Red Dot powder

[4t5]

Those of you who use this powder, what do you use it for?
I’ve got a chance to pick up some cheap , went back to some old manuals ( around 2010 ) and found some recipes I could use.

[marlinman93]

I started using it for my 12 ga. shotgun. 18 grs. with 1 oz. of shot. Then found data for Red Dot in numerous pistol rounds like .45ACP, .357/.38, .45 Colt, 9mm, etc. and loaded a lot with good results.

[earlmck]

I've burned a modest amount of Red Dot in 38 Special target loads. Very similar burn rate to Bullseye and used for the same loads -- a few grains to give target velocities to wadcutter or semi-wadcutter target bullets.

[6pt-sika]

I had thirty plus pounds of the stuff and like a fool sold it all . I used it mainly for light 12 gauge loads and lite 10 gauge 1 ounce and 1 1/8 ounce loads .

[GunnyMack]

Someone here gave me a load for 375 h&h with 270gr cast, think it was 10grs of Red Dot.
It's a great powder however whatever you do, don't fall in love with it since Alliant has fumbled and kicked the ball out of bounds with their recent announcement of no supply for sale to the public.

It (used to ) be a bit dirty in shotgun and one of the reasons I switched to 700x .

Good powder though!

[4t5]

Earl. , thats what I want it for wadcutter loads in the 38 spl, waasn’t sure is was a proper powder for that, thanks.
Also can get some HS6 but I’ve never used that.

[Walt]

HS6 is a good moderate intensity powder that has given me excellent results in .45 Colt and others. It is one of the intermediate powders that I have stocked up on in the past months, anticipating the time that I run out of Alliant powders such as Bullseye, Unique and 2400. Titegroup and 231 can replace Bullseye; AA5, CFE Pistol, HS6 and Power Pistol can be used in place of Unique and AA9, H110 and Enforcer work well in heavy handgun loads that once were the domain of 2400. Universal is Hodgdon's version of Unique but it is currently unavailable. It's a good shotgun powder as well.

[joepb]

I have run 6.0gr with 250 bullet in the 45 colt for a long time.............Joe

[Scott Tschirhart]

Red Dot is praised by some for .45 Colt loads but I have no personal experience. (Though I would like to try it.)

Grab that HS 6 as well. Its good stuff

[hpbear101]

"The Load" by Ed Harris, recipe for 2400 or RD in military rifles with cast bullets. I've always used 2400 for the vast majority of my cat bullet loads, I picked up a couple cans of RD at a gunshow a few years ago and it works great for "The Load."

[samsi]

I picked up a pound a few years back with the intent to try Harris' The Load, but to date I've only loaded some 45 Auto Rim with it. I should try it in the Colt.

[Griff]

I for one like it in the 45 Colt with cast bullets.

[Ysabel Kid]

Revolver calibers and it works well.

[6pt-sika]

Alliant has fumbled and kicked the ball out of bounds with their recent announcement of no supply for sale to the public.

Hence the reason I sold the thirty pounds of Red Dot an 8 pounder of Unique and an 8 pounder of Green Dot . And yes I sold them all for more than what I paid but I didn’t rape my customers .

[6pt-sika]

HS6 is a good moderate intensity powder .

HS6 is what Winchester used to sell as 540 it is undoubtedly The Best 28 gauge powder I’ve ever used . When I first started shooting skeet forty years ago I’d use up 8 pounds of 540/HS6 each year . So with that being said I’ve easily shot up 200-250 pounds of the stuff .

[Scott Tschirhart]

Alliant has fumbled and kicked the ball out of bounds with their recent announcement of no supply for sale to the public.

I think you are right. I’m pretty much satisfied with 231 as a replacement for most of my handgun rounds and I wonder if I would go back to Alliant powders once I run out.

[Gunstore Commando]

Those of you who use this powder, what do you use it for?

Based on Ed Harris's article, I've used it, in various amounts, for .30 Short Russian, .30 Long Russian, and .30-30. I've also used it for .38 Special.

Had plans to do other things with it. This announcement bums me out,

[Gunstore Commando]

Oh, and .45 ACP, too.

[GunnyMack]

I went away from most of the Alliant/Hercules powders a long time ago. But just a few years ago when I bought an estate sale of shotgun loaders,hulls,wads,primers,shot and 16lbs of Green Dot, 4lbs of Red Dot, few pounds of Herco did I 'rediscover' Alliant.
I've always been an IMR and Hodgdon guy.

[mickbr]

its a very fast burner, I know its good for low powered or cast loads in larger pistol cases( 357, 44 mag, 45colt etc) My experience doesnt extend beyong that. Its also 'fluffy' as in low density so it fills up the case more for the same weight. I have also seen loads for red dot being used for bottleneck centrefires in reduced loads but as its internet claims I wont post them.

Id pick it up myself, just as I shoot high volumes of 44 special level loads in a 44 mag lever. You can get over 1200 rounds downrange with a 1 can of powder.

[6pt-sika]

I went away from most of the Alliant/Hercules powders a long time ago. But just a few years ago when I bought an estate sale of shotgun loaders,hulls,wads,primers,shot and 16lbs of Green Dot, 4lbs of Red Dot, few pounds of Herco did I 'rediscover' Alliant.
I've always been an IMR and Hodgdon guy.

In my skeet/trap days I was 100% Winchester for shotgun powders . 452AA , 473AA , 540 , 296 , then later when the two AA powders were discontinued WSL , WST and WSF . Now I’m pretty open to anything that’ll work in my applications . Just yesterday I was given some pressure tested 10 gauge 2 7/8” 1 1/4 ounce loads using WSF which I’ve of course loaded a box or two to try on clay targets .

[Jared]

I have been using Red Dot in various handgun and rifle cartridges for over 30 years. A while back I scored a good supply of it and it is my most used fast burning powder. I have used it from everything fro 32 Long to 500 Linebaugh.

It is great in 45 Colt, 45 ACP and 38 Special. Recently I started using it in 44 magnum for leverations. 6.5gr with a 250gr cast bullet give me right at 1100 FPS in a carbine. The same load is about 875 in a 4” revolver .

[4t5]

Thanks for the replies.