Good Load? - Page 2

sty · October 27, 2013, 10:56 AM

Or should I just load it up and shoot it. And rack it up as a learning experience.

Valornor · October 27, 2013, 11:00 AM

Blue dot is a fine shotgun slug powder. It can also work in other calibers. If you can find any other powder, I'd use it up. It also works well in .45 acp. If you can, I'd save it.

sty · October 27, 2013, 11:24 AM

I have a .45 acp, I just wanted to start with one caliber to get my feet wet. Guess I can try it for that.

Nick_C_S · October 27, 2013, 01:12 PM

sty, Blue Dot is good with 45ACP and 230g bullets. Assuming your 45 has a 5" barrel (like a standard 1911). And powder keeps for a long time, so no hurry getting back to it. Store it in a cool, dry, dark place. It'll be there when you're ready to load some stout 45 rounds. (I have some W296 from 1987 that I load with now - still works great. I also had some W231 from the same year that I just finished using up - worked perfectly.)

Also, it sounds like JustSomeGuy has personal experience loading these bullet weights/powder with 40 Cal. (I don't). The things he said a few posts back make sense to me. He has good insights.

sty · October 27, 2013, 01:28 PM

Thanks for all of the help to all of you. I know I have lots to learn....but that is part of the fun of trying something new. I do have a full size 45 and all the dies and some 230g Rainier RN bullets. Along with all the dies for all of rifles. I have been picking stuff up as I found good deals for the last year or so, powder was the last thing I wanted to buy until I knew what to get. I just pick one caliber to start with and jumped in.

Nick_C_S · October 27, 2013, 02:09 PM

Blue Dot will make those Rainier 230s go fast. That'll be a fun round to shoot

Valornor · October 27, 2013, 06:37 PM

When I started reloading. There wasn't this shortage going one and powder was easy to come by. I bought a different powder for ever caliber I loaded...X_x. Now I am just trying to consolidate to one powder for multiple calibers. I love Unique, it's probably one of the most versatile powders on the market today. You can load just about every pistol caliber, use it in shot guns, and on top of that it is handy for working up cast loads in rifle.

As you get more experience, you'll find you like and prefer one brand or type of powder for a specific kind of loading. I will say this about the powder shortage. It has forced me to divert from my normal loading and try lots of different powders and primers I normally would not have tried. I kind of converted to bullseye for my pistols just because I can get several thousand rounds out of one pound. But it lacks the versitilty of unique...

viper7342 · October 27, 2013, 09:55 PM

For what it's worth, I've found that 4.8 Grains of Bullseye works great under the 165 grain Berrys FP. It is reasonably accurate and light recoiling in my full size M&P although it would probably produce a little more recoil in the OP's compact, this is the starting charge in my Lyman #49 Manual and recommended OAL is 1.120.

sty · November 16, 2013, 04:11 PM

Nick_C_S I have had a lot of family health problems running amuck lately. All I can say is cancer sucks! But I did put some Blue Dot under my 230s for my .45 and you were right they are a blast to shoot. Now I just need to get more loade up so I have something to keep my mind occupied.

Nick_C_S · November 16, 2013, 05:29 PM

Family health problems can be difficult. You have my best thoughts.

For those of us who load as a labor of love, also tend to find it therapeutic. I know it gives me some meditation time. A little "mental balancing" is a good thing. The tool we use to get there (the load bench) is less important.

sty · November 16, 2013, 05:48 PM

Thanks.... I just need to keep busy so I don't think about things that I have no control over.

sty · November 28, 2013, 09:42 PM

I did get my hands on some Longshot and work up some today. Wow what difference it made.
The flash was reduced and recoil was not as snappy as it was with the Blue Dot.
I just got done loading 50 pcs. So I can get some trigger time with this load.
Thanks everyone that replied. And Happy Thanksgiving

October 27, 2013, 01:12 PM	#29
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	sty, Blue Dot is good with 45ACP and 230g bullets. Assuming your 45 has a 5" barrel (like a standard 1911). And powder keeps for a long time, so no hurry getting back to it. Store it in a cool, dry, dark place. It'll be there when you're ready to load some stout 45 rounds. (I have some W296 from 1987 that I load with now - still works great. I also had some W231 from the same year that I just finished using up - worked perfectly.) Also, it sounds like JustSomeGuy has personal experience loading these bullet weights/powder with 40 Cal. (I don't). The things he said a few posts back make sense to me. He has good insights. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 27, 2013, 02:09 PM	#31
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	Blue Dot will make those Rainier 230s go fast. That'll be a fun round to shoot __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 27, 2013, 09:55 PM	#33
viper7342 Member Join Date: March 26, 2011 Posts: 47	For what it's worth, I've found that 4.8 Grains of Bullseye works great under the 165 grain Berrys FP. It is reasonably accurate and light recoiling in my full size M&P although it would probably produce a little more recoil in the OP's compact, this is the starting charge in my Lyman #49 Manual and recommended OAL is 1.120. __________________ God created man but Sam Colt made him equal. When seconds count the police are only minutes away.

November 16, 2013, 05:29 PM	#35
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	Family health problems can be difficult. You have my best thoughts. For those of us who load as a labor of love, also tend to find it therapeutic. I know it gives me some meditation time. A little "mental balancing" is a good thing. The tool we use to get there (the load bench) is less important. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 27, 2013, 10:56 AM	#26
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	Or should I just load it up and shoot it. And rack it up as a learning experience.

October 27, 2013, 11:00 AM	#27
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	Blue dot is a fine shotgun slug powder. It can also work in other calibers. If you can find any other powder, I'd use it up. It also works well in .45 acp. If you can, I'd save it.

October 27, 2013, 11:24 AM	#28
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	I have a .45 acp, I just wanted to start with one caliber to get my feet wet. Guess I can try it for that.

October 27, 2013, 01:28 PM	#30
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	Thanks for all of the help to all of you. I know I have lots to learn....but that is part of the fun of trying something new. I do have a full size 45 and all the dies and some 230g Rainier RN bullets. Along with all the dies for all of rifles. I have been picking stuff up as I found good deals for the last year or so, powder was the last thing I wanted to buy until I knew what to get. I just pick one caliber to start with and jumped in.

October 27, 2013, 06:37 PM	#32
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	When I started reloading. There wasn't this shortage going one and powder was easy to come by. I bought a different powder for ever caliber I loaded...X_x. Now I am just trying to consolidate to one powder for multiple calibers. I love Unique, it's probably one of the most versatile powders on the market today. You can load just about every pistol caliber, use it in shot guns, and on top of that it is handy for working up cast loads in rifle. As you get more experience, you'll find you like and prefer one brand or type of powder for a specific kind of loading. I will say this about the powder shortage. It has forced me to divert from my normal loading and try lots of different powders and primers I normally would not have tried. I kind of converted to bullseye for my pistols just because I can get several thousand rounds out of one pound. But it lacks the versitilty of unique...

November 16, 2013, 04:11 PM	#34
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	Nick_C_S I have had a lot of family health problems running amuck lately. All I can say is cancer sucks! But I did put some Blue Dot under my 230s for my .45 and you were right they are a blast to shoot. Now I just need to get more loade up so I have something to keep my mind occupied.

November 16, 2013, 05:48 PM	#36
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	Thanks.... I just need to keep busy so I don't think about things that I have no control over.

November 28, 2013, 09:42 PM	#37
sty Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 37	I did get my hands on some Longshot and work up some today. Wow what difference it made. The flash was reduced and recoil was not as snappy as it was with the Blue Dot. I just got done loading 50 pcs. So I can get some trigger time with this load. Thanks everyone that replied. And Happy Thanksgiving