Buckshot Bear Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 Just landed 32lbs of Alliant Red Dot, looking for a .38spl 125gr load for around pistol 800fps. The Alliant loading site only list 'maximum' charges.
Silvertip Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 I use 3.5 gr Red Dot with a 125 gr bullet ,but I’m away on a trip and it has been too long ago to remember what the fps is. I like it. ST
Jeb Stuart #65654 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 Lyman cast loading manual, 3rd edition, 121 grain cast bullet 3.3--4.6 grains Reddot
Wild Eagle Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 I was running 3.2 grains. Made a nice cowboy load, but I did not chrono the load. I'm thinking it was about 700 fps. If you have a chrono available I would load 3.4 grains to see where that gets you. It should be pretty close to 800 fps.
I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 Decrease max. load by 25%, should be a good starting point. Chrono your load to obtain average FPS.
Lead Monger Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 I’ve used as low as 2.5g of red dot with a 125g bullet. Gives around 650fps and very reliable in all weather. 3 grains with the same bullet is a little over 700 fps and a very good load.
Erasmus Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 A hi-tek coated 125 RNFP over 3.1 grains of Red Dot gets me about 550 fps out of a 5.5 inch barrel and about 750 out of a 20 inch barrel. At a guess, 4 grains ought to do the trick.
Lawdog Dago Dom Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 I’ve used 3 grains of Green Dot with a coated 125 grain slug for 740 fps.
Major Crimes Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 The Lyman manual doesn't have a 125gr Red Dot load. However, the 120gr Red Dot load has (out of a 4" barrel): 3.3gr = 749 fps. 4.6gr = 974 fps
Snake-eye, SASS#45097 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 32 lbs. sounds like you cornered the market on Red Dot. That’s enough to last a lifetime of pistol, rifle and shotgun reloading.
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 31 minutes ago, Snake-eye, SASS#45097 said: 32 lbs. sounds like you cornered the market on Red Dot. That’s enough to last a lifetime of pistol, rifle and shotgun reloading. I am pleased BB obtained some powder suitable for CAS reloading. We were getting reports that shotgun shells were being cut open to obtain powder. 32-lbs of powder would not last a dedicated clays shooter a lifetime. It might be consumed in a decade.
Yul Lose Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 Using 3.5 grains of Red Dot (my favorite) you should be able to load 64,000 rounds with the 32 lbs of powder.
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 32 pounds in a shotgun is about 11,000 rounds. That is not even a year's shooting for a competitive shotgun shooter. A whole BUNCH for CAS rifle and pistol though. Wow Bear that was a score. Red Dot has been hard to find for a long time in my area. I just used my last 8 pounder and have been looking for months for a suitable powder to continue loading in my trap loads.
Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 Posted July 21, 2024 Posted July 21, 2024 3 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said: 32 pounds in a shotgun is about 11,000 rounds. That is not even a year's shooting for a competitive shotgun shooter. A whole BUNCH for CAS rifle and pistol though. Wow Bear that was a score. Red Dot has been hard to find for a long time in my area. I just used my last 8 pounder and have been looking for months for a suitable powder to continue loading in my trap loads. I have no idea about trap loads but for cowboy loads I’ve been very happy with Hodgdon’s Perfect Pattern. Randy
Buckshot Bear Posted July 21, 2024 Author Posted July 21, 2024 6 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said: 32 pounds in a shotgun is about 11,000 rounds. That is not even a year's shooting for a competitive shotgun shooter. A whole BUNCH for CAS rifle and pistol though. Wow Bear that was a score. Red Dot has been hard to find for a long time in my area. I just used my last 8 pounder and have been looking for months for a suitable powder to continue loading in my trap loads. Thanks Larsen, I know its sounds like a lot but divided up between myself, my wife, two sons, two daughter in laws, grandson and soon to be shooting granddaughter.....its not as much as I would have liked to get. But I have also been able to get quite a good stash of VHN320 as well so like @Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 mentioned I won't be needing to break down 12g shells. That was quite a drought, so many folks down here were downright worried about dwindling powder stocks and primer supplies and many had resorted to breaking down shotgun shells. Now its still not completely over and ADI are stating that they will be shortly resupplying Trail Boss (though newly single based and NOT double based) and have started letting out ADI APS 950 we aren't completely out of the woods yet. What has been good for Aussie reloaders is that with the ADI drought others stepped into the breach and imported tonnes of Vihtvouri, Alliant, Vectan and Lovex (Clean Shot) powders plus a whole host of primers from different manufacturers until the massive shipment from Federal just arrived. So most Aussie reloaders should by now have groaning shelves in their reloading cupboards.
Erasmus Posted July 22, 2024 Posted July 22, 2024 Of interesting note on Red Dot, I've noticed a couple of things. First, when I was chrono'ing loads in the pistol I noticed that the first shot out of the holster was significantly lower than the next 4 rounds. It was about 80 fps slower. My overall average velocity was about 550, but without the slow round from the holster it was closer to 600 fps. Likewise, shooting from the rifle. Shooting offhand I was getting lower velocities (about 760 fps) than firing off a tripod shooting for groups (835 fps). Likewise my wife seems to think that Red Dot loads get faster/hotter as the day gets warmer (I don't actually shoot much red dot, I mostly shoot black powder). My only conclusion is that Red Dot is more position sensitive that people may think. That's not a problem for me, I'm still loading it, but it's something to know.
watab kid Posted July 23, 2024 Posted July 23, 2024 i use a bit heavier bullet these days but about 3.2 to 3.4 will work well , nice to know someone found some - its hard to fin now
Steady Dutchman Posted July 24, 2024 Posted July 24, 2024 On 7/21/2024 at 3:00 PM, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said: I have no idea about trap loads but for cowboy loads I’ve been very happy with Hodgdon’s Perfect Pattern. Randy Randy are you using Perfect Pattern for metallic cartridges too?… I just started experimenting with it in 38 SPL.
Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 Posted July 24, 2024 Posted July 24, 2024 26 minutes ago, Steady Dutchman said: Randy are you using Perfect Pattern for metallic cartridges too?… I just started experimenting with it in 38 SPL. No, I still have a stock of Clay's for my 38's Randy
Sedalia Dave Posted July 24, 2024 Posted July 24, 2024 @Buckshot Bear Here you go. Found the data here. Mine is a PDF Copy you may be able to find one online somewhere.
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted July 24, 2024 Posted July 24, 2024 2 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said: ...Found the data here. Mine is a PDF Copy you may be able to find one online somewhere. Thanks! Much better than Alliant's online data which shows maximums only. I found the manual very quickly online and downloaded it. https://www.alliantpowder.com/resources/catalog/alliantpowder-reloadersguide/offline/download.pdf edit: dang it, I take it back. That one I found has "Cowboy Action Load data: but it still just shows maximums. Here's the 2005 manual that Dave showed above, but this resolution is not very good: https://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Alliant/Alliant_2005.pdf Okay, finally, ignore those above two links, this one has good resolution: https://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Reloading/Vendor Supplied Load Data/Alliant Powder Reloaders Guide - 2005.pdf
Sedalia Dave Posted July 24, 2024 Posted July 24, 2024 8 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said: Thanks! Much better than Alliant's online data which shows maximums only. I found the manual very quickly online and downloaded it. https://www.alliantpowder.com/resources/catalog/alliantpowder-reloadersguide/offline/download.pdf edit: dang it, I take it back. That one I found has "Cowboy Action Load data: but it still just shows maximums. Here's the 2005 manual that Dave showed above, but this resolution is not very good: https://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Alliant/Alliant_2005.pdf Okay, finally, ignore those above two links, this one has good resolution: https://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Reloading/Vendor Supplied Load Data/Alliant Powder Reloaders Guide - 2005.pdf Alliant used to put out one every couple of years. The newest one I had downloaded was the 2005 edition. When I looked online for a newer version I found the same one you linked to. I wonder at what version Alliant switched to only publishing maximum loads.
Buckshot Bear Posted July 25, 2024 Author Posted July 25, 2024 23 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said: @Buckshot Bear Here you go. Found the data here. Mine is a PDF Copy you may be able to find one online somewhere. Thanks Dave!!!
Nostrum Damus SASS #110702 Posted July 25, 2024 Posted July 25, 2024 One mo' time (just adding to what most others have said), I use 3.2 gr under a 125gr RNFP (Lee Mold 358-125-RF) coated bullet. Very pleasant to shoot, don't know the fps.
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