Ramshot True Blue

[revolverman357]

Has anyone had any experience with the Ramshot True Blue powder?
I shoot mainly 9MM, 38Spl and 357Magnum, the website recommends it for these calibers. Any favorable loads would be welcomed.

 

[ReloaderFred]

It has to be loaded near maximum, or it burns very, very dirty. I used it in some mid-range loads in .45 acp and it gummed up the pistol to the point of jamming it. Once I loaded it to maximum, it was much cleaner.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Walkalong]

It has to be loaded near maximum, or it burns very, very dirty

A little like HS-6.

It meters fantastically. It should work very well with the right load. I tried some in .45, but not at max and the results showed it. I have not played with it anymore yet.

 

[kart racer]

Go to the Brian Enos forum and check out some of the loads.H.Smith over there can help ya out.

 

[Dudley]

I have been using True Blue for both 9mm and 38 special. This week I was unable to pick up True Blue so I went to Trail Boss for the 38. But I will stay with True Blue for the 9mm. One thing I like is that I shot it in a 115gr FMJ out of a Ruger 94 and also a Taurus 24/7. After shooting a mag. full I can pick up all my cases in the same area. Unlike some other powders where the empties were everywhere. Some would be short, long, infront and behind. I am loading 115 gr. FMJ in Winchester cases, with CCI 500 primers @ 6.5 of True Blue. It groups like nothing I have used before. I find it very clean, but, I was using Bullseye which is really dirty. The long and short is that I just ordered 4 lbs. of True Blue so that I do not run out again. Dudley

 

[jfh]

True Blue produces the best and most consistent SDs and groups I have seen in 38 / 357.

I am in the middle of working up 38 / 357 loads in True Blue--and I am mightily impressed.

I first test-fired some 38 Special rounds this winter--e.g., not over the chrono--and found a 1.0-gr. wide "sweet spot"--shot tight, tight groups and to nominally the same POA in loads ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 gr. under a 158LSWC.

I've now run loads ranging from 5.2 gr. to 6.4 gr. in 38 Special, and from 6.6 gr. on up in 357--and the SDs remain all under 20--one, at 7.6 gr. in a 357 case, under a 158LSWC clocked 985 with an SD of 7.28 (ten shots) from my M60 / 3" barrel. Keep in mind that the Ramshot manual shows a max of 9.8 grains under a 158LSWC in a 357 case.

At 8.8 gr. in a 357 case, a sample chrono (five rounds) showed about 1070 fps from my 640 / 2" barrel with an SD of 18.6.

There can be some combustion issues with the lower-pressure loads, but it doesn't do badly at all. For example, after 150 rounds in the 640 yesterday--of which 100 were with TB and 50 were with 4756--I had less cylinder binding and grunge. Leading, BTW, with the Mastercastbullets.com 158LSWCs, was minimal.

I still have some more testing to do to validate these results--but I think it is amazing. Like Dudley, I bought four lbs--but my next order will be th eight pound jug.

Jim H.