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Just what is the problem with Blue Dot?

bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
edited October 2008 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I am not happy....
I pulled down 250 rounds of 357 mag tonight loaded with 14.5 grains of blue dot and a 125 grain JHP. I hate wasting that much time and effort over some unidentified issue. I have already fired over 500 rounds of that exact load with no issues.

What is the supposed problem with this weight bullet (125) and Blue Dot?

How can the same powder be safe with 110 grain bullets and 140, 148, 150& 158 grain bullets but not safe with 125's?????

I'll be even more unhappy if I find out the pressure was a couple of ticks high on a random sampling. Handgun pressures are not too high until you have to hammer the empties out of the cylinder....BTDT. [:(]
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Comments

  • reloader44magreloader44mag Member Posts: 18,783 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    14.5gr BLUE DOT under a 125gr JHP.... bpost now that is a HOT load. I use Blue Dot in .357 and 44mag. I have heard/seen the warning and you bring up a good point...125gr no good... 110gr OK. good question maybe someone will have the answer ...I don't.
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Put Blue Dot Powder in the search and the post with the warning will come up. Dongizmo posted it on 07-25-08.
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  • dtknowlesdtknowles Member Posts: 810 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bpost

    I am also wondering about the Blue Dot scare. I don't use it, prefer PowerPistol or H110. You attitude about reloading is a little distressing but they are your guns not mine. The load you quoted is above the Max in my manuals. Not all .357 Mag guns are equal and full house loads can loosen some of them up so going over max. seems ill-considered. Why not just get a more powerful gun?

    Tim
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  • 44 shotdoctor44 shotdoctor Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well I have never shot with blue dot. However I have a Hodgen manuel that is several years old and shows 125gr .357 starting load of
    10.5 1229fps to a max of 12.0 1366fps. The pressures listed are less than Unique. So maybe your manuel just dosn't list that load.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello all smokeless powder is progressive in its burn rate . The more pressure the faster the burn . the faster the burn the more pressure. SHOT GUNS have a very large bore so building pressure is hard to do . in comes shotgun powder. However when trying to use shotgun powder with a pistol the bore is smaller Now look at the weight of BULLET a 125 grain takes more force to get it moving then a 110 grain however this causes the powder to get to a higher pressure. At some point in time the pressure CURVE becomes so steep that you get into trouble. When I first started loading it took me a LONG time to understand why it took less powder with a heavier bullet then a light bullet in both pistols and rifles to reach MAX acceptable pressure. IT is because you DON"T want to go over the predictable PRESSURE CURVE. IF you had a plastic bullets that weigh 10 grains most likely 90 % of the powder charge would just PUFF out the end of the barrel burning so slow because of such low pressure.
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  • bigal125bigal125 Member Posts: 1,136 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Interesting.....after reading this post, I went and grabbed my books and load cards to re-check my info.

    Bpost, the load you posted is above max in my books, as well. I use a Speer reloading manual (#12) and the Hercules Reloader's Guide pamphlet, when using Hercules powders.

    The Hercules listing for a 125 grain SJHP is 12.8 grains of Blue Dot, giving 1,720 fps.

    Speer's listings start with 11.5 grains at 1,252 fps, and a max of 13.0 grains at 1,333 fps.

    Doesn't quite compute, does it? [?]

    Looking at my load cards, I've used Blue Dot (12.5grains) with 125 grain JHPs in 357 Magnum before, but those loads were back in the '90s, when I loaded them up. No follow-up notes about high pressure, so they must have been okay.

    There is one thing, though. Hercules doesn't give a listing for 110 grain bullets with Blue Dot, just 125 grain and larger. Speer, however, does show a listing of Blue Dot under the 110 grain JHP. 14.0 grains (1548 fps) to a maximum of 16.0 grains, at 1,680 fps.

    Bpost, 14.5 grains? Have you had any signs of primer flattening or case splitting? Just....wow, and be careful, huh?! [:0]

    Kinda curious, are you shooting them in a heavy-frame revolver, like a Smith N-frame? I wonder if that's why your loads have not given you any problems.

    Anyway, thanks for posting this. Brought up some good/old memories for me. [:)]

    Big Al (thinking maybe I'll go dust off that Rock-Chucker and... [8D] )
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  • fire for effectfire for effect Member Posts: 121 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    just as an aside, I use 10 grains of Bluedot behind a 125 grain bullet in my .38 Super.
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