Anyone used CLAY DOT for pistol loads?

[stilly]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00137CLAYDOT8

I was wondering if this could be developed into some nice pistol loads.

If I wanted to give it a try, any suggestions? Maybe see what all the other DOTS are and start low end?

How would you develop a load with this? All they have on their site is 12GA...

[rsrocket1]

Clay Dot is Alliant's competitor to Hodgdon's Clays (just like Hodgdon's Universal Clays is their competitor to Alliant's Unique).

It is supposed to load as a grain-for-grain substitute to Clays, not by powder bushing volume. Looking at the minutia, there are instances where Clay Dot generates slightly lower peak pressures, but since you are typically at the mid to high pressure end in pistol loading, it won't hurt if you substituted a Clays recipe with Clay Dot.

It would make a nice light recoiling load for 40 S&W, 38 special and even 45ACP. I would not try it in 9mm simply because you probably won't get enough velocity out of the bullet to work the action before you reach the safe pressure limit.

Start with the low end of a Clay's recipe from the Hodgdon site and work up.

When I tried to replenish my Clays stash for shotshells, everyone was out and I had a choice between Clay Dot and Red Dot at the same price. I chose Red Dot and am happy with it because it gives me a little more flexibility with lower pressure to use in handgun loads, but it does need a hefty charge with 3/4 oz 12 gauge target loads.

[stilly]

Good to know this. Thanks.

[Dattebayo]

Clay Dot is Alliant's competitor to Hodgdon's Clays (just like Hodgdon's Universal Clays is their competitor to Alliant's Unique).

It is supposed to load as a grain-for-grain substitute to Clays, not by powder bushing volume. Looking at the minutia, there are instances where Clay Dot generates slightly lower peak pressures, but since you are typically at the mid to high pressure end in pistol loading, it won't hurt if you substituted a Clays recipe with Clay Dot.

It would make a nice light recoiling load for 40 S&W, 38 special and even 45ACP. I would not try it in 9mm simply because you probably won't get enough velocity out of the bullet to work the action before you reach the safe pressure limit.

Start with the low end of a Clay's recipe from the Hodgdon site and work up.

When I tried to replenish my Clays stash for shotshells, everyone was out and I had a choice between Clay Dot and Red Dot at the same price. I chose Red Dot and am happy with it because it gives me a little more flexibility with lower pressure to use in handgun loads, but it does need a hefty charge with 3/4 oz 12 gauge target loads.

It is also similar with Hodgdon International Clay and Alliants Green Dot.

[stilly]

0o0o0o. I think I have some International...

ALSO good to know.

Is there a powder list that shows powder brands and their equivalents?

[rsrocket1]

0o0o0o. I think I have some International...

ALSO good to know.

Is there a powder list that shows powder brands and their equivalents?

Take this with a very tiny grain of salt:

http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

Blindly substituing powders would be a recipe for disaster if misinterpreted. Sort of like using the powder burn rate chart to choose your load data.
For example, there is a persistent notion that Bullseye is "the fastest powder in the universe". That is simply untrue. Look at all the load data and you'll see that Bullseye performs much more like Unique (with about 10% less powder used) than it does to Red Dot or Clays. Maybe it has a fast initiation with all that Nitro Glycerin coating, but it simply does not built up peak pressure and burn completely like the truly fast powders.


For your specific case, International Clays would be somewhere between Clays and Universal Clays on the Hodgdon scale or between Red Dot and Unique (close to Green Dot). Of course having it based on Clays technology, it would probably burn more completely than the Alliant flake powders, but it would also be more expensive. If you look at the load data, you can probably push your bullets a little faster with International Clays than with straight Clays.