[Scatmanblues]

I'm trying to finish off several cans of powder that I got with my reloading press. I've found loads for everything but the Alliant Green Dot. It says it's a shotgun powder, but the Alliant load data lists it as a possible handgun load. As I've got most of a pound and no desire to go buy a shotgun press and reload buck what's a good handgun load? The Alliant data shows max of 4.9gr for a 200gr target load, but 6.8 for a comparable JHP. I don't like that variance and am looking for something to load under a 200gr LRNFP. Thanks,
Scatmanblues

 

[imashooter2]

A 1981 vintage Hercules manual lists the following Green Dot loads. All listed as "bullet weight and type, minimum over all length, charge weight, velocity, copper units of pressure". All loads use standard primers:

180 LWC, 1.150, 5.3, 910, 14500

185 JHP, 1.150, 6.5, 1030, 16200

200 JHP, 1.150, 5.6, 910, 16000

230 L, 1.150, 4.3, 805, 31200

230 FMC, 1.150, 5.4, 920, 15800

The manual calls all charges maximum, reduce 10% to start.

Use at your own risk... I have seen at least one opinion over on the "Load Your Own" forum stating that Alliant formulations are hotter than the old Hercules.


Edit to add: DOH! You list the bullet you want to load and my data doesn't have it. Oh well, I got to dig out an old manual and type a bit. Keeps me off the streets...

[This message has been edited by imashooter2 (edited 11-12-2001).]

 

[Jim Watson]

I got a Deal on some old stock Hercules Green Dot. Actual consumer loaded ammo in a real .45ACP gun (5" Briley barrel 1911) was 5.5 grains of G.D. and a 200gr #68 style SWC for 880 fps. That is below maximum in Lyman and Laser Cast manuals. However, the RNFP bullets I have seen are really made for .45 Colt and seat a bit deeper than the #68. I'd start with the 4.9 gr and see how they shot. If you need Major Power Factor ammo for IPSC or IDPA, work up with a chronograph.

The Lyman book was written for Hercules powders, but the Laser Cast manual of 1998 may have been after the Alliant takeover.

The reason for the "variance" between Alliant loads for lead and jacketed bullets is that they only load the lead bullets to about half the chamber pressure. Also a lead bullet usually gets out the barrel at less pressure for the velocity. So you have a pretty good margin, but work from their figures.

 

[Scatmanblues]

Thanks guys for the info. I picked up the LRNFP for $21/1000 vs the $42/500 my local supplier wanted for 230gr LRN. I didn't really put together that it might be a cowboy load because the width was correct -.452. I didn't know about the seating issue though. My OAL over 4.9gr of Unique is 1.210. Is there a pressure problem I should be aware of? I'm relatively new and figure it's much better to be safe than sorry. I wondered why I could never find data for a LRNFP of any kind. I found it in the cowboy loads for 45Colt. Now I know why I get so paranoid. Every time I think I'm getting a handle there's something else to learn.

Thanks for all the help,
Scatmanblues

 

[45shortcolt]

Don't worry that your bullets were designed with the .45 Colt in mind. They work just fine in the .45 ACP, too. Try an OAL of 1.190". If that doesn't work seat bullet until the case is right at the bottom of the crimp groove. One or the other has always shot in my .45's. Make sure to taper crimp.

 

[Jim Watson]

Just be sure they will chamber freely (Check with the barrel out of the gun.) before you make up a lot of them. A friend of mine who shoots way more SAAs than autos had to work with OAL to get both feeding and chambering, but he got there. Loads like 4.9 greens of Grain Dot (Sorry, an old Dean Grennell joke.) are light enough to leave you a safety margin.

 

[Ned Christiansen]

Two things about Green Dot:

1. The only time I ever bulged a .45 case withing about a millionth of a PSI of rupturing was with Green Dot. In the same batch was a squib. The powder had bridged in the Dillon's measure. It is in gnarly, large flake form, and I can see how it would happen. I still have the rest of that pound of powder, it's about 15 years old now.

2. At a Ted Nugent concert maybe ten years ago, I got there early and was standing alongside the stage where I could look down and watch them set up. Guys were readying the pyrotechnics and guess what I saw-- 8 pound cans of Green Dot!