Blue Dot and 9mm

[alrod013]

Managed to get my hands on some Blue Dot powder. Am loading for an XD-9 using Winchester 115gr FMJ or Montana Gold 115gr FMJ. Now, the more I read, this does not seem like a good powder to use. Min and Max loads are all over the charts depending on which book you look at. Mins go from 6.8 to 7.2 and Max's from 7.4 to 8.5. My OAL on my SDB is set around 1.14. This amount of powder would seem to fill the case, would it not? Have not used it yet. Want to get some input first from those who may have tried it.

:banghead::banghead:

 

[cfullgraf]

I have used Blue Dot in the 9x19 but not at present. During the 2009 shortage, i discovered True Blue in part because it was the only powder I could find. But, Blue Dot has been a good powder for 9x19 for a long time.

i still have some Blue Dot on hand. Besides 9x19, I use it in 38 Super and 38/45 Clerke.

Any way, start at the lower end of the minimums and work your loads up to find the sweet spot for your pistol that it functions, good accuracy and does not show any signs of excessive pressure.

It will be a good substitute until you can find your preferred powder.

As an aside, I like to have preferred loads that use different powders. It gives you the option should your favorite powder become hard to find. Then you do not have to struggle with working up loads again.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[jwrowland77]

Welcome to the forums.

I have 6 different manuals and online resources I use. What I normally do is get a notepad and I right down all of my resources in the left hand column and then put min and max at the top with a line drawn down in between. I write down all the different mins and maxes and then I average them at the bottom. Those then become the min and max I use, and then I do my workup. I figure if I always stay between these averages, then I'll stay safe. If I want to go hotter, I know I can, based on a certain manual. There is one load I have that does go above several manuals max, but it's still below the hottest load I was able to find, and it works great, in my rifle. YMMV.

 

[TfflHndn]

I have not yet used Blue Dot in 9mm, but keep in mind that it will likely work best with heavier bullets and toward the upper end of the load range, where it will build sufficient pressure to burn completely and cleanly. Its maker puts the max load at 8.0 gr with a 115 FMJ at 1.120"

 

[MrWesson]

Its a good if not slow powder for 9mm.

I have worked up some amazing 9mm carbine loads with it. Because of the slower burn it builds up in longer barrels to achive some awesome loads.

I got a 90gr bullet to 2100fps and a 124gr at 1650 with standard pressure loads.

 

[Clark]

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.

When I first started handloading it was 14 years ago and I was doing 223, 308, and 9mm.
I tried to combine all the powders and all the bullets for 9mm, work them up to over load failure, and record the info in a spread sheet. I put in hundreds of hours in 1999 and 2000 filling in the cells of spread sheets for 9mm.

Looking at a spread sheet from 2000 for 115 gr and Blue Dot:
There is no data. It seems I could only fit 9.7 gr of Blue Dot under a 124 gr which was very wimpy, 7.9 gr being max listed by Alliant. 23% over book was not impressive.
And with 147 gr, it looks like I only shot 8.7 gr, wimpy again, being only 50% over the 5.8 book load.


Blue Dot did not have the speed*density product for me in the small 9mm case, in my quest for the most powerful and small concealed carry weapon.
But I have gone through 10 pounds of Blue Dot in the .223, where Blue Dot's peaky nature helps it burn clean.


Two weeks ago I went to the range and shot a 223 I built. This is the first group out of the new barrel, using Blue Dot at 100 yards.

While Blue Dot might be a safe powder for 9mm as it would be hard to put too much in the case, the flip side of that in 223 is a problem. Blue Dot can hang up in an RCBS Uniflow powder meter, giving a light charge and then an over charge. That could get serious in a 223. I would not want my kids putting Blue Dot in a .223. Every case must be checked to see it has the right fill ratio.

 

[John3921]

I am new to loading the 9mm - but I've been using BD because I have 2-3 lbs of the stuff. I'm loading it under 134 gr cast bullets.

One issue is that it nearly fills the case. I load on a LNL progressive and the slight jarring when indexing is enough to toss a few flakes of powder out of the case. More of an irritation than an issue except if those flakes accumulate or find their way over to the primer shuttle. I've taken to either put my finger over the casemouth when indexing - or set the bullet over the case before indexing (which precludes the use of the powder cop)

 

[Steve C]

I tried Blue Dot several years ago with 115gr JHP's. An 8.0 grain load of BD behind a 115gr Remington JHP produced 1,224 fps average velocity from my Beretta 92. This was pretty much a full case of powder. Basically the same velocity I got from a 5.7gr load of Unique. Since Unique will produce higher velocity in the 9 with 115gr bullets with less powder consumption I've not used BD since but if that's all you have it will work.

 

[alrod013]

Only bought the Blue Dot because it is almost impossible to get powder around here (Northern CA). Had seen it on various data lists, so thought I would try it. If I had my druthers, I would use something else. Made some loads up and will see what happens Saturday. Started at the low end, so these might a little light: 6.8, 7.2 & 7.4 Also have some Bullseye and HI Skor 700x that I have used.

 

[SlowFuse]

Works for Me, but didn't do so well with the 115's.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=726821

Also, lower end isn't going to have the best results with blue dot, higher charge usually works better. It seems to really tighten up at the near max range or slightly over. But its always a good idea to work up, you're doing the right thing starting out light.

 

[Dr.Zubrato]

I'll let you know in a week or so!
I'll be working up some loads for hard cast 9mm 124gr truncated cones, and 158gr LWSC 38 spl
I only have a pound, until I get get some better powder

 

[1SOW]

It's a slow burn rate powder, dirty and shows a lot of muzzle blast if loaded light in 9mm. It needs to be fairly hot to run well.

 

[Dakotared]

I like Blue dot in 9mm. 7.8gr with a cast lee 124gr TC bullet = good stuff. It is also cleaner then W231 with much less carbon build up. I get around 1200fps with it, and that is all the harder I wanted it to go so for me it is pretty much my go to powder for 9mm.

 

[Schwing]

I have used blue dot for 9mm and really like it when reloading for my carbine. At least for me, it does tend to perform a little better out of a longer barrel.

 

[FROGO207]

I like the Blue Dot for the higher pressure loads (+P) I make for use in the MP-40.The higher the pressure the cleaner it seems to burn in my experience. Also it works the same for 45 ACP in my handguns.