Like you I thought the jacked was electroplated to the lead on the Gold dot bullets. I shot a pig through the top of the head and the jacket and lead held together very well with a good , but not too big mushroom. All the other 270 gr. Gold dot bullets I have shot into game, including finishers have given 100% penetration, even of game like Caribou, Waterbuck, and side head shots on pigs. I think it is a very good bullet when you need deep penetration with some expansion. I still prefer Garretts Hammerheads for charge stopping protection on Bears,Lion, Buff etc.
The Garretts will shoot through a buff skull down into the neck and into the brain of a cow elephant on a side brain shot.

You should see the Jacket it is a mangled mess, hardly looks like a bullet / Jacket anymore. Maybe speer will reply today and have some good info for me. Not really on topic but I also told them they need to make a HOT 45-70 load, doubt they will even consider it.

Well I got my response from Speer, they pretty much said that there is no way they could separate and that they are bonded. They asked me if I was sure that they were Gold Dots. I replyed with pictures of the Jacket so they could see them. So I am not sure what to think know.

I email Speer hopefully I will get an answer as to whether or not they are bonded.