Taurus GX4 test shoot: Vista Outdoors 124 gr 9mm +P, Federal HST vs Speer Gold Dot - Ballistic Gel

[@dfwredeye8788]

Even though I shouldn’t, I stay up late on the weekends when the family is asleep sipping on Bourbon and watching you, Gun Sam, Paul H. and TFB. It’s my guilty pleasure apart from Netflix. Just wanted to say I appreciate all that you do. It can’t be easy carrying all that equipment and gel blocks, recording video, editing video, and publishing video, etc. I especially liked your LCR and Underwood Wadcutter tests awhile back. Anyway, hello from Dallas Tx and have a great Xmas and New Year sir 🎉

[@noahcount7132]

Appreciate this comparison, Dave. 👍 Good to know your GX4 has been factory certified as drop safe. 👍 My choice for "social work" would be the HST. For unwelcome encounters in Wyoming's outback I prefer Underwood's factory loads topped with either Lehigh solid copper XPs or XDs.

[@GeographyCzar]

Right on

[@grahamohea2424]

I read somewhere back that, based on the two requirements of penetration and expanding, Vista specifically designed the Gold Dot to favor penetration while they specifically designed the HST to favor expansion. Either way, you really can't go wrong

[@v73133]

To be clear, an agreement to sell the ammo part of Vista was announced. They don't expect the sale to happen until well into next year. Guessing nothing will change in how the factories and brands run. The ammo part was going to split off into a new company anyway and someone thought it would be a good chance to own it.

[@GeographyCzar]

Fair point. Plenty of time to stock up. No need to bum rush the stores.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Well done. Good perspective. Some of the GX4 definitely do discharge when dropped. A very good friend of the family was purse carrying(not my recommendation) and dropped the purse which caused the GX4 to fire. It tore up her leg, busted some pelvis and gut shot her badly. Praise the Lord she survived and is progressing quite well all things considered.

[@CrashRacknShoot]

That's crazy. Just when it looks like Taurus is turning it around, they fuck it up. This is why I'll always stay away from them, regardless of "how far they've come".

[@daleweller5193]

Did you tell her to put her gun in a holster ??

[@2amichaelj]

My personal list is 1. Underwood Extreme Defender 90 grain 2. Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P 3. Federal HST 124 grain +P The Defenders perform so well but are expensive. Gold Dots are bonded and seem to penetrate barriers better. HSTs when they mushroom are so nice but don't perform in barriers as well as Defenders or Gold Dots. Prices reflect the performance as Underwood's are $1.10 a round, Gold Dots are $0.60 a round and HSTs are $0.57 a round. I stack HSTs as the price is appealing.

[@MelodeathMassacre]

I couldn't find hst in eastern WA but could find Gold dot +p pretty easy

[@tomlee6263]

I just bought a GX4, and fortunately the serial number isn't un the recall list. Good video thanks! I think 9mm out of a short barrel has come a long ways over the years. Good video thanks!

[@GeographyCzar]

My pleasure. Thanks for your positive, succinct review. You are using the information this channel provides, and that's the whole point. If people want entertainment or demonstrations of shooting stance, grip, safety equipment and other nuances of proper technique or (most likely) just plain showing off steel plate killing skills at ranges no lawyer could convince a jury was "self defense", there are dozens of channels with a hundred times as many subscribers to demonstrate what most people are looking for. That's not me. I was doing product research for personal and family use, and one day I just thought, heck, why don't I get a cheap tripod and set my smartphone to video tape the whole thing? Several years later Google started paying me to do it. A sweet bonus, but nowhere near covering my costs (as of yet). But I'll keep running the tests I find relevant to my own life, or to my friends and relatives, and posting videos of them. I have a job, I don't need the $150/month, but it does help me convince my wife to let me buy more tools!

[@BuckeyeBallistics]

I did this same test a few months ago from a 3.2" barrel with similar results, minus the chrono (mine died). Surprised the Dots are faster, thank you for that data...

[@jimmywilliams7876]

one of the specific comparisons I was considering doing myself. thanks.

[@GeographyCzar]

Go for it! Just because Shooting The Bull and Gun Sam and a half dozen others had done it before didn't stop me! LOL

[@johnw4999]

The flying ashtray term was for the .45 version.

[@v73133]

A lot of bad dudes stopped by that Gold Dot load. The 9mm choice of NYPD for decades. The HST actually seems to be less effected by the shorter barrel length though. Gold Dot penetrated deeper because it expanded less, or less rapidly. Makes sense the bonded bullet would need a little more push.

[@GeographyCzar]

Yup. Even though the Gold Dots say "short barrel" on the box, I think they'd be better from a longer barrel.

[@Fudmottin]

It's too bad the Taurus slide isn't the same copper color as your LCR cylinder. That would be a nice match! I think I like the HST a bit better. Sure, it penetrated a little less. But those copper jacket petals are sharp! That's some cutting right there! And the penetration was sufficient. I don't know if you're uploading on a schedule or not. I'm not. But I recently uploaded a video. No shooting in it though. I should try to get in a video shooting my favorite carry gun with carry ammo.

[@GeographyCzar]

Man, yea I keep looking at the LCR and the GX4 and thinking how cool it’d be if they matched, lol! I didn’t know you had new videos up, KZbin musta unchecked the notifications again…

[@Fudmottin]

@@GeographyCzar I haven't been very active. I'm just about out of steam on what to talk about on the topic of firearms. It's also just been one of those years.

[@tommyK7282]

I have the 9mm LE Gold Dot 115 +p+. 1300fps from a 4.5in barrel.

[@YellowHammer26]

👍👍Thanks Dave, two really good self defense rounds. I carry the 124 gr hst standard version out of my s&w ez 9mm with a 3.675 “ barrel and I get a little over 1100 fps. Hard to beat hsts and gold dots for a 9mm regardless of barrel length.

[@GeographyCzar]

Good choice. Back when I owned the original S&W Shield, I also went for the Standard Pressure variety. I have a few left... wonder if i should do a comparison..

[@YellowHammer26]

@@GeographyCzar That would be good, something I’d like to see.

[@traumajock]

Please, all Academy has in my area is the standard pressure.@@GeographyCzar

[@Shannon_Lacey]

Excellent test. That was organic gelatin correct, not the simulated stuff?

[@joe7282]

For bears and Hogs should I use hollow points give me this much penetration as possible especially with a bear 124 grain Full Metal Jacket or a more powerful caliber

[@GeographyCzar]

Not sure I'd use a 9 for either, but if you can only have one gun...

[@MrTdogg175]

To be fair if you’re walking alone in bear country, at MINIMUM you should have a dedicated woods gun and get a 10mm Glock or something. The 10mm is gonna perform a LOT better on a bear, where a 9mm might not even phase the bear even after you’ve mag dumped the bear.. you need a bigger round for a bear. I would rather have my 9mm carry gun instead of nothing obviously, but if you frequently are out in the wilderness, get a 10mm handgun to carry with you, save yourself a lot of possible issues. It’ll serve you much better against bigger threats like bears or hogs or mountain lions etc. 9mm is plenty for coyotes or smaller predator animals, but not the big boys.

[@rangetime6779]

Good test and both did really well.

[@GeographyCzar]

Yes they did. Under normal circumstances, I'd prefer the HST, but somehow out on the "Discreet Defense Ranch" my reasons for carry undergo a strange metamorphosis...

[@RobDelacruz-w6d]

Alternate each type in your magazine.

[@daleweller5193]

The quality of the Gold dots seems to be slipping!

[@DanTheWolfman]

If only worried about 2 legged HST, if worried about Lions Tigers and Bears oh my...or job is around cars all day then Gold Dot. I plugged you good in my FBI 12-18 video did you see that? My comment yesterday was likely deleted by YT or maybe you?

[@GeographyCzar]

Sorry, I had to delete the first video, it was the raw uncut version. Way too much fluff and gaps while I went to grab gear, etc. KZbin has done that before, posting the original when I upload both versions and try to publish the edited one. Not sure why, but from now on I will be deleting the original before posting the edited. I’ll have to check out your video, thanks for the free publicity!

[@DanTheWolfman]

​@GeographyCzar you're welcome and good to see this short barrel GD. Their Carry Gun ammo which was sorta G2 kind of went away it seems

[@antonelloromeo2118]

Good video my friend good👍

[@GeographyCzar]

Thank you 👍 I'm always happy to see old friends that still follow the channel!

[@antonelloromeo2118]

❤

[@johnjones9642]

If you this ammo on hogs don't forget to get 5ft away 😂

[@Dorito230]

Hogs don’t attack you, if you leave them alone.