Blue Dot

[bananaman]

Hi, I know that Blue Dot, is more for magnum loads. Do any of you use this powder lighter loads? I do have an Alliant Data book that leans to the heavier loads.
The reason for this question is that I bought an unopened 1lb. for $10 at a flea mkt. yesterday with of intentions of selling it.
If I can use it, a good deal for me. Powder does not grow on trees! Thanks, Bob

 

[Rule3]

It does not do well at lower charges. I call it Flaming Dirt!

At low charges there is unburned flakes and it's filthy. At full charges it's fine but does not meter well. With all the powders that used to be out there I see no reason for it to exist.

It makes fine full mag loads and I guess shotgun loads.

 

[SMSgt]

When I had my .41 Magnum Blackhawk, Blue Dot was my go-to powder. Now it's a no-no in .41s. I never had a problem with it, loaded stout loads, and it was very clean burning at those loads. I never had a problem with my dropper being inconsistent, but it's amoot point now.

 

[rwsmith]

BD is lousy

BD is lousy for lighter loads. Try to find a powder more suitable even if it's not your favorite. Over the year I've found some Red Dot, and Hodgdons Titegroup, which many people don't like, but it works for lower loads. If you see Accurate #2 that works, also.

Still not as good for very light loads, but a lot better than Blue Dot are the medium powders like Acc #5 and Hodgdons Universal and Unique.

 

[Erich]

As others have said, my experience is that BD is lousy at lower loads - tho I like quite a bit it for some limited heavier applications.

 

[old tanker]

Blue Dot has been a good powder for me in full house 10 mm loads. I am using some now in .357 only because I am out of 2400 and can't find any nearby. As others have mentioned, it does not do well at low charge levels. It meters OK through a Lyman 55 powder measure. Like some of the other flake (and stick) powders it can bridge if you use a small diameter drop tube, but that's what the little knocker is for.

 

[bananaman]

I can probably use at the heavier loads as listed in Alliant Book. I did not have a chance to review it at the flea mkt. I like Clays, HP-38, Titegroup, and have used plenty of Green Dot.
I guess that I got excited to find powder at $10 a Lb. Thanks, Bob

 

[Nevada Ed]

I disagree..................

Blue Dot is one of the few powders that will give the little 38 snub nose a +P load without too high a pressure, with data from Alliant.
In my snub, this powder shoots way better groups than Unique and the ES is even lower.

In the 9mm it beats out SR 4756 and Unique in the ability to get maximum "Standard" loads out of a 3 and 4" barrel and a Nato load that will stay inside the pressure ratings, with manual data.

In the 357 Magnum it does well with 140gr or heavier weight bullets ............and a talk and E-Mail with S&W said that it was ... SAFE ...with the 125gr JHP but..........they did drop the charge down some, to keep it out of the 40,000 cup pressure area, to the new psi standards.

Nothing better if you load 12 Ga. 1 1/2oz lead pellet loads for a true 4 Dram load........... just a warning , it kicks like a 375 H&H rifle !!

I load for performance and accuracy..............
a dirty gun or poor powder flow, has noting to do with this.
It is darn sure better than 2400 or 4227 in the 38 special for +P loads !!

 

[Tex1001]

One of the "Limited loads" that I've been happy with is with 9mm 124gr cast bullet loads in my UZI carbine with a 16" barrel.
It won't cycle the action, but it's almost noiseless. I've never had a squib in this loading. I haven't ever been able to find a BD reduced handgun load worth a darn.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

 

[venomballistics]

I go through the stuff like water, and love it like a fat kid loves cake.
if your talking about 30-06, BD rose to the top among many powders in search of several reduced loads.
I still use it as a starting point for nearly every cast bullet in 30-06

 

[fredj338]

It only runs well in mid to full power loads in most calibers. You can use it in lighter loads but you'll get lots of unburied powder & wide vel variation, dropping below midrange in most calibers.
Fwiw, I would & have still used BD in 41mag. I fail to underhand how it runs fine in th 10mm & dangerous in the 41mag? Sorry, not buying it.

 

[S&W HE]

I really like Blue Dot in my 10mm and 10mm short (40 S&W) loads.

 

[rwsmith]

We aren't bad mouthing Blue Dot....

It's a great powder for medium to heavy loads. If you are looking for a light target load in .38 though, Blue Dot is way far from the best. I agree that dirt cleans up and smoke blows away and ain't of no consequence. Of more concern is the inconsistent burn rates BD has at very light loads.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Bluedot

Bananaman, you didn't say what cartridge(s) you want to use BD in? It's a pretty slow powder (just below 2400), & like any slow powder if you load it "light" it's going to burn incompletely. No powder can do everything. It's kind of bulky & in moderate loads it fills the case better than finer powders, which sometimes is preferred. In the moderate to full loads I've used in various centerfire pistol cartridges (9mm, 38, 357, 40, 10mm, 44Spcl-Mag, 45ACP, & yes the 41Mag.), I've never had an issue with it being dirty. Use it in the loads it was intended for & I don't think you'll have a problem.

Personally, I'm very cautious about a container's contents if I purchase it at other than the gun shop. Make sure you see some of the namesake blue flakes in it. I've yet to see a recently produced Alliant powder container that I could unquestionably say was unopened because of their poorly secured paper seals.
.

 

[Jaymo]

Honestly, I can get by with nothing but Red, Blue, Green, and Clay Dot powders for all my handgun and shotgun needs.

I plan on buying a bunch of blue and green because the "Dot" powders are common as dirt, whereas other pistol powders like unique, bullseye, 2400, h110, etc are scarce as hen's teeth.

Bullseye and Red Dot are fantastic powders for mild target loads.
2.8 to 3.1 grains of Bullseye OR Red Dot under a 148 grain HBWC is about the perfect .38 Special target load.
They are just about interchangeable on a 1:1 ratio.
Some loads are not interchangeable on a 1:1 ratio, but most seem to be.
I've been using it for most of my .38/.357 target loads because I have found 2 pounds of BE in the last 2 years, but RD IS EVERYWHERE.

 

[bananaman]

It's a great powder for medium to heavy loads. If you are looking for a light target load in .38 though, Blue Dot is way far from the best. I agree that dirt cleans up and smoke blows away and ain't of no consequence. Of more concern is the inconsistent burn rates BD has at very light loads.

I really did not want it for plinking/target loads. I do have Bullseye, HP 38, and Clays for that. I printed data from an older Alliant book. I will only use it for medium to heavy loads. Like mentioned, at $10 a lb, I could not pass it up. Bob