Blue Dot or Longshot for 12ga?

Strazznah · March 17, 2010, 09:00 AM

I am looking to load some magnum rounds for 12 ga. Wanting to launch 1-1/2oz or 1-3/8oz #9 lead and wondering what would be the best choice for mag powders, Longshot or Blue Dot? I know both of them have a lot of different load combos in the Lyman shotshell book, just want some personal opinions

Tex S · March 17, 2010, 05:33 PM

I don't know about Blue Dot, but I can tell you that I made some 1-7/8oz loads using Longshot that were super hot. I think I used a Remington SP12 wad? I can dig up the recipe if you want me to.

I am extremely acclimated to the recoil of a 12ga load, but these were a whole nother animal. Felt recoil was far superior to any 3" magnum turkey load. Longshot is definitely a magnum powder.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · March 17, 2010, 09:06 PM

+1 on what Tex said. I have some 1 1/2 oz heavy field load for 12 ga and Longshot is a BOOMER! Never tried blue dot, and probably never will. Longshot does what it is suppose to do , and does it well.

Tex S · March 17, 2010, 09:49 PM

BOOMER is definitely a good description!

reloader28 · March 17, 2010, 10:40 PM

I've used both and like both, but I agree that Longshot is the better mag powder. I use it in my fast 1 1/4 hunting loads and 1 7/8 turkey loads.

Out of curiosity, what are you using that big of a load for with 9 shot? A heavy trap load?

zippy13 · March 18, 2010, 12:57 AM

Sounds like a frustrated Skeet shooter, they are the first boomer 9s I've ever heard of.

Goldy · March 18, 2010, 09:35 AM

I've loaded both and more. Heavy loads for back-up matches at the trap range.

Longshot = better patterns
= longer burn time resulting in less felt recoil
= higher velocity

Longshot for skeet!!! No more leading the birds, hunh?

Strazznah · March 18, 2010, 02:10 PM

have a "friendly" sporting clays competition coming up and wanted to make the conditions as favorable as possible for yours truly!

Trying to reach out and touch some clays at farther distances faster and with more pellets.

I would definitly be interested in 1-7/8oz loads....Turkey Season is just around the corner!

snuffy · March 18, 2010, 02:39 PM

The old adage, if a little's good, more will be better! However, that doesn't apply to shotguns,,,as far as shot/payload is concerned. More shot does NOT equate to better patterns. Patterns being the key word.

Modern shotgunners don't even know HOW to properly pattern a shotgun/shell combo. Or how to "read" the resulting pattern. Putting more shot in a shell,(with the proper powder load), often results in a poorer pattern.

As far as which powder to use, blu-dot is known for being very sensitive to cold temps, or should I say poor ignition at low temps. I've used longshot in saboted slug loading, it works great at max pressure, very dependable. Since the slugs COULD be used in cold temps, it was THE deciding factor.

BigJimP · March 18, 2010, 06:28 PM

9's ....at that speed ... holy cow ....

I'd recommend Longshot ... and I've made up some "hot" ones using Rem STS hulls ...in 12ga ....

1 1/4 oz ( of 7 1/2's ) not 9's ... and there are a couple of recipes in the book ( if you can find the wad ) for 1330 and 1385 fps ...

or you can go back to 1 1/8 oz of shot and use a more commonly available wad ( WAA12) and with a Rem 209P primer - you can shove them out there at 1420 to 1530 fps ..... ( which will more than clean up your sinuses ...) and for gods sake ... use a gas operated semi-auto ( unless you're into shoulder reconstruction / and tooth replacement ) ... or find a 10 lb gun ...

I did a couple boxes of 1 1/8 oz / 7 1/2's just for laughs .... and honestly they don't work any better than a factory Rem Nitro shell ( 1300 fps, 1 1/8oz of 7 1/2's ) .... and we were messing with a target launched at about 50 yards ( and it was a trap target moving away from us )... so maybe 70 - 75 yard when we were trying to hit it ( it was about a 4 yellow school bus lead ..) and wait about 6 seconds for the shot to hit ...

Tex S · March 18, 2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

I made some 1-7/8oz loads using Longshot that were super hot. I think I used a Remington SP12 wad? I can dig up the recipe if you want me to.

I checked. It was actually a 1-1/4oz load using a Rem SP12 wad and 33gr of Longshot. I found this load in the 2002 Hodgdon manual. It says 1440 fps.

March 17, 2010, 09:00 AM	#1
Strazznah Member Join Date: January 12, 2009 Location: O'Fallon, MO Posts: 47	Blue Dot or Longshot for 12ga? I am looking to load some magnum rounds for 12 ga. Wanting to launch 1-1/2oz or 1-3/8oz #9 lead and wondering what would be the best choice for mag powders, Longshot or Blue Dot? I know both of them have a lot of different load combos in the Lyman shotshell book, just want some personal opinions __________________ "As you swim the river of life, do the breast stroke. It helps to clear the turds from your path." -George Carlin

March 17, 2010, 09:06 PM	#3
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	+1 on what Tex said. I have some 1 1/2 oz heavy field load for 12 ga and Longshot is a BOOMER! Never tried blue dot, and probably never will. Longshot does what it is suppose to do , and does it well. __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

March 18, 2010, 02:10 PM	#8
Strazznah Member Join Date: January 12, 2009 Location: O'Fallon, MO Posts: 47	have a "friendly" sporting clays competition coming up and wanted to make the conditions as favorable as possible for yours truly! Trying to reach out and touch some clays at farther distances faster and with more pellets. I would definitly be interested in 1-7/8oz loads....Turkey Season is just around the corner! __________________ "As you swim the river of life, do the breast stroke. It helps to clear the turds from your path." -George Carlin

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March 17, 2010, 05:33 PM	#2
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	I don't know about Blue Dot, but I can tell you that I made some 1-7/8oz loads using Longshot that were super hot. I think I used a Remington SP12 wad? I can dig up the recipe if you want me to. I am extremely acclimated to the recoil of a 12ga load, but these were a whole nother animal. Felt recoil was far superior to any 3" magnum turkey load. Longshot is definitely a magnum powder.

March 17, 2010, 09:49 PM	#4
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	BOOMER is definitely a good description!

March 17, 2010, 10:40 PM	#5
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I've used both and like both, but I agree that Longshot is the better mag powder. I use it in my fast 1 1/4 hunting loads and 1 7/8 turkey loads. Out of curiosity, what are you using that big of a load for with 9 shot? A heavy trap load?

March 18, 2010, 12:57 AM	#6
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Sounds like a frustrated Skeet shooter, they are the first boomer 9s I've ever heard of.

March 18, 2010, 09:35 AM	#7
Goldy Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2004 Posts: 163	I've loaded both and more. Heavy loads for back-up matches at the trap range. Longshot = better patterns = longer burn time resulting in less felt recoil = higher velocity Longshot for skeet!!! No more leading the birds, hunh?

March 18, 2010, 02:39 PM	#9
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	The old adage, if a little's good, more will be better! However, that doesn't apply to shotguns,,,as far as shot/payload is concerned. More shot does NOT equate to better patterns. Patterns being the key word. Modern shotgunners don't even know HOW to properly pattern a shotgun/shell combo. Or how to "read" the resulting pattern. Putting more shot in a shell,(with the proper powder load), often results in a poorer pattern. As far as which powder to use, blu-dot is known for being very sensitive to cold temps, or should I say poor ignition at low temps. I've used longshot in saboted slug loading, it works great at max pressure, very dependable. Since the slugs COULD be used in cold temps, it was THE deciding factor. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

March 18, 2010, 06:28 PM	#10
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	9's ....at that speed ... holy cow .... I'd recommend Longshot ... and I've made up some "hot" ones using Rem STS hulls ...in 12ga .... 1 1/4 oz ( of 7 1/2's ) not 9's ... and there are a couple of recipes in the book ( if you can find the wad ) for 1330 and 1385 fps ... or you can go back to 1 1/8 oz of shot and use a more commonly available wad ( WAA12) and with a Rem 209P primer - you can shove them out there at 1420 to 1530 fps ..... ( which will more than clean up your sinuses ...) and for gods sake ... use a gas operated semi-auto ( unless you're into shoulder reconstruction / and tooth replacement ) ... or find a 10 lb gun ... I did a couple boxes of 1 1/8 oz / 7 1/2's just for laughs .... and honestly they don't work any better than a factory Rem Nitro shell ( 1300 fps, 1 1/8oz of 7 1/2's ) .... and we were messing with a target launched at about 50 yards ( and it was a trap target moving away from us )... so maybe 70 - 75 yard when we were trying to hit it ( it was about a 4 yellow school bus lead ..) and wait about 6 seconds for the shot to hit ...