We see all kinds of "reduced" loads with Unique, Herco, 2400 and others, but I never see any for Blue Dot.

Since it is so bulky it seems like a natural for cast loads.

Am I wrong?

Any sources of data/information would be helpful (I already have the 223/2 Hornet info).

LouisB

Nosey minds just want to Know

TCLouis -
We have 3030, 3030ai, 3006, 300rum, 35rem 375win, 375hh, 444 and 4570 loads using BlueDot on our website (url below, look under levergun data/studies).

But in general find it to be a poor performer (needlessly large SDs and ES's) - believe such has to do with the heavy coatings. Maybe in small cases where the heat is kept higher longer it would perform better. But for the larger cases driving lead we tend more toward the vvn320, vvn340, solo1250, aa2, TiteWad choices. (these comments pertain to driving lead, in 223 size cases driving jacketed bullets [I know, wrong forum for those] at 50-70% velocities, it has worked better for us, but still a 2nd or 3rd choice - would much rather use vvn350.)

do shoot straight,
greg
www.gmdr.com

[ 08-31-2003, 19:38: Message edited by: gmushial ]

Here are a couple of reliable sources for Blue Dot loads. I'm sure that if you contact either fellow they can point you toward what you are looking for. Hope this helps some.

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/

http://www.reloadingroom.com/page33.html

Greg, Mike, BlueDot is most appropriate with lead in the small bore guns. The powder tends to have a non-linear pressure curve up at around top pressures, and loads using it should be developed in high ambients. It is hard to beat it at 9 grains in the 222. N105 is the same burn speed, and is just as good at the same loading. N110 is useful at the 12.5 grain loading using 55-60 grain lead boolits. ... felix

Felix -

Essentially have to agree... or said differently, BlueDot is a heavily coated (for pistol) powder and as such requires a longer/high time-pressure confinement to ignite. In cartridges with either small initial volume or small swept volume it generally works ok [still have other issues with it], but as one gets into larger initial volumes or larger swept volumes (ie, higher expansion ratios) it is harder and harder to meet the time/pressure ignition requirements... which leads to ragged ignition (large ES's and large groupsizes). So, yes, in Hornets, Bees, 222, 223's etc, it works fine (+/-), but as one gets into the larger cartridges (as we've been taking data for of late), one moves further and further away from the necessary t/p to get clean ignition.
(our other main issue with BlueDot, other than burning dirty (vs other more modern powders) is the inability to reliably throw precise charges - a .2gr variance on a 10gr load produces large ES's and hence GSs. If it were the only powder in the universe, we've make do, but given the other choices, as we've alluded to, it's on our 2nd or 3rd choice list).
do shoot straight,
greg

.........I've got some load data using Blue Dot in the 577-450 he, he! No seriously, I do! It's published data I have in an article at home.

.......Buckshot

I just recently tried Blue Dot with the idea of using it(because of economy and low charge weights) in the .357 and .44 mag. My experiance sure follows previous posters and this thread makes up my mind for me, I think I'll pay the Hasmat and try 820. Even using the pistol measuring chamber on my Redding powder measure I was getting +- .2 grs variation(for 10 gr. .357) and es running 100 fps! Also noticed on .357 10.0/BD/358429 avg velocity with ww primer was 1180fps and with federal primer 1250 fps. Both cases had large es. My $.02 Nick

Here's a few BlueDot loads that really worked for me.
.30-30----10.5gr. with Lee 113gr. Water quenched wheelweights, Liquid Alox, sized .311"

.44 Mag.--12 gr. 240 gr. Moly-Coated Bevel Base commercial

.444 Marlin:
14gr. (1.3cc) Blue Dot 214gr. Lee #2 Alloy Plain Base2.545 OAL- 1"group@50yds(3 shots)

20.5gr.(1.9cc)Blue DotDot 214gr. Lee #2 Alloy Plain Base2.545 OAL-2 �"@50yds.(Not too great)

14gr. (1.3cc) Blue Dot 250gr. Lyman 429244 Bullet g.c. #2 alloy (Lyman Mould)2.545 OAL-1 5/8"@50yds.

14gr. (1.3cc) Blue Dot 200 gr. Lee Cowboy Style Wheelwt. Lead 2.465"OAL .430" as cast 1"@ 50 yds.

17gr. (1.6cc) Blue Dot 250gr. Lyman 429244 g.c. #2 Alloy (Lyman Mould)2.545 OAL-1"@50yds.

18.8gr.(Modified 1.9cc) Blue Dot 250gr. Lyman 429244 Bullet g.c. #2 Alloy (Lyman Mould)2.545 OAL
1"@50yds.

20.5gr.(1.9cc) Blue Dot 250gr. Lyman 429244 Bullet g.c. #2 Alloy (Lyman Mould)2.545 OAL-7/8"@50yds.(Best of bunch)

17gr. (1.6cc) Blue Dot 214gr. Lee #2 Alloy Plain Base2.545 OAL-1 �"(5shots@50yds.)

17gr. (1.6cc) Blue Dot 240 gr. Moly Coated Bevel Base (Jim Cox Bullets)2.545 OAL-2"@50yds.(5shots)

17gr. (1.6cc) Blue Dot 240 gr. Lee Gas Checked #2 Alloy 2.545 OAL-5shots in 1 "@50 yds.

So....there ya go.
Love that BlueDot!
Newtire

Not that I'd ever recomend an Canadain product,but that IMR 800x performs great. Same problem though, meters like pea gravel.