Suggestions for 12 GA load with 7/8 oz and Green Dot

[Ramblin Ron]

Up to now I've used my regular 1-1/8 oz load with Green Dot powder for Cowboy Action Shooting and want to reduce to a 7/8 load with less recoil while still using Green Dot (Win AA Hulls). What can I say, I'm getting cheaper and older. The Alliant data  doesn't speak to knock down power so who out there has experience with Green Dot and can recommend their power gram load ?  

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/recipedetail.aspx?shotype=&weight=0.875&weightdis=7%2f8&shellid=493&gtypeid=3&gauge=12

Press "Enter the Guide".  One must always find a reliable source for shotgun loads as there are so many variables that can get you in trouble.

If you have decent patterns, a 7/8 oz load at a moderate speed will take them down.  Most targets would be set to go down with a regular 20 ga. load. What we have here is a 20 ga. load in a fatter hull. If you are using a Sawdoff (no choke) make sure you pattern it.  Too hot a load will cause donuts. aka "the halo effect".  As Green Dot is one of the medium powders the patterns should work out.

Try it.

[PJ Hardtack]

For years I loaded 7/8 oz.12 ga. loads for my wife with 17.5 grs of Red Dot. Then I tried them and now I shoot them myself!

I believe that in shotguns, Red Dot and Green Dot are similar. I know that in .45 ACP, I get a little stiffer load with GD than with RD using the same charge. Check your manual.

When I dabbled in Sporting Clays, I read an article about 3/4 oz. loads. The author was a US shooter taking the Holland & Holland wing shooting tutorial. He was astounded that he was breaking all the birds with this light load. The instructor said that it was an American thing to use 1-1/8 oz. of shot to break a clay bird!

[Delmonico]

Us 28 gauge shooters have been killing pick-up loads of pheasants for years with 3/4th and 7/8th oz loads for many years.  I remember as a kid reading the outdoor rags and gun writers saying that Chinese Chickens were tougher than Canada geese.  I keep it inside 30 yards with the 3/4's and 40 with the 7/8's and 95% of them fall dead and stay in place.  The Skeet barrel patterns better than the modified in my 870 so I just use it. 

[Lucky R. K.]

I have been loading 17-1/2 to 18 grains of Green Dot with 7/8 oz. of #9 shot in both Double AA and  Remington STS cases for years.  I think it is a great load.  Have also used about the same load with Red Dot.

Lucky

[Ramblin Ron]

Thanks for the feedback so far, I hadn't heard of donuts, "the halo effect" before but have seen fellows not knock down targets even though it looks like a square hit from all the dirt kicked up around the steel. I shoot a TTN 1878 double and did check the pattern out when new and found it to shoot well with both barrels at almost the same spot.
The Alliant data for Green Dot has the lowest weight listing as 20 grams powder to have 1,300 fps. Since most shotgunners are shooting moving targets it makes sense that shot speed is important even with a light load. Specialty loads like we want for CAS seem to come up short from many of the manufacturers. A good while past I saw a post on some site (I need to print these out or bookmark) that a 17 Gr Green Dot  & 7/8 Oz shot load duplicates the AA low recoil featherlite load @ 925 fps. I don't like to take one opinion as gospel but have had good luck with my light pistol and rifle loads if 3 or 4 guys are all recommending the same recipe. 
Anyway, I'm just wanting to use up the remaining Green Dot powder I have then switch to Hodgdon Clays. I currently use Clays for Cowboy loads in 38 Special and 45 Colt.   

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Yeah;  I go under the book, BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY, as I feel there is a bit of leeway in the data.  

Ron; I have used the same load (17gr. Greendot) as you mention without issues.

[Ramblin Ron]

I contacted Alliant Powder regarding a 17gr Green Dot load and received a reply from one of their folks stating "We have not tested this load but I have heard of similar loads being used for cowboy action. I see no harm in trying it as long as you get a nice tight crimp."
I'll load up a few dozen and try the load out and see what happens.

Ramblin Ron