Red Dot

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AMBASSADOR

Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2007
Messages
200
Location
Ocean County N.J.
Doe's anyone reload 357mag 125grn/158grn SJHP bullets with Red Dot.I am just setting up to reload for handguns.I have reloaded thousands of center fire rifle and shotgun rounds,so I have some experience reloading.It's just that I have a half empty 8lb keg of Red Dot may be 20 or so yrs old worth around $70.00 if any good.I figure that I would reload about 5 rounds to see if it is still potent,but I think I might try it in a shotshell instead of a bullet,it's easier to remove a wad from a barrel than a bullet.Does this sound like te right approach to safe reloading?.
 
If the red dots are still red, it is perfectly good powder.

I use more Red-Dot in .38 Special loads.

When I load .357 Mag, I Gopher it with 2400!

However, there is no reason you can't get good results with lighter loads of Red-Dot in the .357.
Just don't try for, or expect, maximum .357 velocity.

rcmodel
 
The only powders I use are red dot and promo. Works great for .38 special (my biggest concern is cost).
 
Red Dot in .357

Been using 3.5 gr Red Dot in my .357 blackhawk ,get 800f/s with Lee 158 gr round nose and semiwadcutter,the round nose seems to do a little better.
Also use 3.5 in my 30-30 with 130 gr Lee,shoot as cast lubed with Lee alox and NO gas check, great squirrel load.-----good shooting ----Papa
 
A great load in the 38 Spl. is 3.3 grs Red Dot pushing a 158 gr. SWC cast
bullet, in my Ruger Blackhawk it is spot on, a great small game load.
Floydster
 
I've never loaded Red Dot in a pistol case, but have dropped it in many thousands of 12ga hulls for trap. My experience with it shows it to be a dirty burning powder. It always left the gun full of gunk and unburned flakes. I switched to something better years ago. I use Blue Dot in 38/357, and don't plan on changing. But, I would venture a guess that with the higher pressures generated in a brass case compared to a shotshell, Red Dot would burn pretty clean. Nobody in this thread complained about too much residue. As long as the 20 yr old stuff burns ok yet, it should work.
 

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. 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.

The Alliant site shows nothing:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...s&gtypeid=1&weight=125&shellid=28&bulletid=28

Which is strange, because the free Reloaders Guide from Alliant shows:
357 mag JSP,, Rem 5 1/2 primer, 1.570", 5.6" barrel:
Red Dot 7.0 gr. 1,410 fps, 34,000 psi

I plug it into Quickload and get 32,000 psi 1306 fps, but who knows if Alliant counted the cylinder as part of the barrel length.

I just did this with 125 gr Speer JSP 1.59"
7 gr Red Dot better
8 gr Red Dot better, some striations on body some cratering, no sticking
9 gr Red Dot, kicks harder than 38sp 158 gr, some tiny striation sticking at mouth, full crater but no craters stick.
10 gr Red Dot, kicks harder than 38sp 158gr, some tiny striation sticking at mouth, full crater but no craters stick.

I plug that into Quickload and get 58,000 psi, which is nuts, due to unburned powder making the flash.

That same revolver cannot shoot book loads of 125 gr W231 without the primer cratering into the firing pin hole while the case backs out and sticks in the rough chambers, thus jamming the revolver. But that was with Nickel plated cases, an out of control variable.
 
I found it to burn cleanly enough in the pistols. For gallery loads in my Mosin (7gr of red dot w/ 160gr cast bullet), it's pretty dirty. Then again, that's not the intended purpose of this powder.
 
Red Dot is my favorite powder for lead loads in rifles. 8 grains in 30-30 and 6.5 Swede = magic!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top