Slow but Good (in some applications)
Well.... Good for
what, exactly?
Yes, it's a relatively slow burning powder, so if you're loading for your .38 snubnose, you will get lots of flash and relatively poor performance. If you're shooting something with a higher pressure load and maybe a longer barrel, it does get better. I wouldn't use it in "plinking" loads because it needs some time and pressure to do its thing properly. I've used it and
liked its performance in: 9mm+P 147-gr, higher end .357, higher end (and longer barrel) .40, and .44 Magnum. I have
NOT been happy with it for .38 target loads, 9mm or .40 plinking loads, or .44 Special in a revolver with 3" barrel.
It seems to be happy with higher pressures and, using QuickLoad, you can see that there's a huge difference between its performance in a 4" barrel versus a 10-inch T/C Contender or a Ruger revolver with a 7 1/2 inch tube. I found (by calculating with QuickLoad) a bunch of loads that weren't 95% burned before they got well past six inches of barrel. For that reason, when I reload in those calibers, I mark my loads: "Contender/Carbine." Blue Dot is one of a small handful of powders you might really like if you had a lever action carbine in a pistol cartridge (.357, .44 Mag, .45 Colt) because you
can keep pressures relatively low while it finishes burning in the longer barrel. Of course, if you use THOSE loads in your snubgun, you
will get an impressive
fireball.