Alliant Blue Dot load data for 357 mag.

A

alanshaffer2000

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Does anyone have Alliant Blue Dot load data for 158 gr copper plated LSWC bullet. Loading 357 mag. for Ruger GP100 6”. Please quote source if possible. Your help is very much appreciated.

Thank you.
 
If it were me, I'd go to my Speer #14 manual and look at their 158 jacketed bullet info.

For Blue Dot, it runs from 9.0 to 10.2 grains. I'd start with the 9.0.

I'm not a fan of the bullet/powder combo to start with. But if I were in this position that's how I'd play it. For whatever it's worth.
 
Blue dot just didn't do it for me.
Click to expand...

It's a tough powder to find a good load with. Since it's been around at least as long as I've been loading (30 years), I can only assume that it's a great shotgun powder. (I don't load for shottys)

I banished it from my inventory a couple decades ago.

It won't run clean and right until you start getting to near-compressed loads. And at that point, the OP is probably going to run into plating disintegration. I can only assume it's what the OP has available. May just have to deal with the soot and unburnt flakes. That is, until he finds some Unique ;)
 
Funny how much that has changed. Speer #11 says 11.0-13.0. Alliant website says 10.2 max. I'm a Blue Dot fan, but never used it in .357 loads. With the mysterious new warnings about not using it with lighter bullets in .357, I'd definitely stick with newer data. I bought a 5 lb canister last time because it cost the same as four 1lb canisters.
 
I prefer other powders for .357mag. like 2400, AA#7 and AA#9, H 110 and VV n110. I do like Blue Dot for 44spl and 44 mag. with jacketed bullets.
 
With a standard lead 158g SWC, I liked 8.5g Blue Dot under it using a standard CCI-500 primer. I got 1162 fps. My load table has it marked as 'very accurate'. YMMV of course. Couldn't tell how 'clean' it was as this was quite awhile back when I ran the tests.
 
My 158 LSWC is 8.2g HS-6 (CCI 550). 1081 fps 3" bbl; 1119 fps 4" bbl.

Also: 6.8g Unique (CCI 500). 1086 fps 3" bbl; 1164 fps 4" bbl.

Both are a little "leadish." But I don't shoot tons of them at a time.
 
Thanks all. I will start out at 8 gr and work up from there. Here in Los Angeles, you buy what you can get and then work around it. For the longest time I was able to get IMR 4227 and learned to live with it. Now, IMR is nowhere in sight, but I was able to pick-up 5 lb of Blue Dot.

One more question...magnum primer with Blue Dot...yes or no?
 
This load is for my rifle. But I have been loading 8.7 grains under a 158 hard cast. Getting about 1600 with no leading. I called alliant and ran the load past a tech, and he advised is was within the limits of the manual he looked in, but I don't recall which manual he told me he used.
 
Yes this is an old post, but...

... It allows me to make a point. I almost never use the powder of choice when reloading. Right now I am using Blue Dot... not because I want to, it was my 3rd or fourth choice but It was available. I simply can't pay the shipping/Hazmat fees for mail order/internet orders. I recently found some Blue Dot at a local retailer on close out at $11 for a pound. He had had it for years and had never sold any.

I guess you could say I'm a cheapskate and a bottom feeder... but it works fine for me. I just nailed a wabbit that had been eating my greens. A .357, 158 gr. LRN, gas checked round, out of my Ruger 77, off hand at 46 yards. Not bad for a 72 year old geezer.
 
This may be posted somewhere, but in case not....

Blue Dot Warning

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/safety/safety_notices.aspx

Safety Notice

At Alliant Powder, we take safety seriously. That’s why we periodically test our products in different situations to be sure our use recommendations stay current. Check here for any safety notes or recall information. Stay safe and keep accurate.

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.
 
I started handloading in 1999. The hot loads experiments were peaking in May 2000, but I was still doing a lot of destructive experiments in May 2001, as seen below.

with 110 gr FMJ bullets and Blue Dot Powder:
7.8 gr is 38 Special
9.1 gr is 38 Special +P
16.0 gr is 357 mag
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
18.4 gr in Aluminum frame Colt Agent 38 special ...seemed ok
18.5 gr in Aluminum frame Colt Agent 38 special ...bent the frame

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With Kuhnhausen's excellent Colt double action books, I was recently able to get that revolver working again.
 
I've always loaded any plated bullets with lead bullet data. (I could find no reason to try for jacketed velocities, if so, I'd use jacketed bullets) I got good accuracy, as good as my nekkid lead bullets and never needed to push them above 1100 fps for any reason...

For SD or hunting, I'd choose another style bullet, jacketed HPs or LRNFPs...
 
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