Using Blue Dot with cast bullets

[Chuckalac]

I like Blue Dot powder in my pistol loads. It seems get good velocity with reasonable pressure according to my Lee book
However there is not much info on cast bullet loads for .40S&W, 9mm Luger, or 380 in these calibers.
I load for a Glock 23 .40 S&W. Ruger P95DC 9mm Luger. and a Bernadelli mod. USA 380
I am interested in both from the point of view of paper punching as well as defensive loads using RN cast bullets as they are good feeders and will expand a little vs FMJ bullets which do not.
The thing about killer bullet loads does not fly in my State SC, as we have Castle Doctrine and I believe that a good handload is as good as a factory load for reliability.

 

[243winxb]

Blue Dot is a slower burning powder for handguns. It is bulky taking up a lot of room in a small case, it may not be ideal for your calibers. Plus it needs pressure to burn cleaner, Jacketed bullets do build more pressure than lead bullets. Only use reloading data that is listed. Alliant Blue Dot should NOT be used in some calibers with certain bullet weight. Search the Alliant website and check data there. http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/safety/safety_notices.aspx

 

[MichaelK]

HI Chuck
I use nothing else besides Blue Dot, for all my cast bullet loads.

I load 8.0 grains with Lee's 120 grain TC in 9mm

I load 8.0 grains with Lyman's 150 grain SWC in 38 special

I load 12.0 grains with Lyman's 150 grain SWC in .357 magnum

I load 9.5 grains with Lyman's 175 grain TC in .40S&W

I load 16.0 grains with Lyman's 245 grain SWC in .44 magnum

I load 10.5 grains with Lyman's 200 grain SWC in .45 ACP

By the way, did I mention I like Lyman molds?

 

[Chuckalac]

Thanks

I appreciate the good info on BD. I like it because it drops well, fills the case,
and like I said, gets good vel. with normal pressures. I also like that I have one powder that does it all for my pistols. It also seems to burn clean.
So far I have found it to work very well with Missouri 95 gr 380 bullets and I only use 5.5gr for paper which seems to work very nicely in my Bernadell. I have gone as high as 6.5 gr I am not getting any leading either. I shot about 100 and choreboy cleaned over some white paper, all I got was a few sparklies then I ran a H9 patch thru and the barrel was super clean.
I am waiting to get my 125 gr 9mm bullets from Missouri and I am drooling just thinking of rolling some of them for my Ruger.
By the way Missouri shipped my order within about 2 hrs of me placing it. It seems that what I thought was thunder, was Brad and co getting my order out