anyone else use it? just loaded some in my 14" .223 contender. hopefully it'll do alright with 40 gr nosler bt's.

I tried it with Win55FMJ bullets in my 16" AR15. averaged about 2300 fps with 11.0g of Blue Dot. That's the only load I've tried so far, but I may investigate further. It didn't cycle the action, but you won't care about that. It was fairly quiet...not 22lr quiet, but quieter than normal .223. Accuracy was only OK, about 2" 5 shot group (100 yards), but I'll blame the bullets for that: they don't do any better with W748. I may try Win55PSP's, which shoot .5 to .75" groups with the 748 loads.

Where did you dig up that combination?

Not exactly sure. I did searches on all the sites discussing reloading and .223: AR15.com, this site, etc. There were lots of loads for smaller bullets with BD, and several people who had been shooting 55g. Calhoun's site has info about smaller bullets.

I've use blue dot for reduced loads in my .223. I can't remember how may grains-but do remember how quiet they were. I'm thinking it was 10 or 11 grns w/40 vmax
Steve

Here are some Blue Dot loads for the .223 worked up by James Calhoon. Look on the left column under Informative Articles.

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/

[ 03-10-2003, 05:57: Message edited by: Mike-OR ]

got the info from a buddy that lives in prairie dog country. he has used it extensively in .223 contenders. great for low recoil and low barrel heat, he says. i'm wanting to shoot my contender with a riflescope, so maybe this will help with that. there is also a little load info in an article on .223 handguns at www.handgunhunt.com if it'll shoot accurate enuff, it'll be my coyote outfit. i'll assume it will at this point because it has done very well in more than one barrel that my friend tried the blue dot powder in. by the way, my load is 13.5 grs with the 40gr nosler. you have to be very careful as pressure signs come quickly. .2 gr of powder will change results drasticaly i'm told.

[ 03-10-2003, 08:49: Message edited by: KYODE ]

I use 12 grains of Blue Dot with a 40 grain Nosler BT in my CZ 527. With it sighted in at 250 yard with close to max 55 grain Sierra Blitz loads, it is dead on with the Blue Dot load at 100 yards. The BD loads will shoot an inch or better and is relatively quiet. Basically, it give me a choice of 223 or 22 Hornet performance in one rifle.

Jason22, you're right, I remember now.

I've often wondered what thought processes produce many of these reduced loads. I mean, do you sit there and say "hmmm, how about X grains of such and such powder with this bullet in that case", or, is there a more established method of trying such things?

Thanx,

R-WEST

Hey R-West, When I finally got rid of my last 22Hornet, I figured it would be fairly easy to duplicate that performance level in my 223Rem.

I looked around old Load Manuals, looked to see which powders I had on the shelf and combined that info with a good bit of Reloading Experience. With that I came up with some starting Loads with a 45gr bullet and "2400".

To know I was SAFE, I used the good old Case Head Expansion and Pressure Ring Expansion using 0.0001" capable Micrometers. I compared those results with other Data I already had from my rifle. That way I knew when I'd reached a SAFE MAX. Of course, my 22Hornet level Load is not at the SAFE MAX Level.

One last thing you need to concern yourself with is the "Position of the Powder" in these Reduced Loads. If the Powder is stacked near the Primer you can get different Pressure results than when it is spread along the length of the case, or when it is stacked directly behind the bullet.

[ 03-13-2003, 04:33: Message edited by: Hot Core ]

Interestingly, I just took delivery of a used Savage 10fp. The previous owner sent some test targets along and he has a 1" 10 shot group at a hundred yards using 12 gr. of Blue Dot and a Sierra 45gr. spt. No idea if it's safe or not, but that's what the target says. Looks very close to the Calhoon data...