Hodgdon's CLAYS vs Alliant's CLAY DOT

Mickdidit

New Member
So in looking for Clays I find none. I found Clay Dot and was told, by the guy who took my money, it's the same as Clays. I have searched for data to no avail but find plenty of individuals on forums and such with "data". I've been reloading for about 40 years using Published Data and am not keen on changing that. Hard head? Perhaps!
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Big difference between same as and similar to.

Clay dot is still new enough that it probably hasn’t seen much use outside of shotshells. Lots of powders already crowding that space.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I have more Clays than I know what to do with, never found much use for it in metallic loading. Sure it works for dinking plates but is very flashy and doesn't make much gas volume for the pressure.
 

Ian

Notorious member
You can extrapolate that easily enough from Alliant's 44 Special load data.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I used up a few pounds of Clays with 4 gr under a 200 swc in my 45 ACP 1911. Shot quite well for me.
 

gman

Well-Known Member
I used Clays for my 12 gauge skeet loads. When I couldn't get any I switched to the Clay Dot which they claimed was the same. I was able to use the same data for the Clay Dot as the Clays. I thought about trying it for the the same reason in 45 ACP but never did.
 

bruce381

Active Member
look here good compariosn


I load 4.7 gr Clay Dot behind a 185 SWC (Lee 200 gr SWC with bevel removed by Eric)
light recoil and CLEAN could go to 5.0 Also.

200 Gr SWC I go 5.0 also
 

Mickdidit

New Member
look here good compariosn


I load 4.7 gr Clay Dot behind a 185 SWC (Lee 200 gr SWC with bevel removed by Eric)
light recoil and CLEAN could go to 5.0 Also.

200 Gr SWC I go 5.0 also
Good video! I was at our local range talking with an experienced 45 ACP enthusiast. Long time Clays user. Brought up a good point....many shotgun powders "evolve" into pistol powders but it takes time. I guess we are the research team!?
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
too many get all axle wrapped over specific data for specific powders.
we know clay dot burns like clay's but is probably made with a different process and base materials.
so we treat it like a fast lot of clay's until using it say's otherwise.

look in your load manuals at other powders in this same burn speed family.
what does clay's say?
now how about bulls-eye, red-dot, 700-X, WST, E-3,,, and a slew of other powders in the top 6 of burn speed.
they will all show you a load amount of 4-6grs. providing a window for an unknown but similar burn speed rate powder.
how do you think the testers know where to start testing?
they sure don't start at 1gr. and work up, they quickly see what other powders in the same burn range have for data and start in the middle looking for a stop point with their measuring equipment.
 

Lagamor

New Member
Clay’s is my favorite 1oz 12 gauge powder. Recently got a keg of Claydot because my local store was out of Clay’s.
Claydot isn’t uniform like Clays. It has a couple of different flakes mixed in.
For my purposes I had to drop a bushing in my Mec, but powder can vary lot to lot so that’s in the margin of error.
Has a different smell too when shot.