9MM Luger and Blue Dot

[BoltLover]

I have some questions about recoil problems and unburned powder using blue dot in 9MM . I am shooting a load found in my lyman 49th edition. 7.0 grains of blue dot with a hornady xtp 90 grain bullet. After firing 3 rounds through my ruger 4" barrel I started noticing powder on my hands well blue dots lol, Then on the next fired round it seemed as though i didnt have enough recoil to fully eject the shell. Would a magnum primer help my situation or should I load closer to a maximum load. No pressure problems are present and the shots are very accurate at 25 yards. I should also mention that I can fire cheap federal target rounds through this gun by the hundreds with no problems.

 

[Blue68f100]

You need to run at heavier load. With a light bullet you need to push them harder to get the same energy. You will find that most powders do not burn clean till you get above mid range. Load 5-10 bullets 0.1-0.2gr steps toward max. Checking for over pressure signs as you go. I find that most auto not work well at the low end.

 

[BoltLover]

I loaded up 5 rounds with 7.2 grains and had the same results ..so i loaded 5 with 7.5 grains and cha ching..same accuracy and the gun cycled flawlessly..thanks for your help! This is the first 20 loads i have tried for a auto so i dont feel too awful bad .

 

[bluetopper]

Regardless if you found some data somewhere for Blue Dot in 9mm, it's too slow burning of a powder for the cartridge. The case is simply too small for enough Blue Dot to burn efficiently.

 

[Kp321]

I use Blue Dot with 147 gr bullets in 9mm. Lighter bullets run better with faster powders, Unique is great, if you can find any.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I loaded up 5 rounds with 7.2 grains and had the same results ..so i loaded 5 with 7.5 grains and cha ching..same accuracy and the gun cycled flawlessly..thanks for your help! This is the first 20 loads i have tried for a auto so i dont feel too awful bad .

Wow that was fast! Test range in the back yard?

 

[BoltLover]

As a matter of fact

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

As a matter of fact

lol

 

[DanTheFarmer]

BoltLover,

Try shooting your 9mm Blue Dot loads at your backyard range in the evening. Blue Dot is reputed to produce a good sized fireball. Could be fun! As always, stay safe.

Dan

 

[SlowFuse]

I'd save the blue dot for heavier projectiles. I'm currently using the 7.0 grains you mentioned but with 130 grain cast.

Glad you found something that works though. A lot of people don't care that much for this powder in the 9mm. I have found a few good loads with it using cast and fmj's but they all use heaver than 124 gr projectiles.

 

[Boho]

Boltlover
I worked up 9mm light bullet loads with 700X. It worked well and seems to be available lately. It pressures up quickly, so work up in small increments and look for pressure signs if you try it. The hogdon sight has much lower load data than sierra so check that out if you get some. I've got it if you need it. Blue dots on your hands! That's classic!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yeah, Blue Dot and a 90gr bullet in the 9mm is overkill IMO.

Where did you get that load of 7.0gr Blue Dot under a 90gr bullet? Alliant lists a powder charge range for a 124gr bullet @ 7.1gr to 7.9gr and with a 110gr bullet the charge range is 7.7gr to 8.5gr.

I would GUESS the Max with a 90gr bullet would be 9.0gr or more and a starting charge weight of just over 8gr so even 7.5gr is way low. (No, I'm not telling you to guess the charge weights, I'm only making a point)

Since Alliant does supply load data for a 110gr bullet you can safely use that data with a lighter bullet so you have somewhere to safely start. I'm betting a charge of ~8.5gr would make a great range load for sure...

 

[bob4]

I can attest to the fireball with this load with 115 lead. I did 2 last night, last minute just getting dark out. There was so much flame I thought something went wrong.

 

[BoltLover]

Got the load data out of the lyman 49th. I just needed to find something to get rid of the 90gr bullets now I can load up the 115 and 147 grain bullets from here on.

 

[wally]

Blue Dot is reputed to produce a good sized fireball. Could be fun!

Oh yeah! That is why I use Blue Dot in .44Mag .357Mag, 10mm & .38Super, Its the way to go when you want everyone to know you are shooting more than a .38Special, 9mm .40S&W or .45ACP

For every other pistol I use Unique.

 

[loose noose]

The Lyman 49th Edition states 7.0-8.9 of blue dot for a 90grn. jhp. Don't have any Blue Dot but doubt I would use it if I did in such a light bullet.

 

[rg1]

I wouldn't use Blue Dot in any loads for 9MM if I had any other choices of better powder for 9MM. It's way too slow and dirty and you'll have unburnt powder all over your shooting bench, balls of fire out the barrel, and most likely wide variations in velocity spreads. Only thing Blue Dot is useful for in my loading is some magnum shotgun shell loading.

 

[BoltLover]

Ok so i was able to score a pound of unique today at my LGS so im gonna load some up next week when I'm not working ..I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[gamestalker]

I like BD for 9mm, but I prefer to use it with heavier bullets. It's about the same story with Longshot, needs more powder to produce a consistent and efficient burn.

GS

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Unless Blue Dot is all you have, save it for something more appropriate than 9x19, especially with light bullets.

I shoot 124 JHPs in 9x19, having gotten several 5K cartons of them from Montana Gold like a dozen years ago. I found the Steven Camp load, reduced .1 Gr shoots great in my BHP and CZ75 with those bullets, just like the XTP. (Interestingly, the barrels have the same twist rate).

The Steven Camp load was pretty much legendary on the internet, but is considered hot by some loading manuals. I'm not a believer in 'Pet Loads' (but have the complete series), but this load shot great for me, especially in these two pistols, with very similar barrels, and Camp specifically a BHP fan. Work up. The original load is:

124 gr Hornady XTP/6.0 gr Unique/Federal SP Primer/FC or WW cases, OAL ~ 1.11".

Unique is underrated. I'd pick Power Pistol as a second choice for 9x19, but never got the outstanding accuracy I got with the Steve Camp load variant.

 

[7mmb]

I just checked my Lyman 49th and your 7.0gr load is the starting load, the bare minimum. If you want a more complete burn and better cycling you will need to keep working UP. Don't STOP with the START load. It's called START for a reason. The same reason they call it working UP a load. If you try just the starting load with Unique you will get the same results, poor combustion and poor cycling. Never in all my years of reloading have I found the published starting load to be optimum with any powder/bullet combination. Keep working up to the max load and I'm sure you will find a good, reliable, clean burning, accurate load. Just don't go over the max. It really is a STOP load and best results are almost always to be found before it anyway.