Question about Blue Dot

[FullEffect1911]

I've loaded a lot with unique, but this is the first time i am using Blue Dot.

This may be a silly question, but I need to make sure from those who know.

Blue Dot looks very similar to Unique. Is this powder supposed to look so similar?

Only reason i ask is cause i never saw two powders that looked so alike and i wanted to make sure alliant didn't mess something up. I figured it's better to find out first before i blow up a gun.

thanks in advance.
FE1911

 

[jjohnson]

Look Closely.....

Okay, I just dumped some Blue Dot out into my hand to make sure one of us isn't experiencing optical illusions. Blue Dot is called "blue dot" becaue it has blue dot (colored flakes) in it. Not all of them, mind you, because most of the flakes do in fact look like Unique, but if there's NOT a bunch of blue flakes in there (I didn't count them, it's one in a hundred or something, not the majority) then STOP what you're doing. NOW.

My guess is that the blue colored dots are in there BECAUSE the flakes of Red Dot, Blue Dot, and Green Dot really do look a lot like other similar powders (like Unique) to the point that they're really hard to identify otherwise. Another guess is that they're made on entirely the same equipment with the same stuff (mostly) hence their visual similarity... with the difference on their end being actual formula and on your end being different pressures/burn rates.

So.... double check the stuff that you think is Blue Dot. If there aren't blue dots in it, don't load it without checking further. Call the manufacturer if you have to. Okay?

Oh, yeah - it's not a silly question. Most mistakes in reloading aren't comical at all. Been there. Always ask if you're not sure. Powder is cheap, fingers and vision aren't.

 

[FullEffect1911]

thanks for the reply, i was holding off shooting the stuff cause i wanted to make sure. I figured it was okay but better safe then sorry. I'll check it out.

Thanks again.

FE1911

Note: I just checked it out and noticed definate blue flakes in there. Thanks again for the post, now i can go shoot my new .44 mag thompson

 

[jjohnson]

No Sweat!

Jeez, thanks for the response on your end, too. I was worrying about you

Yeah, as handloaders we probably already are taking chances... no point in pushing your luck. Loading mishaps can be way ugly. You did the right thing in asking. Ya just never know. Go have fun with your boomer!

 

[joneb]

I keep my powder in a cabinet, the only powder jug thats on bench is the one I'm useing, when I switch powder the previous goes back in the cabinet !
Unique and Blue Dot appear the same except for the blue dots.

 

[Vitamin G]

Wow! If i had known that, I'd have switched to Unique a long time ago. Bluedot meters so much better in my measure and doesn't even have the tiniest leaker. In ya'lls opinion, does it burn cleaner than bullseye?

(sorry for the hijack! )

 

[redneck2]

IMO, Unique needs to be pushed hard or it burns dirty.....as in, it looks like BP going off. I used Unique in 45 acp and 45 Colt. I gave away about 2/3rds of a pound that was left rather than put up with the mess. Bullseye is cleaner but is less forgiving since it's a faster powder.

FWIW, I use a Dillon 550 with Accurate 5 with excellent results. Accurate is a ball powder that meters extremely well and very precisely. If you want a flake powder, you might try Universal Clays. It's pretty similar to Unique but cleaner.

I use Blue Dot for heavy loads for 10mm. Works well. I push it hard.

YMMV.

 

[Doug b]

I like blue dot in .357 mag. with a cast bullet.Don't know about the cleaner part but it sure smells good.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I use 9 grains of Blue Dot behind a 180 gr FMJ in my 10mm. It burns very clean.

 

[FullEffect1911]

unique doesn't seem to meter well out of a lee perfect powder measure. However it throws wonderfully out of the RCBS uniflo. I personally love unique, great powder for a variety of applications (I like blue dot too). It isn't as dirty as i expected from hearing people talk, just takes a little bit more to clean up.

 

[xring44]

I use Bluedot in my .357s, 11.0 grains behind a 158 grain Hornady XTP, excelent accuracy, good velocity, and although not as clean as some powders, much cleaner than Bullseye.

 

[jjohnson]

Yeah, it's WAY Cleaner

Well, my original response in this thread had to do with safety, but come on, the dot powders all have dots so you can tell which one you're playing with 'cause they all look like Unique otherwise... and have wildly different burning rates. Point was made, though, jeez, Unique IS DIRTY unless it's pushed hard. When I started releading many eons ago, I figured, "cool, less powder, better case life..." never thinking a day's worth of shooting reloads would cause so much crap buildup! Ugh. The medium to stout loads with other powders, Blue Dot being one of them, burn much cleaner. I still use Unique, but am mindful of the lighter loads and the crud they leave behind.

 

[redneck2]

I use 9 grains of Blue Dot behind a 180 gr FMJ in my 10mm. It burns very clean.

I use more than this in my G20 with zero case bulge using Speer GD's, Starline cases, WW primers. Blue Dot appears to be the close to perfect powder for max loads in a 10mm, so I suspect it would be exceptional in .44 mag, .357, etc. Why Unique is dirty and Blue Dot is not is a mystery, but that's my experience.

If I were going to load and had the choice of AA5 or Universal Clays at $20 per pound or Unique for free, I'd take the AA5 or UC.

YMMV.

 

[tc300mag1]

the newer version of unique only 2 years old or so is no where near as dirty as it sued to be

ive switched back to it after about 6 years away from it