Red Dot for light handgun loads?

[Kingcreek]

With the current powder shortages my attention is drawn to a half pound of old red dot on the shelf. I haven't used red dot for years and I would like to use if for light plinking loads. Any reason why I couldn't load about 4 gr behind a hard cast 155gr In .40 cal? Or 158gr LSWC in .38 or .357?
Any other suggestions? .9mm or .45?
Thanks. I haven't found much for cast loads listed and Alliant doesn't list any.

 

[rcmodel]

No reason at all.
It works good!

Go here for Alliant load data in most calibers.

http://glarp.atk.com/2004/2004Catalogs/2004AlliantPowderSM.pdf

All charges shown are MAX.
Reduce 10% for Starting load.

rc

 

[Kingcreek]

Thanks RC!

 

[evan price]

Good powder foe reduced loads but ir can be a bit dirty at lower pressures.

 

[Joatmon]

Red dot can provide some accurate loads in pistol cartridges. As I recall I got some great accuracy using it in 45 colt (I was running low on Unique). Promo is an even cheaper alternative.

 

[BYJO4]

I used Red Dot for some time to load light 357 mag and it worked well.

 

[Kingcreek]

I loaded up some light .40 loads with 3.8 gr of the old Hercules red dot behind the 155 gr LSWC and it worked great. Not even that dirty and it cycled just fine.
Thanks for the help!

 

[bluetopper]

Red Dot is a terrific pistol powder........and really......so is Green Dot.

 

[LiveLife]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data currently unavailable or beyond published load data. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

For a group buy a couple of years ago from Powder Valley, it was suggested that we try Promo for pistol loads. As indicated by Alliant, I tested 9mm/40S&W/45ACP loads referencing 2004 Alliant load data for Red Dot (initial 9mm/40S&W testing) - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6480163#post6480163

Follow up range test for 40S&W jacketed/plated/lead loads - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6509911#post6509911


2004 Alliant load data (plenty of .38/.357 Red Dot loads in the pdf link)

Lyman #49 show the following:

9mm Red Dot 120 gr RN 1.065" OAL - Start 3.0 gr (919 fps) 25,100 CUP - Max 3.9 gr (1140 fps) 32,000 CUP
45ACP Red Dot 200 gr SWC 1.161" OAL - Start 4.0 gr (695 fps) 8,400 CUP - Max 5.3 gr (895 fps) 14,700 CUP
45ACP Red Dot 200 gr SWC 1.235" OAL - Start 4.4 gr (713 fps) 12,400 CUP - Max 5.5 gr (894 fps) 17,600 CUP

Although Promo is a large flake powder (larger than Unique) that does not meter well in my newer Pro Auto Disk (.2+ gr variance checked with Ohaus 10-10), I got it to meter fairly consistently in my older Pro Auto Disk (within .1 gr).

I use 3.8-4.0 gr for 9mm 125 gr lead bullets depending on the nose profile and how deep the bullet base gets seated.

I also use 3.8-4.0 gr for 40S&W 180 gr TCFP lead bullets.

4.0 gr has worked well for 45ACP 200 gr SWC bullets.


These are shot groups from 45ACP 200 gr SWC with 4.0 gr loads off hand - I would say good enough for plinking loads.

 

[mbopp]

When I got back into shooting and reloading I had a pound of Red Dot from my shotgun reloading days. I used in for light plinking loads in my .308, light 357 loads, and 45 loads.

 

[Roadkill]

I've been using only Red Dot in all my hand gun calibers and a few rifle ones for over fifteen years. Works well for them all.

 

[1KPerDay]

I use 3.8-4.0 gr for 9mm 125 gr lead bullets depending on the nose profile and how deep the bullet base gets seated.

I also use 3.8-4.0 gr for 40S&W 180 gr TCFP lead bullets.

4.0 gr has worked well for 45ACP 200 gr SWC bullets.

Same experience here... 4.0 red dot even works under 140 grain Lead TCFP in my glocks, and also makes a nice light .45 ACP target load under 230 ball as well. I generally run 4.5 in .45 ACP though now... the 4.0 loads, well... you can pretty much see the bullets as they lumber downrange.

 

[SouthGA]

Using for 38. 45ACP and 45LC

Great stuff