GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2003
- Messages
- 6,154
BlueDot at high pressure loadings becomes “spikey”. It has also undergone reformulation and current iteration is a bit faster burning and cleaner burning.
I’m not familiar with the issues of the .41mag, but I am familiar with the .357mag and 125gr issues.
Several large metro Georgia agencies were using that load in K-frame Smith’s for duty and training.
Duty loads were typically Speer Lawman, but training was with a local company well known for their high quality remanufactured ammunition. They in fact used BlueDot for their 125gr load as it minimized flash and was economical.
Alliant took over from Hercules and slightly changed the powder without telling anyone.
Results were that stuck cases, pierced primers, and busted (cracked forcing cones) started happening.
Alliant published revised data, but this was before the internet and information got out slowly. A LOT of older data proliferated.
A lot of guns got damaged, along with some people.
One agency in Metro sued the ammo producer and Smith&Wesson.
The results were the M686, and the warnings about BlueDot.
I like BlueDot a lot. I first used it in the .30/30 in the late “70’s. It was a better heavy load powder than Unique for cast, and produced equal accuracy at higher velocities at equal pressures, while being cleaner burning than the old #2400, and more economical.
It became a victim of its own popularity!
It’s still a great powder! In a sea of great powders... when they are actually available!
I’m not familiar with the issues of the .41mag, but I am familiar with the .357mag and 125gr issues.
Several large metro Georgia agencies were using that load in K-frame Smith’s for duty and training.
Duty loads were typically Speer Lawman, but training was with a local company well known for their high quality remanufactured ammunition. They in fact used BlueDot for their 125gr load as it minimized flash and was economical.
Alliant took over from Hercules and slightly changed the powder without telling anyone.
Results were that stuck cases, pierced primers, and busted (cracked forcing cones) started happening.
Alliant published revised data, but this was before the internet and information got out slowly. A LOT of older data proliferated.
A lot of guns got damaged, along with some people.
One agency in Metro sued the ammo producer and Smith&Wesson.
The results were the M686, and the warnings about BlueDot.
I like BlueDot a lot. I first used it in the .30/30 in the late “70’s. It was a better heavy load powder than Unique for cast, and produced equal accuracy at higher velocities at equal pressures, while being cleaner burning than the old #2400, and more economical.
It became a victim of its own popularity!
It’s still a great powder! In a sea of great powders... when they are actually available!