
- Speer Gold Dot Carry Gun +P 200 carries 62 ft-lbs more at 100 yards if your pistol is rated for +P
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185 gr | JHP | 1050 fps | 453 ft-lbs | 0.109 |
$1.56
200 Rounds
|
|
| 230 gr | JHP | 890 fps | 404 ft-lbs | 0.19 |
$0.64
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 200 gr | JHP | 1080 fps | 518 ft-lbs | 0.138 | N/A | |
| 185 gr | FTX | 900 fps | 333 ft-lbs | 0.14 |
$1.38
500 Rounds
|
|
| 220 gr | FlexLock | 975 fps | 464 ft-lbs | 0.18 |
$1.43
500 Rounds
|
|
| 200 gr | XTP | 900 fps | 360 ft-lbs | 0.151 | N/A |
All Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 185gr JHP Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentry Ammo | 200 | $301.01 | $10.99 | $312.00 | $1.56 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 200 | $325.31 | $0.00 | $325.31 | $1.63 |
| Sentry Ammo | 100 | $158.88 | $12.99 | $171.87 | $1.72 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 100 | $167.12 | $10.99 | $178.11 | $1.78 |
| Sentry Ammo | 20 | $33.80 | $11.99 | $45.79 | $2.29 |
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