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RELOADING HAND GUNS WITH RED DOT

RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
edited December 2016 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Being a shot gunner I have loaded red dot all my life until clays came came along then I used both. I have also always loaded my hand guns with the same powder.My question is what is a maximum load of both powders behind a 147 grain cast bullet, brinnel 18. Talking 9MM, 38 special, 357 mag, and 44 magnum. I don't want to load the max load I just don't want to exceed it. I know some of you guys that load for precision shooting are squirming in your seats right now but I load for quanity not quality. The reason I use these two powders is I don't want to have several different powders sitting on my bench. I also buy my powder in eight pound kegs.
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Comments

  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You should buy a reloading book or at least go to gunshop and copy the data yourself. Red Dot is a poor choice in a 44 Rem Mag.

    So what case and primer you use can make a difference, so can the diameter the cast bullet is sized.
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  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rosie- not that unusual. A lot of shotgun powders work middling well in handguns. There is an awful lot that I reload with plain old Unique, and like Red Dot, Green Dot, etc- it does OK.

    But as you well know, max load depends on the bullet- and while you specced a weight of 147 grains, that is an unusual weight for 44 magnum AND 357 etc.

    However, this has been a decent source of data for me in the past. Look up your caliber, bullet, find the data for Red Dot, and Bob's yer uncle.

    http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Source=&Type=Handgun
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  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry. Should have said 44 mag is usually 180 grain bullets. 9MM are 256 dia, 38 and 357 is sized to 357. Been buying the 44 mag so not sure but I'm sure they are spec.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rosie, there is NOTHING wrong with Red Dot in those calibers except the 44 mag where performance will be down. As a matter of fact it may prove to be quite useful and cost effective in the other three. The older Speer data books listed a lot of Red Dot loads. Clays will have listings in the newer loading manuals. Going to the powder manufacturers web site will give you gobs of data.
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  • noyljnoylj Member Posts: 172 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Red Dot is great for any pistol application where a fast powder is wanted-.38 Spl and .45 Auto in particular.
    Red Dot and Bullseye are very close. In some cartridges, Red Dot is slightly faster than Bullseye and in other cartridges Bullseye is slightly faster than Red Dot.
    As a shotgunner, you may have seen Promo. This powder loads the same as Red Dot, but is cheaper in bulk.
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  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    11b6r that gives me al the data I need. Thanks guys.
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  • 243winxb243winxb Member Posts: 264 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Go to the Alliant website. Products, Shotgun powder, Red Dot, View all red dot recipies, click on cartridge of your choice. 11 are listed. http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/default.aspx
    [url] https://saami.org [/url]
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  • ZinderblocZinderbloc Member Posts: 925 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Red Dot is my all-time favorite powder for 9mm. I've used it in .38 as well. I never go more than 4.6 grains in either.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,081 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    RedDot (and lack of attention) was responsible for splitting the cylinder on my Ruger 357 Blackhawk many years ago when all I had was a scoop and hammer to load with. I vowed NEVER to use it (in metallic cartridges)again.
    I do use low volume/high energy powder now that I have the proper loading equipment but it's NOT RedDot.
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