What should I use my blue dot for?

[9mmSkeeter]

I don't reload shotgun but at the start of the shortage I bought a lb of blue dot for pistol as it was all I could find. I had used it for 9mm but found I had to load it heavy for good results. I have about 1/4 lb left. I'm planning to start loading 45 acp, would that be a better choice for blue dot? Or should I stick with heavy 9mm loads.

[SonOfGun]

You already know what Bluedot is good for. It is a magnum powder for shotshell or pistol. Loading at 45 ACP pressure it will not have a complete burn. There will be all kinds of unburned powder left in the bore, on the bench, on your arms and on your face.

[the led farmer]

10mm full power fire breathing head turning loads

[Mike Irwin]

Have a .357, .41, or .44 Magnum?

Useful in those cartridges, especially the .44.

[mete]

IIRC - There has been a warning from the manufacturer - Do not use Blue Dot for .357 or .41 !!! cHECK IT OUT !

While I no longer reload I always used Blue Dot in my 44 mag. Accurate, clean burning. This when the powder was new .After one metallic silhouette match [200 rds total] I showed the gun to others , they wouldnt 'believe me !!That.s how clean it was ! Never had a problem after many metallic silhouette matches ,good many deer. Still use it though now with factory!

[243winxb]

I used up the last Blue Dot i had in the 45acp with cast, worked well at maximum.

[dogrunner]

And if you fool with the 7.62/25 7.5 gr's works well under a 100 gr. cast.

[Nick_C_S]

What should I use my blue dot for?

Lawn fertilizer

But more seriously, that's what I did with my last 1/4Lb of it years ago - and I had long-barrel magnum revolvers at the time. I found Blue Dot to be - how should I say - "persnickity." That said, I'm going to stop short of bad-mouthing Blue Dot. We're talkin' three decades ago; and I was a novice loader who approached the craft of loading with the wrong attitude.

As we all know, Blue Dot was designed for heavy shotgun loads. So it would seem it's one of those shotgun purpose powders that is best left in the shotgun realm. Some shotgun powders cross over to the pistol world better than others.

Assuming you have only 9mm and 45ACP, and the fertilizer option doesn't appeal to you. Your best bet is to get some 147gn 9mm jacketed slugs and work them up until they get to burning consistent. One way to clean up a slow powder is to use a heavier bullet. Basicallly, heavy bullets make a powder behave like it's faster.

[Gadawg88]

The warning on the .357 loads was just for 125gn bullets. Heavier bullets were ok.

"During the latest review Alliant Powder discovered that Alliant Powder's Blue Dot® should not be used in the following applications:

Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 357 Magnum load using the 125 grain projectile (Blue Dot® recipes with heavier bullet weights as specified in Alliant Powders Reloading Guide are acceptable for use).
Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 41 Magnum cartridge (all bullet weights).
Use of Blue Dot® in the above cases may cause a high pressure situation that could cause property damage and serious personal injury."

I use it in buckshot loads, but when I run out of 2400 and if I can't find any more, I may work up a load in .357 with it. If you only have 1/4 left, I would just use it up in the load you have or just let it sit on the shelf as a "last resort" powder.

[Clark]

the led farmer :
10mm full power fire breathing head turning loads

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

A) With 200 gr 10mm I can only get 12 gr of Blue Dot to fit, compressed hard. That is only a 49% extra powder overload.... seemed wimpy to me.. but it does make a flash.

B) For power, I have shot 10mm 14.2 gr 800X 200 gr 1.3" , that is 82% extra powder.

C) For even MORE power I have shot 40S&W 15.5 gr 800X 1.171", that is 154% extra powder.

The difference in recoil I experienced between A) and C) was the difference between rapid fire and only being able to fire one shot, and needed time for my hand to stop hurting and time to work up courage to fire the second shot.

[Mike Irwin]

Wow.

Did not know that about .357 and .41 Magnums.

I had a friend who burned a lot of it in both .357 and .44, and I've heard of people using it in .41.

Good information.

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by Clark

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.



A) With 200 gr 10mm I can only get 12 gr of Blue Dot to fit, compressed hard. That is only a 49% extra powder overload.... seemed wimpy to me.. but it does make a flash.



B) For power, I have shot 10mm 14.2 gr 800X 200 gr 1.3" , that is 82% extra powder.



C) For even MORE power I have shot 40S&W 15.5 gr 800X 1.171", that is 154% extra powder.



The difference in recoil I experienced between A) and C) was the difference between rapid fire and only being able to fire one shot, and needed time for my hand to stop hurting and time to work up courage to fire the second shot.

Yikes!! I would not recommend doing what you are doing. I see no established data anywhere that even comes close to what you are doing with any of those powders. 10mm is no joke and those loads seem dangerous to me.

For what it's worth The MOST I am willing to go is with 11 gr of blue dot under a 180gr bullet at 1.25" at around 1300fps. (From Alliant 2014 reloaders guide) In a Glock 20 with a 25# wolf spring. Big Bang, big flash and big fun.

My $.02

[oley55]

Gadwag88 you beat me to responding to Mete's incomplete/inaccurate Blue Dot's unsafe for everything 357/ 41 post. It's crazy/scary how this kind of stuff gets distorted and miss quoted.

I do get descent results with Blue Dot in my 44 mag loads. Not my preferred powder, but it works when I can not find any H110 (like almost never).

[9mmSkeeter]

I guess I do remember loading blue dot in a 40 cartridge, used it for home defense loads, 10.2 under a 155 gr hornady xtp.

I have a personal hatred for 40 though, it and I could never get along!

Maybe ill just use the rest up for 9mm, get some firebreathers going

[TimSr]

It's my favorite for 9mm with 115, 120, 124gr bullets. It does well when loaded in a full case. When loaded up well it burns very clean with little smoke. When its underloaded or has a lot of unfilled case space, its smokey and dirty.

Aside from 9mm, I've been happy with in .357, 44mag, 45LC Ruger only loads, and .30 carbine.

[Nick_C_S]

Maybe ill just use the rest up for 9mm, get some firebreathers going.

There you go. I'd spring for the 147's if you're bucks up though.

Problem with 40 cal? Must be a back-story there

[9mmSkeeter]

It's not a bad cartridge, I just don't shoot it well. The muzzle flip is frustrating and I have problems with my wrist when shooting (I'm a musician by trade, have really messed up my arms and wrists from drums and guitar for prolonged periods). I tried loading light loads but it still didnt work for me.

Thus, I got rid of the 40 cartridge. I tried it in about 3 different pistolas. 9mm is my baby, and I like 45 too.

[Nick_C_S]

I don't have any 40 cals either.

But I have two 10mm's

The 10mm gives me a pretty good roughing up too. After 120 or so rounds through my Glock 29 - "85% power" rounds, I might add - the palm of my hand through the web area is a little sore the next day. However, I've managed to learn to shoot them both (Glocks 20 & 29) fairly well. It took a lot of practice rounds though. I'm not the recoil junkie I was 30 years ago.

These days, I get as much enjoyment knocking the center of the bullseye out with my target 38 as any of my more powerful guns.

My 44 Magnum sits in the safe these days. I don't have a single round of ammo loaded for it. Times have changed.

[hartcreek]

What can you load with 1/4 pound maybe 300 cartridges....just not worth working up another load for so little if you have no other use for it. Trade it off to someone that you know local for something. I have a one pound bottle that I dump my reminants into usually small amounts that will not even make one round.

[rwsmith]

The manufacturers warning against using Blue Dot in .357 only applies to 125 grain bullets.

[Taroman]

Blue Dot is a great propellant in the .357 Sig.
9.9 under a 125 flat point is a bit under full throttle (1350 FPS), but is one hole accurate in my 2022.
The flash is pretty neat, too.

[Smoke & Recoil]

No brainer, just send it to me and be done with it.

[mikld]

90% of my Blue Dot goes to my Magnum revolvers. I have a great load with a 265 gr Ranch Dog bullet over Blue Dot that shoots quite well in my Ruger BH and my Puma. Less often used is a Blue Dot load with a 160 SWC in my .357...

[Duster340]

I regularly use Blue Dot in my. 40, .44 Special and .44 Magnum with very good results.

[T. O'Heir]

"...should NOT be used in the 357 Magnum load using the 125 grain projectile..." Odd that Alliant gives 110 grain BD data on their site. Seems to be bulky stuff as the max 110 grain load is 16 grains and goes like stink at 1,680 fps. Wonder what special about the 125's.
You'll get 300 147 grain 9mm MAX loads out of 1/4 pound.