Red Dot 7/8oz Load?

[Jay Oliver]

A quick question about a 12 gauge 7/8oz. load. I was hoping to use RST hulls with Red Dot and the grey 7/8oz Claybuster CB0178-12 wad with Cheddite primers. Would 16 grains put me around 1150fps and in the 6000-7000psi range? Has anyone used a similar recipe?

I have loaded 3/4oz using the pink Claybuster 3/4oz wads with just under 15 grains of Red Dot(14.8). They shoot well though on close crossing shots I think the pattern is a little too tight or I am not leading them enough(or both...)

I wanted to try some 7/8oz. loads with the above recipe and wanted to make sure I was on the right track from a safety and performance standpoint.

I also have the Gualandi(TUWG2512) 12 Ga. Super G Wads 7/8 to 1 oz that I have not tried yet.

Thank you,

Jay

[Tom Pellegrini]

Jay, the recipe I found on Alliant's website is for 18 grains of Clay Dot and 7/8 oz. shows 1180 to 1200 fps. My machine one bushing drops 17.8 grains. The next bushing drops 19.4 of Clay Dot. So I use the 17.8 with a Clay buster 4100 wad and I have excellent results. The 4100 wad can be used for a 7/8 oz. or 1 oz. I figure the velocity is somewhere between 1150 and 1180 fps. I shoot this load regularly in my three Parkers all 12 gauges. I was told that Clay Dot is a cleaned up version of Red Dot. Hope this helps.

[Jay Oliver]

Thanks Tom, That sound like a good recipe. I just got set up for reloading and have looking the various powder websites and post on this forum. When I got set up I order lots of components from Ballistic Products. I actually don't have the Gualdini wad I mentioned above but do have:

Competition Special - 072CS12
PT1205
EML-12

In my research it seams like that cheaper grey Claybuster CB1078 wads are not the best with straight walled hulls like the Cheddite. I will keep reading and researching.

[Paul Harm]

You're gonna loose a little pressure because RST hulls are straight walled and the wads you're using are for tapered wall shells. The 3/4oz load calls for 15.5 to 17.3 in the Fed hull - also straight walled. It's been claimed in SC's magazines that 3/4oz loads have a hot core with tighter patterns unless velocity is up around 1300fps. So your light loads might just have been a smaller pattern. If it were me loading 7/8oz with the 0178 wad and RD I'd be loading around 18grs- JMHO.