[chicane]

I usually load my .45acp with Accurate #7, But all of our local shops run out of the #7, and it takes them months to get it back in. So i looked up some loading receipes in "reloading 48th edition". I found one for Blue dot as follows:
230gr FMJ .45ACP

MIN 8.3gr 625FPS
MAX 9.2gr 845FPS

It seemed like a good receipe, Good velocity, lots of room for error. Then I consulted a friend and his "Lee reloading book" and it sayes as follows:
230gr FMJ .45ACP

MIN 8.5gr 850FPS
MAX 8.5gr 850FPS


I'm a little concerned with the Lee receipe. It has zero room for error. Anyone have another book that can confirm another powder measure? I'm wondering if I missed something in the other book? Maybe that was a +p powder charge? I don't remember anything about it saying +p. Only thing it had listed was Bluedot powder, CCI primer, Federal Brass. And thats what I have.


Any info/help will be apreciated. Thanks.

[bobaloo]

The folks that make Blue Dot list 9.8 as the max on their site, and 45 Super loads go up to 13 or so.

I've shot a lot of 9.8-10.0 loads in +P brass, working my way up to them, and they've worked great for me.

[JDGray]

I have that Lee book and sometimes wonder if theres typos. Load data for 231, starts where everyone else does, but the max data seems soft, and stops way before other books. Lee list there powder in order of best to worst, for any given cartridge, and most of the data is very close on a chrono. I wouldnt be afraid to start 10% lower on the max given, and work up. Good luck:)

[NVMM]

chicane, if your target shooting try Hodgdons Clays.
If you want a little more try AA5.
Blue Dot and AA7 are a little slow for the 45. A somewhat faster powder would be a better choice.

[chicane]

Do you have some load data for the hodgdon powder?

Honestly, I am looking to set up my press for one powder, A powder that I can get each and everytime I go to the store. If hodgeson is one that they carry, I will more than happily utilize it. I do some target shooting with my 45, But the matches that I wil be shooting I use factory ammo.

Ideally, I'd like to find one of the powders that only require 4-5grains, So i can 1000+ rounds out of a pound. I did the math a while back, and with the Accurate 7 I can make about 550-600 rounds per pound. It would be nice to be able to buy a pound of powder, a case of CCI primers, and 2 boxes of bullets and be set for 1000 rds. All for around $120, 12cents a round, with FMJ's.

[Doug b]

www.hodgdon.com

[Backfired]

If you want something faster burning, you might consider using Unique. It's been my experience that the Winny/Hodgden stuff is extremely foul burning. Regardless which powder you use, it would be best to start with the most conservative loading.

[JDGray]

Clays & 231 are my two favs. Clays is one of the fastest powders out there, but very clean. 3.9gr Clays W/230gr bullets is hard to beat for paper punching:)

[NVMM]

chicane, Hodgdons Clays is very clean burning and accurate.
A lot of people (me too) report a very soft recoil with this powder.
I use 3.8grs with a 200swc or the 230rn.
Good luck


http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/index.php

[HSMITH]

Clays is the best 45 powder when you are looking for target loads. N310 is double the cost and about the same in all other aspects.

Skip the Blue Dot, it takes a lot more pressure than you will get with standard 45 acp loads to make Blue Dot perform decently. +P and Super loads with it? Sure, works good there.

[facedown]

You'll see that for a number of entries in the Lee manual. If I understand correctly, much of the Lee data is from the manufacturers. Some of them only list a max load in their "handout" booklets. Lee just plugs that number in for both min and max load.

[scotty]

I picked up a few lbs of Blue dot from a friend a while back at an attractive price (screaming deal) and have been trying it in various loads as time permits.

8.4 gr with a 230 gr FMJ bullet runs ~725 in my Springfield commander (4" barrel). This load shoots well, but my forearms get speckled with unburned powder. In addition, it doesn't meter real well in my Dillon 550 so velocities tend to vary quite a bit when loaded progressively.

I think that Blue dot, while it can made to work well, is not an optimum choice for .45ACP for the reasons stated in the above posts.

[temmi]

The Alliant site has a Load for 230Gr JHPs.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeDetail.aspx?title=Pistols%20and%20Revolvers&gtypeid=1&weight=230&shellid=1029&bulletid=100
The Speer 13 Manual has a load as well.

[Crosshair]

Personaly I think Blue Dot is a little slow for a low pressure round like 45 Auto. Yes it will work, but it tends to leave alot of soot and unburned powder when I use it in my 38 special reloads.

/Just my $.02

[redneckdan]

i've used 9.8 grs behind a 200gr lead rn hp. SOme serious wampum.

[Vitamin G]

Can't believe no one mentioned Bullseye yet...
4.0gr for a soft shooting 200grSWC.
5.0gr is max for a 230gr fmj.

[1911user]

Win 231 is a good 45 auto powder and should be easy to find. Winchester has their load data online, I just don't have the address handy.

[BluesBear]

I absolutely LOVE Blue Dot for .41 Magnum & .44 Magnum loads.

I do NOT care for it in the .45 Auto.
There are several better/cheaper powders out there for .45 ACP use.

[jibjab]

I use Blue Dot for my 4" .357 mag. and I gave it a try with the .45 acp 200grn SWC (plated) works great for my Marlin camp carbine, but for the 1911 I use Bullseye or W-231.
when the BE is gone I may give Clays a try.

[ojibweindian]

i've used 9.8 grs behind a 200gr lead rn hp. SOme serious wampum.

I know this is an old thread, but I've some useful input. I just tested a load of 9.5 grains of Blue Dot using a 200 grain lead flat point from Missouri Bullet Company. I got 2" groups shooting off-hand at 15 yards with one of my Springfield XD45's.

[Walkalong]

Blue Dot is borderline suitable for .45 ACP. It will work with hot loads, but I am not interested in hot loaded .45. It's little brother, Unique, is much better suited.

[ojibweindian]

I'm not exactly what you mean by borderline suitable, but I can state that I was chewing out one 2" ragged hole out of the target at 15 yards :D. No clue as to how fast the 200 grain lead flat nose was coming out of the barrel, though. Also, no unburned flakes of powder.

[zxcvbob]

You must be loading them hot.

Blue Dot and AA#7 are pretty much interchangeble, although the BD is fluffier. If you like one already, you should like the other. But if you haven't bought the powder already, I suggest something just a little faster: WSF or Herco.

[ojibweindian]

I've got close to 9 pounds worth of Unique; I just wanted to play with some Blue Dot I have laying around. I was pleasantly surprised by the Blue Dot load and it didn't seem to have any more oomph than my Unique load. Not sure that a 200 grain lead flat point over 9.5 grains of Blue Dot with a WLP primer would be a "hot" load.

[Walkalong]

I'm not exactly what you mean by borderline suitable, but I can state that I was chewing out one 2" ragged holeI have been told it can be very accurate when loaded hot.

It is borderline too slow. Blue Dot is quite dirty unless loaded to a pressure at the top od .45 pressure or better, mostly better.

You must be loading them hot.
Yep.

I suggest something just a little faster: WSFor Herco.
WSF is very good for hot .45's, especially 185's according to my buddy The Bushmaster.

[243winxb]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. 11.0 gr of Blue Dot with a 200gr cast lswc in a S&W 645 is a maximum loading for me. But dirty, and there are better powders. Unique. Very old post lol

[ojibweindian]

You must be loading them hot.

Is 9.5 grains of Blue Dot under a 200 grain lead flat point a hot load? The 50 I sent downrange didn't feel any hotter than my 5.5 grains of Unique under a 230 grain lead round nose.

[Walkalong]

Doesn't look "hot" when looking at data, but the fact remains that Blue Dot works much better at higher pressures than lower pressures. If it works for you, great. Not many use it in .45 compared to other powders.