Golden Saber vs Gold Dot

[300grJHP]

Which is the better self defense ammo for 45acp; golden sabers or gold dots?  Also, for self defense, should i buy +p ammo or regular and what weight bullet?

thank you

[Masterblaster1]

As far as what weight load will be best in your pistol from an accuracy standpoint will be up to you to try it and find out. As far as load quality for self defense both are first rate top of the line. Since you are shooting a .45 standard velocity loads are more than adequate for use as self defense. I would say plus p if you were shooting a smaller caliber, tho. Personally I use a 9mm and it is nothing to sneeze at with today's state of the art hollow points.

[John R.]

Standard pressure Gold Dots, hands down. I've shot a lot of Gold Dots into different types of media, and they expand picture perfect in all calibers except the 32 acp. Not enough velocity, I guess.

[Mohawk]

Which is the better self defense ammo for 45acp; golden sabers or gold dots?  Also, for self defense, should i buy +p ammo or regular and what weight bullet?

thank you

  Whichever round pops through the sternum and puts a hole in the heart................can't go wrong with either.

[44 Man]

You can find all kinds of statistics favoring one over the other, and we all want the best.  But if you carry a 230 gr HP, and hit them properly, you will find all of the 'paper ballistics' are of little consiquince.  It will do the job.  44 Man

[helotaxi]

Barrel length plays an important role is how the round performs.  CCI/Speer have Gold Dot loads made with short barrels in mind.  If you have a compact .45, that would be my choice.  That coupled with my dislike of Remington (but that's a whole different story).

[eod20]

check with your local PD and see which they carry      i carry both at work  my full time department uses gold dot my part time sabers  both in 40 s&w fired thru glock 22's   go with what your local PD uses as you will have to defend your choice in court if you ever have to use it in a real world shooting and what better argument than   " it was recomended and used by the chief of my local PD"

[Mikey]

My personal opinion is not to trust a bullet to do something you can't.  The 45 set its standard with plain jane mil-spec ball.  I feel that shooters who go to the magical hollow point or ever-expanding soft nose need to better refine their skills before spending tons of $ on bullets they feel will do the job better than shot placement.  This is like someone going to a  more powerful rifle caliber because they can't hit with their current caliber.

If you shoot a 45 acp and do not reload, you should get started as soon as possible.  I do not load or reload +P loads in the 45 acp, I stick with standard mil-spec velocity but use a wide flat nosed hard cast slug.  Some bullets for the 45 Colt cartridge, such as the 255 gn swc, work very, very well in the acp and there are others.  Hard cast flat nosed and fmj bullets remain as they are, hard and flat nosed and they sort of 'crash ' their way through the target.  Mil-spec ball slips through a bit more easily but it is still near half an inch of slug hitting the target. 

If the 45 Colt was designed to 'de-horse a man or falter a mount' at 50 yds, and if the 45 acp has replaced that caliber and made a name for itself through two world wars and numerous conflicts, then what more could you ask for.  Just refine your shooting skills and place your shots properly and you will do better than any magical bullet.  For personal defense, Elmer Keith said it right:  "A cool head and a steady hand will beat simple quickness any time".  If you add the 45 acp into that equation you should be in good stead.

Regardless of your choice of caliber or loading, your main concern should be for proficiency and that means practice, practice, practice.  jmtcw.

[44 Man]

I was reading a report a while back.  It was during the 'Noreaga' grab in central America.  In one of his know places to habit, the lead Lt. was in a hall way when the 'bad guys' came around a corner.  They began to unsling their rifles and as he was lead and had he .45 in his hand, he took them out.  He had been to one of the famous shooting schools and showed very well for himself.  Four center hits, army hardball ammo, four D.O.A. bad guys.  Excellent shooting, excellent performance.  I still prefer the small advantage that H.P. ammo may give me in my first magazine.  Hardball in the spares.  44 Man.

[jimster]

Yes sir Mikey, you hit it on the nose,  practice a lot and hit something when you shoot.  Nothing wrong with hardball either 44 man, carry that a lot myself, and I do use 230 gr hollow points as well too (Blackhills), but also have carried hardball many times.  Far as winding up in court explaining what ammo you used, if you wind up in court in my state, you did something wrong or questionable in the first place.....in this state, in this section of the state, once the prosecutor says it's self defense, it's over, and he follows the Michigan laws to the letter.  Won't matter if you use reloads or a Buick to put the perp down.  Won't be a civil hearing either anymore.  A while back some guy attacked a guy while he was pumping gas here, with the large plastic trash can cover we always see at the gas stations for garbage.  The guy turned around and saw the trash can cover in the air and ready to come down on him, he drew his gun VERY smoothly (practice) and put the guy away for good.  Case closed....family was upset that a family member got killed of course, with nothing but a trash can cover but the prosecutor followed Michigan law to the letter, watched the tapes over and over, and decided this guy thought he was in danger,....that's Michigan law with a prosecutor that follows it.  Won't be the same in all places I'm sure.  They showed these tapes on TV and the internet, this guy practiced with his gun, and must have practiced drawing a lot as well.  The most important part of it all was he hit his target on the first shot while being surprised to boot.  I think practice took over because there was no time to think about much.  Whatever ammo he used hit the target in the center. 
I wish I could afford Gold Dots or something like that,  truth is, an occasional box of 230 gr blackhills and lots of good hardball is all I can afford.  The prices on all the premium ammo where I'm at is unreal.  I do have lots of cast bullets though for 45 colt...would not mind trying that sometime out of a 1911. 

[Old Griz]

Which is the better self defense ammo for 45acp; golden sabers or gold dots? 

If you do your job and put the bullet where it needs to go, then either one is going to do the job equally as well. The question is, which one shoots the best out of YOUR gun. Autos are strange things. No two shoot alike, even with the same ammo. So the best thing for you to do is get a couple of boxes of both and just shoot them. See which one groups the best, which one feeds the best, etc. That is the only way to chose. The guy on the receiving end isn't gonna say,"Gee I sure am glad he only had Golden Sabers instead of Gold Dots!" He ain't gonna know the difference. 45 ACP ball ammo has killed enough people all around the world to do the job when placed correctly. Just pick what ever shoots the best out of YOUR gun.