[JPP]

I have been using Unique up until now.
I want to try either PP or BD, and am hoping I can get some answers from people who have used both.

Glock 20SF 4.4" and 6" barrel
Looking for information for loading 180 (XTP, Speer GD, Sierra) and 200 gr JHP (XTP)
Starline brass, Winchester LP primers

1) which burns cleaner?
2) which meters best?
3) which is more accurate?
4) which do you like better?
5) which powder gives off the lower muzzle flash/muzzle blast?

Thanks

 

[21Carrier]

I have been using Unique up until now.
I want to try either PP or BD, and am hoping I can get some answers from people who have used both.

Glock 20SF 4.4" and 6" barrel
Looking for information for loading 180 (XTP, Speer GD, Sierra) and 200 gr JHP (XTP)
Starline brass, Winchester LP primers

1) which burns cleaner?
2) which meters best?
3) which is more accurate?
4) which do you like better?
5) which powder gives off the lower muzzle flash/muzzle blast?

Thanks

1. They are pretty close with those barrel lengths. I don't really notice differences in cleanliness, because I almost always take several loads with me, using several powders.

2. Power Pistol. Power Pistol is about like sand. Blue Dot is a flake type powder. BD still meters well, but PP is one of the best out there for metering. However, in my meter, both work fine. Neither is a problem like 800-X.

3. That's tough to decide, and it really depends on the load. I would say Blue Dot, but that's likely just because I've shot more of it. I know Power Pistol is also very accurate. Two very accurate 180gr loads are below:

-180gr XTP/FMJ, CCI 300, 8.3gr PP, COAL 1.260"
-180gr XTP/FMJ, CCI 300, 10.4gr BD, COAL 1.260"
-The BD load should be faster

4. I like Blue Dot better, but not by much. I don't even know WHY I like it better. I guess just because I've used it more. Power Pistol is more economical, since charges are lower.

5. Neither. They are both very flashy and loud out of short barrels. Long barrels reduce the flash, but if you use a G29 with light bullets, they will make large fireballs.

 

[OhioGlockMan]

I have now shot quite a lot of 180 and 200 grain rounds from my 6 inch barrel with both power pistol and blue dot, here's the main things I've observed...

• Blue dot is a slower burning powder, and it takes a bit more to achieve the same velocities as power pistol. However when going with max book loads you can get a higher top velocity with blue dot, but notice I said max BOOK loads, if you read through the forums on here a lot of people exceed the max book loads with power pistol and get 1400 fps with a 180 grainier. The highest book load with power pistol and 180 grainer is 8.7 grains, and listed at 34,900 PSI (max for the 10mm is 37,500)

• From my 6 inch barrel, any brand of brass, and a variety of different 180 grain bullets, and winchester WLP primers it takes 8.5 grains of power pistol to get 1300 FPS. It takes 10.5 grains of blue dot to make the same 1300 FPS, all of the same above factors the same. NOW- when I go to a max of 11 grains blue dot I find I am nipping on the heels of 1400 FPS from the 6 inch barrel- again this is a listed max BOOK load of blue dot. This is what I do when I load 180 grainers for a day at the range, I'll load about 3/4 of them with 8.5 grains of PP and 1/4 of them with 11 grains of blue dot, and label them. This is because 1300 FPS is truly a full power 10mm round and for most shooting its great and Im happy with it, it makes bowling pins fly with pleanty of force. The ones loaded with 11 grains of blue dot are for nice grins because they do have a noticeable amount more recoil and more flash and blast.

• With the 200 grainers I find blue dot to be much more suited then power pistol (when shooting shorter then 6 inch barrel power pistol may do better, but Ive always run my loads through my 6 inch) and have stuck to 9.3 grains as my load- I find this produces about 1225-1240 FPS and is plenty powerful.

• One last note is I use Winchester WLP primers for everything because it makes it much easier when using over a variety of powders where some may need a mag primer and some not. I believe the Winchester WLP primers are in between a magnum and standard in hotness and they don't seem to produce any noticeable extra pressures compared to regular standard primers. I did this with my high powered rifle rounds too- in my experience the Winchester standard rifle primer ignites hard to ignite ball powders like H414 just fine where primers like a CCI standard 200 tend to produce hangfires etc (CCI actually says to use their mag rifle primers with the ball powders). It's obvious to me that Winchester formulates all their primers to be a hotter burn then CCI or Remington etal

 

[nickE10mm]

I have been using Unique up until now.
I want to try either PP or BD, and am hoping I can get some answers from people who have used both.

Glock 20SF 4.4" and 6" barrel
Looking for information for loading 180 (XTP, Speer GD, Sierra) and 200 gr JHP (XTP)
Starline brass, Winchester LP primers

1) which burns cleaner?
2) which meters best?
3) which is more accurate?
4) which do you like better?
5) which powder gives off the lower muzzle flash/muzzle blast?

Thanks

I really like both of these powders... here are my answers to your questions:

1) I'd say Power Pistol, easy... however, if you are loading FULL POWER stuff, you can get the BD to burn completely. Really not an issue with either, though.

2) Power Pistol meters GREAT. Its like sand (almost as good as the SILKY SAND texture of AA7 but not quite). Blue Dot meters fine, however, but I find it chucks little flakes out of my powder drop from time to time on my setup. Not a huge issue as it seems that several powders do this.

3) I've HEARD that BD is more accurate, however I've not SEEN this necessarily. Both of these Alliant powders should be extremely accurate. I'd probably still give the accuracy edge to BD.

4) I'm honestly not sure. I've heard SO MANY PEOPLE say they LOVE Blue Dot, and I agree, its a great powder for 10mm.... HOWEVER, I'm liking Power Pistol MORE AND MORE lately. Its honestly taken EVERYTHING I've thrown at it and begs for more. Very high performance and economical, to boot. I'm going to do some more experimenting with full power 200gr bullets from a 6" tube and I'm pretty sure BD will rule that roost, however, Im convinced that PP will outperform BD with light to mid-weight bullets.

5) Easy... Power Pistol isn't quite as loud or flashy... but its still flashy. Blue Dot creates a relatively massive blast and flash, whereas PP produces a nice, brilliant white flash (but not as bright as BD). Neither are well suited for defense loads. For anything else, who cares?

The only thing I'd like to add is that I hear BD is INVERSE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE. For a powder that seemed to be the perfect hunting load powder (powerful and known to be very accurate) I was quite upset to hear this. What could be worse than loading up some hot loads in the summer for upcoming season, only to find out the loads you made are peaking to DANGEROUS pressures in 5 degree winter weather on your deer stand?? The jury's still out on this. I'd be interested to hear more from someone who has experienced this issue.

 

[g29guy]

I have been using Unique up until now.
I want to try either PP or BD, and am hoping I can get some answers from people who have used both.

Glock 20SF 4.4" and 6" barrel
Looking for information for loading 180 (XTP, Speer GD, Sierra) and 200 gr JHP (XTP)
Starline brass, Winchester LP primers

1) which burns cleaner?
2) which meters best?
3) which is more accurate?
4) which do you like better?
5) which powder gives off the lower muzzle flash/muzzle blast?

Thanks

Out of my 29 with 4.75" barrel and cast 180 grain tcfp bullets 300 cci primers .

1. Power pistol
2. Power Pistol
3. Blue Dot (I like 10.4 grains. its my go to load)
4. Depends. Hand loads at top end is Blue Dot. Range loads Power Pistol.
5. Both are flashy. I think BD is flashier and louder at hotter loads

 

[leeward419]

INVERSE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE. For a powder that seemed to be the perfect hunting load powder (powerful and known to be very accurate) I was quite upset to hear this. What could be worse than loading up some hot loads in the summer for upcoming season, only to find out the loads you made are peaking to DANGEROUS pressures in 5 degree winter weather on your deer stand?? The jury's still out on this. I'd be interested to hear more from someone who has experienced this issue.

I shoot blue dot in my 357SIG year round in + 90 degree to below zero weather, I have not loaded any of my rounds to book max, tend to stay in the 95% range as they seem more accurate than full power. I also have read the same warning re the temperature issue in cold weather.

 

[BenKeith]

I've never used Power Pistol but I have shot a couple of pounds of Blue Dot. I load a little hotter than you and Blue Dot burns clean with the heavy loads. I load 10.4 grains with 180's for my practice loads and 11.4 grains behind 180gr Golden Saber's for my carry rounds. I've heard people complain about it being a dirty powder but those seem to be trying to use it on lite loads.

 

[ModGlock17]

Interesting! This hot summer, I observed BDot above 10gr to leave unburnt flakes on my forearms, with stock G29 barrel. Loads nearer to 10.0 left the least black dots on my forearm. Stock g20 left even less dots, and the 6" barrel left none. You brought up an important point, tough to generalize the effect of powder without mentioning other contributing variables, like temperature of summer vs winter, and barrel lengths.

 

[_The_Shadow]

I can agree with most that has been said, I like Blue Dot in saturated loads in any caliber/cartridge. I have used Power Pistol and it does work fairly well also.

I will say that you will need to test the loads you put together to verify just how well they work in you setup!

 

[OhioGlockMan]

I've never used Power Pistol but I have shot a couple of pounds of Blue Dot. I load a little hotter than you and Blue Dot burns clean with the heavy loads. I load 10.4 grains with 180's for my practice loads and 11.4 grains behind 180gr Golden Saber's for my carry rounds. I've heard people complain about it being a dirty powder but those seem to be trying to use it on lite loads.

Ben Keith- just an FYI, I've found 8.5 grains of power pistol to yield identical velocity to 10.5 grains of blue dot (both do 1300 FPS right on the nose from my 6 inch LW barrel) and I use 8.5 PP for practice/plinking loads and 11 grains of blue dot for full house fun loads that put a grin on your face (clocks 1385 FPS from LW 6 inch) I suspect 8.4 grains of PP would do the same velocity as 10.4 blue dot

Forgot to state- in my above statement everything applies to 180 grain bullets

 

[OhioGlockMan]

Interesting! This hot summer, I observed BDot above 10gr to leave unburnt flakes on my forearms, with stock G29 barrel. Loads nearer to 10.0 left the least black dots on my forearm. Stock g20 left even less dots, and the 6" barrel left none. You brought up an important point, tough to generalize the effect of powder without mentioning other contributing variables, like temperature of summer vs winter, and barrel lengths.

I suspect blue dot would really shine in all of the semi auto pistol rounds (9mm, 10mm, 40, .45) shot in carbine length barrels. I have read many many different write ups and blogs etc online where people state blue dot in 9mm is so so in pistols and creates the same unburnt flakes from 9mm handguns, but in the 9mm carbines blue dot is just amazing in regards to top velocity and accuracy. Put another way its my belief that blue dot is very borderline slow burning for the 10mm in 180 and lower weight bullets, AND short barrels. I will say for the 200 grainers blue dot is probably just right in regards to burn speed and pistol length barrel in 10mm. I think for any pistol length barrel and 10mm, bullets 165 and lower weight that PP is the much more appropriate burn speed

 

[nickE10mm]

I suspect blue dot would really shine in all of the semi auto pistol rounds (9mm, 10mm, 40, .45) shot in carbine length barrels. I have read many many different write ups and blogs etc online where people state blue dot in 9mm is so so in pistols and creates the same unburnt flakes from 9mm handguns, but in the 9mm carbines blue dot is just amazing in regards to top velocity and accuracy. Put another way its my belief that blue dot is very borderline slow burning for the 10mm in 180 and lower weight bullets, AND short barrels. I will say for the 200 grainers blue dot is probably just right in regards to burn speed and pistol length barrel in 10mm. I think for any pistol length barrel and 10mm, bullets 165 and lower weight that PP is the much more appropriate burn speed

I believe this also to be true.

 

[harley45]

I tend to agree with the above posters on bullet length vs bullet weight and Blue Dot. However I would add that of your loading from the books Blue Dot seems to work better at the higher end loads for 180/200 weights. I tried to make a load with 180 grain gold dots that equaled what we carry at work in our Sig 229s which goes 950-1000 FPS and with blue dot it was very very dirty.
I actually used HS6 for that one.

 

[ModGlock17]

..... but in the 9mm carbines blue dot is just amazing in regards to top velocity and accuracy.

I got 1.5" group of 10 (just tore the paper up at that spot) using 9mm with 7.0gr of BDot, at 25 yrd rested. The gun? KelTec Sub2000 9mm with 16" barrel (a $350'ish carbine-like that folds & fits inside a laptop computer carrier). Rainier 115gr RN. It was 1169fps. Compared to LongShot 6.4gr that went 1259fps but resulted in 4" groups, I was impressed with BlueDot, on this set up.

I am planning to do LongShot6.0gr the same way and see what happens. So I tend to agree with what you said.