Green Dot Powder

J

jubela#4

SWCA Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
679
Reaction score
515
Location
Central Kentucky
I was wondering if anyone has ever used Green Dot for .44 mag target loads. In looking at the load recipes on Alliant's website they list a 7 grain load for Green Dot and Unique that is virtually identical in velocity.

I'd like to know if anyone here has used Green Dot in the past and how they liked it. With the powder shortage going on I am almost out of Unique, which is the powder I usually use but I have located some Green Dot and wanted to know the experiences of you here that may have used it in the past.

I need to add the bullet I use is a 240 grain lead SWC.
 
Last edited:
Green Dot in 44 Mag

I've used it in almost every thing I shoot, at one time or another, but I usually have other powers so it's limited. G-D is a little faster that Unique so you usually use less, everything else being equal. The 7.0gr/903fps is likely a swaged lead bullet. Older Alliant data lists a 240gr. lead bullet up to 9.5gr/1170fps/34.8K psi, which you'd want to use with a hard cast bullet & regular primers. I don't have any complaints about G-D, it's usually very accurate in light loads, but it may be a little smokey, depending on the amount, but lubed lead bullets usually are away.
 
Last edited:
Green Dot is very similar to W231 and can be used in the 44 with lead bullets. The only problem I've had with Green Dot was finding the "sweet spot" with it. It seems to have a very small range where it's accurate, at least in the .38 Special ammo I've made with it.
 
I tried Green Dot long ago for .38 and .357 and now only use it in 16ga shotgun.
When Arch Angel says it is hard to find the "sweet spot" he is being kind. It is picky. And dirty.
 
Green Dot in .44 Magnum

For 30 years my medium .44 Mag load has been a 250 Keith SWC of 10 to 12 Brinell hardness over 8.4 grains of Green Dot. 1025 fps from a 4" model 29. Any lube that is gooey. Enough oomph that you know you are shooting a big bore yet not enough to be uncomfortable. Could have used Unique but started using Green Dot as that was my go to powder for trap. Think you will like it. Good luck, Ron
 
OKFC05 said:
I tried Green Dot long ago for .38 and .357 and now only use it in 16ga shotgun.
When Arch Angel says it is hard to find the "sweet spot" he is being kind. It is picky. And dirty.
Click to expand...
Well, all the DOT powders are meant for loading shotshells. It's us reloaders who decided we can use them for handgun ammo too. Now days with all the good choices of powders out there there's really no reason to use shotgun powders for handgun ammo. (IMO of course)
 
years ago, I gave up on G-D in 12 gauge because of the terrible performance in cold weather! Maybe in the close confines of hand gun rounds,it might work better. Ivan
 
It worked well for me in .45 auto hardball loads, but it meters so poorly I moved on. It is a very large flake powder. One benefit is it more completely fills the case than a lot of powders.
 
In the 44 mag green dot is listed at giving a :

180 JHP ..... 1490FPS @ 35,100 CUP
225 JHP ..... 1335FPS @ 34,500
240 L (gc) ... 1235FPS @ 34,400
250 L ......... 1260FPS @ 34,000
265 JFP ...... 1245FPS @ 35,300

As mentioned it has its good and bad spots but it really turned out to be the BEST powder for +P loads in my J frame snub nose with the 125 Jhp to the 158 Lhp "FBI" loading.

It did not work its best at the lower end for real light target loads but when at middle or medium heavy fps loadings it shot better and had lower ES spreads. It also only needed regular primers and a medium to heavy crimp for most of my loadings. It did not payoff in heavy loads in the .357, Blue and 2400 work much better but you will get some nice lead target loads if you want to load a few and see what you get in your larger cases.

Its main use is for my Handicap loads with the 12 Ga in my trap shoots, which works very well.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Well, all the DOT powders are meant for loading shotshells. It's us reloaders who decided we can use them for handgun ammo too. Now days with all the good choices of powders out there there's really no reason to use shotgun powders for handgun ammo. (IMO of course)
Click to expand...

The Alliant 2004 online manual had a lot of data for Green Dot and other shotgun powders in pistol and revolver loads. These loads were tested in modern equipment with PSI (as opposed to CUP) pressures listed. More recently Alliant, for reasons I fail to understand, has decided not to support its shotgun powders like Red Dot, Green Dot, Herco, and American Select in pistol and revolver applications. When I called Alliant's reloading people to discuss it, they acted like they never recommended Red Dot, Green Dot, or American Select for handguns.

As I see it, at least in handgun reloading, Alliant now stands for "Less Data, Fewer Loads, Fewer Powders".

As for shotgun powders in handguns, Hodgdon still supports Clays, Universal Clays, HS-6, and Longshot for both handgun and shotgun applications.

If anyone wants a copy of the Alliant 2004 manual, send me a PM and I will email it to you.

Chris
 
8Ring said:
The Alliant 2004 online manual had a lot of data for Green Dot and other shotgun powders in pistol and revolver loads. These loads were tested in modern equipment with PSI (as opposed to CUP) pressures listed. More recently Alliant, for reasons I fail to understand, has decided not to support its shotgun powders like Red Dot, Green Dot, Herco, and American Select in pistol and revolver applications. When I called Alliant's reloading people to discuss it, they acted like they never recommended Red Dot, Green Dot, or American Select for handguns.

As I see it, at least in handgun reloading, Alliant now stands for "Less Data, Fewer Loads, Fewer Powders".

As for shotgun powders in handguns, Hodgdon still supports Clays, Universal Clays, HS-6, and Longshot for both handgun and shotgun applications.

If anyone wants a copy of the Alliant 2004 manual, send me a PM and I will email it to you.

Chris
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure Alliant isn't advertizing Red Dot and the others as handgun powders.
This is directly from the Alliant site where they discuss the powder uses.

Red Dot:
Principal Purpose: Light and standard 12 & 16 ga. target loads
Secondary Uses: Handgun loads

American Select:
Principal Purpose: 12 ga. target loads
Secondary Uses: Cowboy action handgun loads

Green Dot: (nothing on handgun loads but I don't blame them)
Principal Purpose: Handicap trap loads
Secondary Uses: 20 and 28 ga. target loads

Blue Dot:
Principal Purpose: Magnum shotshell loads, 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28 ga.
Secondary Uses: Magnum handgun loads

Herco:
Principal Purpose: Heavy shotshell loads 10, 12, 16, 20 & 28 gauge
Secondary Uses: Heavy handgun loads
 
The 7 gr Green Dot and a 429421 is an accuracy check for me in a 44 Magnum. It runs about 1000 fps and is repeatable. I like 6.5 gr Red Dot almost as well.
 
I've been using 8.6g of Green Dot, a Rem 2-1/2 primer and 429421 at Bhn 11 to 12 for many years in my Smith and Ruger .44 mags. Velocity is 1080 fps out of a 5" Classic DX. Accuracy is often less than 1" for five shots at 25 yards from a scoped Classic DX.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

3
replacing red dot powder
Replies
15
Views
404
38magnum
3
jimmyj
Unique Powder
2 3
Replies
44
Views
2K
zeke
Z
Fuch
powder ramshot
Replies
4
Views
347
cowboy4evr
C
T
Powder help for 357
2
Replies
32
Views
773
zeke
Z
AJ
Powder Coating and Gas Checks
Replies
11
Views
444
AJ
AJ

Latest posts

Back
Top