Gold Dots in lever action?

[Bruce in WV]

I have a large # of 38 Spl 135gr Short Barrel Gold Dots I’d like to use in a trapper length 357 lever gun. Is this a safe cartridge in the tube feed (it looks safe to the naked eye, but that’s a guess, not fact).

[JimT]

I cannot tell you if they are safe or not. I have used the 125 gr. Gold Dots in my Rossi levergun. I never had any problems but that does not mean there might not be.

Chronograph Results
125 gr. Gold Dot JHP 21.5 gr. H110 = 2317 fps

[Bruce in WV]

Thank you, JimT. I need to consider the shape of the jhp, d th filler, too: is it safe to rest on the rear of the cartridge in front of it?

[JimT]

Thank you, JimT. I need to consider the shape of the jhp, d th filler, too: is it safe to rest on the rear of the cartridge in front of it?

That I do not know. Sorry.

[Bruce in WV]

Better safe than sorry - its a “no go”!
Thank you, sir.

[mickbr]

No problem using 135 gold dots in my previous lever actions. ( 3 x rossi 357).They have a very generous HP. Though i dont have any laying about from memory the hole is large enough that i doubt any material would contact a primer in front? I have never been concerned with any standard FN, SP or HP bullet being dangerous in a lever action. Question is whether your gun cycles and shoots it accurately. One of mine used to beat the noses up during cycling, a gunsmith recitifed most of that issue.

The 135 gold dot is a lot softer than the 125 gold dot, great bullet for low velocities, including subsonic, expands down to about 875fps impact. Only the remington golden sabre 125 BJSP expands at lower speeds, about 850fps. Over 1300fps they start to come apart.
I used to run them as 38 special in the 20" rossi magazine, it held 12 in the tube from memory, vs 10 for 357 magnum. I loaded them for subsonic use and also into the 1200's as my '9mm SMG equivalent/home defence' load. Recoil is low enough to run fast like western action speed.I took a couple of small hogs broadside with this load too.

Good ballistics report on the bullet here
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolv ... tics-test/

[GunnyMack]

Should be fine to use BUT as others said if in doubt- don't.

If a jacketed soft point is safe, hollow points are safe as there is nothing to contact the primer.

Also we are talking about 38s and not a ton of recoil.

If it were me I'd stuff the mag full and not worry about it. All my Henry 41 sees is Nosler 210 Jhp or cast fp. The Nosler has a rather small hollow, smaller than a large primer.

The golden saber, brass jacket, I'd be more concerned about in the mag as brass is harder than lead, most pistol bullets have lead exposed and that as we know is soft.

Again, I would do it, your gun, your decision.

[wvfarrier]

I have used them in my winchester 1892 without any problems except that they fragment on target

[6pt-sika]

Seems to me I loaded some 44 cal Gold Dots for the 444 . And if memory serves I killed a deer or two with them .

[6pt-sika]

I didn’t think I’d used a Gold Dot HP ! Ifound the box of bullets is loaded from Speer Gold Dot 44 cal 270 gr GDSP .

B4FDDA41-5490-46CD-B8D3-256DCF3070C9.jpeg

Unfortunately they’re all gone and I’ve got some really heavy 44 cast bullets inside something I’m the 400 grain plus range .

[mickbr]

worth noting that not all 'gold dots' are created equal. short barrel revolver versions which the OP refers ( 135grain in 38 and 200grain in 44 special fpr the record) are designed to expand under 900fps and will fragment to pieces over 1200-1300.

Regular gold dots are much tougher, essentially a different bullet.