Pistol powder shopping

Buck13 · Oct 3, 2013

Called my LGS to see if they had any of the dozen or powders that I'm interested but don't have. They must have had a very recent visit from the Alliant Fairy: the only things on my list in stock were Red Dot, Blue Dot, Power Pistol, and 2400. I'm going to run over there in the morning before they sell it all!

I'm loading .32-20, .357, 10 mm and .44 Mag. I have an almost new bottle of Titegroup, which makes me think I don't really need the Red Dot, but I may buy it anyway, just because. (Also, I'm still shopping for a lever gun, and I may cave and get a .30-30 instead of a pistol cartridge, and Red Dot is supposed to be good for plinking ammo with lead bullets. How's that for stupid: buying a powder that might not be suitable for a rifle I don't own!) I'm low on Unique, and I have a couple of bullets with which Power Pistol has roughly comparable data. I think that is a solid "yes" since I don't really like the way Unique meters and PP is supposed to be a little better. 2400 is also a must-buy since everyone says it's so great in the .44 magnum.

So, that leaves Blue Dot. Is there any rational reason to add it to this collection? Is there any irrational reason? (I hear it's flashy, so that could be entertaining.

) About the best I can think of is that I just got a box of 180 grain 10 mm bullets, and if I load all of those I'll run out of AA#9 halfway through. I don't have data for Power Pistol with that weight bullet, but I do have it for Blue Dot and 2400. Blue Dot has an edge in velocity (not that the extra speed is needed) and would spare the 2400 for the revolvers.

Talk me into or out of Blue Dot! Or Red Dot.

Ex · Oct 3, 2013

I highly recommend LongShot for all the heavier slugs. In a tight chamber it is amazingly clean, gives wonderful velocity at much lower pressures and meters extremely well. Go look up the performance and pressures.

It's my very favorite powder for 10mm! I use it in .40 and .45acp too.

TfflHndn · Oct 3, 2013

I like Red Dot a lot, and it doesn't burn as hot as TiteGroup. I also like Blue Dot for heavier bullets as long as you are loading near the upper end of the load range, as it burns best and cleanest with higher pressures. I am also a fan of Power Pistol, which I find to be the flashiest of the three by far. If your LGS has Silhouette, try some and you won't be disappointed. But the Red and Blue Dots are available and very good powders so you won't go wrong there, either. I have several pounds of each.

Buck13 · Oct 4, 2013

They've never had Longshot when I've been there. I would certainly buy some if it were available. They don't stock any Ramshot powders, although they are a dealer for Accurate, which is under the same ownership now, I believe.

They didn't have in stock any of the Accurate or Hodgdon/IMR/Winchester powders I am interested in. What I listed in the OP was pretty much it for today.

James2 · Oct 4, 2013

For me the lack of data for Red Dot and Blue Dot would be a good reason to not get them. (my books not showing many loads) However, if powder is hard to get, I am sure they will work, and likely we can get data off the internet?

Another good reason to not get them: 2400, Power Pistol, and Unique has it covered in fine shape. Why add to the choices?

For a 30-30, a powder in the speed range of 3031 would be a better choice.

Cosmoline · Oct 4, 2013

You're right to grab the 2400

I've been playing around with Red Dot (also one of the last powders left here) but haven't had great success in the handguns. It's not designed for it and runs pretty hot so you have to use great care in developing loads.

zxcvbob · Oct 4, 2013

I bought 8 pounds of Promo about 5 or 6 years ago (it's basically cheap Red Dot) and it works great in everything as long as you are more interested in accuracy than muzzle velocity. I'm using quite a bit now in .38 Special target loads, 2.7 grains at a time.

I tried a pound of Blue Dot in .357 Magnum and .30 Carbine and never found a decent load with it. When I'd given up on it, I loaded some +P .45 Colts just to use up the last of it, and it was wonderful

I wish I had tried that one sooner. So BD should be good in .44 Magnum with lead bullets (and maybe jacketed), but you won't know until you try it. Stay towards the upper end of the load data, but don't overload it or it gets spiky.

ArchAngelCD · Oct 4, 2013

James2 said:
For a 30-30, a powder in the speed range of 3031 would be a better choice.

While IMR3031 was developed around the 30-30 I recently found a powder i like better than 3031, it's Hodgdon's fairly new Leverevolution. In the 30-30 LVR actually does deliver increased velocity with no loss of accuracy at all. If at all possible I'll be using LVR for the 30-30 from now on...

Don McDowell · Oct 4, 2013

Bludot will serve you better in the list of handgun cartridges you gave. It has became my favored powder for most of the handgun shooting I do , replacing a 40 year affair with unique.
2400 is a great choice for the 44 magnum and the 357 and decent in the 32 wcf.
Both powders will work well with cast bullets in the 30-30.

brutus51 · Oct 6, 2013

Universal clays is an excellent substitute for Unique, if you can find some.

Cycletroll · Oct 6, 2013

Problem with Bluedot is that with top loads it is fickle with respect to temperature. I've had loads that were fine on a 70 deg day that were much higher on a cold day!? Go figure.
I've quite using Bluedot as a mid burn rate powder. Much prefer Power Pistol, Longshot, and 800x. 800x meters like cornflakes but at top pressures gives impressive velocities with single digit standard deviation and burns very clean.

Pistol powder shopping

Buck13

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Ex

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TfflHndn

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Buck13

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James2

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Cosmoline

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zxcvbob

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Don McDowell

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