Hodgdon Clays / Alliant Clay Dot 12 ga loads

[Joe Cross, SASS #13848 L]

I've been using 15.0 grains of H. Clays for my 7/8 oz load of #71/2 shot for years. My supply of Clays is running low so I'm going to use the A. Clay Dot I have on hand.  The Alliant website does not list any Clay Dot loads less than 1 oz or less than 1150 fps.  My Clays load closely replicates Win LNLR loads (around 1000 fps), and I want to do the same with Clay Dot.

 

I've heard that one can substitute Clay Dot for Clays straight across with the same results.  Is this correct? I would probably need to change the bushing in my MEC 600 loader to get the same drop.

 

In advance, thank you for any help / advice.

 

JC

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

I have used Clay Dot as a near substitute for Clays.  I usually find I need another 5% of weight of Clay Dot to make the same velocity SASS-light loads, whether in shotshells or pistol cartridges.   Alliant website is very slow to test and publish light payload loads.  Hodgdon, on the other hand, has been a leader in publishing 7/8 and even 3/4 ounce shotshell load data.  But, of course, Clay Dot is an Alliant powder, and Hodgdon does not publish data for their powders.  What a mess. 

good luck, GJ 

[Krazy Kajun]

I've loaded Clay Dot at the same rate as Clays for both bullet and shotgun loads for a good number of years with good results.  At the distances we are shooting I see no reason to make any changes.  I used the same MEC bushing for SG loads and the same powder by weight for bullet loads.

 

Kaun

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

I also used the same MEC bushing for Clay Dot as I did for Clays, with no issues. For .38 cartridges I had to up my charge by .2 grains.

 

Randy

[Choctaw Jack]

I also switched from Clays to Clay Dot without changing bushings. Didn't notice any difference

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Me too and now ClayDot is unobtanium! Going to RedDot next!

[Choctaw Jack]

2 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Me too and now ClayDot is unobtanium! Going to RedDot next!

I ran out of Clay Dot for just a little while, and started using Red Dot with the same settings on my Mec, and that load works fine. Shortly after I  was gifted 8 pounds of Promo so I tried it, and it works great, and IIRC,I'm using the same bushing size. When I started with the Promo, the Alliant website stated that it was the same powder as Red Dot, and could be used interchangeably.Other shooters have stated that it is , in fact, not the exact same powder,  so some caution may be warranted here. I have had no problems treating it as such.

I shoot 3/4 ounce of 7 1/2 shot,and it handles most knockdown  fine.

As usual, YMMV.

Choctaw Jack

 

[Leroy Luck]

1 hour ago, Choctaw Jack said:

Other shooters have stated that it is , in fact, not the exact same powder

Alliant says to use the same charge data, but it may (most likely will) require a different bushing to do so.
 

They highly recommend to even check charge weight when switching to a different jug of Promo. Which then might even require a different bushing than it did before. 

[Joe Cross, SASS #13848 L]

4 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Me too and now ClayDot is unobtanium! Going to RedDot next!

The Clay Dot I have on hand should get me loaded up for next season. After that, guess I'll try Red Dot...or?

[watab kid]

On 11/9/2025 at 11:27 AM, Krazy Kajun said:

I've loaded Clay Dot at the same rate as Clays for both bullet and shotgun loads for a good number of years with good results.  At the distances we are shooting I see no reason to make any changes.  I used the same MEC bushing for SG loads and the same powder by weight for bullet loads.

 

Kaun

i have as well 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

22 hours ago, Joe Cross, SASS #13848 L said:

The Clay Dot I have on hand should get me loaded up for next season. After that, guess I'll try Red Dot...or?

When you run out of Clay Dot, Perfect Pattern is a really good shotgun powder for what we do. 🤠

 

Randy