The Right Primer for Bluedot

[Jayhawker]

Hello:

I've had a pound of Alliant Bluedot sitting around for a couple of years and thought I'd get around to trying it out in .357 Mag. with 158 grain jacketed. My reloading manuals and online sources give mixed answers when looking for the type of primer. Some go with small pistol magnum-others with the standard. I'm just not familiar enough with this powder so thought I'd see what others experience has been. For that matter, if you've got any pet loads you like, pass them along too.

Thanks for any help.

Pete

 

[Mannlicher]

I don't use Magnum primers with Blue Dot. Even in the larger calibers, I use standard Pistol Primers. I have tried magnum primers, but do not see any improvment.

 

[critter]

I use Blue Dot in .357 and .44 mag. Good powder. Regular primers are fine by me. BD MAY not be the best powder IF you are one who likes to squeeze the very last FPS out of HEAVY BULLETS, but otherwise it works great. Makes good, heavy powered loads-it's just that there are better powders for the absolute top end ones. Just follow the books and work up to their max.

 

[HSMITH]

I shoot Blue Dot with regular primers only, never had a need for magnum primers.

 

[JohnK]

Another vote for standard primers. I've burned many pounds of Blue Dot using standard Winchester small pistol primers without any problems.

 

[ngoehle]

Another vote for smal pistol with blue dot. I use blue dot for my 357sig, (glock 32 and 33). Very fun powder, the firing line usually stops when I shoot blue dot and the G33. I get about 8-12' of flame out of the barrel, (using 10.4g blue dot and montana gold 125g bullets)..

I tried AA9, but wasn't impressed.

/ng

 

[ngoehle]

I know I said 8-12', but meant 8-12" of flame. I thought I'd catch it before one of you sharpie eyeballers made me look silly.

 

[444]

I use standard Winchester primers with Blue Dot and everything else. Never had a problem, but then, it never gets cold here either.

If you want to add some excitment to your life, try the Blue Dot with light bullets. You can reach 2000 fps with a 110 grain bullet in .357; this is a load listed in their manual and on their website. I actually only got 1980 but that's close enough. That is basically the same as a full sized .30 Carbine only you have one you can carry on your belt.

http://recipes.alliantpowder.com/rg...=.357&cartridgedescr=Mag.&bulletdescr=110 JHP

 

[MrPhil]

I've had good luck using Blue Dot and Winchester standard small pistol primers in .357 mag. Bullets have been 125 grain Gold Dots. I've worked up to 16 grains of powder with no signs of over pressure. I need to try this load on a smallish water melon!

 

[caz223]

You can use standard primers unless you are shooting in cold weather, or using compressed loads.
I shot compressed blue dot 10mm loads in a winter storm, and had a squib stick in my barrel.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[Tacblack]

I have used both WSP and WSR to load 9mm. Use the WSR for everything now. Shoot in cold and hot just want to keep even crono info, seems to help. I load 38 super and 357 the same way.

 

[geo57]

i;ve used mag primers and 10.7 grs. of blue dot for years with the 158 gr. jacketed in my gp 100's. i have no doubts the standard primers would work also. it is a stout, yet safe load. not sure i;d want to shoot much of them in k frame smiths or any .357 snub however. start at 10 grains & decide where you want to go from there.