Blue Dot Safety Notice

[ReloaderFred]

This was posted on the Alliant website recently:

"Alliant Powder periodically reviews and tests their published reloading data to verify that our recommended recipes have not changed over time.

During the latest review Alliant Powder discovered that Alliant Powder's Blue Dot® should not be used in the following applications:

Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 357 Magnum load using the 125 grain projectile (Blue Dot® recipes with heavier bullet weights as specified in Alliant Powders Reloading Guide are acceptable for use).
Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 41 Magnum cartridge (all bullet weights).
Use of Blue Dot® in the above cases may cause a high pressure situation that could cause property damage and serious personal injury.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter."

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[sublimaze41]

Great, I have to check my stock for this load combination. I use to load this combination quite frequently due to the accuracy and nice flash/smoke cloud.

Although I like Blue Dot, I seldom use it anymore. There are powders that meter better in my 550b.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I just got this same warning from my FFL, and was about to post here.

So, does anyone know what the issue is, beyond the simple warning? It sounds permanent, not just one particular lot. I would have to say those two loadings wipe out a significant amount of usefulness.

 

[Floppy_D]

Dang, I really liked Blue Dot on the 125g 357.

 

[Steve C]

I wish Alliant would be more forthcoming with information regarding this change. I've loaded the 125gr bullet behind 13.8grs of Blue Dot for 20 years and never had a problem. All the current data on Alliants downloaded PDF information comes from Speer using Speer Gold Dot bullets and lead bullets.

 

[sargenv]

It's a good thing I still have a bit of stock of the pre-alliant Blue dot to load my hot 357's with

 

[The Tourist]

I had heard rumblings and urban legends about the old "Hercules Blue Dot" over twenty years ago. To be fair, there were also concerns on loads involving H-110 and 296.

I solved the problem by switching over to Alcan AL-8. Oh, I still have some Blue Dot, but listings for Blue Dot are almost identical as for AL-8, and it gives me a safe alternative.

In fact, I have several boxes of cast 429421 bullets over AL-8 ready to go right now.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Something sounds very fishy about a powder company telling the world not to use one of their powders for an entire caliber! There are many reloaders who use Blue Dot for only their .41 Magnum rounds. How can Blue Dot be unsafe for the .41 Magnum when Alliant's like has 2 powders with a slower burn rate in their line? I could see if it were the slowest powder in the shotgun/handgun line like 2400 but it's not. Steel is even between those 2 powders.

Something is very strange about this I just can't imagine what it is though.

This makes me glad I usually use Winchester and Hodgdon powders. At least HS-6 and Longshot can still be used. (Blue Dot is right between them with HS-6 being slightly faster and Longshot slightly slower) Both Longshot and HS-6 will work well in the .41 Magnum as a substitute for BD.

 

[Otto]

Ok then, I want my money back...

 

[71Commander]

I'll just stick it in my 3", 44 mag.

 

[SteelyNirvana]

So what does this exactly mean? how can something that was once safe be unsafe? I just fired twenty rounds of 13.0gr of Blue dot over a 125gr three weeks ago and they worked great. I agree something is fishy about this.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Blue Dot has always been regarded as a temperature sensitive powder and has been known to give higher pressures in hotter weather. It could be that they've taken the cautious approach and the loads they found that were the most likely to cause problems are the ones they've eliminated from their recommendations.

Of course, this is pure speculation on my part, so until someone actually talks to Alliant concerning this issue, we won't know for sure.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[CBS220]

The 110 and 125 with blue dot in .357 were my favorites!

Big boom, big fireball... I suppose its back to 2400.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

CBS220,
Give Longshot a try with those 2 loads and you won't be disappointed. Longshot is a very good substitute for Blue Dot IMO.

 

[grendelbane]

I always heard it the other way around, that Blue Dot would increase presssure when colder.

Didn't bother me too much, since when it is that cold, I am probably not shooting anyway.

I used to use Blue Dot in my .41 magnum loads, and never had any problems whatsoever, other than ridiculous levels of extreme accuracy.

 

[nhlivefree]

That is the only load that I like blue dot for. I shot about 20 round already no problem but they are loaded light. Loaded another 50 same way that i am going to shot today

 

[zxcvbob]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
I just found a good load to use up the rest of my Blue Dot powder (I've been using it in .357 Magnum and .30 Carbine and never found a load that I liked)

45 Colt +P load for Blackhawk, Contender, or modern rifle: 16.5 grains of Blue Dot, 250 or 255 grain cast bullet, Starline brass, and whatever brand of standard LP primer you like. I was using Wolf. According to Quickload, this is about a 23500 psi load, and a little over 1300 fps from a 7.5" barrel. Almost but not quite 1000 foot-pounds.

I didn't chronograph them, but the recoil was about as much as I could stand without flinching (much). Accuracy was good, and after shooting a whole box of 'em last night, the bore is pretty dirty but the leading is not that bad. I was using SWC bullets that I bought from mastercastbullets.com about a year ago. I cast most of my own .45 bullets, but thought mine might be too soft for this loading.

When I finish this pound of BD I'm switching to AA#7. It's less temperature sensitive, and I just like it better in .357 loads.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Odd. I use blue dot in 41 mag, and as grendelbane noted, accuracy is outstanding. In 41 mag specifically, I've found my best accuracy with blue dot. Beat out close to a dozen powders in that dept. This has held true in 3 different redhawks, and a marlin lever that I've worked with.

I think I'll keep loading the blue dot/41 mag loads I have used for years until I run out(in about 15 pounds). Then I'll work up loads with a different powder.

It's odd that it's still ok in 38+p, 357, 44, and warm 45 colt, but not 41 mag?