[goldenlight]

I've been loading Blue Dot for at least 30 years. I started with the 44 magnum (thanks to Dirty Harry...) and then with 357 later

I used to buy boxes of 1000 or 2000 125gr. 357 jacketed soft point from Midway. Back in the good old days when they were cheap, and the shipping was free.

I loaded almost all of the 125 gr. JSP with Blue Dot. My old Speer #9 manual lists 14.5gr of Blue Dot as max for the 125gr. slug. BUT that's with a regular small pistol primer; NOT a magnum.

I never use magnum primers. Standard small primers are fairly consistent between the big four American manufacturers. But The small magnum primers seem to vary a LOT from CCI to Rem. to Win. to Federal. I stopped using them early on.

I loaded 13.5 to 14.5gr. with the 125gr slugs. I never had a problem.

Blue dot doesn't deliver the top velocity that, say H110 can, but I get 'nearly' the same velocity, with much lower charge weight, and without having to use magnum primers.

I don't understand this 'change' for Blue Dot. I've used my loads in 2 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch 357 magnums. And I've never had a problem.

I wonder if Alliant turned out some 'bad' batches of Blue Dot?

[CanyonMan]

Never a problem with it......


CM

[OV1kenobi]

That really is a shame!

12.7 grains of Blue Dot with a 125 grain Hornady XTP bullet really was a snappy, yet very manageable and accurate load in .357 Magnum out of a S&W Model 66 with four-inch barrel!

Regards

[Zombie Steve]

I would think if it was a bad batch, they would have recalled the batch, not the load data...

[dudley]

I've shot 2500 rounds this year 357Sig with 10.0 gr bluedot, not problems here

[Highspeedlane]

Originally Posted by _The_Shadow

Highspeedlane,


You may want to check that 158 grain bullet loading over what you are recalling...16 grains of Blue Dot is a pile in the 357 magnum. I would think give or take a little, 10 or 11 grains to be near the maximum in that bullet weight.

I would hate to see someone jump on that load you listed!

You are exactly right and my bad for trying to post from my obviously faulty memory. I've edited that post. From now on I'll be looking at my notes.

[HAVOC]

You'll have to take the Blue Dot from my cold, dead hands. I've loaded thousands of the now supposedly dangerous recipes and all my guns have all their parts. It's my preferred mid-high power load in .357 Mag, .45 ACP, .44 Mag and .45 Colt and high power in 9mmP and 10mm, with some use in .45ACP and .44 Special.

[f4tweet]

357 Sig also. Big flash!

[dougader]

Interesting comparison on the CB forum comparing Hercules Blue Dot and the newer Alliant Blue Dot:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=51566

[.454]

I tried reloading 45 Colt and .454Casull with BD. Accuracy sucked no matter what formula I tried. Back to Win 296 and Unique.

[lomfs24]

Originally Posted by dudley

I have fired almost 2000 rounds of Sig 357 using Blue Dot. Hmmmm, was just about to buy some more Blue Dot, maybe I'll rethink this. SPECIAL NOTE: Alliant's reload data page is down for "maintenance"

Of course this letter was posted for 357 Mag but I too have shot BD out of 357 Sig and have been quite happy with it. I would not recommend it if you ever needed to shoot at night. Horrible muzzle flash but no signs of over pressure.

I have also shot BD from 357 Mag with no issues either. I don't have a 357 anymore so no worries at the moment.

[f4tweet]

I switched over to AA-9 and am much happier with it in 357 Sig and 10MM.

[lomfs24]

I'll give AA-9 a shot. (No pun intended)

[stengun]

Howdy,

I too have been using BD for years. Actually since 1994.

I love BD for magnum or maxinum auto pistol loads, especially in the 10mm.

I use it for .380, 9mm, 9mmx21, 9mmx23, 40S&W, 10mm, .45acp, .45 Super, .45 Colt and .454 Casull.

I've never had any problems.

Paul

[den888]

Used BD in 9mm loads in the past with no issues. Thanks for the warning.

[dudley]

This is like a year old?
How about letting this thread die?

[hoffy]

[nevadajohn]

Iv'e been loading Blue Dot for 30 years,unless they changed it I don't see a problem.There are more good powders now,but when Blue Dot came out it was better than 2400 and H110,which both left 10 to 20 percent unburned powder.Or Unique that was dirty.Since the warning Iv'e shot .357,.41,10mm and.40's with no problem.I have noticed that some of the older Speer manuals are loaded hotter than the new ones.I use 12 grains with 125's and 10 grains with the 158's.

[380Seecamp]

Originally Posted by nevadajohn

Iv'e been loading Blue Dot for 30 years,unless they changed it I don't see a problem. . . .

They changed it. That's what caused this whole problem!

[hogship]

I've been using Blue Dot for 158g cast bullets in 357mag.......loaded down in a "Cowboy load"......should be ok for this purpose........


.....but, I'm adding this note to my reloading data.

thanks for the "heads up".

hog

[hogship]

After retrieving my load notes, I see I have a 357mag load using 125g copper plated bullets and Blue Dot powder........that load is now noted with the warning.

thanks

hog

[OrangePwr9]

Just saw this. Haven't used BD much in the past, but picked up 5 lbs. last year when 2400 and W296 were hard to find.

Last fall I loaded 100 rounds .357 125 gr. JHP using magnum primers (Winchester) and 11.6 gr. of Blue Dot. Then I loaded 50 more rounds of the same combo using 12.6 gr. BD. Thought they'd be safe enough as they both were below starting load in at least one of my manuals.

None of these have been fired. What think you? Teardown???

If I shoot 'em, it'll be in either a 586 or a Blackhawk.
Thanks,
Bob

[dougader]

They'll be fine. I used to load 14.5 grains BD under a 125 grain jhp in 357 mag... that's back when Speer 11 said 16.3 (?) was the max. I never went above 15.2

[rhino673]

I load 158gr LSWC with 9.0 grains of Blue dot. I've not had any problems at all.

[bear10]

I have used Blue Dot since I started loading 357 loads for silhouette shooting years ago(1987) and have recently loved using it in my 10mm. I especially love the flash of my 10mm loads when shooting indoor IDPA shoots.