Speer LE 64 Grain Gold Dot "ICE" (#24447)






This review looks at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 223 Remington loading of the Speer 64 grain “bonded” soft-point (#24447).





Left to right:  1) 62 grain Fusion, 2) 62 grain Gold Dot, 3) 64 grain Gold Dot, 4) 75 grain Gold Dot.






This ammunition comes loaded in brass cases.  The primer pockets are crimped and sealed.  The case-mouth is crimped but is not sealed.  The round is charged with a ball powder.  The case-head reads:

SPEER 13   223  REM






Velocity



I chronographed the Speer LE 64 grain Gold Dot ICE  ammunition from a semi-automatic AR-15 with a chrome-lined, NATO chambered, 20” Colt M16A2 barrel.









Chronographing was conducted using an Oehler 35-P chronograph with “proof screen” technology. The Oehler 35P chronograph is actually two chronographs in one package that takes two separate chronograph readings for each shot and then has its onboard computer analyze the data to determine if there is any statistically significant difference between the two readings.  If there is a difference, the chronograph “flags” the shot to let you know that the data is invalid.  There was no invalid data flagged during this testing.

The velocity stated below is the muzzle velocity as calculated from the instrumental velocity using Oehler’s Ballistic Explorer software program. The string of fire consisted of 10 rounds over the chronograph.














Each round was single-loaded and cycled into the chamber from a magazine fitted with a single-load follower. The bolt locked-back after each shot allowing the chamber to cool in between each shot. This technique was used to mitigate the possible influence of “chamber-soak” on velocity data. Each new shot was fired in a consistent manner after hitting the bolt release.  Atmospheric conditions were monitored and recorded using a Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker.









Atmospheric conditions

Temperature:  76 degrees F
Humidity:  33%
Barometric pressure:  30.05 inches of Hg
Elevation:  950 feet above sea level


The muzzle velocity for the 10-shot string of the Speer LE 64 grain Gold Dot ICE ammunition fired from the 20” Colt barrel was 2830 FPS with a standard deviation of 19 FPS and a coefficient of variation of 0.67%.  


For those of you who might not be familiar with the coefficient of variation (CV), it is the standard deviation, divided by the mean (average) muzzle velocity and then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage. It allows for the comparison of the uniformity of velocity between loads in different velocity spectrums; e.g. 77 grain loads running around 2,650 fps compared to 55 grain loads running around 3,250 fps.

For comparison, the mil-spec for M193 allows for a coefficient of variation of approximately 1.2%, while one of my best 77 grain OTM hand-loads, with a muzzle velocity of 2639 PFS and a standard deviation of 4 FPS, has a coefficient of variation of 0.15%.












Accuracy


I conducted an accuracy (technically, precision) evaluation of the Speer LE 64 grain Gold Dot ICE ammunition following my usual protocol. This accuracy evaluation used statistically significant shot-group sizes and every single shot in a fired group was included in the measurements. There was absolutely no use of any group-reduction techniques (e.g. fliers, target movement, butterfly Shots).

The shooting set-up will be described in detail below. As many of the significant variables as was practicable were controlled for. Also, a control group was fired from the test-rifle used in the evaluation using match-grade, hand-loaded ammunition; in order to demonstrate the capability of the barrel. Pictures of shot-groups are posted for documentation.

All shooting was conducted from a concrete bench-rest from a distance of 100 yards (confirmed with a laser rangefinder.) The barrel used in the evaluation was free-floated. The free-float handguards of the rifle rested in a Sinclair Windage Benchrest, while the stock of the rifle rested in a Protektor bunny-ear rear bag. Sighting was accomplished via a Leupold Competition Series 45x45mm scope adjusted to be parallax-free at 100 yards. A mirage shield was attached to the objective-bell of the scope. Wind conditions on the shooting range were continuously monitored using a Wind Probe. The set-up was very similar to that pictured below.









The Wind Probe.






The test vehicle for this accuracy evaluation was one of my Krieger barreled semi-automatic AR-15s. The barrel has a 5.56mm Match chamber with a 1:7.7” twist. Prior to firing the 64 grain Gold Dot ICE ammunition, I fired a 10-shot control group using match-grade hand-loads topped with the Sierra 55 grain BlitzKing. That group had an extreme spread of 0.68”.













Three 10-shot groups of the Speer LE 64 grain Gold Dot ICE ammunition were fired in a row with the resulting extreme spreads:

1.36”
0.98”
1.16”

for a 10-shot group average extreme spread of 1.17”. The three 10-shot groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group. The mean radius for the 30-shot composite group was 0.36”.

The smallest 10-shot group . . .






The 30-shot composite group . . .









And for any Internet Commandos in our viewing audience today, here’s a pic of a 3-shot group of the 64 grain Gold Dot ICE load.  The group has an extreme spread of 0.16”.







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Awesome work, as always.   Thanks so much!

Thank you for yet another fantastic review.


After seeing your .47 group from the wolf steel case, I'm not sure I'm ready to pony up the extra money for these.

Glad I have some of these tucked away.

Thank you for posting these tests Molon.

Time for gelatin tests?

Terminal Ballistic Properties of the 64 grain Gold Dot (#24448)

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. G.K. Roberts, we now have some excellent answers to the questions of terminal ballistics pertaining to the Speer 64 grain Gold Dot LE load. The results shown below indicate the penetration of this load in bare ballistic gelatin as well as after having passed through auto-glass. Auto (safety) glass is one of the most difficult barriers (of those commonly tested) for 5.56mm/.223 Remington loads to penetrate and still perform adequately in ballistic gelatin.











Comparisons.






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Notes on Data from the ATK Workshops

The ATK Workshops have a history of failing to follow the proper protocols for terminal ballistic testing and of publishing misleading and fabricated data. As a simple example, the established method of determining the expanded diameter of a recovered bullet, is to measure the widest and narrowest portions “at the leading edge of the deformed bullet” and then average those two measurements to obtain the recovered diameter.

Witnesses to some of the ATK Workshops have reported that the deformed bullets were measured at the widest portion of the bullet only and then that measurement only was recorded as the recovered diameter, thus giving exaggerated results.





Courtesy of Dr. G.K. Roberts



Further Inconsistences in the Test Procedures and Reported Data from the ATK Workshops.

As I’ve previously posted, the ATK Wound Ballistic Workshop at Fort Collins on 6-26-08 has a major credibility issue regarding the 64 grain Gold Dot data. For this workshop, the stated test weapon was a 16” barreled RRA LAR-15. The Workshop reported a velocity of 2575 fps for the 64 grain Gold Dot fired from said 16” barrel.

Now, look at the data from the ATK Wound Ballistic Workshop at Aurora on 6-24-08. This Workshop reports the velocity of the 64 grain Gold Dot as exactly 2575 fps, when fired from a (Colt) Commando with an 11” barrel. It would be next to impossible for two different barrels with a difference in length of 5” to produce the exact same velocity with the 64 grain Gold Dot. It's obvious that the velocity data for the 64 grain Gold Dot from one or both of the Workshops is false.

Since the Workshops failed to accurately determine/record something as basic as the velocity for the 64 grain Gold Dot, I question the validity of any of the Workshops' reported data for the 64 Grain Dot; especially something as crucial as the penetration depth. An individual who was present at an ATK Workship stated this about the ballistic gel blocks that were used at the ATK Workshop:

"the first gelatin block was calibrated initially at the beginning but the other blocks sat outside until they were shot and were not calibrated or the temp checked prior to use. I'm fairly certain that they were warmer than they should have been and without calibration the data was suspect, at best."



More Fabricated Data from the ATK Wound Ballistic Workshop


The ATK Wound Ballistic Workshops continue to demonstrate their lack of credibility. In their latest report entitled “Butte – Montana 5-27-09” they include more fabricated data for the Speer 64 grain Gold Dot.

Speer advertises a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps for the 64 grain Gold Dot load when fired from a 24” barrel. During my own chronographing of the 64 grain Gold Dot load, I obtained a muzzle velocity of 2912 fps when fired from a 24” Krieger barreled AR-15.  

Using a 16” barreled M4, the ATK workshop claims to have obtained a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps for the 64 grain Gold Dot load. Using a barrel that is 8 INCHES SHORTER, the ATK workshop claims to have obtained the exact same muzzle velocity as advertised from a 24” barrel. It’s quite obvious that the ATK workshop never even chronographed the 64 grain Gold Dot load and then falsified their report using the advertised muzzle velocity. The irresponsible practices of the ATK workshops and their failures to adhere to established protocols for terminal ballistic testing renders all of their data suspect.








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Has anyone done a gel test with these in a 10.5-11.5" barrel?

I've searched and could only find a test done with a 7.5" barrel which took a while to open up.

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So, are those good results in gelatin?  Can't tell for sure, since it basically says you cant trust the results?

Gold Dot is a known good performer.

No one said anything about not trusting the results from Dr G.K. Roberts.


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Da nada.


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Would be interesting if the different part numbers had different velocities.

They seem to be pretty close to each other in performance . . .


http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_16/688331_Speer_LE_64_Grain_Gold_Dot___Velocity__Accuracy_and_Terminal_Ballistics.html

Indeed.



Speer LE 75 Grain Gold Dot Range Report



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ICE load is brass and LE is nickel. That's the only difference it appears.

CBP discontinued issuing this ammo quite a while ago, they now use a federal bonded duty load and purple winchester for training in some cases. The speer was good but chronied at less than 2400fps out of a standard govt M4, not that the new loads do any better.