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20rds – 45 ACP Speer Gold Dot 185gr. JHP Ammo

20rds – 45 ACP Speer Gold Dot 185gr. JHP Ammo

Name: 20rds – 45 ACP Speer Gold Dot 185gr. JHP Ammo
Brand: Speer
Price: 26.95 USD
Availability: InStock

$26.95

($1.35/ppr)

97 In stock

Manufacturer Speer
Condition New
Bullet Weight 185 Grain
Bullet Type Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP)
Use Type Self Defense
Casing Type Nickel-Plated Brass
Quantity 20
Ammo Caliber 45 ACP (Auto)
Manufacturer SKU 23964GD
Primer Type Boxer
Muzzle Velocity 1050
Muzzle Energy 453
UPC Barcode 076683239648
Cost Per Round $1.35/ppr

Speer 185 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Ammo Details

Speer’s Gold Dot ammunition is meant to deliver in any situation, whether that would be for home or personal defense, and it certainly does. Gold Dot is the very first line of handgun ammo to feature a genuine bonded core bullet. Because this 45 ACP round’s 185 grain bullet’s jacket has been electrochemically fused to its alloyed lead core, it is not only exceptionally concentric for accurate shooting, but furthermore nearly incapable of separation during penetration. Couple that with the dependable fashion in which a Gold Dot is programmed to expand within a soft target, and you’ve got a bullet you can always rely upon in an otherwise unreliable world.

This round’s other components are worthy of supporting so impressive a bullet’s performance. Its brass casing is nickel plated, so it functions smoothly, staves off corrosion, and is easily spotted during a spontaneous chamber check in nearly all lighting conditions. CCI’s best non-corrosive primer stands by to ignite this round’s select propellant, which delivers the ideal muzzle velocity and corresponding chamber pressure.

Ballistic Gel Testing

As you hunt for the best self-defense 45 ACP (Auto) ammo, we thought you might enjoy seeing the results of some testing we recently conducted with calibrated Clear Ballistics gelatin.

We shot five of these Speer rounds through a four-layer cloth barrier using a Ruger SR45. The results are detailed in the video you see above as well as the photographs. Through the charts, you should get a great idea how this Speer ammo stacked up relative to other 45 ACP (Auto) ammo products available to American shooters.

To get a better sense of our tests, be sure to check out all the protocols we followed when conducting our tests to determine the best self-defense ammo.

Gel test results for Speer 185 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) ammo

Unfired versus Fired Round Comparison

Image detailing before and after firing 20rds – 45 ACP Speer Gold Dot 185gr. JHP Ammo

How do the results for this Speer 45 ACP (Auto) compare to other 45 ACP?

20rds – 45 ACP Speer Gold Dot 185gr. JHP Ammo Gel Test Results
			Median
Bullet Depth (in.)	12.4	15.4	15.4	15.6	17.1
Expanded Diameter (in.)	0.67	0.68	0.69	0.69	0.71
Expanded Weight (gr.)	183	184	184	184.1	184.5
Bullet Velocity (fps)	982	995	1009	1010	1013

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More About 45 ACP Ammo

What is the Difference Between “.45,” “.45 Auto,” and “.45 ACP?”

There really is no difference for these terms, as they are largely used to describe the .45 ACP, which is the official name of the cartridge. When someone says “.45” in reference to ammunition, they are usually referring to the .45 ACP. The same goes for “.45 Auto,” as “ACP” stands for “Automatic Colt Pistol.” However, they may be referring to the .45 GAP, which stand for “Glock Automatic Pistol.” The GAP, however, is much less common than the ACP.

Are the .45 ACP and .45 GAP Interchangeable?

No. Unlike other cartridges (the .38 Special and .357 Magnum, for example), these two cartridges are not interchangeable at all. The .45 ACP was created by Colt’s Manufacturing Company for their line of pistols, while Glock created .45 GAP ammunition for their own products. These cartridges have different dimensions, most noticeably a vastly different overall length.

How Far Can a .45 ACP Effectively Shoot?

The .45 ACP is an effective handgun round for target shooting, but it is generally limited to about 50 yards of effective range, a fairly common maximum distance for handguns. For example, the Gold Medal rounds with 185-grain FMJ bullets (a light bullet for this cartridge), when zeroed to 25 yards, will drop 3.1 inches at 50 yards and almost two feet at 100. This makes using the .45 ACP at distances over 50 yards extremely difficult.

Is the .45 ACP Ideal for Self-Defense?

Yes. The .45 ACP can deliver effective speed and velocity for personal and home protection. The cartridge has muzzle velocities generally in the range of 800 to 1,100 feet per second, and can go even higher if you are firing +P ammunition. It also delivers muzzle energies approaching 500 foot-pounds, which drives effective penetration and expansion to the target. The only downside for .45 ACP is that it may be too large for some conceal-carry users and could have too much recoil for effective secondary shots. If you are using the .45 ACP for self defense, you will want expanding rounds such as jacketed hollow points.

Is the .45 ACP Better Than the 9mm Luger?

That depends on what you want from your cartridge. If you value sheer strength and stopping power above all, the .45 ACP is your best option. However, the 9mm Luger ammunition is a compact yet powerful cartridge that is ideal for many gun owners.

Which Firearms Commonly Load the .45 ACP?

While there are many weapons that can load the .45 ACP, the most famous is the 1911-style semi-automatic pistols. These firearms can be chambered for many different calibers, but the 1911/.45 ACP relationship is one of the most famous and successful gun/cartridge combinations in the world.