This would be a great subject for a magazine article in, say, "American Handgunner ".
Cold temps and pistol powders
- Thread starter N-frame-guy
- Start date
johnjohn
Member
Doesn't it would be an issue here in S.E. La. it just doesn't get much below freezing.
I hope we're not using Herc Blue Dot data for Alliant Blue Dot powder.
Formulas change over the years and old reloading manuals help get the fires started around my house
Blue Dot is Blue Dot. It doesn't matter when it was made. It is all the same, other than normal lot-to-lot variations.
That said, Blue Dot is probably the worst choice for magnum handgun propellant, and being the most sensitive to low temperatures.
Keep in mind that the old Speer handloading manuals were not lab tested for pressure. Some of the loads are way over the line... I know from personal experience.
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"Boolets"???
I doubt it was the cold that was slowing them down enough to be seen. Under the right conditions, I have seen bullets in flight after being fired from .223 Remington ammo fired from a rifle. I have seen it with a .45 auto bullets also.
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My can of Blue Dot still says Hercules on it. I have never really used it very much for anything. Yea that is a powder with a reputation. And to reduce pressures, I think that it does not work very well if you reduce the loads alot. Seems to be kind of narrow range.
taz666
Member
Like Hostess Twinkie's?
I tried Blue Dot in a few Duck loads with the new "Steel" pellets,
and found out that on real cold days, they lost some of their speed.
Back then they even had 800-x as a steel powder.
Alliant finally came out with their "Steel" that saved the day with higher fps and better patterns.
However is should not be used in revolver loads.
Trust me on this one, (data and pictures posted) a long time ago.
and found out that on real cold days, they lost some of their speed.
Back then they even had 800-x as a steel powder.
Alliant finally came out with their "Steel" that saved the day with higher fps and better patterns.
However is should not be used in revolver loads.
Trust me on this one, (data and pictures posted) a long time ago.
Miracle Man
US Veteran
Yes on the NO for Blue dot and it's use in revolvers. I had to pound out two stuck cases when shooting medium level Blue Dot loads in .357 mag on a cold day.
Not usre what it is but the two just don't mix.
Whatever, troll.
Strange that you had the experience, because my experience was that W452 was inversely affected by temp, meaning that the hotter the outside temperature got, the slower the ammo speed was.
I found this out the hard way. I loved my W452 load for .38 Special in my NRA Action Pistol load. When I got to the Bianchi Cup, I ended up getting disqualified because my ammo lost about 100fps because of the 90+ degree heat down in Missouri. This put me under the minimum power factor. After that I did some research and found a lot of info that supported what I experienced.
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Ed was complaining about Alliant powders in his post you quoted. W452 AA is a Winchester ball powder.
I guess I misunderstood because he was replying to Forrest's post about W452.
Sorry guys;
sometimes I get going on two ideas and don't use a ..... ;
Proof reading is not one of my high spots.
sometimes I get going on two ideas and don't use a ..... ;
Proof reading is not one of my high spots.
OT.
I don't know about powder because it just doesn't get that cold around here.
Tetra gun grease will freeze up a 1911 at 25° though. Happened to me.
I don't know about powder because it just doesn't get that cold around here.
Tetra gun grease will freeze up a 1911 at 25° though. Happened to me.
C'mon over on Saturday and try your ammo out, it's supposed to get back up to zero for the high temp.....
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