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for those with an interest in this stuff. Let me know what you would like to see in the next Blue Dot project I tackle. I own rifles in the following calibers guys: 223, 22/250, 243, 6mmRem, 260 Rem, 6.5 x 55, 6.5 x 57, 270 Win, 30/30 Win, 338/06 7 x 57, 30/06, 30/40 Krag, 8 x 57, 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 444 Marlin. So that is what I have to work with. Look forward to your input gang. Cheers and Good shooting seafire | ||
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I want to try Blue Dot in my .458 win with some 420gr cast bullets. | |||
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Blue dot with 40 gr Nosler BT's or similiar in 22-250 with velocities around 2600-3000 fps. Thanks Greg | |||
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Blue dot in the .30-30 sounds very interesting. | |||
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Quote: I have used Red dot in the 30-30 with great success. | |||
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I had considered asking if you'd be interested in doing the 300WinMag but thought that might be overstepping a bit. Now that you've offered, please do the 300WinMag next. I would propose one of the following bullets: Sierra 135gr ProHunter (handgun bullet) or a 150gr ProHunter. If you think heavier is better maybe the 180gr ProHunter. The Nosler Ballistic Tips in whatever weight you deem best would do quite nicely too, though my preference is the cheaper Sierras to "maximize value." I await your decision. Go 300WinMag. | |||
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How about the 270? | |||
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The 6.5x55, 7x57 or 8x57 would interest me probably the most.   when you get farther along do you think about compiling all this info in brief manual form? It would be a shame after doing all the work that it didn't get adequatly documented. If you want maybe I could help you put the info together. Just a thought. roger | |||
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Roger, I was seriously thinking of doing just that, putting something together in print of some sort. A few might find it interesting or worth while. Thanks for the suggestion, Seafire | |||
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Major Caliber, My apologies, but I do not have a 458 Mag, nor do I have access to one. I do know someone with a 460 Weatherby, but that is their pet baby, and considering the rifle cost them $2500.00 I doubt if they would let me borrow it to do some load testing. Cheers and good shooting Seafire | |||
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Greg, I have done that one. Check out the small rifle section, and their is some postings on that one. I will do a more complete one tho, with the chronographed data across the board. thanks Cheers and Good shooting Seafire | |||
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Seafire, I've got about half a pound of Blue Dot left over from my shotgunning days. I've decided to use it in "The Dragon" my Nagant M44 carbine with Hornady 123gr projectiles. So.... measuring a fired and still primed case, 49.5gr of Blue Dot fills my 7.62x54R case to the mouth. 60% of that is 29.7, lets say 30gr. That's around about where my max loading will be correct? So, being conservative I can start loading at 50% or 25gr of Blue Dot, is that right? I've also got some 150gr projectiles that I can load up. Would it be wise to start these off at say 40% or 20gr of Blue Dot? Thanks... Con | |||
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Con, I just did a range test today. IN a 30/06 with a tight chamber, my theories did not hold up in this rifle. I highly suggest you start at 40 % and work up. 50 % is what I recommend as max in a 30/.06. therefore until I find out if that is FACT for the cartridge or that particular Browning, may I suggest the 40 % starting point. The lighter 123 grain bullet is probably not going to be as big as a deal. Just IMPORTANT to be safe Mate! Keep us updated on the report. Cheers and Good shooting seafire | |||
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I've been chasing yor threads (postings)in medium bore. reloading and small calibers so I may have missed something. In any 1 cartridge you've selected in the Blue Dot testing have you indicated by test results bullet weight effect? For example ; .223 15gr. blue dot 40 gr. bullet vs same load with a 60 gr bullet. I picked in the example .223 but perhaps .243 (58gr. to 110gr.) would be more demonstritive? Just a curiosity. I truly don't want to interferre with your grand experiment. Wed. I try out the Blue Dot in .222,.223, .243and 7x57. I'll E- mail you the results if you like.  roger | |||
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Roger, I would love to see your results. Work up tho. In your post here, you mentioned 15 grains of Blue Dot with a 40 grain bullet in a 223, and then with a 60 grain bullet. I have found that it is best to limit the charge to 13.5 grains to 14 at the most with a 55 grain bullet. So with a 60 grain bullet, I would work up, and also envision the max powder charge will probably be in the neighborhood of 13 grains. Another anomoly that I have found in the 30/06 case, (check out that posting for more details) is that the case developed max pressure well before my 60 % theory. In fact it developed it at 52%. Thinking about it today, I have come to the conclusion their is some correlation between smaller round cases, seem to develope pressure at a later point than a longer one. ( why the short mags are more efficient than the standard mags.) Just an inital thought. So when you do the 7 x 57, slow down at about 50%. Another thing, the heavier the bullet the faster it will bring up max pressures. And this is a FAST powder so it gets there quickly. Keep in mind, the entire project is to find a low recoiling, accurate downloaded round. With bullets typically used for deer hunting, I think the velocity ought to be kept in the 2000 to 2200 fps. At about 2200 fps, most deer weight bullets, round nose or spire point, when zeroed 3.5 inches high at 100, will be dead on or close to it at 200 yds. That is more than effective range for deer and elk even, since 90% of them are always taken under 75 yds. For the varmint loads, I am looking for economy, accuracy and then just plain keeping the barrel cooler. Good luck and keep us posted on the results. Cheers and Good shooting, Seafire | |||
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my vote for 270 | |||
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seafire/ B17G, I shoot the Lyman 280642 using SR-4759 and WC-680, both surplus powders, in a Model 700 with very good results. Three or 5-shot groups will stay right at or a bit over 1.125" at 100 yards. The 10-shot groups open a bit more so I stay with the 5 shots per group or less!!! Both of these powders are slower than Blue Dot so I would be interested to see what Blue Dot might do in the 270 with cast bullets. Good-luck...BCB | |||
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I thought people might be interested in the 30/06 on this. However no one not only did not mention it, the posting of the results has only had about 2 people comment on it. I will do the 300 Win Mag and the 270 next. Once I am done tapdancing with the Internal Rape Service this week, and the weather clears up a little I will get out and test these. For the 300 Mag I am going to start off with 150 grain bullets. On the 270 I will start out with 130 grain bullets. Sorry guys, I do not cast bullets, so I don't have any readily available unless someone wants to send me some for testing. I would be more than happy to do so for anyone who does. Cheers and good shooting Seafire | |||
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Seafire - I sent you an e-mail this morning about Blue Dot data and the '06. Hopefully, you will post your findings here or in a return e-mail. Thanks for all of your efforts. Alan | |||
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8X57 338 Mag 30-06 | |||
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My first choice wasn't on the menu but the 17 Rem would benefit from low noise recipes. Relative quiet combined with the tiny bullets, well, a better low-signature pasture rifle couldn't be imagined. One could turn the throttle up to the cartridge's original capabilities or load it down to 17HMR. Hmm. Ponder ponder ..... Redial | |||
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Redial, Would love to test that one, and good point about duplication of 17 HMR, but I don't own a 17 Rem unfortunately. Sorry, maybe in the future. Seafire | |||
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+1 Regards, Bob. | |||
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I have folowed Seafires BD load posts for some time and after pm advise have a great 20VarTarg load with 9gn giving me 2750fps with 34gn Nosler and it has become my mainstay load out to 200yds with over 30 rabbits taken last week. I have also got a good performer in my 7x57 albeit with a 160gn cast boolit but 17.2gn get me away at 1800fps and is good for out to 150yds to hunt with. I could imagine a 120gn Sierra or Hornady being a good small game load. Von Gruff. | |||
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Seafire Thanks for your past work and time in developing this BD data for us here. When times allow I would be interested in some 45-70 loads in a 26" tube with 350 grainers for around 1200-1400 fps. I think your other reloading discoveries are also meaningful to many of us here on these boards. I know that I have used them successfully and would appreciate if the non BD data were made available maybe on a PM or some other non public communication. By the way, Hotsh#t said to say hello and carry on!!!!!! | |||
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I'm watching this post with great interest, would also like to see some 30-30 loads. Thanks for the prior information on loads. I use them in the 222 & 223. David | |||
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and once again, read where the owner of the action admitted to not paying attention and producing a probable double charge.. the key matter here should be pay attention when reloading, because bad things can happen if you don't. if you can't do that, then load the slowest powder you can buy in all of your cartridges and you can be as close to idiot proof as possible... of course unless you do too small of a charge in a large case with slow powder, you can experience the same results... some folks never ever learn... and miss the point entirely...and should stick to buying factory loads...so they can blame a screw up on someone else instead of having to face the fact that they screwed up themselves. Red was man enough to admit that he made a mistake... however folks who keep dragging up posts like this, seem to always want to leave that part out...hence promoting their own agenda... key is, if you don't know what you are doing, then don't play with explosives... | |||
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 That's enough to make a guy turn to archery! WOW  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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This post has been revived from 7 year ago. I'd like to add that I eventually went on and did testing and posted load data on a lot of cartridges after this time.... to include on the high end, 300 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag... I've also done a lot of work with SR 4759 after Red posted his mishap with his 257 Weatherby... in a lot of the same calibers.... SR 4759 data has been around more since IMR use to post it with most calibers in their old brown sheet reload data. However if any of you boys desire lighter recoiling loads ( while still producing higher pressures), feel free to PM me anytime. I am not on AR as often anymore, spending more of my time on 24 hour campfire.... but I always have time to share with my fellow forum members from either site... just PM me under the seafire/B17G handle...or Seafire2. all the best.. john chr seafire | |||
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......and folks who have pre-conceived notions about a post should read more carefully. My post above simply stated that you should be careful loading with Blue Dot - not that blue dot is inherently dangerous. Of course the guy made a mistake, but when you are putting relatively small amounts of a fast burning powder into large volume cases you need to be extra cautious. You sir missed the point. It is obvious because you re-stated my point in your diatribe. No agenda other than safety intended. | |||
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Well Bob, if safety was your main point and I missed it, then you have my apologies.. we are both on the same page that SAFETY is the number one concern in Handloading... Too many people don't embrace that, until it is too late.. and too many people need to have handloading practices made as idiot proof as possible.. and if they need that, then they should use only two powders.. either TrailBoss or something slow like 870 or 5010 or 869... where they can't generate enough pressure to get into any trouble..if they think they are a handloader.. thank you Bob for your correction and clarification.. | |||
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I'll call 100% total  on that statement. If that was the "Truth", then the loonacy of Reduced Blue Dot Loads would not continue.It is just a matter of time.... | |||
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Glenn, you aren't one of those guys who think that the world is going to end a week from this Saturday on the 19th? Evidently, there are a group of people who are chanting the 19th of March is the end of the world... Birds ( chicken littles) of a feather flock together.... there are folks using these loads, all over the USA, in Canada, IN Europe, in South Africa, in Australia, New Zealand... shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds annually.. and who are not experiencing your 'forcasts' of death doom and destruction... could it be that maybe they understand how to do safe loading techniques? I have to ask.. is there any other Powder in existence that you think is a ticking time bomb just sitting in the container, as it sits on the Shelf? Well I guess everyone needs a crusade in life, and I guess Blue Dot is your crusade.... ( by the way, do you stand down at the local Walmart, dressed like Jesus, with a big sign announcing the evils of Demon Blue Dot?  I can just picture that in my mind..)oh well, don't let me stand in your way... | |||
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HC cannot handle thingies either | |||
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Since my "Kaboom" has been mentioned in this thread, I feel I should make sure everyone is clear on what happened with my use of Blue Dot in the .257 Wby Mag. I never intended to blame anyone for the mishap but myself. Also, I'm not 100% sure that it was a double charge, but I felt that such was a strong possibility given the circumstances of that reloading session. I still think I could have avoided the "kaboom" if I had used better reloading precautions (which I have since implemented in my reloading). (If the "kaboom" was due to something other than an overcharge of powder, then my new precautions wouldn't have and couldn't have caught it. However, I'm pretty confident it was a double charge of Blue Dot.) Also, I'm pretty sure that Blue Dot is not the best powder for reduced loads in very large capacity cases. From all I've read about it, it seems to perform better in small to medium capacity cases--but I'm certainly not an expert on this. Below are some suggestions for making reduced loads (if you choose to do so), and really they are suggestions that apply to any reloading. This is certainly not a complete list of reloading steps, but just some that I emphasis in view of the "kaboom" I experienced: Develop a step by step reloading procedure that you use every time and don't change it. Develop some way of checking for overcharges/double charges, etc. Visually/physically check the charged case before seating the bullet. Make sure that you have not overcharged a case! Choose a location for your reloading setup that will not provide distractions. If you are distracted while reloading, double and triple check what you've done to that point to make sure you didn't do something wrong. Verify your loading "recipe" by using more than one source. If you must use a "recipe" from a single source, use good common sense--think--think--think--does this seem like an appropriate cvharge for this powder and bullet combination? Finally: I don't want anything I've said to be taken as aimed at seafire/B17G or Hot Core. I consider both of them to be fellow reloaders I can learn from. Red C. Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion. | |||
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Well written Red!One simple checking device is a graduated wooden dowel to check powder hight.  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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I use the ones Roger made up for me... Thanks again Roger! Thanks to Red also...an honest open gentleman.. and since Red's mishap, I tend to load more SR 4759 and IMR 4198 in mag cases than anything else.. however I still have pet loads I enjoy using Blue Dot..just careful load technique and making sure of your loads... just like any other powder or cartridge requires.. | |||
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I know this is a bit off the subject, but in magnum cases, I have been using a kapock filler to take up the case space. Works well with gas checked lead bullets or jacketed, along with most powders for reduced loads, including the IMR'S etc. I know some will come back and talk about chamber ringing, but that is reserved to straight wall cases, and is not recommended for them. Also, I have been using Blue Dot in 223 with a 55 grain bullet, and it works great. No problems here. Jerry NRA Benefactor Life Member | |||
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I talked to Alliant and they do not recommend Blue Dot in the .223. When I pressed Alliant for reasons why they don't recommend Blue Dot in the .223, I was told that pressure would drastically increase with little changes. This I understood to be the variables such as case weight, primers, bullet seating depth, etc. Overall Blue Dot is too sensitive to variable changes and is not appropriate for this application. Accounts where rifles have been blown up with Blue Dot show the risky nature of using this powder in inappropriate applications. I have met people who load Blue Dot in the .223 for varmints. They said it shot well. Behavior is individual, but given the warning from the manufacturer I consider this a highly risky practice, though it may give good accuracy, low cost, and does not heat up the barrel. | |||
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