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Thread: using RED DOT powder in .40 S&W...it WORKS!

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    using RED DOT powder in .40 S&W...it WORKS!

    i've looked in a lot of books ...online....anywhere i could.

    there just isn't much out there for the .40 S&W that uses MY parameters. (your mileage might vary!)

    so i worked up my own data block for using red dot in my STI trojan auto pistol.

    1911 style platform single stack........... here's a pix of the firearm,....

    and also here's the result of working up a load using alliant's red dot powder.

    recoil is NOT bad at all!
    at 5.5 grains in the case .....it fills up the area under the boolit nicely without compressing the powder.






    got questions?
    Last edited by mozeppa; 02-01-2020 at 05:07 PM. Reason: add

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I do find that 4.1 grains cycles Glock 22s and 23s and my M and Ps (3.6 and 4.25) and 40 Shield with a 175 Lee at around 900-920 fps depending upon gun. Cheap to shoot and not at all hard on the pistols.

    The 40 seems particularly barrel length efficient.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master scattershot's Avatar
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    I use 4.0 Red Dot with a 75/180 grain bullet. It’s my go-to load in this caliber. I figure about 850 fps.
    "Experience is a series of non-fatal mistakes"


    Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
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    4 grs works in my full size SW. I've not found many pistols that I can't get Promo or Red Dot to work in.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy bluelund79's Avatar
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    Now that is a great sounding load. Especially with the 175gr load. Thanks for sharing.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Ed_Shot's Avatar
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    +1 for Red Dot/Promo in 40 SW. My go to load is the Lyman 401043 (170 gr) over Promo 4.1 gr. It chrony's @990 fps in my G22.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    I am not surprised that Red Dot works in the .40S&W. Way back in the dark ages when it first came out, a buddy and I burned at least one 8lb keg of Green Dot through our .40S&W's. Load data for a new cartridge was a heck of a lot harder to find in pre-internet days.

    I always thought that most powders that work in the .45 will work in the .40, the trick is finding safe data.

    Robert

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I tried going low with Red Dot in the .40sw, at 4 gr I had sooty cases. Went up to 4.5 and lost the soot. Similar story with .45acp and 230 gr, I run 5 gr in that now.

    All shot well, just did not like the sooty cases.

    In fact I have yet to find a cartridge or caliber that Red Dot has not worked well in. It just may not cycle rifle actions ie SKS.

    Turn the gas off and tis a great straight pull bolt action with better than average accuracy.

    Pistol caliber Carbines like the Hipoint's have no issues at all with 9mm, .40sw, or .45acp.
    But at times less is more accuracy wise.
    That is my experience. YMMV

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check