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Red Dot recipes for 357 & 45 LC


Fast Freddy

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Anyone have a recipe for 357 and/or 45LC using Red dot.

Recipes, threads, etc... for CAS velocity loads rifle and/or pistol appreciated

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I use 4.5 grains of Red Dot and a 205 grain bullet in .45 Colt I don’t load .38 so can’t help you there.

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I also use 3.0 grains in .38. For some reason my 3.0 .357 loads were erratic in the cold so I stepped u[p to 3.5.

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Like Michigan Slim, for most fast powders (Bullseye, Red Dot, AA #2, etc) , I find I have to use 0.5 grain more in the 357 Magnum to get similar results to my 38's.

 

Read that in a gun magazine about 25 years ago.

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Thanx All!!!

Really appreciate the response

I'm brand new to CAS so never loaded any low velocity stuff before, only HP for autos and high pwr rifles

I have a little OCD when it comes to loadin, so when I start somethin new I do all my case prep to the letter and process in single stages for the first couple handfuls.

Got a pair of rock crushers, a lee, a 650 dill & a 900 + an array of case prep and cartridge check & balance gizmos. They don't have meetings or support groups for this problem...so no judging

Once I've got the load nailed down, I set up the Dillon and go to town on it

Again OCD, so stuck on quality brass (starline, lapua,etc)

I have some lead comin' from Badman. I opted for 125g RNFP for the 357 & 200g for the Colts

Any other recommendations for lead would also be appreciated

 

Taylor 1873 short (20") in 357 .Pioneer stage 2 SS, pairin that with a set of RNV's SASS in 357

I'd really like to keep this simple to start with so a load that worked even moderately well for both is what I'm after. I'll be warnin the folks at my first shoot to pack a lunch as there'll be no lightning show put on by yours truly. # slow poke

The literature  I got with the Taylor calls out an OAL of 1.44 - 1.56 which falls in close what the good book calls out (1.55 for 38 & 1.59 for 357). Should be G2G there unless you good folks have any other suggestions.

Temps here in WA are all over the place right now, bouncing from the low 20's to 50. By the time I actually get my rear end to a shoot, it'll be spring and temps should only have a moderate swing. We'll see what the chrono says now and check her again in April.

 

My evil plan is to rope my girl into this, hand her the 357's and run the 45's. I'm sure she'll take it up as she's a damn fine shot and pretty much embarrasses me on a regular basis.

 

Colt 3rd gen SAA's in 45 colt

Henry BB 45LC 20" nothin fancy here...yet

  Again, lookin to find a load that's good company for both to start with

 

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Run any of the above loads in pistol and rifle. If you want to lower the recoil on the shotgun use unique instead of Red Dot. Same with the pistol rounds.

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Another vote for 5.0 grains of Red Dot and a 200 grain LRNFP. I use S&S or Rim Rock. For the 12 gauge I use the AA hull with 14 to 15 grains of Red Dot and the Claybuster 7/8 oz. wad.

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10 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

Run any of the above loads in pistol and rifle. If you want to lower the recoil on the shotgun use unique instead of Red Dot. Same with the pistol rounds.

Or less Red dot. I used a 24 bushing for my wife because she hated the SG. I got her up to a 25 and then I dropped from a 27 bushing to meet in the middle so I wouldn't have to change the press around for two loads. I think the 25 bushing is 14 grains and it's fine for SASS. I chrono'd it a long time ago I think it's 1 oz @ 975.  

For the 38's I use 4 grains but I like a decent load. 

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On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 4:10 PM, Fast Freddy said:

And shotgun!

Thanx

You didn't mention that you had SG reloading equipment.  If that is so I recommend you just buy low recoil smokeless shells as there is little money to be saved reloading smokeless shot gun shells.  Your approach to reloading is wise.  Many gun stores have a display case with blown up revolvers destroyed by improperly reloaded ammunition.  Your care will prevent you from doing the same.

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12 hours ago, Fast Freddy said:

The literature  I got with the Taylor calls out an OAL of 1.44 - 1.56 which falls in close what the good book calls out (1.55 for 38 & 1.59 for 357).

 

OAL for the .38 Special is too long  Book OAL is 1.45 plus or minus 0.05.

 

I load 125 gr LTC in my 38 specials with the OAL at 1.505 so that they will feed reliably in my 92s and wife's Marlin. This means I am not crimping inthe groove but with cast bullets that is not a problem.  Because of the longer OAL I have found that I have to up the powder charge two or three tenths of a grain above the published load for 38 special. I usually end with a load about 1/2 way between .38 special and .357 mag.

 

I shoot Hi-Tek coated bullets. I have them color coded to differientate between smokeless and APP. Pick them up from a local commercial caster (Cimarron Bullets) at excellent prices.

 

BTW the support group hangs out in the Saloon. :D

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15 hours ago, Fast Freddy said:

Anyone have a recipe for 357 and/or 45LC using Red dot.

Recipes, threads, etc... for CAS velocity loads rifle and/or pistol appreciated

You should not have any trouble finding what you need online with Alliant's load data. If you are using .357 brass, you can load with 38+p data or warm 38 Special. .357 data may run too fast for our rules. Using a 158 bullet should contain the velocity below the allowed limit of 1000 fps. Using 38 brass should be pretty straightforward but you will need to find a COL that will run in your rifle. Your pistols won't normally care, but if you load many hundreds of rounds ahead and suddenly acquire a 38/357 rifle, you could have a problem with COL or bullet profile and need to load differently..

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Thanx again to all. Great stuff here

 

Sedalia Dave - Your feedback had the wheels turnin on the COL/OAL. I shoulda clarified that I was referring to maximum COL.

With a case trim length of 1.145, I'd be right in there with your suggestion. Pioneer is callin out for a FRC (full roll crimp) to avoid case mouth hang ups.

When the lead arrives, I'll press some dummies at 1.50 and see how they cycle

Edward - I will be reloadin SG later, off the shelf for now but I prefer to "roll my own". I enjoy doin it (rains a lot here in WA) and to me it's just like my food. I'd rather kill it, cut it and cook it myself. Cost isn't in the equation on that front. Add up huntin costs and there probably ain't a piece of meat in my freezer under $10 lb.....and some's probably over $20...but I know where it came from and whats in it.

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39 minutes ago, Fast Freddy said:

Thanx again to all. Great stuff here

 

Sedalia Dave - Your feedback had the wheels turnin on the COL/OAL. I shoulda clarified that I was referring to maximum COL.

With a case trim length of 1.145, I'd be right in there with your suggestion. Pioneer is callin out for a FRC (full roll crimp) to avoid case mouth hang ups.

When the lead arrives, I'll press some dummies at 1.50 and see how they cycle

Edward - I will be reloadin SG later, off the shelf for now but I prefer to "roll my own". I enjoy doin it (rains a lot here in WA) and to me it's just like my food. I'd rather kill it, cut it and cook it myself. Cost isn't in the equation on that front. Add up huntin costs and there probably ain't a piece of meat in my freezer under $10 lb.....and some's probably over $20...but I know where it came from and whats in it.

I'm eating elk meat I harvested back in December.  I appreciate your ethic.  Try Hodgdon's reduced recoil loads or Alliant's 3/4 oz or 7/8 oz loads using extra-lite when you start reloading shotgun shells.  Meanwhile acquire Remington STS (green) hulls when you can as these reload very well.

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Not much to be saved by reloading the shotshells -BUT. It's nice to shoot your own ammo and there is something nice about never running out.

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Edward - I have a pile of the green hulls. Recently I was gifted several cases of these clay shells as well. Haven't spent a one of them yet, but might be an excuse to do so. Any thoughts on these? Gold hull... Or are they junk?

Thanx

gold hulls.jpg

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Yep, been several threads...Red Dot, Clay Dot, Clays are interchangeable in pistol, rifle, shotgun...don't have to change bushings/settings. A vendor was getting rid of all his IMR Red at a gun show, so I use that also in shotgun with same bushing as Red Dot/Clay Dot/Clays. All of this IS ONLY true with CAS reduced loads.

 

I came across a big time skeet shooter getting rid of all his components, and some real cheap reclaimed shot...makes shotgun reloading worthwhile.

 

RRR

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15 minutes ago, Fast Freddy said:

Edward - I have a pile of the green hulls. Recently I was gifted several cases of these clay shells as well. Haven't spent a one of them yet, but might be an excuse to do so. Any thoughts on these? Gold hull... Or are they junk?

Thanx

gold hulls.jpg

Best there is. Load them till they split at the crimp. Or send them all to me and I'll see how they do. Kinda do some QC for you.

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Are these (shells in last post) legal for match shooting? Box says "nitro velocity performance". Says 1300fps, which is under the rule of 1400.

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1 hour ago, Fast Freddy said:

Edward - I have a pile of the green hulls. Recently I was gifted several cases of these clay shells as well. Haven't spent a one of them yet, but might be an excuse to do so. Any thoughts on these? Gold hull... Or are they junk?

Thanx

gold hulls.jpg

Those are excellent hulls for reloading.  They also look like brass shotgun shells when loaded.  I only shoot SG shells rated for 1200 fps or less as some of the the targets I encounter are in poor condition resulting in backsplatter.  Slower shells result in less painful backsplatter when shot hits my face.  We have one local shooter who uses Winchester Sporting Clays shells at SASS matches.  I don't spot for him.  Discuss these shells with your match director before using them in a CAS match.  You could have plenty of fun with these shells on a sporting clays range and develop skills useful at a CAS clays side match.   The hulls will make excellent reloads for CAS.  Gun Clubs reload well too and are useful for practice ammo and local matches.

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I actually like the Nitro 27 hulls a little better than the green ones but they are probably same plastic, just different color. Either are the best hulls made for reloading.   IMO

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1 hour ago, Fast Freddy said:

Are these (shells in last post) legal for match shooting? Box says "nitro velocity performance". Says 1300fps, which is under the rule of 1400.

 

Yes they are legal.

Most people shoot low recoil or light target loads as there are all that is needed to get the job done.

Avoid shooting handicap or magnum loads as the bounce back and splatter can be hard on you and the rest of the posse.

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