Blue Dot and .38 Special

[txgp17]

Ok, I know this is an old thread, but here's my BlueDot/38 story.

My reloading stuff has been in storage since 2009 when I moved in with my wife and I'm just now getting it out and inventorying the goodies. Came across my stash of 38/bluedot reloads and wanted to share.....

I'd loaded some up with 125-grain JHP's and standard primers. Was shooting a S&W J-frame at the range. One of the shots just didn't sound right. So I stopped and examined the gun and found a bullet stuck in the barrel.

YIKES. Glad I caught it. I switched to HS-7 for the next batch.

I still have the loaded rounds. I've seated the bullets as deep as I can in the case in an attempt to increase the chamber pressure.

It seems to work much better in 357 magnum loads.

 

[rc]

40S&W, 10mm, 9mm, 38 Super, 357Mag, 327 Federal, 32 Mag +P, 44 mag, hot 45 colt all are good applications for blue dot. 38 Special is not but if you have a strong revolver it may work with +P level loads. Some use it for hot 45ACP. The best applications will be close to 35,000psi, not 15000 like many 38 special loads.

 

[BJung]

Blue Dot has a burn rate close to AA7 and both are too slow for .38 Special. AA2 and AA5 are better choices. I bought and use Blue Dot because of positive reports using it for the .357 and .40 S&W. I've found that 10.5 and 11.5gr BD shoots 158gr GD Speers very well.

 

[Nick_C_S]

Blue Dot has a burn rate close to AA7

Uhh, yes. I bet Blue Dot is a little slower .

and both are too slow for .38 Special.

Yes. I suppose AA7 might come into play if you were loading to max pressure with 158's - Maybe. But I wouldn't bother trying. Actually, I haven't bothered trying. I have all the components; and I load/shoot more 38 Special than any other. The thought of doing so has crossed my mind only for the briefest of moments; it would be pointless.

And Blue Dot would be more pointless (because I believe it is even slower than AA7).

After spending decades at ranges, years at competitions, and here in TFL, it is rather clear to me that many fellow loaders tend to craft 38 Special ammo with propellants that are just too slow for the application. (Save for those who are actually loading their 38 Special cases up to or near 357 Mag pressures - which is something I choose not to do.)

Even my +P 125 HP's get loaded with AA2. I'm getting 934 f/s through a 4" bbl. Using 42% more charge of AA5, I get 967 f/s - only 33 more f/s and 7% more kinetic energy - with far more blast and recoil (relative to 38 Special). I'm not saying the AA5 loading isn't practical; but it yields far less bang for the buck, so to speak. The AA2 loading is an awesome tight shooter - handles great.

Moving into higher bullet weights, intermediate burning propellants become more practical. My "defense emulation" loading uses Speer's 135 GDHP SB bullet; and I load it with BE-86. (BE-86 is definitely faster than AA7 or BD.)

I choose not to load 158's for +P. The bullet is just too heavy for 38 Special (IMO). Of course, 158 Lead SWC's for target shooting and that sorta thing is a horse of a different color. That's not a +P application and a fast propellant would be in order there.

 

[lugerstew]

CAUTION: The following post (or a page linked to) includes loading data not covered by currently published sources of tested data for this cartridge (QuickLOAD or Gordon's Reloading Tool data is not professionally tested). USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assumes any liability for any damage or injury resulting from the use of this information.

I've been loading 8.0 grains blue dot for 38 special with hardcast and SNS SWC 158 grain bullets, they seem to shoot ok in my Ruger GP100 357 magnum, I also always use a magnum primer with it, I have no idea what the pressure is, but I'm sure its over a bit for 38 special, I get about 1100 fps and 1-inch groups at 10 yds and the sd for 6 rounds was 42, which isn't very good. But you all are right, its not the best combo, there are many other better powders, plus this is a bit dirty.

 

[74A95]

On Hodgdon's burn rate chart, Blue Dot is #52. Accurate #7 is # 53.

On Western Powders' burn rate chart, Blue Dot and Accurate #7 are on the same line.

 

[rc]

From a 357 revolver one can get away with much higher pressures from 38 brass. The problem is it can be a safety hazard if it ever gets into a weak 38.

 

[Unclenick]

I'd loaded some up with 125-grain JHP's and standard primers. Was shooting a S&W J-frame at the range. One of the shots just didn't sound right. So I stopped and examined the gun and found a bullet stuck in the barrel…

…I still have the loaded rounds. I've seated the bullets as deep as I can in the case in an attempt to increase the chamber pressure.

Welcome to the forum. You can introduce yourself here.

Interesting about the stuck bullet. Alliant has, for some time now, had a warning not to use Blue Dot in 357 Magnum with 125-grain bullets. They offer no explanation and won't give you one when asked directly (as I did at an NRA annual meeting). Perhaps you have hit on why.

In your shoes, even though the cases are 38 Special, given the Alliant warning for 357, I would take a kinetic bullet puller to the remaining rounds. Afterward, you remove the decapping pin from your sizing die and resize and re-flare the case to accept a new charge and bullet and just move on from there.