What do I do with Blue Dot?

[treebeard]

A friend gave me a new cannister of Blue Dot today in exchange for some 185gr. JSWC's. I only load .223, .45ACP and .38/.357. Is Blue Dot any good for that? If not I would like to know what most people use it for. Thanks.

 

[shooter503]

Heavier pistol loads. Good stuff.

 

[scout26]

I use for my upland bird (mostly pheasant) hunting loads in both 12 and 20 ga.

 

[nitesite]

I have never seen BD listed in any cartridge recipies for your chamberings. It is commonly used for 10mm and larger magnum handguns, and for magnum (high brass) shotgun loads with larger shot charges.

It's a slower burning propellant meant to push a heavy bullet or shot weight up to speed gradually in order to keep pressures down.

If your canister is unpoened can you perhaps trade someone for some powder you can use?

 

[Lennyjoe]

Alliant has some recipes to use Blue Dot in. Blue dot has some flash to it as well.

Here's one for the .45 ACP and 230gr FMJ
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...typeid=1&weight=230&shellid=1029&bulletid=101

Another for .357 mag
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...gtypeid=1&weight=158&shellid=1015&bulletid=29

 

[Jim Watson]

I loaded .357 Major for IPSC Revolver with Blue Dot and had decent shooting. My FLG used Blue Dot for full power .45ACPs at one time. I have seen report of loading .223 with light bullets and Blue Dot but I don't know if there is any handbook data for that or if the user is depending on a computer simulation or some empirical process.

Blue Dot is said to be reverse temperature sensitive, burning hot and running to higher pressures in cold weater. Extra cold, like Zero F. It is said to have high lot-to-lot variation at high pistol pressures. It used to be used for .38 Super Major and loads had to be rechecked and adjusted every can or keg.
Said to be. I haven't tried it that way.

 

[S&Wfan]

Yep, it is a fine power to use for hotter .45ACP and .45 Auto Rim loads, as well as for .357 and .44 mag.

 

[joneb]

I use it in my 4" Colt Trooper .357 and I am quite pleased Two of my favorites are 10.4 grns of Bluedot under a 158 JHP, and 9.4 of BD under a 180 grn Hornady XTP's both with Federal GM100m primers.

 

[vmr357]

45 vs 357, split the difference

treebeard, get yourself a .41 mag. ammo is scarce enough that you're better off reloading and blue dot is a good powder for that caliber.

 

[loadedround]

I load my 10 mm's and 44mags with Blue Dot and find it to be an excellent powder for these cartridges. It works best in large bore handguns and heavy field loads in 12 ga shotguns.

 

[HSMITH]

BE CAREFUL with Blue Dot. It gets WICKEDLY nasty with little or no warning near the top of the data. It is extremely temperature sensitive and extremely position sensitive in low density loadings. Lot to lot variations are pretty good sized, max loads MUST be worked up with each lot. That said, I don't think there is any way to push 110's and 125's faster in a 357. If you want honking fast super booming light bullet 357 magnum Blue Dot really works well. It makes good higher end 9mm loads, and good higher end 40 loads. I have a couple pounds of it and that is all I use it for. It needs a good bit of pressure and high loading density to be consistent. Where it works it works well, but it really is poor in a lot of other loads. I would not recommend it to anyone that isn't an experienced reloader.

 

[Walkalong]

Handy powder to have

Full power loads in the 9MM, .40S&W, .45 Auto, 10MM.
Reduced velocity loads in .357 Mag, .41 Mag, .44 Mag.

Good stuff.

 

[Walkalong]

HSMITH is right. Don't try it for reduced pressure loads. Very position sensitive and erratic. That can be said for most powders that are "slow for the application"

 

[Lennyjoe]

I'll second the temperature issues with Blue Dot. I left some rounds sitting in my Bronco overnight and it got down in the 30's. Early the next morning at the range I could tell they were kicking harder than usual.

Overall though, Blue Dot is my primary range powder under 180gr fmj's out of my G20 10MM.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

for the reasons HSMITH stated i dont use it anymore in anything. Ive just had to many overly hot loads with it. Me, id use it for fertalizer.

 

[Hutch]

Blue dot has some flash to it as well

Yeah, no poop? In a 3-4 inch 357, it has the most spectacular blue-white photo-flash I've ever seen. Singed the hair off the knuckles of my hand!

 

[adobewalls]

I show the following for the .223:

40gr. Bullet, 13.0 grns.
50gr. bullet, 12.0 grns.

These are supposed to give velocities between 2000 to 2300. I have not tried these yet, but it is on my list. Also supposed to be a low report round out of a rifle.

(edited to add I just wanted to add the caution that these .223 loads are from the internet so I recommend using caution or seeking out additional confirmation that they are safe.

For pistols, I like Blue Dot in the 9mm (8.0grns for the 115grn. bullet) and am also loading for .40 S&W and .45 ACP. For revolvers, it works very well in the .357 on the higher end. Its velocities are not quite up there with 296 or H110; but very respectable.

 

[Walkalong]

I recommend AGAINST Blue Dot in the .223 because it is position sensitive. Severely blown primers to prove it!
Try 700X for 22 mag type velocities or SR 4759 or AA5744. I've shot plenty of 700X in a .222 to get 22 mag velocities. 6.0 Grs. for that cartridge and 40 to 45 gr. bullets with non magnum primers.

 

[treebeard]

I got alot more responses than I expected. Thanks for all the input and info.

 

[redneck2]

I used up a 1# jug for my 10mm's, and was fortunate enough to find an 8# for $49.

I use it in my G20. Gives excellent performance and no case bulge. Starline cases, 180 Gold Dots.

 

[shooting on a shoestring]

Blue Dot is my favorite Snubby fuel.

My CCW SP101 .357 is stoked with 10.7 grs under 158 gr Gold Dots. I get 1140 fps out of the 2.25" barrel. Yes it flashes, but only when I shoot it. Even then its not the blinding stobe light I've heard about. It beat out W296, Lil'Gun, 2400 and Unique for max velocity out of my Snubby with the 158 Gold Dots.

 

[GaryL]

The Hornady 4th edition says nice things about Blue Dot for 357 loads. I tried some warm - not max - loads and they worked very well. I've tried them from -20* to 90+*. I'll have to pay more attention to the cold weather response, but I was happy that they worked fine in semi autos in cold weather.

The Hornady loads are 10.5gr min (1200fps) to 11.4gr max (1450fps) of Blue Dot for 158gr HP/XTP & FP/XTP with a Fed 200 primer and a C.O.L. of 1.590" for both. I don't recall my load offhand, but it would have been 10.9gr or 11.0gr - middle of the range.

 

[hagar]

Yes, you can load it in the 223. About 12-13 grains with a 40-50 grain bullet will give you almost 3000 feet/sec, and will sound like a 22 subsonic out of a 26 inch barrel. Put tissue paper on top of it to fill the case totally so the powder does not move around and be position sensitive.

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


1) .223 60 gr Hornady TAP bullet, 13 gr Blue Dot, 35 kpsi, 2500 fps. I have shot 1,000 varmints with this.

I have loaded it up to 15 gr Blue dot 50 kpsi, 2800 fps, but this is not needed.

2) .223 33 gr Hornady Vmax moly, 15 gr Blue Dot, 3500 fps. I have loaded up 5,000 rounds of these and killed may rodents.

I have loaded that up to 18 gr Blue Dot 4,100 fps, but this shows pressure sign half the time and is not needed.



The real advantage of Blue Dot in .223 is that the barrel never gets hot or dirty.
I can shoot 100 shots per hour all day with no cleaning, no heating, and great accuracy.


This Blue Dot in the .223 for rodents dates back to 1999 in The Varmint Hunter Magazine
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/tobee2.php

 

[DWARREN123]

Shotgun and pistol. Most powders can be used in just about all types of firearms but does not mean it will work well.