Green Dot Powder

[leemar28]

Picked up a 15 lb keg of Green dot yesterday. Have 1 manual that lists some data for .38 spcl, and .357 mag which I will try. My question is has anybody used it in the .41 mag ? I have a lot of cast 215 gr bullets and am out of unique.

 

[BrovoEchoSierra]

Green dot

I dont have access to all my manuals, but Lyman's 48th don't show it, but that really comes as no shock.
One of my old manuals shows a few loads for Green Dot in 44 specials.
I took this data and loaded some light 44 plinker loads, and was happy with the results.

I have shot 6 grains in 44 mag cases, and its a nice low recoil accurate loading.
Remember that its faster than Unique, more around the speed of red dot, and should be loaded accordingly.

Green dot is a very predictable, stable powder, and I have used it under cast lead in old military rifles as well.
Some where around 12 - 13 grains works well in most of the old rifles that I have tried it in.

 

[2152hq]

I used to load GreenDot w/ 210gr cast SWC in the 41Mag. Model 57 4".
The load was out of a Speer reloading manual (Reloading Manual #8 ?)

I don't recall the load and won't guess at it. But it was a comfortable load to shoot as I remember.
Green Dot was a popular 'do it all' powder at the time and loads for the 44 & 41Mag. 45Colt and acp were listed in most resouces.
You should be able to find them with some searching.

I still use it to load 45Colt & 45acp w/ lead bullets and it's very accurate.
Makes a good light load powder for 20ga as well. 3/4oz loads.

 

[BKS]

Lever Gun Performance Studies



I’ve used his data for 45/70 and 308. Might be worth looking at

 

[tominboise]

Here is a shot from an old Hercules pamphlet I have. Use at your own risk.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have found that green dot in my 9mm and 38/358 light target loads, gets me very accurate target groups.

A 124 fmj in my one 5" 9mm pistol will do a NATO 1198fps with load data

and a 158 Lwc in my 686 6" across my chrony with load data reached 1281fps.

It should do well in your 41 Magnum, but you might only reach 97%
of a full factory load, with this faster burning powder, but you should get
nice target loads with the lead bullets.

Enjoy all that powder.

 

[DWalt]

Once, and probably still, GD was “The” propellant for 20 gauge skeet loads. Back when I was loading a lot more 9mm than I do today, I always used GD only, as it seemed to perform the best (I was also loading a lot of 20 ga skeet loads at the same time). As it falls in the spectrum between Bullseye and Unique, it can certainly be used to make useful loadings for any handgun caliber you have. I think I may still have about a half-can of it.

The Lyman cast bullet handbook gives no GD recipes for the .41 Magnum, but I wouldn’t be afraid to use Unique data.

 

[ajgunner]

I came across this at an estate sale. It was still sealed and for $1 I could not pass it up. I have been trying to use up my older and partial cans of powder so was looking for data just last night. I went through 6 of my books and could not find it listed in any of them for 41. Here is what I found for 44sp. This is from the Speer 1979 10th edition book.

 

[Mike in Reedley]

Call Alliant and ask them.

 

[Skeet 028]

Used an awful lot of that powder. Just remember the loads listed in the old Hercules pamphlets ARE max loads so definitely reduce at least 5%. It works fine in the 41 as long as you aren't looking for the absolute max loads. Works well in the 9mm from what I remember from the very little loading I did with the 9. I used the GD in 12,20 (and 28)ga skeet loads but discontinued when shooters were blowing 20 ga tubes by Briley and Kolar. The powder was shown to have unknown pressure spikes when they went to the Piezo pressure testing. I was using Remington 1100s back then. Maybe think twice before using Unique data though. 15 lb keg? Wow that has been a few years. I sold a lot of GD

 

[tominboise]

One of my favorite 44 Mag handloads is 8.3gr under a 240gr Jacketed bullet. A nice shooting mild load.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Call Alliant and ask them.

Exactly my thoughts.

Today, data for the 41 Magnum will probably be scarce if at all available. That is usually considered too fast a powder for magnum loads. Today, Blue Dot is much more appropriate for magnum loads.

I'm sure older manuals can supply data but unfortunately at this time I don't have access to all my manuals so I can't help, sorry.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

My question is has anybody used it in the .41 mag ? I have a lot of cast 215 gr bullets and am out of unique.

Yes. I load between 7.5 - 8.4grs of Green Dot with 210 & 215 gr bullets.

7.8gr & 8.4gr grouped the best in my 657.

Alliant 2004 manual showed 8.7gr = 1165mv with a 210gr JHP.

I've always been pleasantly surprised with my Green Dot loads.

Maybe it's a "relative" thing.

.



.

 

[steelslaver]

I bought a bunch of it a couple years back when unique was impossible to find. It is now my go to lead bullet powder.

 

[John Patrick]

I used to load GreenDot w/ 210gr cast SWC in the 41Mag. Model 57 4".
The load was out of a Speer reloading manual (Reloading Manual #8 ?)

I don't recall the load and won't guess at it. But it was a comfortable load to shoot as I remember.
Green Dot was a popular 'do it all' powder at the time and loads for the 44 & 41Mag. 45Colt and acp were listed in most resouces.
You should be able to find them with some searching.

I still use it to load 45Colt & 45acp w/ lead bullets and it's very accurate.
Makes a good light load powder for 20ga as well. 3/4oz loads.

From Speer #8, only bullet weight shown (for 41 magnum, not just Green Dot) is 210gr. Nothing for GD in Speer #14.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO Green Dot is a lot like W231/HP-38 but with a much more narrower sweat spot. Since W231 is more suited for the .41 Special than the .41 Magnum I would consider Green Dot similar.

I see you haven't made any further posts since the OP.
Do you load anything else? I'm sure you can use up that Green Dot and make quality .39 Special, 44 Special, 45 Auto, .38 S&W, 45 Colt and a few others.

 

[leemar28]

Arch I load .38 spcl, .357 mag, .45Colt. Its a lot of powder. Need a lot of primers !!!! I gave 4 lbs to a friend of mine. I use H110 for jacketed bullets in my .41 was using unique for cast loads. Now its going to be Green Dot for ever !

 

[mtgianni]

A friend claimed that a Hercules rep told him in the 70's that Green Dot was the secret powder for 44 mag. Try for 950-1000 fps. He loves the accuracy he gets with it and cast. I have too much Red Dot to go through to have tried it yet.

 

[Green Frog]

I came across this at an estate sale. It was still sealed and for $1 I could not pass it up. I have been trying to use up my older and partial cans of powder so was looking for data just last night. I went through 6 of my books and could not find it listed in any of them for 41. Here is what I found for 44sp. This is from the Speer 1979 10th edition book.

When you empty out/use up that obsolete old can of Green Dot, send me the empty can. I’ll give you back your original $1 and a little something more for shipping and your trouble!
Froggie

 

[johngalt]

It made excellent .45 hardball loads, IF metered with the chargemaster 1500. It is a large flake and meters very inconsistently.