Blue Dot Reduced Loads

[DittoHead]

Originally Posted by jtf

I am more concerned with too lightly charged loads building too much pressure than accidently double charging a case.

Really?


What velocity are you looking for? I see starting loads in loading manuals for 55gr. bullets in the .221 Fireball that are around 2250 fps. Look at the Speer and Accurate Arms data.

Are you trying to duplicate one of the .22 rimfire cartridges or make a subsonic load?

[jtf]

Loaded some 221fb 55's today. Also working with blue dot .223 loads. Mulerider's data is consistant with data from reloadersnest and Calhoon's.

Something different to try, change from larger calibers. 22 mag cartridges are $30+/100 here.

[dogtrainer]

James Calhoon's BlueDot data is a good starting point for small bore centerfire cartridges.

I have shot thousands of ground squirrels with 1.0cc of BlueDot (~11.6 grains) in the 22 PPC using bullets weighing 35 - 45 grains.

Next season I will be using 1.3 - 1.6 cc of Alliant Steel. Steel is slower powder than BlueDot and less sensitive to pressure rise with an increase in powder quantity.

[Dean2]

Bluedot was a good choice in the old days when there weren't better options. For fourty years I used it, and a number of other powders to make reduced velocity loads, and shot thousands of rounds. It does work and doen right it works quite well.

With the selection of powders available today, Trail boss is a far superior choice and it is impossible to blow up a 221 FB, even with a compressed load of the stuff. No fear of accidental double charges and you can make loads anywhere from 800 fps to 3000 fps, they have lower SDs on velocity, since the case is fuull or close, position of the powder in the case isn't an issue (no more tilting the brrel up before firing) and it cleans up well. TB will deliver very quiet loads that shoot under half an ich at 100 yards, and zero pressure issues.

I am not saying to never use Blue Dot, but be VERY careful you don't give one a double charge, you won't like the outcome.

[Chuck Miller]

How about some load data using Trailboss in a 223? I went to Hodgdons site and all they had was a single load shooting a 55 FMJ at about 1000fps. I currently use 12grs of Bluedot and a 50gr HP for about 2200fps out of a 223. Makes a great 100-200yd load for feathered varmints and feral pigs close in and as for accuracy I wish some of my full power loads shot as well. If Trailboss can replicate it I'm up for buying a pound and giving it a whirl.

[Dean2]

I have only played a little bit with TB in a 223. 8 grains with a 50 grain Horn SPSX is doing about 1400 fps. Nice and quiet and very accurate in mine. TB is easy to play with, from full to the top to as low as still gets the bullet out the barrel it is very safe to experiment with. Basically you just have to decide what velocity you want, work to that, then play a little with OAL and powder charge around that speed to get real tight groups.

[montdoug]

Call Ben Amonnette the head technician at Alliant who makes Blue Dot, ask him what he thinks a safe load would be . Let us know what he says.
Anyone still have those pictures of Randy Merta's eye surgery?

[Chuck Miller]

Doug, what were the details with Randy's accident? I know it was with a 17 Rem but when he was asked for details he didn't respond.

[ab_bentley]

http://www.predatormastersforums.com...t&Number=72418

Just some of the story. Adam

[17varminter]

I'm was one of those Blue Dot users, I switched to Trail Boss because its much safer...