12 gauge 2 1/2" Green Dot

[David Penland]

Anyone have a 12 gauge load 2 1/2" using green dot powder? I have some powder I would like to use. Thanks

[Bill Murphy]

Use a recommended 2 3/4" load for the shot weight you want to use. Green Dot is a little slow burning for real light loads, like 7/8 ounce, so stick to 1 ounce or more at 1200 FPS or more. The Alliant site is full of loads. Ignore the length of the cartridge.

[David Penland]

Thanks, I appreciate the information.

[Bill Murphy]

1 1/8 ounce loads should be OK at slightly less than 1200. The extra shot load is to keep the pressure up for cold weather use. I wouldn't try to use Green Dot 7/8 oz or 1 oz loads at low velocity, especially in cold weather.

[Bill Murphy]

Just this week, I loaded my first 2 1/2" shells on my Ponsness Warren 375 with a home made 2 1/2" sizing die made by a friend. Apparently, PW doesn't sell such a die any more, if they ever did. I used it to load some of Morris Baker's RST empties with some Federal SO wads and 7/8 ounces of shot. I thought that the SO wad would be too tall for a 7/8 ounce load in a 2 1/2" hull, but it is a perfect fit.

[charlie cleveland]

bill what load are you going to put in those 4 inch 8 ga shells....charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Charlie, what I would like to do is load the eights with a light load (1 1/4 ounce) at low velocity with Red Dot. I have a bunch of Red Dot and some Clays so would rather use that than a slower powder. A fast powder like Red Dot should not cause any pressure problems when shot out of that big hole. I think you have recommended a Red Dot load for the eights. What is that load? By the way, all my eight gauge hulls are standard 3 1/4". I wanted to get some 4" brass from Don Kaas, but I never approached him about those hulls. They were Rocky Mountain Cartridge hulls and cost a fortune when available. I have never measured my eight gauge chambers, so I don't know if I own a 4" chambered gun. My Greener Royal is marked 3 3/4" Nitro Proof.

[Paul Harm]

There are more loads with different powders at 7/8oz, but the Alliant handbook list one load in a Rem hull, and four different loads in the Win or Fed hulls, all at 7/8oz payload. So, if you have it and want to use it, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute.

[Joseph Sheerin]

One other thought I had... I ordered some new Cheddite hulls, and the Bismuth shot....

We are still several months away from Waterfowl season, maybe I do some initial loads with them using some #8 lead shot for target loads, get the crimp down right for these hulls, so when I do the Bismuth loads, the crimp should already be figgured out....

I could do some 1.25 oz target loads for them so they should be close to same.

[Mark Garrett]

The Stack height will be a little higher with Bismuth as opposed to lead, lead being more dense .

[Pete Lester]

One other thought I had... I ordered some new Cheddite hulls, and the Bismuth shot....

We are still several months away from Waterfowl season, maybe I do some initial loads with them using some #8 lead shot for target loads, get the crimp down right for these hulls, so when I do the Bismuth loads, the crimp should already be figgured out....

I could do some 1.25 oz target loads for them so they should be close to same.

You can not substitute bismuth for lead shot and have the same pressure. Bismuth will create higher pressures than lead. I doubt you can find a published 1.25 ounce 12ga load using Green Dot with bismuth. 12ga bismuth loads use slower powders like Herco, Blue Dot and Longshot.