Clay"DOT" and 45 Colt/Cowboy experience

M

mehavey

New member
I've done a quick Google on the use of ClayDOT as a direct substitute
for Clays(noDot) in cowboy-level 45 Colt.

So far I've gotten:
- "It's a direct substitute" to...
- Alliant-has-not tested/therefore-doesn't-recommend-it in metallic cartridges.

Before I get the measure-for-measure risk manual out and pair it up to my
Oehler for a work-up, does anyone have any direct experience w/ ClayDOT and
45 Colt under their belt?
 
I'm working up a load for .45Colt now. Have not fired any over the chrono yet, though. I think (IIRC) the loads are 3.5g, 4.0g, 4.5g. 200g bullet. I've loaded both Clays and Clay Dot and intend to do a comparison. (actually, have some loads with 700x and Red Dot as well in the mix.)

May be a week or more before I get a chance to test. Using a 5.5inch Ruger Vaquero (Bisley).

I understand Clay Dot to be a substitute for Clays, though it's a little denser and my square deal drops .1 to .2 grains more of the Dot than the Clays at close to 4g.

With 1 lb of Clays on hand, I bought 5 lbs of Clay Dot, only to score an 8 lb keg of Clays the following week. Hence the curiosity...
 
The volumes between the two are different even if the load weight data is the same; this is true for shotgun reloading especially using these two powders.
 
Finally got a chance to shoot some of my test loads of Clays, Clay Dot and Red Dot in .45Colt. All rounds were new Starline brass, CCI LP primers, and Missouri bullet Co,. 200g RNFP Hi Tek coated Brinel 12 "cowboy" bullets, healthy crimp in the crimp groove on the bullets. Didn't measure COL. Ruger New Vaquero Bisley, 5.5 inch barrel. Temp about 55 deg. F. RCBS "bullet shaped" chronograph.

Following results from 10 round strings.

Load ; Min/Max fps; Avg fps; E.S.; SD
4.5g Clays; 445/561; 511; 116; 31
4.0 clays; 456/529; 480; 73; 22;
4.5 clay dot; 505/659; 598; 154; 45;
4.1 clay dot; 534/604; 564; 70; 22;
3.5 clay dot; 378/548; 481; 170; 44
4.0 red dot; 511/589; 554; 78; 23
3.5 red dot 458/522; 482; 64; 17


I'm liking the 3.5 Red Dot load results. Will do some more testing to see if consistency holds up.

Clearly, the Clay Dot loads are hotter than the Clays loads for the same charge. That's a little surprising considering they are supposed to be "the same" Not so much based on this very limited test.
 

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"Looks" to be about a 10% less Clay-DOT [as compared to Clays] for comparable
performance/pressure in that regime for that cartridge family.

I'll RuleOfThumb_It for the refrigerator magnets to that effect. ;)
 
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