Blue Dot; Hercules vs Alliant test

[Camba]

Blue Dot is one of my favorite powders. I use it for rifle and pistol loads and it performs well. I use it with jacketed bullets and cast as well and used magnum primers (because that was all I had (CCI-250 primers).
Camba

[pworley1]

Thanks for doing some great work and sharing it with us. I still hope you write the book.

[charlie b]

OK, last one and I'll leave it alone

This lists some low velocity loads for the .30-30 with Blue Dot that seems to show a nice linear curve for charge wt vs velocity. I am going to try these.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

If those Blue Dot loads work for the .30-30 then why not a low load for the .357? Yeah, I know, case capacity and volume ratios. Still seems strange how this one seems to work. I wonder (no, I won't try it) if you calculate a reduced load based on case capacity, ie, a 1cc case with 5gn and a 0.5cc case with 2.5gn? Would be interesting to compare pressure curves (and no, I won't put a strain gage on my Python ). And, yes, the expansion rates are different based on case volume vs bore volume.

Still seems weird that one weight bullet is causing the problem and others are not.

And, no, I will stay with published good data and stay away from the 125gn jacketed bullets and Blue Dot

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Old thread, but did you ever get a chance to do any cold weather testing? I also like the idea of publishing all your results in a book!

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot a few 17.5 gr under the RCBS Keith bullet down around 40 degrees with excellent performance. That's about as cold as I do anymore.

[Hillbillyhunter]

I realize this is an older thread, but thank you for your efforts testing the powders and posting the data. I stumbled upon some unopened hercules blue dot and found this post while looking for load data and to see if current Alliant Blue Dot data can be used. Much appreciated.

[Larry Gibson]

You're welcome, was my pleasure......