Unique has many more uses for me but I love 10- 10.5 gr blue dot behind a 158 xtp or gas checked swc in a 4 or 6 inch 357. I know it's crazy because of unburned powder but it just makes awesome groups. Enforcer is good too but not quite as small groups. Been thinking of trying it in 40sw but I don't have much left and can't find any. I use more unique though with lead bullets in various calibers.
Powder challenge, unique vs blue dot.
- Thread starter AJC1
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Ethan Verity
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Yeah, what is that about? Why is it "not safe" in a 41 Mag with any bullet weight, but fine for something like 44 Mag? Out of curiosity, I just checked my Hornady reloading manual '11th edition' to see what powders are listed for the 41Mag, Blue Dot data was not listed.
I have been using Blue Dot in my 44Mag and 44Spl, simply because I couldn't find any Unique. 8.4gr in the 44Spl, and 13gr in the 44Mag, both under a 240gr bullet. Both seem to be working fine.
GeoDudeFlorida
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I’ve loaded Blue Dot in .40 using 180gr Xtreme (pre-bankruptcy) FRN plated lead bullets and it’s very impressive. Definitely not something I would want to use in a night shoot situation.
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AJC1
Member
It is fair to say that blue dot does not perform well in reduced pressure loadings. 30kpsi and up it cleans up and starts performing. Unique is fast enough that reduced pressures aren't as dirty, but there are more than a few complaints about how dirty unique is. I haven used it enough to have a great indicator of when it cleans up. I would swag it much lower. In low pressure loadings like 38 and 45 there is no question which is better. I won't bother even trying it in 45c for the same reason.
nastynatesfish
Member
I agree on unique. If you want to load 9mm to 45colt. It load and shoots well in about every pistol caliber I have loaded over the years. And it does nice for subs in 223 bolt guns.
BushMaster-15
member
FYI : Burn charts " IF " from a reputable " Manufacturer " NOT a distributor are applicable ,so powders can be explored based upon where they rate with a particular caliber or loading . AKA Substitution powder .
One thing we all need to remember ,some powders are purposely MADE dirty and shotgun powders for the most part are purposely made dirty .
Old Hercules Red Dot and Green Dot ,Winchester Super Field and Super Target are or were as DIRTY as they came .
I personally believe Winchester stopped producing Win Super Lite ,because it burned way way too cleanly .
I mean seriously 18.0 - 21.0 gr. and virtually NO residue . Then out of the blue decided to stop manufacture and it was one of their top selling shotgun powders for a number of years . Very ODD in MY book
One thing we all need to remember ,some powders are purposely MADE dirty and shotgun powders for the most part are purposely made dirty .
Old Hercules Red Dot and Green Dot ,Winchester Super Field and Super Target are or were as DIRTY as they came .
I personally believe Winchester stopped producing Win Super Lite ,because it burned way way too cleanly .
I mean seriously 18.0 - 21.0 gr. and virtually NO residue . Then out of the blue decided to stop manufacture and it was one of their top selling shotgun powders for a number of years . Very ODD in MY book
The only thing I like about Blue Dot is the blue dots. Years ago, loaded some 357 mag with it - my God it was stout. Was supposed to be a mid range+ load for 158gr, not top of the chart. Even took a few rounds down and checked them with a beam and an electronic scale and they were fine. Decided to break them down anyway - no need to beat up a perfectly fine gun. Later on I got a Lyman manual, and saw it was pretty much at the top of their range. I'll have to find something else to do with it.
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AJC1
Member
I load 10.6 with a cast 156 and love it. Some old load manuals are hotter in a lot of powders, how high were you. I shoot most of my 357 in a 16" lever so I have plenty of barrel to burn it up.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
Red dot was the 1st powder i worked with for light rifle. I still like it very much. I also like to try other dot powders. 2400 was mentioned in this post. At one time it was a rifle powder. Still is today. Unique is the best load i found for 7.62x39 for light loads. It won't cycle a semi-auto. This is a very handy manual for for loads not in todays books.
Hodgdon Data Manual No. 26: Hodgdon Powder Company: Amazon.com: Books
Hodgdon Data Manual No. 26: Hodgdon Powder Company: Amazon.com: Books
BJung
Member
Blue Dot is not as versatile but I like it for my .357-158gr GD loads shot through a S&W Model 66.
Unique is more versatile but I hate crunch sound my powder thrower just before it drops powder into my case. It sounds like mini-cornflakes.
Unique is more versatile but I hate crunch sound my powder thrower just before it drops powder into my case. It sounds like mini-cornflakes.
Charlie98
Member
+1
Much could be the same comparing Unique to IMR4227, or even 2400. The latter two are slower powders meant for full case fill, and, typically, heavy bullets. I've used up exactly 1# of BlueDot in my life, I don't expect that number to rise.
It's my understanding it's a pressure wave thing. No, that doesn't explain the anomaly between something like the .41 and the .44, and you would probably be hard pressed to get Alliant to spell it out. FWIW, I suspect it has something to do with the jump to the forcing cone in a revolver, but I'm guessing. I would have no qualms about using BlueDot for a .41 load for something like a Marlin, but not a revolver. I have loaded BlueDot in the .41MAG, this before the warning came out... and I'm still here. I didn't find it particularly useful.
.45Coltguy
Member
In all the years I've been handloading and reading forums like THR and others, I see a LOT more positive regarding Unique than BD will ever achieve. Unique is way more versitable than BD and has been for decades. That isn't going to change anytime soon. Unique for the win.
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
A lot of answers here. Don’t have any Blue Dot never tried it. I do know I can’t go without Unique. Good enough for dad (90 years old) then good enough for me. I load many a round with it.
About 10.9. Which is over the current Lynam manual top load. IIR, the manual I was using at the time listed 11.4 as the top load.
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AJC1
Member
I was curious how high it used to be. 10.6 feels full power so I'm not complaining. I got the best accuracy and was a tenth above the 158 load so I just called that the load.
Necessary_Nutrient
Member
Do the scalpers on Gunbroker actually have either of these in stock? I doubt they’ll be available otherwise for years.
243winxb
Member
I bought Blue Dot for high velocity 12 ga hunting loads. Later i used the remaining BD for 45 acp with 200 gr cast in a S&W 645. Not a load i would use in my Colt GC. Too Hot.
Worked well for both.
As for Unique, has many uses.
Worked well for both.
As for Unique, has many uses.
IWAC
Member
I bought a partial can of Blue Dot from a co worker, and found it to be a good powder behind my 158 gr. cast bullets. Then came the warning prohibiting BD behind 125 gr. bullets. I still wonder why, but perhaps from an overabundance of caution, don't use it any more.
I have shot a limited amount of Blue Dot in 357 SIG, 147 gr. bullets, using CCI 500 primers. Up to 8.7 gr. B.D. at 8.7 gr. got me an average of 1229 fps, out of 10 shots with a SD of 20 fps. I didn't notice any unburnt powder. Nothing seemed erratic, but I will keep aware of the advice.
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