Blue Dot and Berry's 115gr 9mm RNDS

[MrOldLude]

The purpose of this post is a place-holder for anyone else wanting a flashy 9mm load.

I set out to load a 9mm round with a lot of flash using Blue Dot and Berry's 115gr RNDS plated bullets. I started with Alliant's max load data, backed it off 20% (8.6gr @ 1.130" for a 115gr GDHP is their max) and made 10 sets of 5 rounds, ranging from 6.8 gr to 8.1gr

The load with the most flash was found to be 7.7 grains of Blue Dot at 1.135". The video description explains the last 5 rounds are this load. Running it all the way out to 8.1gr obviously increased the recoil, but seemed to diminish the flash. I assume the pressure was beginning to increase, and causing a more efficient burn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDBduQSqn84 - 7.7gr was found to be the best load, and the one I will move forward with. It is the last 5 shots in the string.

I don't believe I am seeing pressure signs. These are the cases I recovered:

Sets 1-5. The sets are ordered in rows, with 6.8 being at the very top, 7.0 being below it. For ref, (6.8, 7.0, 7.2, 7.4, 7.6)gr
56k warning: http://i.imgur.com/MV9Zk.jpg

Sets 6-10. The sets are ordered in rows, with 7.7gr having two recovered cases, and 7.8gr just below that. For ref, (7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1)gr
56k warning: http://i.imgur.com/N6vxs.jpg

 

[9mm thom]

I came up with 6g Blue dot with a 115g and a 135g for starting and up to 8g for both. I have been using 5.8 a 5mm lee powder Measure.
I like it so far didn't think it was too flashy but I am new to loading

 

[1SOW]

MrOldLude have you chrono'd those loads?
Pressure isn't your only concern.
Blue Dot can take those Berry's 115gr well above their max safe speed of 1200 FPS. Bad things might happen in your gun bbl if you do.
See the warning on the Berry's sight for confirmation.

Berry's does make a .356" 115gr & 124gr HBRN-TP (Thick Plated) bullet that is rated at 1500 fps.

 

[Slamfire]

I tried Blue Dot in the 9mm and decided it was a poor choice. The extreme spreads were in the hundred's of feet per second for "standard velocity" loads. Those velocity variences are due to pressure variances and I don't want pressures all over the map.

I did not watch your video, but if you want fireballs, then lots grains of unburnt Blue Dot coming out of the muzzle is the way to go.

 

[1KPerDay]

IME Herter's Brass in the black box is the flashiest 9mm I've tried.

 

[mdi]

OK, I'll be the one to ask; why do you want a lot of muzzle flash?

 

[Lj1941]

Why

:banghead:Why do you want a big fireball times 2? I at one time tried some Blue Dot loads that were 115 grain FMJ loaded well under max.My son and I were trying out his new chrono and from the 1st shot I knew something was amiss.Heavy recoil and heavy flash told me not to fire any more.Upon checking the chrono -it read 1250+ FPS.This was very close to a 38 Super+P load in my 9. I pulled all of the remaining loads and there was not a mistake. They contained 8.2 Grains of Blue Dot.The max was listed as 8.5 for this combo.I consider myself fortunate that there was not a KABOOM. This reenforced the rule in my brain to start low and work up in small incriments!

 

[clone]

Barring the plated bullets and being fired from a pistol barrel, Blue Dot can push a 115gr FMJ pill upwards of 1800fps in a carbine barrel.

 

[gamestalker]

Trying to read AL pistol brass for pressure signs is almost impossible. You'll be seeing is split cases before any other signs present. Even an inexpensive chrony will do more for you in gauging pressures than relying on reading cases or trying to read recoil. A recent example, my son made an error with some Longshot 9mm loads in which he accidentally used data for a lighter bullet (115 gr.), when in fact he was working with 147's. The primers looked completely normal, however the cases were all split halfway down from the mouth.

If it were me, I would drop the Blue Dot for your 9's and go with something like Longshot or one of the other much better suited powders for your high performance / velocity likings. And I'm not knocking your desire for high end reloading, I love upper end loads myself, "I like it a lot".

GS

 

[HOWARD J]

I do 7.7 gr blue dot on 115gr bullet
The kids & grandkids like it so I keep loading it

 

[4895]

I like bluedot in 9mm but have moved on to PowerPistol. If you want a flashy powder, Power Pistol will make it happen. I think PP meters better as well.

 

[Lj1941]

Power Pistol

I dropped Blue Dot after my experience in my earlier post.I have used Power Pistol with 115 XTPs without all of the drama.My load had been under max and they shoot good.I have heard that PP delivers the good performance at lower pressures. Blue Dot has a reputation for getting high pressures without any warning.Read the warning about 125 Grain 357 loads and how they no longer recommend it for that weight bullet in 38/357 Mag loads.And Power Pistol will give the flash if you just have to have it!