Who has used Red Dot before?

rabbitgun · September 15, 2008, 06:20 PM

Neighbor just gave me three, 1lbs. cans of the stuff. Looks & smells good.

I've loaded thousands of 9mms & 38spls & 45acp with W231-Bullseye-HP-38-Unique-700X-#9-W296-Blue Dot-TightGroup-Universal, but never...never Red Dot. All 7 of my different brand name reloading manuals show the loads, but how about your field experience

I'm thinking GP-100 and 38spl target & standard 158 service pressure loading.

What does the Peanut Gallery say?

crowbeaner · September 15, 2008, 06:45 PM

Send it to me; I have several thou shotshells to load. It works OK, but remember that it's close to Bullseye in speed so small changes add up quickly, and it's a bit dirty unless loaded right up there in pressure. I've used a couple kegs of it at 18.5 grains apiece. 12 gauge, of course.

2spurrs · September 15, 2008, 08:41 PM

rabbitgun
Until Trailboss came along Red Dot was my standard powder for large cases- Plinking loads. IE for 38 spec, 44,45LC. It is a low density powder that gave a good case fill for weight - until Trailboss did it even better. Still for fun loads, cowboy, plinking loads it is a Good powder.

drail · September 15, 2008, 09:09 PM

I have used Red dot for handgun loads for many years and found it a very useful powder, although some would say it's dirty. What calibers are looking to use it in? I have found great loads in .44 Spl. 41 Mag and .45 ACP.

welder05 · September 15, 2008, 09:24 PM

I've used Red Dot for 45acp, 9mm, 38spc, even light loads for 357 mag.
Good powder. A pound will go a long way but be careful not to double charge case.

zxcvbob · September 15, 2008, 09:29 PM

Wonderful powder for all handgun cartridges except maybe .357 Magnum (too fast, like Clays.) It doesn't measure very well though, so watch your powder measure carefully.

Loader9 · September 15, 2008, 10:02 PM

Give this load a try in your 45 ACP, 5.0 grs Red Dot under a Speer 230 gr HP. It's real easy on the hand and it's extremely accurate out of every 1911 I've run it in.

tom234 · September 15, 2008, 11:42 PM

Alliant lists 3.4 gr Red Dot for .38 Special 158 gr LSWC and 3.8 gr for a +P load.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...nd%20Revolvers
Drop Allaint an email and request .357 magnum Red Dot loads and complain, as I do, that they don't have enough lead load listings.

zxcvbob · September 16, 2008, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Drop Allaint an email and request .357 magnum Red Dot loads and complain, as I do, that they don't have enough lead load listings.

I downloaded this reloading guide a couple of years ago. It's much more comprehensive than their current load data. HTH:
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachmen...3&d=1216513445

tom234 · September 16, 2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

I downloaded this reloading guide a couple of years ago. It's much more comprehensive than their current load data

Alliant's new format unfortunately concentrates on load data specifically for Speer bullets that are for the most part jacketed. I also find the older format [like that posted] by powder types much more useful in addition to having more lead bullet loads. Luckily I've held on to old hard copy Reloader's Guides; the oldest one is 1985.

wncchester · September 16, 2008, 05:37 PM

"All 7 of my different brand name reloading manuals show the loads, but how about your field experience"

?? It's just another fast powder.

amamnn · September 17, 2008, 05:08 PM

You might to check the lot # on each can. If they are different, you'lI want to check density.

I used to burn up a lot of Red Dot when I was shooting trap. I found that the density from lot to lot would vary wildly, though. I actually bought two cans from different lots that varied the max allowed by the powder manufacturer's agreement at the time-14% -one was max heavy and the other max light. I ended up wasting time trying to adjust my load for the difference. It was the last Red Dot I bought.--You got yours at the right price, though.

**44 AMP** · September 17, 2008, 06:27 PM

I got about 3/4 of a keg cheap about 20 years ago, and still have quite a bit left. I use it for standard loadings in 9mm, .38 SPl, and .45acp. Not the cleanest powder I have ever used, but not the dirtiest either. Close to Bullseye in speed (a little slower), and much faster than Unique.

The advantage is you get a lot of pistol loads from a pound of powder. The disadvantage is that it is a little dirty, and may not meter as smoothly as ball powders (it is a flake powder). Use regular primers (no magnums, not needed). Accuracy with my loads, in my guns is good.

Like beer, free powder is by definition, good powder!

September 15, 2008, 06:20 PM	#1
rabbitgun Junior Member Join Date: February 21, 2008 Posts: 7	Who has used Red Dot before? Neighbor just gave me three, 1lbs. cans of the stuff. Looks & smells good. I've loaded thousands of 9mms & 38spls & 45acp with W231-Bullseye-HP-38-Unique-700X-#9-W296-Blue Dot-TightGroup-Universal, but never...never Red Dot. All 7 of my different brand name reloading manuals show the loads, but how about your field experience I'm thinking GP-100 and 38spl target & standard 158 service pressure loading. What does the Peanut Gallery say?

September 15, 2008, 06:45 PM	#2
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	Send it to me; I have several thou shotshells to load. It works OK, but remember that it's close to Bullseye in speed so small changes add up quickly, and it's a bit dirty unless loaded right up there in pressure. I've used a couple kegs of it at 18.5 grains apiece. 12 gauge, of course. __________________ If you want your children to follow in your footsteps, be careful where you walk. Beware the man that only owns one gun; he probably knows how to use it. I just hope my ship comes in before my dock rots.

September 15, 2008, 09:29 PM	#6
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	Wonderful powder for all handgun cartridges except maybe .357 Magnum (too fast, like Clays.) It doesn't measure very well though, so watch your powder measure carefully. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

September 17, 2008, 05:08 PM	#12
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	You might to check the lot # on each can. If they are different, you'lI want to check density. I used to burn up a lot of Red Dot when I was shooting trap. I found that the density from lot to lot would vary wildly, though. I actually bought two cans from different lots that varied the max allowed by the powder manufacturer's agreement at the time-14% -one was max heavy and the other max light. I ended up wasting time trying to adjust my load for the difference. It was the last Red Dot I bought.--You got yours at the right price, though. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

September 17, 2008, 06:27 PM	#13
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,844	I have used it for pistols for many years I got about 3/4 of a keg cheap about 20 years ago, and still have quite a bit left. I use it for standard loadings in 9mm, .38 SPl, and .45acp. Not the cleanest powder I have ever used, but not the dirtiest either. Close to Bullseye in speed (a little slower), and much faster than Unique. The advantage is you get a lot of pistol loads from a pound of powder. The disadvantage is that it is a little dirty, and may not meter as smoothly as ball powders (it is a flake powder). Use regular primers (no magnums, not needed). Accuracy with my loads, in my guns is good. Like beer, free powder is by definition, good powder! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 15, 2008, 08:41 PM	#3
2spurrs Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Posts: 17	rabbitgun Until Trailboss came along Red Dot was my standard powder for large cases- Plinking loads. IE for 38 spec, 44,45LC. It is a low density powder that gave a good case fill for weight - until Trailboss did it even better. Still for fun loads, cowboy, plinking loads it is a Good powder.

September 15, 2008, 09:09 PM	#4
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	I have used Red dot for handgun loads for many years and found it a very useful powder, although some would say it's dirty. What calibers are looking to use it in? I have found great loads in .44 Spl. 41 Mag and .45 ACP.

September 15, 2008, 09:24 PM	#5
welder05 Member Join Date: March 27, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 29	I've used Red Dot for 45acp, 9mm, 38spc, even light loads for 357 mag. Good powder. A pound will go a long way but be careful not to double charge case.

September 15, 2008, 10:02 PM	#7
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	Give this load a try in your 45 ACP, 5.0 grs Red Dot under a Speer 230 gr HP. It's real easy on the hand and it's extremely accurate out of every 1911 I've run it in.

September 15, 2008, 11:42 PM	#8
tom234 Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 753	Alliant lists 3.4 gr Red Dot for .38 Special 158 gr LSWC and 3.8 gr for a +P load. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...nd%20Revolvers Drop Allaint an email and request .357 magnum Red Dot loads and complain, as I do, that they don't have enough lead load listings.

September 16, 2008, 05:37 PM	#11
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"All 7 of my different brand name reloading manuals show the loads, but how about your field experience" ?? It's just another fast powder.