Just picked up 8 pounds of Red Dot -

[BNE]

I have not used Red Dot before, but it was the first pistol / shotgun powder I have seen in months .. ..

I primarily load for .38, 9mm, .44 and my favorite .45ACP.

I am working up (or down) some sub sonic 308s. I plan to get back into some 12 gage loading also.


Did I make a mistake?

[gtgeorge]

Yep you made a huge mistake.....I will properly dispose of it for you :) Please PM me your address.

I use it in most of my pistol calibers and know others that use it for their light rifle loads as well.

[Sgtonory]

Nice find. Will work well in everything you listed.

[Outpost75]

For subsonic cast loads in .308 Win. start about 5 grains and increase as needed for best accuracy. In a 12" twist barrel best results will be with 150-180 grain bullet, in a 10" twist 170-200 grains. Above about 6 to 6.5 grains, depending upon bullet weight, rounds will start going supersonic and "crack". Above about 7.5 grains you will probably need a gascheck. With suitable alloy, modern rifle and GC bullet you can increase up 13 grains, which is maximum and should not be exceeded.

[Beagle333]

RedDot is my "go to" when I can't find Unique.

[CastingFool]

Red Dot is also used in 12 ga target loads.

[enfield]

Hey some of my targets look like they were shot with a twelve gage :)

[dragonrider]

Red Dot is the powder I use for all the calibers mentioned. It does very well.

[TXGunNut]

Congrats, pistol powders are tough to find around here.

[Handloader109]

First Powder I used. Good stuff, just picked up another pound myself

[BNE]

Thank you for all the input. I just got nervous because I didn't have my book with me. I was able to look it up on my phone, but I would have preferred to get one pound and try it out before getting 8 pounds... But when I saw it all by itself up on top of a shelf.... I grabbed it. If memory serves, this is the first pistol powder I have seen on the shelves in probably a year.

Again, thanks to all who gave me the input on how you use it. I look forward to trying it out.

[Cmm_3940]

I'm loading a batch of .45ACP using Red Dot right now. Similar burn rate to Bullseye, which I can't find.

FYI,

http://castpics.net/subsite2/LoadLookup/default.html

104840

[scattershot]

Most accurate 45ACP load I have found to date is a 200 grain lswc over 4.0 Red Dot. I actually use it in all my pistol loads, and plinking loads in 30/30. You did good.

[starmac]

LOL I just today picked up 8 pounds. I have never used it, never realy heard of it before joining this sight, but it was the first red dot I have seen here, and the first 8 pound jug of anything I have seen for 2 years or more. lol I just got a hornet and wanted to try it in that for some light loads, it will probably last a while at 2 grains a pop. lol

[starmac]

I am checking out my oldest cast bullet hand book, and there is red dot data in it for nearly every caliber and every bullet weight in the book, including 300 and 338 winmag. lol But no 357 or 44 mag, go figure.

[35remington]

It so happens I use it a lot. In the 45 ACP 4 to 5 grains with up to 230 grain bullets is appropriate and it bulks well in the cartridge, reducing air space and serving to reduce velocity variations. 4.5 to 4.8 grains duplicates "ball" velocity with 230 lead RN's of 2 ogive radius loaded to approximately 1.265." My most used 45 ACP powder.

Since I had a friend also buy a 8 pounder on my recommendation, I've been helping him work with some minimum loads using the little 313492, a button nosed "semiwadcutter wadcutter" intended for the 32 Smith and Wesson Long. My luck with wadcutters in my 35 caliber rifles has usually been poor, but this one, maybe because its nose section measures .302" likes to shoot pleasingly small and small game useful groups at 50 yards from our .308 Marlins. Same with the Lee 93-1R, the 100-2R, and the 90 grain Lee SWC in .311" size. All are supposedly originally for the 32 Long as well.

Interestingly, the Lee Perfect Powder Measure will dispense the required 0.48CC charge with good consistency and 100 percent reliability. The Lee Auto Disk will not go that low with Red Dot. To do otherwise risks squibs with the Auto Disk. This is around 3 grains or a bit more, for a velocity of right around 1000 fps with the Lyman wadcutter. A handy small game load with any of the bullets mentioned above, but due to its poor aerodynamics the wadcutter is probably the safest for tree squirrel shooting and to some degree less prone to ricochet. Some 100 yard testing shows that the .32 wadcutters dramatically increase their group size, maybe a precursor to tumbling. My 35 caliber wadcutters, fired from rifle or pistol, have already started tumbling at that range.

This 3ish grain charge is too light for heavier bullets but appropriate for the lightweights, especially if the barrel is tipped up before each shot. We do this to give the little powder charge a fair shake in terms of reducing velocity variation, and it is no great cross to bear to do it in the field before shooting by carrying the gun muzzle up before the shot as is usually done. Blunt nosed wacutters have to be single loaded as they will not feed.

The wadcutter chops neat .308 inch holes in paper after traveling down the Marlin's barrel. A couple of ground squirrels that stuck their heads up during 50 yard load testing have discovered the error of their ways with no conscious effort being required on their part.

[historicfirearms]

I just got a 8 lb jug of Aliant Promo. This is the economy version of Red Dot. I got it for $96 out the door. So far, it seems really close to Red Dot in 45 acp. 8 pounds will last me a looooong time.

[Outpost75]

I would be really interested in seeing some comparison accuracy and velocity data with Red Dot versus Promo, weight for weight comparison for velocity and volume for volume comparison, using the RCBS Little Dandy measure, charge rotor #18 for a nominal 7.5 grain charge, firing a 250-grain bullet in the .44 Magnum, and the same charges with a 160-180-grain plainbased bullet in the .30-'06. Would be interezting to lots of people here. Somebody please do and report!

[rintinglen]

You done good.
For standard velocity loads, RED DOT will do for all non-magnum hand gun cartridges. 13 grains works very well with the 358-429 boolits sized .351 in my Winchester M-71 in .348 winchester. The same charge works well in my 06 under a 311-291. 5.0 grains of RED DOT under a 429-421 makes for a wonderfully accurate 44 Special Load. 3.4 grains shoots well under a 158 grain 38 Special boolit. 311-041 boolits in 30-30 cases over 7.0 grains are accurate.
Back in the late 70's, I burned up 32 pounds of RED DOT, 2.8 grains at a time, learning to shoot PPC. Cast up something close to 1100 pounds of wheel weights as Cramer 16H wadcutters.

[trapper9260]

You done good .If you think it was too big of a mistake let me know.I will help to take care of it for you :). but now you will have enough to last you for some time and not need to look for that one now for some time. As for me for the powders I use I try to get close to 5 to 8 lbs of it that way It will last me some time and will not be looking for it for sometime after.Nice to hear it is show up now in that size.

[osteodoc08]

I would love to pick up an 8 pounder of red dot. Last time I was at the fun show, they wanted $240 IIRC. I don't remember cause I sure as heck wasn't gonna buy it at that price.

You've done well for yourself.

[TXGunNut]

Congrats, haven't seen any decent pistol powder on the shelf in quite some time.

[Donor8x56r]

I just got a 8 lb jug of Aliant Promo. This is the economy version of Red Dot. I got it for $96 out the door. So far, it seems really close to Red Dot in 45 acp. 8 pounds will last me a looooong time.

LOL-that's what I was expecting.Turned out I like so much I burned my first 8 pounder within a year.

[bandsmoyer]

I too use Red Dot in all the calibers you listed plus many others.

[AlaskanGuy]

Can somebody post a pic of a red dot 8 lb jug with actual powder in it??? So I know that they really exist??? If i see one, i will know to grab it... And no vintage pics... Has to be of the real current thing.....

AG

[TXGunNut]

Can somebody post a pic of a red dot 8 lb jug with actual powder in it??? So I know that they really exist??? If i see one, i will know to grab it... And no vintage pics... Has to be of the real current thing.....

AG


I almost had your pic but an honest used car salesman came riding by on a unicorn and stole it!

[AlaskanGuy]

Lmao at gun nut...lol