VERY Surprising Results!...9MM Speer Gold Dot Carbine Ballistic Gel AMMO Test & Review!

Published on November 16, 2025
Duration: 15:36

This review details a ballistic gel test of Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm 135gr ammunition, comparing performance from an HK SP5 (8.9-inch barrel) and a Henry Homesteader (16.4-inch barrel). The test reveals surprising velocity differences and significant variations in bullet expansion, highlighting the impact of barrel length and ammunition design on terminal ballistics. The host, with high authority in firearms testing, provides an analytical assessment of the results.

Quick Summary

A ballistic gel test of Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm 135gr ammo showed surprising results: it expanded well from an 8.9-inch HK SP5 barrel (1192 fps) but failed to expand from a 16.4-inch Henry Homesteader barrel (1144 fps). This indicates the G2 projectile's expansion is velocity-dependent.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Setup
  2. 02:00Velocity Testing: HK SP5
  3. 03:38Velocity Testing: Henry Homesteader
  4. 05:12Ballistic Gel Impact
  5. 07:38Gel Results Analysis
  6. 11:25Projectile Recovery & Measurements

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm 135gr ammo perform from different barrel lengths?

From an 8.9-inch HK SP5 barrel, the ammo achieved 1192 fps average velocity and excellent expansion. However, from a 16.4-inch Henry Homesteader barrel, velocity dropped to 1144 fps, and the bullets failed to expand, penetrating much deeper.

What were the key findings of the Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm ballistic gel test?

The test revealed that the Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm 135gr ammo's expansion is highly dependent on velocity. It expanded well from a shorter barrel but failed to expand from a longer barrel due to lower velocity, highlighting potential design limitations.

Did the Speer Gold Dot Carbine 9mm ammo expand reliably in the test?

Reliability varied significantly by barrel length. From the HK SP5 (8.9"), it expanded to ~0.55" with good weight retention. From the Henry Homesteader (16.4"), it did not expand at all, acting like FMJ.

Why did the 9mm Speer Gold Dot Carbine ammo perform differently in the Henry Homesteader vs. HK SP5?

The longer barrel of the Henry Homesteader resulted in lower muzzle velocity (1144 fps) compared to the shorter HK SP5 (1192 fps). This lower velocity was insufficient for the Speer Gold Dot G2 projectile to reliably expand, causing it to act like FMJ.

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