hodgdon equivalent for blue dot?

[fredj338]

I think longshot is probably closest to blue dot in performance. This is based on my use in 357sig & 10mm. The charge wts are vastly diff but that is more about the powder type than burn rate. Hs7, you bet, but it's been discontinued for awhile. LS was its replacement.

[bigjake]

how much blue dot in your .223's? bolt gun or AR?



QUOTE=quickshot;3063840]Hey all. I am getting down to the last of my blue dot. Alliant powder seems to be as easy to get ahold of as hens teeth. Everyone I have talked to says that Hogdgon powders are way easier for them to get ahold of. I was wondering if anyone had any idea if there is another alternative to blue dot. I use it pretty much in my .357 mag loads. I also use it in reduced loads in .223 and .308 due to the economy of it and that it is so versatile in .223. The .357 mag and .223 loads are the ones I really care about. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]

[floydboy]

I have been having very good results with Lil Gun in my 357 Mag. I have a S&W Mod 27 and I'm using a Lyman 358429 boolit. I had to trim the cases to 1.24" to get the case to crimp in the crimp groove and still fit in the cylinder. I tried just crimping on the top drive band and suspected I was having the boolit shoved down in the case due to recoil. I started with 14 grs and worked up to 15.5 with no pressure signs. 15.5 was more noise and recoil than I wanted or needed. I've read 17 grs is a good load. 15grs was very accurate and had plenty of punch for me.

Floyd

[MtGun44]

As previously stated, HS7/W571 is very close to Blue Dot, but is now
no longer sold. AA7 is similar and Ramshot Silhouette is a bit faster.

Bill

[RickinTN]

I have had very good luck in the 223 with 55 grain jacketed bullets and IMR4227. Low report, very good accuracy, and fun to shoot. Most manuals I think publish IMR4227 loads for .222 but not .223. I have a 1990 version of the free IMR powder booklet and they show IMR4227 for most rifle cartridges as well as SR4759. I load 15.5 grains IMR4227 with the 55 jacketed in 223 rifle but the IMR manual shows 17 grains as being a maximum load. I'm thinking IMR4227 should work pretty well in your .357 magnum loads and data should be easy enough to find.
Good Luck,
Rick

[fcvan]

I run IMR 4227 in my Mini 14 and AR with full cycling, ejection, and bolt lock-back on empty. I cast the Lyman 225-415, gas checks have been either Hornady or home punched from a CheckMaker, and either lubed or PC'd. I'm using load data from the Lyman #44 and 49, both which list 14 grains as a top load for approx. 2250 fps. Next time out I will run them over the chronograph to see how they are really flying with PC.

I have used 4227 in 30 carbine, 300 blk, 30-06, .308, and a 45 Colt single shot rifle. I love the stuff and buy it in 8lb jugs, mostly for the 30 Carbine, 300 blk and .308 rifles. I only tried it in 45 Colt because I was tinkering, Unique is my general go-to powder for handguns.

I used to shoot Blue Dot in .357 many years ago using 125 grain bullets. A couple of years ago, I spoke to the factory reps at the NRA annual meetings. They don't recommend Blue Dot in .357 any more because the current formula developes weird spikes with the 125 bullet. That was enough for me to give up on Blue Dot entirely.

[quickshot]

I use anywhere between 9-13gr blue dot with a 55gr pill in lc brass in my bolt gun. It all depends on what I'm doing. Don't own an AR nor do I really have any interest in getting one. In my .308 I use 19.5 gr under a lee c309-150 checked. still tweaking that one. gives me around 1.5" @50.