At www.gibrass.com, they list a powder called AL-8 that they say uses the same load data as Blue Dot. I've been using Blue Dot in my .223 as a reduced load for over a year now with great results, and was wondering if this powder would work as well. The price is so good, I'm really tempted ($10/lb). Thanks.

I am going to have to check on this a little.
I am not sure if AL 8 is that close to the same burning rate as Blue Dot or not.

In the "old" Speer manual number 8, they show a max load of AL-8 and a 240 grain Jacketed bullet in a .44 Magnum as 20 grains and giving 1420 fps.

In the "newest" Speer manual number 13, they show a max load of Blue Dot and a 240 grain jacketed bullet in a .44 Magnum as 13.7 grains and giving 1285 fps.

However!!! In the Speer manual number 9, they show very similar data for AL-8 and for Blue Dot for use in the .44 Magnum. Go figure!!

In the Speer manual number 9, on page 405, they list the following loads for a 44 Magnum using a 240 grain bullet: AL-8 max load 16.0 grains for 1261 fps. Blue Dot max load 15.5 grains for 1316 fps.

So, I do not know how things could be more confusing. Data from the SAME company shows little difference in these powders in some books, and a lot in others.

I have used both quite a lot, but never thought of using the data for one while loading the other. Both are clean burning and gave good accuracy in .41 and .44 Magnum loads.

The only negative thing about AL-8 is that it is rather large flakes and is rather hard to meter uniformly.

Also, be carefull buying this stuff. I thought it had been off the market for some time. AND, all the AL-8 I ever saw was supplied in 8 ounce cans, not one pound containers.

Hope this is of some help, I know I would be pretty carefull using data for one powder to load another. (Especially when they are of such different physical composition.)

Good Luck, R F

AL-8 would be closer to the characteristics of HS-7 than Blue dot. But....I believe all the Alcan powders were discontinued around 15 or 16 years ago....