90 grain GD Ammo

[Gunnersm]

New to the forum so don't shoot me if this question has been asked-

Does anyone have experience with federal 90 grain gold dot ammo? If so, how does it perform?

My Noveske 6.8 likes the GD ammo and does not shoot the 120 SST that well.

TIA

 

[rgilbert]

TLM tested them a lot. He does not care for them. I do not think the sectional density is correct for hog hunting.

 

[slim_shady]

Welcome to the forum! I just got two boxes of Federal Gold dots yesterday. I loaded up 10 rounds in a mag and went down to the range last night. I got a decent group with them and decided to try them out on a hunt. The short of the long is I got a 250ish lb sow @ 200 yards & a 80ish lb boar at 30 yards last night. If your gun likes them Id say try them out on a hunt.

 

[theblakester]

There's also the 115 grain federal fusion. 100 grain HORNADY full boar. Accubonds (hear good things). 85 grain tsx. 95 grain TTSX.

 

[deltav]

My 16" *** really likes the GD 90 grain. Running around 2850 fps through the chrono. After taking well over 100 hogs with this ammo, I can vouch for its lethality. I started out with the SSA Barnes 85 & 95 grain and they are both great rounds but the price forced me to seek an alternative. I feel the 95 TTSX is the most lethal of the three but the GD 90 is right there. IMO the 85 Barnes and the GD 90 are very similar in stopping power. Also, the GD price is great compared to the Barnes. Found them as low as $9.99 per box a few months ago and stocked up. Great round.

 

[Wassman]

Personally I have found that any sub 100 gr pill doesn't work as well as 100 gr and up pill. Even the beloved 95 TTSX, just seems the extra weight has the push that the others don't. Then on the other hand if you find a bullet that your rifle likes and it is getting the job done, I say you have a winner.

 

[FrankT]

I have many boxes of the 90GD also have the 115gr Fusion (same bullet only heavier), it is my target or varmint ammo now just don't like its performance. I don't use on deer or hogs due to its poor performance. If you are going to the 6.8 then I feel like Wass 100GR or better it optimal. I like the SSA 110TSX the 95's are not bad either, or the Hornady 120SST

 

[Taco]

If you don't reload it's a good load to stock up on. There isn't anything else out there for that cheap and it isn't the worst performer. It's not bad to have in a mag for zapping piglets.

 

[ZenArchery]

I had to take multiple shots with 90 gr GD @ 2740fps wasn't satisfied with them. Swapped over to 95gr TAC TX (same thing as TTSX) and 3 out of 4 have dropped in the dirt. Biggest boar needing 2 shots at distance of 180+yds

 

[Taco]

I think op is talking about loaded ammo. I see Wilson loads that 95gr bullet and I bet it is awesome. But it's like $38 a box? Gold Dots can be had for $9-$12 a box. No it's not the best killer but it's not the worst. You know how it goes when you get into a sounder.....you shoot 3-4 sows then it's a piglet party. I like having 5-6 120s at the top of the mag and 10 or so gold dots behind them. That way I'm not zapping pig footballs at a dollar something a shot. Just my method. Not suggesting one rely on the 90s.

 

[Ratdog68]

LOL... "piglet party"..

 

[EGarza04]

I am mainly a deer hunter, but I have shot a lot of the 90GD and 115 Fusions as well as 100AB. My favorite is the 100AB as I have been able to drop anything out to 250yards with it. I have also used the 115 Fusion with great success on many different animals. The 90GD is a great round too, it's POI is pretty much the same for me as the 115 Fusion. I have dropped several deer DRT, some large, some not so much, every time, except once I have had a complete pass through, and that one went through around 18" of meat, spine, and ribs. It was a perfect mushroom. I have yet to loose an animal with the 90GD.

the one that didn't pass through:

here is my thread on a nilgai I killed with the 115 Fusion: South Texas Nilgai | Lone Star Boars

 

[Afalex1]

I tried the gold dot again this weekend. I had 6 hogs I had to shoot 3-4 time before they went down. All of the exit holes were barely the diameter of the top of my pinky.
The bulmet mushrooms nicely, but does't seem to transfer energy and cause significant damage upon impact. I switched back to the 120 sst mid hunt Friday night and hogs started dropping in 1 shot again.


If you hunt from a blind/stand, plan to shoot 1 hog with perfect shot placement in the head or neck. Then, I think the gold dot works well. If you plan to shoot animals on the move, full of adrenaline, the gold dot sucks.

Try the 110 accubond or even the 110 vmax. I think either perform better on game than the GD

 

[deltav]

Killed many with the GD 90 and never had a pass through that I noticed and I look at both sides of every hog I kill. All energy transferred to the hog. Many have dropped in there tracks even with shoulder shots. The ones that didn't drop have rarely gone more than 50 yards. As with any round it's all about shot placement. Not sure how it performs out of short barrels but at 2850 from an *** 16" barrel it performs great for me. Close to 100% weight retention, great expansion and inexpensive.
Just purchased a few boxes of SST 120's to try since several shoot this round and report good results. Only problem is they hit slightly low and left from my Gold Dots. Not enough to make an adjustment but I like to be as accurate a possible. This could be part of the problem if reporting negative results with the GD. They may have a different impact point than the ammo typically shot resulting in less than lethal shot placement. Will post my thoughts when the SST boxes are empty.