“Now Cleaner” Red Dot

[Browngirlsdad]

I received my bulk powder order today from Powder Valley and I was surprised by what I found. I needed Red Dot for sporting clays, and I noticed it had a red cap. Once I pulled it out if the box the label looked liked this:


I searched THR for info on it, but came up empty. Anyone have any experience with the new formula?

Alliant’s website says both Red and Green are improved, but my jug of Green Dot in the same box/shipment was the old packaging. I hope it is as good as they claim. I have 8 lbs to send down range!

-Ben

 

[Armored farmer]

??
I thought red dot was Hercules?

 

[someguy2800]

They also came out with new cleaner formulas for bullseye and unique a few years ago.

??
I thought red dot was Hercules?

Aliant is Hurcules. The two brands merged 10 years ago.

 

[thomas15]

The new label doesn't bother me because it says in plain English the original made better. But I would caution you to be very careful handling that red cap.

 

[drband]

I believe it’s just a new label/marketing change. The formula was improved to be cleaner burning a few years ago IIRC.

 

[Walkalong]

Aliant is Hurcules.

I think he was joshing.

 

[Stumper]

I love Red Dot and have loaded thousands of rounds with it. Regarding the "cleaner" Red Dot and Unique I can't say I found a notable difference. My guess is they are utilizing 2 grains less graphite per pound of powder thus making it technically a new formula and technically cleaner.

 

[ray15]

Hard to imagine Alliant scrimping on the graphite. It may be meaningless but they describe the new formula as offering better flow in addition to being cleaner. Reducing the graphite content would seem inconsistent with better flow.

 

[joed]

I'll believe it when I see it. I never noticed a difference with Unique, that stuff is like burning coal.

 

[Browngirlsdad]

Thanks for the responses and sarcasm this morning. I am not concerned about it; I just hadn’t heard anything on here about it. I wonder if it isn’t their way to distingush themselves from the IMR knockoffs.

 

[thomas15]

That would explain the red cap!

 

[Slamfire]

Thanks for the responses and sarcasm this morning. I am not concerned about it; I just hadn’t heard anything on here about it. I wonder if it isn’t their way to distingush themselves from the IMR knockoffs.

Could be. There are more powder "choices" on the market than there ever has been. This chart shows 150 different powders, might be more since the chart was created. https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

In the good old days, you had to have a different powder for each day of the week. Now it is getting to be for every hour of every day. I had no idea I was so deprived when all I used was Bullseye, Unique and 2400.

Since the beginning of mass marketing, marketing bureaus have puzzled how to convince buyers to notice their product from a vast array of identical items. Gunpowders are no different. These labels are from the 1880's and are amoung the very first can labels. Canned food was so new the can had instructions on how to cook the food inside. This was before can openers, some labels informed the owner to use a chisel to open the can.


This Winslow label has the trade mark, a variation of this label, warned the consumer to beware of counterfeits!


Soon, the powder cans on the shelves will come with lights and sound systems, to yell at you, as you pass them.

 

[PapaG]

??
I thought red dot was Hercules?

Pretty sure you're joking.....Alliant took them over years ago and are, I think, part of something else now. Hey.....it is cleaner.

 

[Jim Watson]

Alliant said "cleaner Unique" was due to closer screening, fewer fines in the can.

 

[Walkalong]

Hard to imagine Alliant scrimping on the graphite

They do love graphite.

 

[Alliant Reloading]

Ben,
First off, thank you for buying our American made shotshell powder.
Red Dot(R) is the original 12ga target shotshell powder (introduced 1932), and now we have improved it to the point where I feel it really doesn't have any weaknesses for it's intended mission. I'm pretty confident you will find the performance pretty acceptable, and it meets all the existing specifications, so you shouldn't have to monkey with your load any more than any other new lot of powder.
Shoot well,
Paul

 

[Reeferman]

Ben,
First off, thank you for buying our American made shotshell powder.
Red Dot(R) is the original 12ga target shotshell powder (introduced 1932), and now we have improved it to the point where I feel it really doesn't have any weaknesses for it's intended mission. I'm pretty confident you will find the performance pretty acceptable, and it meets all the existing specifications, so you shouldn't have to monkey with your load any more than any other new lot of powder.
Shoot well,
Paul

Glad you came on and commented on it. Wish more of the powder oem’s would do that. I’ve never used it and may pickup a pound to try but being in Canada we get a trickle of what is available in the USA.

 

[joed]

Never used Red Dot but used many lbs of Unique, 2400, and RL17/19. I don't reload shot shells so not sure what I'd use RD in.

 

[Jim Watson]

Red Dot is a decent pistol powder and figures in The Load predating Trail Boss.
But I wouldn't buy it just for those. I loaded most of my trap shells with 700X anyhow.

 

[Armored farmer]

Ben,
First off, thank you for buying our American made shotshell powder.
Red Dot(R) is the original 12ga target shotshell powder (introduced 1932), and now we have improved it to the point where I feel it really doesn't have any weaknesses for it's intended mission. I'm pretty confident you will find the performance pretty acceptable, and it meets all the existing specifications, so you shouldn't have to monkey with your load any more than any other new lot of powder.
Shoot well,
Paul

Thanks for the reply.
Its Red Dot for me then, no question.

 

[Browngirlsdad]

Ben,
First off, thank you for buying our American made shotshell powder.
Red Dot(R) is the original 12ga target shotshell powder (introduced 1932), and now we have improved it to the point where I feel it really doesn't have any weaknesses for it's intended mission. I'm pretty confident you will find the performance pretty acceptable, and it meets all the existing specifications, so you shouldn't have to monkey with your load any more than any other new lot of powder.
Shoot well,
Paul

Paul,

Thank you for your kind response! Red Dot has been a go to powder of mine for years particularly for 12ga target loads. The only powder I shoot more of is Unique. Keep up the great work!

Thank you,

Ben

 

[koz4guns]

OP, do you have any of the old Red Dot left?
If so could you pour some of each out and take pictures to see if the new looks different.

 

[Salmoneye]

I love Red Dot, and have since the late 60's...

Still slowly finishing a keg from the early 60's that I inherited...

Then I can start on the cardboard keg from the mid 70's that I inherited...

 

[Browngirlsdad]

I actually just ran out of the old. I should have taken pictures for you all. I do think the flakes are slightly smaller in diameter than before, but not significantly smaller. I loaded up some 7/8oz target loads last night and it flowed fine in my sizemaster. I am planning to load some 45acp with it to see if it is any more consistent through my Dillon SDB powder measure. It has always metered well for me, so I don't forsee a huge improvement. I did spill a little (don’t forget to move the shell to the center station before you move the bar...), and after I swept it up I burned it up on a concrete slab. It smelled like the same old Red Dot smell when burned.

 

[Duster340]

I use a lot of Red Dot for my 44 special loads. Looking forward to trying the new improved powder.