Tested and approved by people that actually have to shoot people for a living and that I trust. Gold Dot 147gr 9mm, latest Gen LE round in all my CC guns.
4 Likes
My understanding is that the Gold Dot G2 was specifically designed for LEOs using full size handguns and that the bullets often failed to expand properly from barrel lengths under 4 inches. I think they still make the standard Gold Dots that work well from shorter barrels.
But my info is from a couple of years ago which is the last time I bought Gold Dots. Perhaps they tweaked the G2s to work in a broader range of barrel lengths?
Who makes fluted bulletts?
2 Likes
Underwood Ammo | High Performance Hunting & Self-Defense Ammo
It is my understanding that Lehigh Defense makes the Bulletās that Underwood uses for the finished product.
2 Likes
Iām unfamiliar with the latest GD Gen 2 round, but Gold Dot has had its issues, too. It used to be what I carried, but I did so simply because it was popular and everyone I knew bragged about it, but I learned that there are others that are just as good or better. I guess it depends on the user, the gun, or the lot. But Iāll rest my total confidence in none of them, because any of them can fail, but we make the best decisions we can.
Video sampling:
Gold Dot Double FAIL?! - YouTube
My personal preference for a self-defense round it the Federal Premium 147 gr. HST, JHP.
Video sampling:
AMMO REVIEW: 9mm 147 gr Federal HST in Calibrated Gel (2021) - YouTube
1 Like
Ooooh, thatās a new one for me; Iāve never heard of a fluted round.
2 Likes
See my videos above about clear ballistics gel and how itās not an apples to apples comparison with actual calibrated ordnance gel. Just sayinā
The go-to Gold Dot for .38spl is +P. Probably for any .38spl, actually, the go to is going to be a +P. .38 spl is an old round standard pressure doesnāt have a lot to it
The real question, I suppose, is what standard pressure .38 spl fluted round performs better and more consistently than the standard pressure .38spl Gold Dot?
1 Like
They have been tweaked and Iāve seen performance in live tissue fired from a Glock 19 which is the same barrel length as my EDC Glock 48 MOS.
Letās call it impressiveā¦
3 Likes
Besides Underwood Ammo, also NovX , and G9 Defense. They also make HP and FMJ, However is their ammo of good quality, I havenāt heard of any of them before, but then again I am new at this.
I donāt think I have ever met/talked to/internet talked to (yet) anybody that has tested, had knowledge of legit testing of, or carried, NovX or G9.
Underwood yes, but then they are fairly well known and load known-good projectiles from major manufacturers like using the ābonded speerā or whatever (they used to call them Gold Dots but I guess that is only supposed to be applied to the final loaded cartridge from Speer not another manufacturer using the bullet)
1 Like
Bruce26 have you tried any of their other rounds? You said that you havenāt had any problems with the fluted ones?
1 Like
My performance info comes from real world use by multiple sources. It works well. But then again bullet science has gotten so good that itās almost impossible to go wrong with just about any Premium SD bullet out there as long as you place it in the right area of a BGs body.
2 Likes
Good to know, this is the first that Iāve heard of any of them, but my research has just begun, so Iām willing to listen and learn. the concept of fluted rounds is intriguing.
2 Likes
Yes, I have shot them out of my Beretta Tomcat .32acp. A 4in. group out of a 2in. barrel at 25yds. 
The same groupings with the 9mm 90grn +P.
I also shoot the Controlled Chaos in my 7.62x39.
This is quality ammunition. 
BTW. The 9mm is on sale right now. Glad I bought a bunch 2 years ago.
I also bought the .45 ACP. +P 255grn. flat nose for woods carry.
Soooā¦ I guess Iām a fan of Underwood ammo. 
2 Likes
Is there any data here? How many inches of penetration did each provide?
Permanent wound cavity measurement?
Expanded bullet diameters?
I wonder, how frequently do you suppose a concealed carry pistol round is shot through 3/4" plywood at an imminent deadly threat on the other side?
Are there any law enforcement agencies you know of that have adopted the 90gr 9mm to prove it āon the streetā yet?
1 Like
You are sooo lost. 
Totally possible lol
Iām just not remembering seeing self defense concealed carry shots through 3/4" plywood into the bad guy and am wondering what the objective measurements from those two individual rounds were. Or street results.
Thank you for the input. Lots of good info here, I read a few articles on NovX last night, including one from USCCA, by Scott Wagner. Iām going to check a couple shops around my area to see what they have if any. If not Iāll probably order some from Underwood and pay the dern shipping, LOL. The shipping cost for one box isnāt much less than for 10 boxes. I just donāt want that much yet. Thanx again for the info.
1 Like
Good questions
Norma is another source of fluted bulletts You searched for NXD - Norma Shooting %
Hollow points were introduced in the late 1800ās. They were not an instant hit (pun intended), but obviously became popular over the last 100+ years. Any ānewā technology faces resistance to adoption over a ātime provenā technology, but hollow points have firmly entrenched themselves in todayās SD bullett design. Will the fluted design become the gold standard in the future? I certainly donāt know, but I can assure you I donāt want to be shot by any of them 
I did run across this civilian sanitized version of a report from 2016/17 1cm0blukf_477512.pdf (wsimg.com) It is 51 pages long, but this chart from page 21 caught my eye because it includes a number of the popular hollow point as well as fluted designs. The 9mm tests used Sig 226 (4.4" barrel) and Glock 17 (4.48") pistols. PWC is Permanent Wound Channel in cubic inches.
Interestingly, the Underwood XD had the largest PWC - make your own conclusions.
4 Likes