It’s the gel. In actual OIS it has performed very well and is one of the most popular 9mm loads across the country for law enforcement. I trust my love to it and have tested it myself. This clear ballistics gel sucks.
I have captured some of these rounds in water jugs. The G2 was by fair the hardest to catch. It would consistently push through three gallon jugs. The only way I managed to get one was to put a steel target behind the jugs. They are terrible. I will continue to stick with my normal 124+p gold dots and 124+p HST's.
Looks like the cold weather we had a few days found it's way to you brother lol! The heavy clothing barrier has proven itself as a formidable challenger. Thank you for the great info as always!
@@albundy06 hornady hunting ammo is pretty spot on..... I'd rather have federal punch or hydra shock for defense but hornady isnt as bad as some for sure
@@lazygamer9725 Not talking about their hunting, their match, their anything put defense and duty rounds for handguns. And almost across the board. They suck. Period. Some of the most overrated junk in the entire firearms industry.
@@albundy06 AL Bundy was my and still is my role model!!!! So I'll give u the duty and service defense etc. I've never had problems with liberty civil defense ... I still like federal hat punches etc. But I agree I use to love xtp back 20 years ago... keep it up and dont let peggy spend all your $
The 40 looks like a case of when they say "new and improved" means they found a way to make it cheaper not necessarily better. Then again it's possible that they made it a little tougher,more for 10mm power level bullet that doesn't work as well at 40 power level.
That is disappointing, even troubling that Speer put this on the market. Some folk at Speer need to lose their jobs for not doing their job of releasing quality, reliable bullets. This really bothers me. I haven't seen many videos with success using these new G2. Thanks for doing your part especially taking the extra time and space in gel to make the 2nd 9mm.
Hey! I watch a ton of firearm videos, you, by far and away, have the best gel blocks! Your's are always clear and no ripples. All other channels have yellow wavy blocks. Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks for your hard work. I'm sure its fun shooting jelly and whatnot, but I want you to know that us fans really appreciate all the hard work you put in on & off camera. I didn't even know Speer released new gold dots. The old ones worked so well I didn't think they needed updating haha.
Hi Brian, Another awesome (chilly) test, thank you! There are actually 2 loadings of the 180gr .40 Speer G2, one rated to 920fps and other at 1015fps; you liked had the 'less recoil' option at 920fps which ran slightly higher in the G22 barrel.
I'm not sure what "source" you're using for information lately but you're completely wrong. This is "duty" ammo like I clearly stated, listed as being tested out of a 5" barrel. This is also the ONLY 180 grain .40S&W G2 listed on their site. The other two 180 options are both the original Gold Dot bullet, one of which is labeled as "short barrel" and even that lists 950 as a velocity and not "920." The most important info to know is this ammo sucks.
You know, after some fails, you could just lift the clothing out of the way for the bare gel shot. But, most criminals are not at the beach in summertime, so I'm with you -- can't carry. Your weather today sounds like MN without the snow and sub zero temps. But wind and below +32 always tough on one's body. Stay safe and warm. Thanks for the dedication. Hope it was fun.
Similar but not sure if it's the exact same material. The critical defense ones seem more "rubbery." These also seem like they kinda just squirted some stuff in it and let it harden to the bullet, whereas the CD looks like it was formed separately and then inserted.
I know when they came out the 9mm never opened. I don’t trust enough to carry/use. Yours was 1st I seen 9mm work.you’d think gold dots would be good but I’ll stick with OG gold dots.
The Speer G2 147gr 9mm claims 1,020 fps Muzzle Velocity and 340 ft-lb at the Muzzle, test bbl was 4" The G2 is for short bbl and is claimed to provide Max performance for a bbl as short as 1.9" The Speer S&W 180gr, claims 950fps at the Muzzle and 420 ft-lb at the Muzzle and the test bbl was 3.5" Thanks Brian. 👊 🇺🇲
This G2 definitely isn't made for short barrels. It's full size "duty" ammo. "The result is extremely uniform expansion, better separation of the petals, and more consistent penetration across barrier types through full-size handguns." is what they claim. 4" test barrel for the 9mm and 5" for the .40 is what's listed on their site.
@@ToolsandTargets OK, The information I wrote was from the Speer website, unless they have changed it, several years ago I had heard from different websites and they all stated that the G2 was designed for short barrels, and when I called two LGSs they said the same, but no worries as I stick with HSTs have a safe and enjoyable weekend. 👊 🇺🇲
@@josephpacchetti5997 That's their "Carry Gun" line. Uses this newer style G2 bullet but not the heavy grains and I imagine they supposedly have used powder optimized for short barrels.
I saw some early tests when they first brought the G2 out and it failed miserably. I heard they tweaked the bullet to perform better but apparently it still just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to. I’m staying away. Thanks for the great test sir.
I saw a video on these some years back on some channel I couldn’t remember that basically got the same result, so I was pretty excited to see if maybe that was a fluke, but apparently not. Speer failed hard on these. Love your channel man. Keep on doing them jelly tests. I’ll keep on watching.
@@ToolsandTargets I don’t have a channel or anything but I’ve shot quite a few different rounds through water jugs just because I get bored and it’s fun so I have some idea of what different rounds do. Regardless of caliber it’s always the magical unicorn hunt for the perfect carry round. I’m kind of feeling Hornady critical defense and Federal HST across-the-board.
You mentioned how the lead of the petals was notably hard. I think that may be the reason it didn't consistently expand. The lead just wasn't maliable enough to bend open at those velocities. Great video. Thank you. 🙂👍
They are fond of using high antimony lead together with their touted bonding process. Maybe a redesign with a larger cavity (with thinner petals) will do the trick for these.
@@robertm8401 I think you're right. Your solution seems to be what Speer incorporated in their old Gold Dots...larger cavities/thinner walls. The old Gold Dots worked well. Although expansion wasn't as reliable, at lower velocities, as HST and PDX1 bullets displayed.
I'm disappointed in a lot of recent factory made 40. In most of the comparison tests a few years ago between 9, 40 & 45, the 40 would usually come out on top with velocity, expansion and penetration.
What’s your thoughts on the G2 being more suited for barrier penetration? For example auto windshields and doors. LEOs seem to encounter these types of barriers more often than civilians involved in defensive shootings. As per your usual, another outstanding video.
They just don't put quite enough gas on them out of the factory! I have watched everyone of your videos and the vast majority just need +P or a bit more and would preform perfectly!! Great job mite I add, awesome content for any gun loving patriotic American!
Those were a fail in my opinion. 25% is definitely a fail, especially in a life or death situation. I’m seeing some real poor performances out of many brands of 40 cal. Makes you wonder what’s going on. Hmmm. Anyway, thanks for sharing as always! Stay safe!🇺🇸👍🏻
With the .40, I feel the 180gr flatnose is sufficient. Saying that, I carry bjhp. I would stock up with fmj for SHTF type situations. Same with 45 ball. Underwood makes good .40.
Just had to come back to this one. I think I use your tests as an ammo library to compare more than pretty much any other. I saw some new ads and sales on this G2 and remembered it didn’t do well in testing but had to check again. Definitely not going to buy any of this over HST and Underwood. They are nearly impossible to beat. Although I have Not been buying (or recommending) any Underwood for a while now. Sadly I received some 380 and 9 with serious bullet set back new in the box. Then I also started having issues with setback in some of the same carry ammo from a different date and order, so likely was a different batch. I emailed and sent messages to Underwood and did a few online reviews mentioning the problems. And received ZERO response from them. It’s not just the loss of throwing away money on expensive ammo that’s garbage. The real issue is the complete lack of QC and customer service or replies. And of course the fact that you must be able to fully trust your carry ammo. I’m so disappointed that this has happened because I’ve been a long time customer and also a big fan of their Xtreme Defender and Penetrator products in all calibers. Now I just don’t trust them, at least not without an explanation of why it started having problems and replacement of the bad ammo. I should post this on all the Underwood tests because my previous comments were all telling g people to definitely use their ammo above all others. Especially in 380! Now I consider the ammo and company unreliable until they get back to me. I will note that I have not “yet” had this problem with any of their XTP ammo.
Thank you Tools for verifying what I had previously read about this particular round. Unfortunately I had already bought 2 boxes each in 9mm and .40 and after I read about how bad they were I took them to the range and used them for target practice.
Seems most of these bullets with the fancy filling in the cavity perform poorly. Now the hydra shock deep in the previous video seems to be a solid choice. It would be interesting to see how the G2 performs without the filling.
The only exception is the Critical Duty bullet, but those don't seem to expand reliably out of super short barrels. Much better than these God Dot G2 bullets though
A friend of mine carries this and sold me on it, he watched your video and says you are firing the wrong G2 version in the test pistols. g2 Carry is designed to penetrate and expand properly in compact barrels and G2 Duty is designed for full size barrels, and you then have short barrel G2 designed for micro pistols/smaller than compact length barrels
I haven’t seen great things about the standard G2 Speer loads. I really want to see the G2 Carry Gun loads tested though. They claim to optimized for shorter barrels and are lighter projectiles generally which should give greater velocity. I have some G2 Carry Gun 45 ACP 200 grain+p and am really curious how they would perform.
Upsi. Thanks for the test - Tough to see something that carries that GD brand fail. And that out of a full size…. Now put that into a Compact or smaller and you have a very posh bear defense load with ample penetration 😁 165s are the way to go, full expansion and 100 ft-lb more. No-brainer
Man you weren't kidding about that wind. Looks like they're trying to make a Black Talon/T-Series style projectile, but haven't got it down yet. I'll definitely hold off for now, but I'd be very interested in any future advancements for sure. Thanks again.
I don't know what kind of testing some of these manufacturers are doing when they work up new loads but this one was a fail. Looks good to me box it up and ship it out 😆 Have a good one brother see you on the next one.
Thanks for your video. I now know what not to buy. Speer pulled a fast one on this G2 ammo. For defensive rounds in my 40 cal and 9mm I will stick with underwood ammo.
Try it in simple water jugs. Synthetic gel tends to act differently than organic gel with filled cavity projectiles. Speer does not use synthetic gel in developing their ammunition.
I think you said it best when you said "If it ain't broke don't fix it" I assumed these were going to be good because of the OG's so I have a few boxes of some dif calibers.
aaaand this is why once i did my research ALL i carry is 124gr +p gold dot regulars. if hsts would go on sale and not cost $32 a box for 20, i’d buy them. but price wise the gold dots are still right alongside the hst, but i can actually afford to shoot/train w them.
I remember seeing this stuff at a local big box and thinking “why would I spend more on that? My normal gold dots are fine”. I guess I was right. That overpenetration is scary, someone’s gonna get hurt or killed because of that. They should pull that stuff off of shelves
Wonder if the cold temps changed the stiffness of the polymer stuff in the tips of the rounds? Could you maybe keep the rounds against your body and then load them right into the gun and fire them while they are warm? Be interesting to see if the company forgot to see what effects cold would have on that polymer in the tip. Maybe the polymer got too thick and wouldn’t allow proper expansion? Idk just me wondering. Lol
And this is why we watch ! Cause we ain't going out in that ! Lol , Thanks ! It was 13F this morning so I drove to Winston-Salem to visit father inlaw at hospital , po guy been thru alot but still battling.
I was going thru my cabinet and found a KKM Precision barrel in 40s&w for my Glock 23 , I forgot I bought it and don't know when .... I love late or early Christmas presents ..
I have a couple thousand rounds of both Federal HST. And V Crown . And for my birthday last month, my kids gave me 500 rounds of 240g 44mag HST. Is there any such thing as having too much ammunition?
It would be informative if you could get a speed check as you fire into the gel block. It appears that the first 9mm round must have been just that much faster than the 2nd round, to enable expansion. There's quite a difference in speed from round-to-round. In any event, I find your testing to be super informative and the best on YT,. Thank you !!
Thank you sir. Just too much time and setup involved to do a 5 round speed average and try to put less than 5 rounds into the gel through the chrono. The extreme spread was only 29fps for both of these rounds. If 29 fps makes that much difference in performance, they're a fail all the same to me.🤷♂
These 147 gr are quite accurate from my experience. I have only found one store online that has these in 9mm 147 gr. They have two 20 rd boxes in stock, & you have to pick up in store to buy them. But luckily, I get this ammo for free...🙈
im trying to remeber I saw a test of the original gold dot and the G2 45acp 200 gr hp, much better results then what you got. I see your results, hard to believe speer didn't research this? some other factors maybe?
I haven't but, I did test them in .38 Special and they did pretty good. I need to test the others in cloth. What barrel length would you rather see if I did em all at once?
IMO, the reason for filling the hollow point with elastomer is so that it cannot be called a "hollow point" any longer. There is such an outcry about hollow points that Speer fills it and now, presto, it's not a hollow point. Does it work? Not so much. Will they sell? Absolutely.
This is clear ballistics gel but I'm not an affiliate or anything so if there is somewhere cheaper, I'd say it's all basically the same as long as it's calibrated.😎👍
Thank you for the video ! Have you tried the .40 165grain Hornady Critical defense ? That's what I carry in my M&P 40 and from tests I've seen the speed is about 1200 fps and ft-lb is around 500 depending on the barrel length.
Maybe if speer would make the 40 in a 165 it might do a little better. Thanks for these videos it saves the community money buy not buying the failures. Love your videos keep it up! When you do these videos could you mention how much you pay for these or what the price is. Stay safe and stay prepared!!!!
I personally don’t understand what the elastomer is supposed to do. It really seems pointless. The 124 +p or the standard 147 from Speer work just fine
Interesting test results Tools. To be blunt the 40 cal was a total bust, no different than a FMJ. Now the 9 started out showing good performance and then you had to shoot that 2nd one, that turned out to be a good idea. But that's why we watch you're testing. If the ammo doesn't have consistent performance it's not worth carrying when your life may count on it. Rest easy a warm up is headed your way, well warmer than the last few days anyway. For a bit I thought your canopy was doing to blow over Be vigilant and always be safe my friend.
As I recall, the G2 was redesigned to improve penetration. Oops! I picked up some original Gold Dots 9mm +P 124gr recently just to have some. But my HSTs 147gr are my main defense load.
I don't use 4 layers of denim. One layer is unrealistic as it is for a large part of the country. It was negative degree windchills and I literally had on a short sleeve t shirt, long sleeve t shirt, and this fleece jacket.
@@ToolsandTargets I meant the 4 layers in general. I just like to see if there's a difference in performance against a leather/regular Coat with a T-shirt behind.
@@TheHandHistoryVault That's why I use what I use and not 4 layers of denim. 2 t shirts, a fleece jacket, and then the layer of denim will simulate an even larger jacket someone might be wearing in very cold weather.
The G2 is not something I prefer to carry or shoot. I tend to stick with Gold Dot off duty. On duty we carry the Hornady Critical Duty, but I’m trying to get them to go to the Original Gold Dot.
That’s probably the reason they didn’t expand one of the reasons the leads to hard. Same thing as a hard cast bullet. Thanks again Tools be safe and GOD BLESS
I do believe those rounds are designed for a hard barrier penetrating round, is what I have heard/saw about them. The 9mm is rated at 1020 fps so was close! the 40sw not so much rated at 1015 fps and they sure need it lol! They are kinda slow! Thanks for your efforts and stay warm 💥suppose to be almost 70 tomorrow here I know what I will be doing pew pew pew lol! tc brother 👍
Curious to see the results on your video. Ive only been impressed with a couple of heavy for caliber hollow point self defense rounds. I will normally stick with a middle weight in hollow points. And even those there seems to be just a handful that work like they should when there is any type of barrier/obstruction.
Failed attempt to duplicate Critical Duty's red tip tech. I'd love to see a head to head comparison between 124gr Critical Duty vs Underwood Xtreme Defender 90gr in 9mm +P & 357 SIG.
@@ToolsandTargets YT keeps memoryholing this I know you'd like it. Combine and search: 1. 2016/17 2. JOINT AGENCY 3. BALLISTICS TEST 4. FOR DEFENSIVE 5. HANDGUN AMMUNITION
Hard to imagine what Speer was thinking with these. Especially after decades of making one of the most trusted and reliable projectiles on the market.
Sure doesn't impress me.
Yes. Like T&T mentioned, I just can't believe Speer put these rounds on the market with that type of performance.
They had to. They shouldn't have but they have to stay competitive with the likes of Hornady and their red plug.
@@alm9951 Even if that's true, they didn't have to make a version that doesn't perform.
It’s the gel. In actual OIS it has performed very well and is one of the most popular 9mm loads across the country for law enforcement. I trust my love to it and have tested it myself. This clear ballistics gel sucks.
Your 9mm tests are great, but your .40 cal vids are the “gold standard” on TH-cam! Thank you!
Appreciate that, brother!😎👊
I have captured some of these rounds in water jugs. The G2 was by fair the hardest to catch. It would consistently push through three gallon jugs. The only way I managed to get one was to put a steel target behind the jugs. They are terrible. I will continue to stick with my normal 124+p gold dots and 124+p HST's.
Yeah, these were a big fail.
Paul Harrell uses fleece. He could catch a 50BMG with that (and with no deformation. lol.).
I couldn't agree more Alexander, why change from something that's tried and true. I'll stay with my trusty 124+P Gold Dots and 124+P HST's as well.
Looks like the cold weather we had a few days found it's way to you brother lol! The heavy clothing barrier has proven itself as a formidable challenger. Thank you for the great info as always!
🥶🥶🥶
I personally think they're a response to Hornady's Critical Duty.
They sure were out to lunch on this one.
Why would anybody waste their time and money responding to a garbage product?
Hornady sucks
@@albundy06 hornady hunting ammo is pretty spot on..... I'd rather have federal punch or hydra shock for defense but hornady isnt as bad as some for sure
@@lazygamer9725 Not talking about their hunting, their match, their anything put defense and duty rounds for handguns.
And almost across the board. They suck. Period. Some of the most overrated junk in the entire firearms industry.
@@albundy06 AL Bundy was my and still is my role model!!!! So I'll give u the duty and service defense etc. I've never had problems with liberty civil defense ... I still like federal hat punches etc. But I agree I use to love xtp back 20 years ago... keep it up and dont let peggy spend all your $
The 40 looks like a case of when they say "new and improved" means they found a way to make it cheaper not necessarily better. Then again it's possible that they made it a little tougher,more for 10mm power level bullet that doesn't work as well at 40 power level.
Yep
Thanks Tools for braving the February gales and providing yet more jelly tests
I thought I was gonna have to find some ruby slippers to get back home a few times!🌪🌪🌪
@@ToolsandTargets ROTFLMAO
Our agency tested the G2 vs the standard 147 GD when we switched back to 9’s. The standard GD’s did better. Thanks for the jelly test Tools!
Appreciate ya, brother!
....and yet we switched anyway.
That is disappointing, even troubling that Speer put this on the market. Some folk at Speer need to lose their jobs for not doing their job of releasing quality, reliable bullets. This really bothers me. I haven't seen many videos with success using these new G2. Thanks for doing your part especially taking the extra time and space in gel to make the 2nd 9mm.
Hopefully they don't get any ideas of replacing their regular Gold Dots with it.
@@ToolsandTargets That would be very foolish. 1 really bad decision is enough for a company of their reputation.
Never felt the need to biy any G2 bullets, simply cause the original bullets were so damn good!
These sure aint like the originals.😆
So glad you keeping testing with the clothing. Thanks for the videos
Appreciate you!😎👊
It's been a game changer for some of these rounds. You can really tell who's engineers are the best.
@@A_Brit I’ll be sticking with federal HST, original Speer gold dots, UNDERWOOD
Thick Clothing barrier for the win 👍
Thank you for another great test video. You have quickly become my favorite ammo tester on TH-cam!
Appreciate that!😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets I'd like to know how you get that recycled so clear. My best guess is a long low heat remelt.
Mine too!
Hey! I watch a ton of firearm videos, you, by far and away, have the best gel blocks! Your's are always clear and no ripples. All other channels have yellow wavy blocks. Keep up the excellent work!
Appreciate that! It takes a lot of time, but I try to get em where it's pretty decent to watch at least.😎👍
One of my favorite 9mm load ,and has been for years, is the 124 grain speer gold dot plus P. Beautiful perfect expansion all the time.
Almost ordered this. Glad I found this video first. Thanks!
Definitely not something I want.
Thanks for your hard work. I'm sure its fun shooting jelly and whatnot, but I want you to know that us fans really appreciate all the hard work you put in on & off camera. I didn't even know Speer released new gold dots. The old ones worked so well I didn't think they needed updating haha.
Thank you sir. Appreciate that.😎👊
Wow, was not expecting those results out of Speer !! Thanks for video !!
Me either.😆
I have some in 9mm they are currently the issued duty load for LAPD and they have had really good results with it
Hi Brian,
Another awesome (chilly) test, thank you!
There are actually 2 loadings of the 180gr .40 Speer G2, one rated to 920fps and other at 1015fps; you liked had the 'less recoil' option at 920fps which ran slightly higher in the G22 barrel.
I'm not sure what "source" you're using for information lately but you're completely wrong. This is "duty" ammo like I clearly stated, listed as being tested out of a 5" barrel. This is also the ONLY 180 grain .40S&W G2 listed on their site. The other two 180 options are both the original Gold Dot bullet, one of which is labeled as "short barrel" and even that lists 950 as a velocity and not "920." The most important info to know is this ammo sucks.
Nice work, thank for shooting those jell blocks. They’re very expensive. I’m a 40 guy but I love the testing.
Thank you sir. appreciate that!
You know, after some fails, you could just lift the clothing out of the way for the bare gel shot. But, most criminals are not at the beach in summertime, so I'm with you -- can't carry.
Your weather today sounds like MN without the snow and sub zero temps. But wind and below +32 always tough on one's body. Stay safe and warm. Thanks for the dedication. Hope it was fun.
I gotta say, it was not fun.😆
I agree with you on that. 25% = ZERO when you need to depend on your ammo. Keep up the fine work!
Thank you sir.😎👊
Would the Speer G2 gel filling 9mm be the same as the critical defense Hornady 9mm with the polymer filling?
Similar but not sure if it's the exact same material. The critical defense ones seem more "rubbery." These also seem like they kinda just squirted some stuff in it and let it harden to the bullet, whereas the CD looks like it was formed separately and then inserted.
I know when they came out the 9mm never opened. I don’t trust enough to carry/use. Yours was 1st I seen 9mm work.you’d think gold dots would be good but I’ll stick with OG gold dots.
Yeah, I sure expected much better.
@@ToolsandTargets yeah they have to know they suck, wish they’d quit making them and just make more good gold dots for us to get prices down.
The Speer G2 147gr 9mm claims 1,020 fps Muzzle Velocity and 340 ft-lb at the Muzzle, test bbl was 4" The G2 is for short bbl and is claimed to provide Max performance for a bbl as short as 1.9"
The Speer S&W 180gr, claims 950fps at the Muzzle and 420 ft-lb at the Muzzle and the test bbl was 3.5" Thanks Brian. 👊 🇺🇲
This G2 definitely isn't made for short barrels. It's full size "duty" ammo. "The result is extremely uniform expansion, better separation of the petals, and more consistent penetration across barrier types through full-size handguns." is what they claim. 4" test barrel for the 9mm and 5" for the .40 is what's listed on their site.
@@ToolsandTargets OK, The information I wrote was from the Speer website, unless they have changed it, several years ago I had heard from different websites and they all stated that the G2 was designed for short barrels, and when I called two LGSs they said the same, but no worries as I stick with HSTs have a safe and enjoyable weekend. 👊 🇺🇲
@@josephpacchetti5997 That's their "Carry Gun" line. Uses this newer style G2 bullet but not the heavy grains and I imagine they supposedly have used powder optimized for short barrels.
@@ToolsandTargets 👍
@@josephpacchetti5997 180gr @950=420ft-lb?
I saw some early tests when they first brought the G2 out and it failed miserably. I heard they tweaked the bullet to perform better but apparently it still just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to. I’m staying away. Thanks for the great test sir.
Definitely not a win on this one.😆
I saw a video on these some years back on some channel I couldn’t remember that basically got the same result, so I was pretty excited to see if maybe that was a fluke, but apparently not. Speer failed hard on these. Love your channel man. Keep on doing them jelly tests. I’ll keep on watching.
Thank you sir. Definitely not anything like the original Gold Dots.
@@ToolsandTargets I don’t have a channel or anything but I’ve shot quite a few different rounds through water jugs just because I get bored and it’s fun so I have some idea of what different rounds do. Regardless of caliber it’s always the magical unicorn hunt for the perfect carry round. I’m kind of feeling Hornady critical defense and Federal HST across-the-board.
Well, that was disappointing. Great video, as always, brother.
Yep. Thank you sir.
You mentioned how the lead of the petals was notably hard. I think that may be the reason it didn't consistently expand. The lead just wasn't maliable enough to bend open at those velocities. Great video. Thank you. 🙂👍
They are fond of using high antimony lead together with their touted bonding process. Maybe a redesign with a larger cavity (with thinner petals) will do the trick for these.
I think you're right. That hard lead compound with these speeds just didn't jive.😎👍 Thank you sir.
@@robertm8401 I think you're right. Your solution seems to be what Speer incorporated in their old Gold Dots...larger cavities/thinner walls. The old Gold Dots worked well. Although expansion wasn't as reliable, at lower velocities, as HST and PDX1 bullets displayed.
I'm disappointed in a lot of recent factory made 40. In most of the comparison tests a few years ago between 9, 40 & 45, the 40 would usually come out on top with velocity, expansion and penetration.
Seems like everything has gotten weaker lately.😆
165gr punch in 40s&w is really good for off the shelf ammo
@@Wildwestwrangler Thanks
Thank you for what you do! We do appreciate it.
Thank you sir! Have a great weekend!
Looks like your taking a chance with that stuff another great video thanks
Yep, no gambling for me. Thank you sir.😎👍
What’s your thoughts on the G2 being more suited for barrier penetration? For example auto windshields and doors. LEOs seem to encounter these types of barriers more often than civilians involved in defensive shootings. As per your usual, another outstanding video.
Appreciate that. I think that's just an excuse used for bad ammo half the time. Personally think this is just a bad design and weak loaded.🤷♂️
Imo, if the bullet is made to expand, then it has no use for Barrier Penetration. This is where Hardcast and other designs come in.
Disappointing to know Speer would put out a deficient design performance wise. The 40 in this test was horrible. Guess they all can’t be winners.
Thanks for the video. Not sure I would use the G2 for EDC .
Big no for me on these.😆
They just don't put quite enough gas on them out of the factory! I have watched everyone of your videos and the vast majority just need +P or a bit more and would preform perfectly!! Great job mite I add, awesome content for any gun loving patriotic American!
Thank you sir. Totally agree they need more gas!
Those were a fail in my opinion. 25% is definitely a fail, especially in a life or death situation. I’m seeing some real poor performances out of many brands of 40 cal.
Makes you wonder what’s going on. Hmmm.
Anyway, thanks for sharing as always!
Stay safe!🇺🇸👍🏻
Disappointing for sure.
With the .40, I feel the 180gr flatnose is sufficient. Saying that, I carry bjhp.
I would stock up with fmj for SHTF type situations.
Same with 45 ball.
Underwood makes good .40.
The 165 and 180 Gold Dots seem to work well and the HST are good too.
Actually I've seen many good performances from .40 its just that this particular round from Speer is absolute garbage.
@CAROLINA PATRIOT you forgot remington golden saber. The non bonded old version. Those are the ones I carry.
Just had to come back to this one. I think I use your tests as an ammo library to compare more than pretty much any other. I saw some new ads and sales on this G2 and remembered it didn’t do well in testing but had to check again. Definitely not going to buy any of this over HST and Underwood. They are nearly impossible to beat. Although I have Not been buying (or recommending) any Underwood for a while now. Sadly I received some 380 and 9 with serious bullet set back new in the box. Then I also started having issues with setback in some of the same carry ammo from a different date and order, so likely was a different batch. I emailed and sent messages to Underwood and did a few online reviews mentioning the problems. And received ZERO response from them. It’s not just the loss of throwing away money on expensive ammo that’s garbage. The real issue is the complete lack of QC and customer service or replies. And of course the fact that you must be able to fully trust your carry ammo. I’m so disappointed that this has happened because I’ve been a long time customer and also a big fan of their Xtreme Defender and Penetrator products in all calibers. Now I just don’t trust them, at least not without an explanation of why it started having problems and replacement of the bad ammo. I should post this on all the Underwood tests because my previous comments were all telling g people to definitely use their ammo above all others. Especially in 380! Now I consider the ammo and company unreliable until they get back to me. I will note that I have not “yet” had this problem with any of their XTP ammo.
Thank you Tools for verifying what I had previously read about this particular round. Unfortunately I had already bought 2 boxes each in 9mm and .40 and after I read about how bad they were I took them to the range and used them for target practice.
Makes ya wonder why they even bothered.🤷♂️
Seems most of these bullets with the fancy filling in the cavity perform poorly. Now the hydra shock deep in the previous video seems to be a solid choice. It would be interesting to see how the G2 performs without the filling.
Yeah, it's almost like they're pre clogged.😆
The only exception is the Critical Duty bullet, but those don't seem to expand reliably out of super short barrels. Much better than these God Dot G2 bullets though
A friend of mine carries this and sold me on it, he watched your video and says you are firing the wrong G2 version in the test pistols. g2 Carry is designed to penetrate and expand properly in compact barrels and G2 Duty is designed for full size barrels, and you then have short barrel G2 designed for micro pistols/smaller than compact length barrels
Tell your friend he's an idiot.
I haven’t seen great things about the standard G2 Speer loads. I really want to see the G2 Carry Gun loads tested though. They claim to optimized for shorter barrels and are lighter projectiles generally which should give greater velocity. I have some G2 Carry Gun 45 ACP 200 grain+p and am really curious how they would perform.
Yeah, these heavy ones were awful.
Upsi. Thanks for the test - Tough to see something that carries that GD brand fail. And that out of a full size….
Now put that into a Compact or smaller and you have a very posh bear defense load with ample penetration 😁
165s are the way to go, full expansion and 100 ft-lb more. No-brainer
Yeah, very disappointing stuff.
That test was a kick in the shorts, a guy has to take the bad with the good to try and figure out what works, thanks
Yeah, not what I was expecting to see.
Great video. I was wondering about the G2. I've been running the G1 Speer Gold Dots for long time.
Thank you sir. I have standard 124 Gold Dots in my edc.😎👍
The .40 did exactly as I've experienced. I haven't tried the 9. Speer is gonna ruin their reputation.
Sure wasn't what I expected to see.
Good test Tools!
Thank you sir.😎👊
Man you weren't kidding about that wind. Looks like they're trying to make a Black Talon/T-Series style projectile, but haven't got it down yet. I'll definitely hold off for now, but I'd be very interested in any future advancements for sure. Thanks again.
it was wicked!💨🥶💨
Great Test, I guess i'll stick to the good old reliable speer dots thanks for the great video.
Thank you sir. These are definitely not like the good ol originals.😆
@@ToolsandTargets Your welcome, thats for sure ..
I don't know what kind of testing some of these manufacturers are doing when they work up new loads but this one was a fail. Looks good to me box it up and ship it out 😆 Have a good one brother see you on the next one.
Little to none it seems.😆
Hahaha. -16 here last night!!! I think it made 6 all
Day!! Stay warm brother!!!!!
The wind is what gets ya.🥶🥶🥶
Thanks for your video. I now know what not to buy. Speer pulled a fast one on this G2 ammo.
For defensive rounds in my 40 cal and 9mm I will stick with underwood ammo.
Definitely not what I expect from "next gen" ammo.😆
Try it in simple water jugs. Synthetic gel tends to act differently than organic gel with filled cavity projectiles. Speer does not use synthetic gel in developing their ammunition.
👍
👍👍appreciate the test tools
Thank you sir.😎👊
I think you said it best when you said "If it ain't broke don't fix it" I assumed these were going to be good because of the OG's so I have a few boxes of some dif calibers.
I was expecting good stuff.🤷♂️
aaaand this is why once i did my research ALL i carry is 124gr +p gold dot regulars. if hsts would go on sale and not cost $32 a box for 20, i’d buy them. but price wise the gold dots are still right alongside the hst, but i can actually afford to shoot/train w them.
I remember seeing this stuff at a local big box and thinking “why would I spend more on that? My normal gold dots are fine”. I guess I was right. That overpenetration is scary, someone’s gonna get hurt or killed because of that. They should pull that stuff off of shelves
Yeah, this stuff is a total fail for me.
Is not a good sight, maybe if they were +P? No bueno in this case tho
Maybe with some more juice. No good like this.
Wonder if the cold temps changed the stiffness of the polymer stuff in the tips of the rounds? Could you maybe keep the rounds against your body and then load them right into the gun and fire them while they are warm? Be interesting to see if the company forgot to see what effects cold would have on that polymer in the tip. Maybe the polymer got too thick and wouldn’t allow proper expansion? Idk just me wondering. Lol
If it aint warm enough after leaving the barrel of a firing gun, then that's some mean stuff.😆 These are just bad designs and weakly loaded.
Better stick with the federal hst- don’t think there’s a better personal defense round out there.
Hard to beat.
And this is why we watch ! Cause we ain't going out in that ! Lol , Thanks ! It was 13F this morning so I drove to Winston-Salem to visit father inlaw at hospital , po guy been thru alot but still battling.
It was brutal!🥶🥶🥶
Thanks for your through review.
Appreciate that!😎👍
I use regular Gold Dot in my .40 and 9mm. I get great expansion in my gel testing. I'm thinking no need to "upgrade" to G2.
Yeah, the originals put these to shame.
Not enough velocity to expand the bullets. They may need at least 1025 fps to consistently expand.
I was going thru my cabinet and found a KKM Precision barrel in 40s&w for my Glock 23 , I forgot I bought it and don't know when .... I love late or early Christmas presents ..
😂
Not consistent performance. That’s a no go for me.
Thank You for another great video Tools
Appreciate that, my friend.😎👊
I have a couple thousand rounds of both Federal HST. And V Crown . And for my birthday last month, my kids gave me 500 rounds of 240g 44mag HST.
Is there any such thing as having too much ammunition?
Nice! Never too much!😎👊
It would be informative if you could get a speed check as you fire into the gel block. It appears that the first 9mm round must have been just that much faster than the 2nd round, to enable expansion. There's quite a difference in speed from round-to-round. In any event, I find your testing to be super informative and the best on YT,. Thank you !!
Thank you sir. Just too much time and setup involved to do a 5 round speed average and try to put less than 5 rounds into the gel through the chrono. The extreme spread was only 29fps for both of these rounds. If 29 fps makes that much difference in performance, they're a fail all the same to me.🤷♂
These 147 gr are quite accurate from my experience. I have only found one store online that has these in 9mm 147 gr. They have two 20 rd boxes in stock, & you have to pick up in store to buy them. But luckily, I get this ammo for free...🙈
Has T&T run 40 sw Remington Golden Saber (BJHP) through the heavy cloth test?
Yessir😎👍 th-cam.com/video/6b9AKde3t0Y/w-d-xo.html , th-cam.com/video/821QC20jQiE/w-d-xo.html
@@ToolsandTargets
You are the best ammo resource on YT!
@@SneezyRatSpat Appreciate that!
im trying to remeber I saw a test of the original gold dot and the G2 45acp 200 gr hp, much better results then what you got. I see your results, hard to believe speer didn't research this? some other factors maybe?
I watch all the videos, I dont recall if you did a heavy clothing with the Winchester Silvertip family in 9mm, 40cal, or 45acp..
I haven't but, I did test them in .38 Special and they did pretty good. I need to test the others in cloth. What barrel length would you rather see if I did em all at once?
4.5" - 5"
I wonder if would still be viable in a PCC. Great vid and thanks for the follow up shot on the 9mm!
The extra speed definitely couldn't hurt.
With the humidity it’s been frigid in our area. I switched to wearing a vest without realizing I had no long sleeve shirts. The wind is no joke
The wind is brutal!🥶
IMO, the reason for filling the hollow point with elastomer is so that it cannot be called a "hollow point" any longer. There is such an outcry about hollow points that Speer fills it and now, presto, it's not a hollow point. Does it work? Not so much. Will they sell? Absolutely.
Another option for commie states.😎👍
Another good Jelly test what was Speer thinking when they came out with these Rounds Stay Safe Stay 2A Strong 🇺🇸
Makes ya wonder. Thank you sir!
Tools, may I ask where I should go for ballistic gel?
This is clear ballistics gel but I'm not an affiliate or anything so if there is somewhere cheaper, I'd say it's all basically the same as long as it's calibrated.😎👍
@@ToolsandTargets thank you!!
@@ToolsandTargets thought this might make a unique Father's Day gift for my Dad :)
Only The BEST for Dad!! Gives me a lil time to save up.
We had -19F last night with 30mph winds making a windchill of -40F ... welcome to Maine and weird winters.
💨🥶💨
Thank you for the video ! Have you tried the .40 165grain Hornady Critical defense ? That's what I carry in my M&P 40 and from tests I've seen the speed is about 1200 fps and ft-lb is around 500 depending on the barrel length.
If I have it wasn't using this cloth barrier yet.
@@ToolsandTargets Give it a try with the cloth barrier maybe?
I'm ordering 165gr .40 S&W Gold Dot original JHP's, hope they are more reliable!
No doubt they will be. These G2 things are awful.
Maybe if speer would make the 40 in a 165 it might do a little better. Thanks for these videos it saves the community money buy not buying the failures. Love your videos keep it up! When you do these videos could you mention how much you pay for these or what the price is. Stay safe and stay prepared!!!!
Thank you sir.😎👊
I personally don’t understand what the elastomer is supposed to do. It really seems pointless. The 124 +p or the standard 147 from Speer work just fine
Supposed to push outward and aid in expansion, but that didn't seem to work so well.😆😆😆
@@ToolsandTargets it fails miserably lol
Interesting test results Tools. To be blunt the 40 cal was a total bust, no different than a FMJ. Now the 9 started out showing good performance and then you had to shoot that 2nd one, that turned out to be a good idea. But that's why we watch you're testing. If the ammo doesn't have consistent performance it's not worth carrying when your life may count on it.
Rest easy a warm up is headed your way, well warmer than the last few days anyway. For a bit I thought your canopy was doing to blow over
Be vigilant and always be safe my friend.
I had to put extra anchors to hold it down!😆😆😆
I don't even live in the US, firearms ain't even legal in my country. Still I love your videos man.
Appreciate that, my friend! Come on to the US. It's gettin a little wacky, but it still aint half bad.😂
As I recall, the G2 was redesigned to improve penetration. Oops!
I picked up some original Gold Dots 9mm +P 124gr recently just to have some. But my HSTs 147gr are my main defense load.
They certainly achieved that goal.😂
Looking good for supressed subsonic . But not great .
Hard pass for me.
Speer Gold Dot has been my go-to. I have a lot of the old projectiles that I can reload. Staying away from the G2 very disappointing
The OG Gold Dots are definitely fantastic.
@Tools & Targets. Can you start testing Jacket and Coat material with the 4 layer denim (or with a thick shirt)?
I don't use 4 layers of denim. One layer is unrealistic as it is for a large part of the country. It was negative degree windchills and I literally had on a short sleeve t shirt, long sleeve t shirt, and this fleece jacket.
@@ToolsandTargets I meant the 4 layers in general. I just like to see if there's a difference in performance against a leather/regular Coat with a T-shirt behind.
@@TheHandHistoryVault That's why I use what I use and not 4 layers of denim. 2 t shirts, a fleece jacket, and then the layer of denim will simulate an even larger jacket someone might be wearing in very cold weather.
Speer charges a premium price for these and stuffing a little more powder in the case shouldn’t be an issue. Both rounds should be 50 plus fps faster
The G2 is not something I prefer to carry or shoot. I tend to stick with Gold Dot off duty. On duty we carry the Hornady Critical Duty, but I’m trying to get them to go to the Original Gold Dot.
Thank you for video and info.
Appreciate you as always, brother!
That’s probably the reason they didn’t expand one of the reasons the leads to hard. Same thing as a hard cast bullet. Thanks again Tools be safe and GOD BLESS
Yep
👍 How much range ammo is too much ?
😂😂😂
I do believe those rounds are designed for a hard barrier penetrating round, is what I have heard/saw about them. The 9mm is rated at 1020 fps so was close! the 40sw not so much rated at 1015 fps and they sure need it lol! They are kinda slow! Thanks for your efforts and stay warm 💥suppose to be almost 70 tomorrow here I know what I will be doing pew pew pew lol! tc brother 👍
Thank you sir. The wind was nasty!
I really don’t recall any consistent tests with this round by multiple other channels.
Sure didn't do any good here.😆
Curious to see the results on your video. Ive only been impressed with a couple of heavy for caliber hollow point self defense rounds. I will normally stick with a middle weight in hollow points. And even those there seems to be just a handful that work like they should when there is any type of barrier/obstruction.
Yeah, these were a fail.
Failed attempt to duplicate Critical Duty's red tip tech. I'd love to see a head to head comparison between 124gr Critical Duty vs Underwood Xtreme Defender 90gr in 9mm +P & 357 SIG.
Definitely a failed something.😆
@@ToolsandTargets YT keeps memoryholing this I know you'd like it. Combine and search:
1. 2016/17
2. JOINT AGENCY
3. BALLISTICS TEST
4. FOR DEFENSIVE
5. HANDGUN AMMUNITION
These are like subsonic defensive rounds?
You might get them supersonic from a long enough barrel depending on your elevation but through these handguns, they're definitely sub.
I like the regular old school speer gold dot ammo 9mm 124 grain
Way better than these things.😎👍
I don't believe I would depend on this round in either my 40 or 9 for defense. Thanks for the video and keep shooting 😊.
Agreed. Way too inconsistent.
thanks for the test ....
😎👊