Blue Dot in 9mm?
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loadedround
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Blue Dot is an excellent powder for heavy loads in the 9mm using jacketed bullets. From my experience however, it's best to start low and work up slowly with this powder, since it has a tendency to show pressure spikes quickly. 
fecmech
Member
It is also an excellent bullet with cast loads in the 9MM. Max velocities with good accuracy with lead bullets. The only powder I found better in the 9 was Hogdon Longshot, it to would reach max velocity in given bullet wts with better accuracy than BD.
FROGO207
Member
I got a deal on the big jug of Blue Dot. As it was what I had I tried on 115 and 124 lead bullets. It was the best powder choice so far. I like it but with reduced loads it will burn dirty.
I don't like Blue Dot in the 9mm. Extreme spreads were way too high.
I chronographed three strings of Blue Dot in my P5. Blue Dot functioned the pistol but just look at the extreme spreads.
I load my ammo on a Dillion 550 B. The spreads are not due to the reloading press.
I since then loaded four thousand 9mm rounds with Bullseye. Hopefully I will be able to test W231 tomorrow and see how it does.
I chronographed three strings of Blue Dot in my P5. Blue Dot functioned the pistol but just look at the extreme spreads.
I load my ammo on a Dillion 550 B. The spreads are not due to the reloading press.
I since then loaded four thousand 9mm rounds with Bullseye. Hopefully I will be able to test W231 tomorrow and see how it does.
Code:
Walther P5
125 grs Valiant LRN 0.356" 6.0 grs Blue Dot mixed cases CCI 500 OAL 1.10"
14 Oct 2008 T = 75 °F
Ave Vel = 814 685 811.9
Std Dev = 112 143.4 152
ES = 309.4 544 549
High = 953.9 957 1034
Low = 644.5 412 484.8
N = 20 29 38fecmech
Member
I believe the reason for your high extream spreads is the load, it's way too low pressure wise for BD. If you only want to run at 800-900fps than the faster powders such as Bullseye,231, tight group etc are better choices. If you want to run at 1100-1200 fps, that's where Blue Dot and Long Shot shine and extream spreads come down. Bump that load up to 7-7.5 grs and you will see the es come down quite a bit.
Redneck with a 40
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I've been using 9 grains of Blue Dot behind my 165 grain .40 S&W loads, with excellent results, they push 1100 fps and are accurate. They've also got a pleasing "thump" to them.
I was never able to hit that happy pressure point. I also tested Blue Dot in my David Sams Bullseye pistol.
http://www.samscustomgunworksusa.com/beretta92customwork.html
Sure I got the ES’s to drop by increasing the powder charge. However, velocities were too high, recoil was too severe, and this was the first time I ever had a load that was so severe that the slide went into battery, then bounced out, before finally closing.
This morning I just shot my Bullseye 9mm with 125 LRN with 4.0 grs Bullseye and 4.1 grains W231. I am impressed with the W231 load, and am going to bump it up to 4.2 grains. The bullseye load was consistant as usual.
I am still going through my ammo can of 6.0 Blue dot loads, and the velocities were still all over the place.
There are better 9mm powders.
Code:
[SIZE="4"]M92 FS Beretta Bar Sto Barrel
125 LRN.356' 6.5 grs Blue Dot S&W cases WSP
9-Apr-06 T = 59 °F
Ave Vel =1148
Std Dev =30.87
ES = 140.6
High =1226
Low = 1085
N = 33
v.accurate slight leading at muzzle
125 LRN.356" 7.5 grs Blue Dot S&W cases WSP OAL 1.110"
27-Mar-06 T = 60 °F
Ave Vel =1326
Std Dev =29.81
ES = 105.2
High =1383
Low = 1278
N =27
Too much recoil! leading at end of barrel
125 LRN .356" 8.0 grs Blue Dot S&W cases WSP OAL 1.110"
27-Mar-06 T = 60 °F
Ave Vel =1414
Std Dev =14.42
ES = 42.1
High =1434
Low = 1392
N = 8
Way too much recoil! Violent operation!. Double pumping of slide!! [/SIZE]fecmech
Member
Actually you found it!
Like I said, it works at the upper end, you just need a heavier recoil spring if you want to use that load. Blue dot is not a target velocity powder in any pistol caliber that I know of. It does give good accuracy at high velocity when properly sized (.001-.002 over groove dia) and used with a good lube.
Thank you for your advice, but I am not going to increase the powder charge to levels that I determined were excessive in my pistols.
Even though the Hercules manual goes to 8.2 grs Blue Dot with a 125 L, in my Bar Sto barrel, the velocities were at least 200 fps faster and the recoil was excessive with 8.0 grains. I also decided that 7.5 grains was too hot.
If you have a chronograph, go out and test your recommended loads and add the data here. If your data, or anyone's, is significantally different from mine, then maybe something is off with my powder lot.
fecmech
Member
Actually I already have data on BD for 122 gr cast Lee TC and all are 10 shot strings. Accuracy at 25 yds with the Khar was 3-3.5" groups and the Browning hp averaged 2-2.5" groups. Both guns are box stock. I completely understand your not wanting to pound your gun and I respect that. All I was doing was pointing out that Blue Dot was a very usable cast bullet 9MM powder at the upper velocity levels and your data( at 8.0 grs) showed that as does mine. As I said before it is not a powder for mid range target loads.
Just as an aside the Alliant max load of BD is less than 30K psi.
7.5 BD/fed case and prime
Hi 1212
low 1143
ES 69
sd 19
avg 1183fps--Khar 3.5" BBl
avg 1321fps--Browning HP 4 5/8" bbl
Same load/ WW prime/ fed case
Hi 1171
lo 1078
es 93
sd 24
avg 1135fps Khar 3.5" bbl
avg 1266fps Browning HP
Just as an aside the Alliant max load of BD is less than 30K psi.
7.5 BD/fed case and prime
Hi 1212
low 1143
ES 69
sd 19
avg 1183fps--Khar 3.5" BBl
avg 1321fps--Browning HP 4 5/8" bbl
Same load/ WW prime/ fed case
Hi 1171
lo 1078
es 93
sd 24
avg 1135fps Khar 3.5" bbl
avg 1266fps Browning HP
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