A Purpose-Built .44 Special Personal-Protection Load
Speer Gold Dot Handgun Personal Protection 23980GD is for the owner of a .44 S&W Special revolver who wants premium factory ammunition built around a bonded hollow-point bullet rather than a generic practice load. It uses a 200-grain Gold Dot Hollow Point, nickel-plated brass, and a sealed primer in a 20-round box.
The Gold Dot projectile uses Speer's pressure-formed core and Uni-Cor bonding process to join the lead core and jacket. The goal is to help the bullet retain its structural integrity as it expands, making this a sensible choice for shooters who place a premium on dependable, purpose-built defensive ammunition in the often-overlooked .44 Special chambering.
A Natural Pairing for the Smith & Wesson Model 396 Night Guard
This load is an especially natural pairing for the Smith & Wesson Model 396 Night Guard .44 Special, a lightweight five-shot revolver with a 3-inch barrel. The cartridge and revolver share the same .44 Special chambering, while the 200-grain Gold Dot configuration gives the owner a premium defensive option appropriate to the role of a compact big-bore revolver.
Speer rates this ammunition at 875 feet per second and 340 foot-pounds of muzzle energy from a 6-inch test barrel. The 396 Night Guard's 3-inch barrel will produce its own velocity, recoil impulse, point of impact, and practical accuracy. Confirm function and point of impact with your individual revolver before relying on any load for a particular purpose.
What This Load Is—and Is Not
This is standard-pressure .44 S&W Special ammunition, not .44 Magnum and not a Gold Dot Short Barrel load. It is intended for firearms chambered in .44 Special. Some firearms chambered in .44 Magnum can also fire .44 Special, but the owner should always follow the firearm manufacturer's instructions and verify the chamber marking before use.
Each box contains 20 rounds, making it practical for function testing, confirming sights, and maintaining a supply of a proven Gold Dot personal-protection load. Ammunition is non-returnable; confirm firearm compatibility before ordering.
Popular Pairings