22.5 with a Federal 209a and a Federal 12C1 all stuffed in a iX fired Federal Paper with 1 1/9 OZ of 7 1/2's for handicap and 6's for shooting games. The claybuster red 8 can be used in place of the 12C1 and this load can also be used in a Federal Plastic hull. Jeff

 

I use Green Dot for my handicap loads and I use AA hulls. I suggest that you go to the Alliant web site for loading data. I will not recommend a specific powder charge on this site and I would warn anyone against using a powder charge that is not obtained directly from a loading manual. I might intend to suggest 19.5 grains of powder X and make a typo error and write 91.5 grains of the powder.

Pat Ireland

 

Pat,

Inquiring minds want to know....

At what yardage does one begin to consider a hotter load and the use of a slower burning powder such as green dot?

Thanks,

Mike

 

I use Winchester components (hull, wads, primer) with the proper amount of Green Dot, as listed by Alliant for 1150 or 1200 fps.

Don't think of Green Dot as just a handicap powder, it works great with 1150 fps loads for the 16 yard line.

~Michael

 

Michael.... I have found that Green Dot, loaded down to the speed you have listed, results in an extremely tight pattern from the 16 yard line. There are much more effective powders for use at the 16 yard line than GD.... Just my experience.....Dan Thome (Trap2)

 

I use AA hull, AA209, AA white wad, 21 grs. Green Dot, 7.5's from the back line. Chrongraphs on my machine at 1235 fps.

 

Green Dot does produce a very tight pattern in light loads. Also, I don't care for Green Dot pushing one ounce loads. But, for handicap, I really like Green Dot.

Mike- You asked at what yardage one should go to a heaver handicap load ? Honestly, I do not know. I would suggest changing to a heavier load and 7.5 shot around the 24 yard line. That is sort of a standard answer but I have no firm data to support it. I use a full three dram load of Green Dot and 7.5 shot from the 27. But, I have practiced with my lighter 16 yard load from the 27 and it shoot better than I can shoot. I shoot a lot of new AA Super Handicap Silver Bullets from the 27. I am convinced that the three dram red 7.5 AA shells will work just fine. But, when I walk into the store and the heavy silver shells are the same price as the 3 dram red shells, I can't resist buying the silver ones. More, at the same price seems better.

Many shooters, including me, often shoot a shell that is heaver than we need. Many shooters shoot excellent long range handicap scores with a popular imported shell that is marked 3 dram. But, when the shells are tested, they come out to be a light 2 3/4 dram shell. These shooters will often say that their heavy handicap shell does not kick any more than their light singles shell. I know why.

Pat Ireland

 

Looks like I need to pattern some Green Dot, 1oz, 1200fps to see what it will do in my gun.

Pat, thanks for the answer. I private messaged you.

Mike (PBB) are you using the Downrange version of the Versalite? I haven't seen those in a long time and only have about a handful left. Have you patterned them with Unique?

Mike

 

I agree with the 21 Grs Greendot in AA with Winchester components. Very hard load to beat, another one is using Solo1250 loaded the same chg wt and components.


Gary Bryant
Dr.longshot

 

I like 20.5 grains under a Downrange Versalite wad. #8s back to 24 yds, and 7 1/2 to 27 yds. These wads, along with the new Downrange copy of the Fed 12S3 produce the best 1 1/8 ounce patterns I've thrown with my guns! I also like 23 grains of Unique which takes the same bushing as 20.5 grains of Green Dot.
AndyH

 

Heavy 1 1/8 1,250 Win. 209 Green Dot Win. WAA12 (White) 21.5 10,500 -

 

funski, as has been stated, you should check out the powder company's info for proper loads. If you stick with the 1145-1200 fps range they will break any and all targets provided they are pointed correctly.

Eddie, what is finicky about Green Dot?

Mike, you don't need to get caught up in the hype behind "handicap" loads that exists today when shooting on the concrete. The extra recoil is not necessary and unwarranted. I prefer the 1150 fps range of loads with having tried various speeds thru the years. Of course this is my_experience and I no nothing. But if necessary for self confidence, then by all means use them.

 

I shot my 97 at Kingsburg with 19.5 grs Green dot.AA hull, W209, Downrange XL-1 wad from 20 yds.I shoot custers at 27 yds with the same load and some laugh at the light sounding noise.But they will do the job if you do your part.PJ

 

Mike- I did not get an e-mail from you. If you send one, make sure it has trapshooting in the subject line or it might get deleted.

pheasantmaster (Martin W.) likes handicap loads in the 1150 Ft/sec range. He is a successful 27 yard shooter. My reloads for handicap are 1200 ft/sec and I often shoot new AA Super Handicap shells that go who knows how fast. I am a very inconsistent 27 yard shooter. Is there a message in this that I am missing?

Pat Ireland

 

I was using 18.7 gr. of Green Dot behind 7/8 Oz of shot. This really smoked targets from the 16. I have now been shooting 3/4 Oz. with the same 18.7 gr. While they all go "boom" I am probably throwing a tiny pattern. I will pattern this 3/4 Oz. load and see.

 

Slow loads with Green Dot too tight at the 16?! Aren't smoke balls what we're looking for? If I was shooting 1 1/8 oz this summer, which I'm not (I'm shooting 7/8 oz loads for practice and ATA singles), I'd be stocking up soon on Green Dot rather than e3. Last night I shot some 1 1/8 oz Green Dot loads, for the first time since last summer, and it absolutely pounded the birds. I've been getting smoke balls with 7/8 oz loads, but they don't compare to the destruction I was seeing last night. I know, I know, a broken bird counts the same whether a chip or a smoke ball, but the more targets I smoke ball, the better I feel and the better I shoot.

~Michael

 

So Green Dot is finicky because it doesn't respond well to whatever YOU feel like throwing at it? *rolling eyes*

Green Dot has always been reasonably clean in 391's gas system. Certainly not dirty enough to stop the gun from running, even if I shot thousands of shells without cleaning.

The only time I've had an off sounding load was with a 1150 fps load at the tail end of a round of 50 birds out in 15 degree weather.

My only gripe about Green Dot isn't it does't meter as well as other powders, and you need so much more of it to get the same velocities when compared to other powders.

~Michael

 

While some may not like Green Dot in a 1 oz. load, I have had great success with it. I do use the hotter primers with G.D. Also the hull/wad match sems to be more critical. Use straight wall wads with straight walled hulls. I used 1 oz. loads with 18.5 grs. for a long time. Easy on the shoulder and ground up targets with authority. When I shot both skeet and trap competitively, I used G.D. in everything down through 28 ga. and never had a problem.