45 Colt and Blue Dot

[black mamba]

It's my biggest complaint as well. Unique, like 700X, 800X, Herco, and the "Dot" powders meter rather poorly but deliver very good results in some loads.

This is one of the reasons I prefer Herco to Unique. Being about 8% slower, a .1 to .2 grain discrepancy has less effect on accuracy, being a smaller percentage of the total powder charge. Add that Herco is more easily found and usually cheaper than Unique, it's a win-win.

[rclark]

Add that Herco is more easily found and usually cheaper than Unique, it's a win-win.

That most be an area thing. I saw Herco for the first time ever a few weeks ago. And I've been shooting for quite a few years. Unique is 'everywhere'. I might have to grab a can and do a few tests with it next year.

[Pathfinder45]

I have no problems and no complaints about Unique whatsoever. It seems to be ideally suited to the 45 Colt. I judge all other powders by it as the standard for this caliber. Can we get more velocity with some other powders? Well, yeah, but you have to burn twice as much powder or more to do it, when Unique will definitely get me to 1,000 fps with 255 grain cast bullets. And with excellent accuracy.... My only problem with Unique is that I have other powders that I can't bring myself to throw away. So I simply must experiment. It's a heck of a dilemma, I tell you.

[TX Nimrod]

I have used both Unique and BlueDot for years in my .45 LC firearms - revolvers, pistols and rifles. Under 250-grain Hornady HPs 15.0 grains of BlueDot gives 1183 fps and 3 moa in my Dan Wesson 8” revolver. This is safe in my revolver but may be excessive in yours! It burns clean. High velocities with H-110 have worked well for me. Cast 300-grain bullets were extremely accurate with W680.

I have used 8.5-9.0 grains of Unique under 250-255-grain bullets in the .45LC for the last four decades with excellent results. In the past four years I have tried Universal and that powder has worked very well as a substitute for Unique. Bottom line - there are lots of appropriate powders for the old .45.

.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder45

Just to be clear: Speer #9, dated 1974, lists their 250 grain lead SWC at 1236 fps using Blue Dot in a 7-1/2" Blackhawk; even higher with some other powders.

Just to be clear: 1974 was 44 years ago. IMHO it's not wise to even consider using data that's more than 4 decades out of date.

[Dufus]

I used to have a lot of fun with Blue Dot, then, I bought a chronograph.

About 3 months ago, my last can of Blue Dot got spilled all over the front yard.

I'm done with it.

[mete]

I no longer reload but when I did I always used Blue Dot in my m29 . Target or hunting it was always great.
I started with Blue Dot after looking at the very dirty powders available at the time . I showed shooters how clean the barrel was after 200 rds but no one believed me !

[Pathfinder45]

As far as using old data goes, well, most of us that have been reloading since that data was new, have accumulated at least several reloading manuals since then. I read them all.

[USSR]

As far as using old data goes, well, most of us that have been reloading since that data was new, have accumulated at least several reloading manuals since then. I read them all.

+1. Old reloaders and old data just go together.

Don

[Wendyj]

I’ve used unique hp38 and blue dot. My accuracy and cleaner burn is HS6

[Rifletom]

Just a side note here on Unique metering. I made a baffle for my RCBS Uniflow measure and used the small drum. Unique flows rather well with that set-up. Back to our .45 discussion. Learning some things here, as I'm CLOSE to getting my Henry in .45 Colt.

[hdbiker]

I like Blue Dot for medium heavy loads in .357 &.44 Mag because in burns clean and meters well in my Uniflow. I remember the old Unique, now that was dirty !!! hdbiker