Alliant Red Dot for .45 ACP target loads?

[Racer X]

Load data looks like modest velocities. 230 LRN at 841 fps and 5.1 grains from a 5" barrel according to Alliant's web site.

[kraynky]

I haven't checked their latest data, but I do believe I was loading 5.6 gr of Red Dot with very accurate results out of my 4516 ND.

Don't recall ever running it over the chrony tho....... it is next on my list to do when this frigid spell moves it's uninvited hiney further onto up and eastward. 45 Colt is up for testing as well, with 5.6 gr of Titegroup.

[mtgianni]

I have had good luck with it and the Lyman 452460.

[rwsmith]

I got onto Red Dot during the big shortage and find I really like it.

[rockquarry]

I've never used Red Dot, but a long time friend, competitive shooter, and retired gunsmith preferred it over Bullseye and I'm sure he used plenty of Bullseye at one time.

[scattershot]

A friend of mine gave me 12 pounds of the stuff a while back, and I used it for everything. I found that 4 grains was pretty much a universal load for anything larger than a .38.
BTW, Promo is the same stuff, without the red dots, and can be loaded weight for weight with Red Dot data. NOT volume for volume, though.

[elpac3]

Red dot is/ was my replacement powder when the supply of bulls eye was short / non-existent. Used 3 grains in .38 loads and 4 grains for .45 acp. Both loads shot as well as the BE loads for 25 and 50 yard match stages.

[27 Man]

I have shot BE for many years in my .38 Spl. and .45 ACP loads. Just curious how “dirty” Red Dot is compared to BE?

[Racer X]

Originally Posted by elpac3

Red dot is/ was my replacement powder when the supply of bulls eye was short / non-existent. Used 3 grains in .38 loads and 4 grains for .45 acp. Both loads shot as well as the BE loads for 25 and 50 yard match stages.

That .45 load of 4 grains looks reasonable. What bullets were you using?

[elpac3]

Shooting 200 grain swc, either bayou bullets hitek coated or rim rock cast. Shot them in both a 1911 and 1955/45. Really no dirtier than the BE loads. The bayou coated bullets shoot MUCH cleaner than cast bullets with conventional lube.

[Protocall_Design]

The shotgun powders pretty much parallel pistol powders. For example, Red Dot is for light trap and skeet loads and light target pistol loads. Green Dot is for field (medium) hunting loads and higher velocity pistol loads. Blue Dot is for magnum shotgun and magnum pistol loads.

I have shot a lot of Red Dot for target loads and a lot of .357 Blue Dot loads. Both are good at what they are made for.

[Nevada Ed]

I like Red Dot because it is a lot bulkier than Bullseye powder and it is easier to see in a case, when loading, mostly if you are using very little powder for your loads or low fps loads.

I also use a lot of Green Dot for the same reason as well as Trail Boss if I am loading lead bullets.

Being a faster powder, I don't think it could get too dirty if your are above a starting load in the .45 loads.

Have fun.

[Racer X]

Originally Posted by elpac3

Shooting 200 grain swc, either bayou bullets hitek coated or rim rock cast. Shot them in both a 1911 and 1955/45. Really no dirtier than the BE loads. The bayou coated bullets shoot MUCH cleaner than cast bullets with conventional lube.

FANTASTIC! That's the info I needed. And I was planning on HiTek coated bullets either 200 or 230. Will be in either a 1911a2 with a 45 5" slide, or RIA's new BBR 3.10 3" pocket 45 ACP. That will need a LOT of practice to master. Then I will work up a good SD load for its 3" barrel. Either Gold Dots or Winchester Ts if I can find them as bulk bullets.

My local gun store normally has a decent stock of reloading supplies, and still has about 8 1# bottles of Red Dot. I'll try and get a few. 2 bottles should be close to 3K target 45 ACP rounds.

When people mention BE loads, is that BE-86 powder?

[cowboy4evr]

I would say " No " ! They are talking about the original Bullseye powder made about the end of the 19th century . It and Unique are the 2 oldest powders still in production .

[brucev]

Just a suggestion on Red Dot. Take a look at "The Load" by C.E. Harris. Red Dot will allow you to shot a lot of your military surplus/hunting rifles at very low cost w/ high levels of accuracy. The suggested 13 grain load has given excellent performance in my .30-06 rifles. It likely will do so for other calibers. I have used Red Dot to shoot excellent scores in vintage military rifle matches. It produces excellent scores on the range and is extremely useful in the woods/fields. Sincerely. bruce.

[Racer X]

Interesting. I have a Win 70 in .30-'06 I will be loading for. I'll look into it.

[Suburbanite]

Another thumbs up for Red Dot in .45 ACP. Speer #12 has data for Red Dot for several bullet designs and weights. Speer's max load with Red Dot and a 230 gr FMJs is very close to GI hardball velocity. I started using Red Dot about 5 years ago when I couldn't find Bullseye. I haven't switched back yet.

[yeti]

I have used and really liked 4.0gr Red Dot under 230RN45 Hi-Tek coated.

Going to need to try the 13.0gr 30-06 load. Interesting.
Supposedly it matches up reasonably well at 200yrds with a full speed load's 600yrd sight dope settings?

[Drm50]

I never used Red Dot in 45acp but loaded HBWCs for 4” Python and 5” 27 with it. Very accurate loads but on the dirty side..

[brucev]

"Going to need to try the 13.0gr 30-06 load. Interesting.
Supposedly it matches up reasonably well at 200yrds with a full speed load's 600yrd sight dope settings?"

I have found that the 13.0 gr. Red Dot load in .30-06 is very effective. I do my match shooting with a Remington made 1903 that has a pristine WWII era High Standard 1944 replacement barrel. The rifle saw hard use after the war w/ the Greeks. Nevertheless, it shoots like a house a fire w/ a variety of loads. Using the Red Dot load with Hunter's Supply 165 gr. bevel based flat nosed bullets I fired 10 shot strings prone slow-fire that routinely ran under 2 inches at 100yd. firing on a SR-1 target. I never have fired the rifle from sandbags. Very likely the group sizes would have been smaller simply b/c shooter error would have been lessened.

I have also found that 9.0 gr. of Unique works extremely well with the same Hunter 165 gr. bullet. In fact, if one is only shooting out to 100 yds., it is a bit more useful as the report is a little less. This is worthwhile if one is out in the woods and fields. I do find that a 650 yd. sight setting is required to be on the x-ring of the SR-1 using a 6 O'clock hold. With either the Red Dot or Unique load, recoil is greatly reduced. This is a real advantage when shooting prone rapid fire and when shooting a 20 shot standing stage. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.

[DanWales]

A few light years back (1970) we were shooting military hardball in our 1911's. Believe it or not us military couldn't get enough. So we started rollin our own. We did quite a bit of research and discovered that 5 grains of red dot matched the military load to a T. That was great for us trap shooters that's the powder we used for trap and skeet. I think it was about $9.00 a lb back then. Little nasty around the end of the barrel no big deal.
Dan

[Racer X]

I love this place!