You know you overloaded when . . .

...when you blow the heads clean off several cases. :eek:
(.357 Magnum, loaded in .38 Special cases with the bullets seated long, with max+ load of Blue Dot) That was maybe 20 years ago, when I was young and stupid. It was not easy getting them out of the cylinder because there was nothing to grab.
 
Blue Dot can show impressive numbers in the load manuals.

I can't say I can document or prove it,but IMO,the stuff is a little spooky.

Long ago I loaded some 38 Super with it. I quit using it.

Prof Young,if your cylinder is still good and safe...

And if you want a powder for heavy 44 Magnum loads,I use H-110,or Win 296.

They are essentially the same powder.Its not a flexible or versatile powder,its for max or near max loads only in the 44 Magnum.

IIRC,thee are H-110 applications for 32 H+R and 30 Carbine.
 
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I run a lot of .44 Mag. mostly with 11.0 gr. of Unique or 20.0 gr. of 2400 and Elmer's #429421 bullet. I used to run his 22.0 gr. 2400 load but that load was hard on an S&W 629 I only run the Unique load in that gun these days and on the occasions I run 2400 in the Ruger Super blackhawks, it's now that 20.0 gr. load. I'll still run the 22.0 gr. load in a Redhawk though but frankly, these days all the .44s seem to be getting the load with Unique. It's easier on the gun and me.

On Blue Dot, I never used the stuff. back when I had my first Super Blackhawk, which I still have BTW, I ran the 22.0 gr. 2400 load in it. never even considered Blue Dot.
Shortly after I moved to Arizona I read an article by the late Bob Milek where he had serious pressure problems during cold weather. Loads that were fine during the heat of summer were locking up his guns during the winter. I asked a company rep at the NRA convention about the problem and while he didn't deny there was a problem he said he was not at liberty to discuss the situation. I just figured it was a problem and never used that powder. FWIW, my shooting buddy tried it in his .44 and it worked great in the summer but come winter he ran into the same type pressure problems Mr. Milek had. He just used it up in summer time loads until it was all gone.
Paul B.
 
Blue Dot is a good powder for heavy loads in 12 ga shotgun.

The last loads I shot with it in the 44 Mag resulted in the worst ES I have ever gotten in ANYTHING I have ever loaded, resulting in really bad accuracy.

I have maybe 3/4 of a pound, but it has been gathering dust for the last several years.
 
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 assumes any liability for any damage or injury resulting from the use of this information.

Interesting, I'd never heard of a powder generating MORE pressure when it got cold, the opposite is the usual case.

I used Blue Dot in my .44AMP back in the late 80s. 16.5gr with a 240gr bullet. It was a decent "midrange" load didn't recoil badly and ran the gun for a full box of ammo. At the time I also tried 13gr of Unique, and at about 35-40 rnds the gun was dirty enough that the ammo no longer would reliably cycle. Just seemed to "run out of poop" so to speak.

I'm pretty sure these loads are above current published data, so I included the warning. Those loads should have been in the 1300fps range which is "mid-range" for the AMP in my book...:D
 
I shot IPSC Revolver for a while. My reduced spring Python requires Federal primers, so I wanted the slowest powder not calling for magnum primers for Major loads, which at the time was Blue Dot. It did OK for the spell that I chased that rabbit.
 
My reloading manual lists 2 sections for 45 colt, one says for "Ruger and TC only".
If that data were copied and they failed to pay attention to the "Ruger and TC only" warning, there can be "issues".
 
My reloading manual lists 2 sections for 45 colt, one says for "Ruger and TC only".
If that data were copied and they failed to pay attention to the "Ruger and TC only" warning, there can be "issues".
Click to expand...

The OP stated .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk, so if he's using .45 Colt data, whether RUger only or not, he's going to have ...issues...

:D
 
I've successfully used BD in 9mm, 40S&W, 10mm, 44Mag and 460S&W for over 5 years. Never had an issue, but winters in this part of the country are relatively mild. In fact my 10mm and 44Mag loads are extra spicy. As pointed out by 44 AMP, each firearm will perform and respond to various loads differently.

44 AMP said:
There are two basic things here, one is the possibility that while you THOUGHT you were following published (assumed safe) loads you actually didn't (wrong powder, wrong amount etc), if so that would be your mistake.

The other possibility is that you did do exactly what the load listed and that it is simply too hot for YOUR GUN and component combination.

We've said it over and over, reloading data are GUIDELINES, and while results are generally SIMILAR they are not necessarily identical, and what works in their test gun MIGHT not give you the same results in yours.
Click to expand...
 
You know you overloaded when . . .

You see that you loaded up a batch of ammo with a powder that just had a recall notice on it due to it being "Too Fast"
 
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