I visited Cabela"s yesterday and went to the re loading area. There were three warnings from Alliant posted. They said NOT TO USE BLUE DOT FOR .357 MAGNUMS. They did not say why.....Any input???

The warning I saw said it caused excessive pressures. Another warning was for Blue Dot, which said not to use it for 125gr loads in the 357 magnum loads, also not to use Blue Dot for any 41 mag loads, re-excessive pressures. I had heard the the powders have changed since first made and the new version is causing excessive pressures.

I would encourage you to run a search here for a detailed thread discussing the matter earlier this summer.

Earlier in the summer Alliant was studying the situation with regard to Blue Dot. They have now issued a warning against using the 125 grain bullet in .357 magnum but do recommend using Blue Dot with heavier bullet weights. But they have now issued a blanket warning of "do not use" Blue Dot in the .41 magnum. Check the other thread about this warning as listed in the American Rifleman Magazine October issue.

Earlier in this summer I posted about a discussion of the issue that I had with an Alliant tech . . .

From the horse's mouth:

Blue Dot

Never liked Blue Dot in anything but 10mm, anyway, so count me among the Phil Collins crowd ("I don't care anymore.").

Odd that we're warned off using Blue Dot in the .41 Magnum but nothing is said of the .44 Magnum. Can't envision why it'd be ok in one but not the other as long as heavier bullets are used.

Blue Dot didn't seem to be the "pick of the litter" for Magnum revolver cartridges anyway.

I used Blue Dot years ago without any outstanding results. In all of the cartridges I load for, it isn't even on the radar anyway.

I'm with Mr. McGilvray, doesn't make sense with one and not the other.


Maybe it KNOWS what it is being loaded into!

Erich, it was that dicussion that made me question my long use of Blue Dot with lead bullets. I sent Alliant a list of my loads and waited--and waited--and finally they sent me a reply in August stating that my loads were fine. Now it seems they have changed their mind again as the loads I specifically sent them were for the .357 125 grain bullet and .41 mag. 215 lead bullet. I believe Alliant to be a reputable company but something about Blue Dot's burning characteristics seems to have them worried OR at maybe their legal department. I guess I'll just pull my loads down, save the bullets for plinking, and forget the Blue Dot.

I had an extremely accurate load in .41 magnum using Blue Dot. I just checked the can, and it must have been several years ago, as it is an Hercules can.

Never had any problems, and it was always quite accurate in my old 57.

I can't imagine any thing that they could have done to the powder that would have made all .41 mag loads unacceptable, but not affect the .44 mag loads. As they used to say on My Living Doll, that does not compute!

A couple of years back I was maxing out on Blue Dot, 10mm/165gr GS/4.6" and was nearing the top with .40S&W/165gr GS/4" Unique.

The .40 ended up having a faster MV by 30fps - 40fps IIRC, Blue Dot is kinda sittin' around now collecting dust.

I don't understand the 41mag/44mag flip-flop.

Bob