Ruger SRH Alaskan .454 Casull....Range Report---02-25-2012---BLUE DOT POWDER

[Southern Shooter]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just thought I would pass this on. I was only able to do a small sampling with Blue Dot because I was called into work before I could complete my planned loading session. I will load up some more before too long.

From a 2.58" barrel.

Lee 452-255-RF weighing at 262-264 grains

15.0 grains
FPS:
989
975
1007
1040
------
Ave- 1002 FPS
SD- 28.09

15.5 grains
FPS:
1032
1043
1033
1012
------
Ave- 1030 FPS
SD- 12.99

16.0 grains
FPS:
1128
1105
1085
1060
------
Ave- 1094 FPS
SD- 28.95

16.5 grains
FPS:
1086
1107
1124
1123
------
Ave- 1110 FPS
SD- 17.8

No leading at all. All easy to shoot. Will be upping the load in the next session.

Oddly enough, the tightest grouping was the 16 grain string with a SD of 28.95. I am going to include that load again in the next batch of shooting to see if that can be replicated.

By the way, the lube used on these bullets was the mix of Lee Liquid Alox and Penetrol.

Thanks

[avan47]

Your 15.5 gr load looks like the most uniform. Which load printed the smallest group size? I have used Blue Dot in 45 Colt Ruger BH. Got about 1000 fps with 14.5 gr under a 255 gr cast SWC out of a 4.625 in barrel. I have no experience loading 454 CM. I shot one once. Serious recoil, and difficult to shoot well with factory loads. What you are getting now seems to be a very mild load and easy to shoot. What is your goal with this combination? I had a hard time finding any load data for the 454 CM and Blue Dot. Only one of my reloading manuals, Sierra, had data for that powder. Where are you getting your data?

[Southern Shooter]

I just added to the orginal post that the smallest grouping was not the fastest or the lowest SD. I will be loading that again to see if I can do that again. It may have been a fluke.

These loads were very pleasant to shoot. More enjoyable than my service size .357 Magnums. No snap...just a healthy shove.

This combination would be for general woods carry and plinking. I have been told that a 260-264 grain cast bullet of this design and correct velocity will do some serious damage to anything in the woods in the Southeast.

I would like to see how far I can push this bullet.

And, 454PB, a member on this site, suggested that I start off with 15 grains and work upward.

Thanks

[454PB]

As I said in your other thread concerning this test, you are still in the low pressure (for .454 Casull) arena. I realize you're not looking for the highest achievable velocity, and you may start seeing traces of leading if you increase the charge, but 16.5 grs. of Bluedot and a 260 gr. cast boolit is fine.

Consider this: listed maximum loads for .44 magnum utilizing Bluedot and a 250 gr. jacketed bullet are north of 16 grs. They produce pressures less than 36K.

[Southern Shooter]

I think that I will keep pushing the bullet until I start to see some leading or serious grouping issues.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Years back I used to shoot Blue in my Dan Wesson 41mag and was happy with the results.. till I tried 296. With your large case capacity you could benefit from a slower powder if you "want to keep pushing it till you see some leading".
In the 414 Supermag I found 1680 to give better velocity & accuracy over 2400. Sometimes decreasing the initial fast pressure spike on the bullet base gives a desired result.
Mike in Peru

[Southern Shooter]

I had time to put more rounds down range. Again, it was the Lee 452-255-RF, water quenched, dropping from the mold at 262-264 grains. Lube was a mix of Lee Liquid Alox and Penetrol. No leading was noted. Some of the lube could be seen smeared in the bore but cleaned out very quickly.

16.0 grains
FPS:
1105
1144
1119
1101
1102
------
Ave- 1,114 FPS
SD- 18.2

17.0 grains
FPS:
1140
1186
1174
1136
1162
------
Ave- 1,159 FPS
SD- 21.5

17.5 grains
FPS:
1201
1199
1190
1219
1160
------
Ave- 1,193 FPS
SD- 21.6


Hope this is helpful to someone.

Thanks

[felix]

Yeah, Mike, your powder results makes it easy to determine the need for less spark in that 41 Mag. ... felix

[9.3X62AL]

I'm not a Casull shooter, but your SDs are in a really nice toll-free dialing area. And 260-odd grains at .452" running 1200 FPS will likely cause its recipient no good effects whatsoever. I run #454490 to 1200 FPS in my Ruger Bishawk x 45 Colt, and they are right potent. Not hard on the shooter, either.

You could really "gild the lily" by casting 3 cylinder-fulls of BruceB Softpoints for that Casull. You would need to re-name the Casull to "MASTODON HARVESTER". however. :)

[leftiye]

16 grs blue dot in a .45 Colt gives 1250 fps (255 Lee swc). And even my arminius could handle it. Kicked good! Caution, it might not like your gun and procedures, start lower.

[454PB]

Thanks for you effort in posting these results.

Have I mentioned that Bluedot is a favorite of mine?

Try 9 grains behind a 160 gr. cast SWC in your .357 magnum.

[Southern Shooter]

I went back to the range, yesterday. Here are some more Blue Dot numbers.

Blue Dot
17.5 grains
Lee 452-255-RF @ 264 grains

FPS:
1165
1224
1233
1177
1190
1175
1201
1201
1187
1205
------
Ave- 1195 FPS
SD- 21.5
Lee 452-255-RF @ 264 grains

As a side note, I did shoot some more Unique if you are interested.

Unique
11 grains

1012
1035
1044
1033
1020
1016
------
Ave- 1026
SD- 12.5

[Southern Shooter]

Just a short note:

Saturday, I took 6 cartidges to the range (not enough time to load more).
-Ruger SRH Alaskan
-Lee 452-255-RF @ 264 grains
-18 grains Blue Dot
-Standard Primer
-Lee FCD with the collar removed (so it did not size the bullet even smaller)

-15 yards
-Supported with sandbag on a table
-Single-action

-Of the 6 shots, 4 shots were within 1 1/4" with 3 of the shots over-lapping each other and the 4th just under them. The other 2 shots were a bit higher but that was my fault...I pulled them.

My Thoughts:
With 18 grains of Blue Dot, this was my tightest group of shots I have fired from this gun with this bullet. I know it is not impressive but it is an improvement. I want to be able to do that at 25 yards. We will see what next weekend will produce.

[454PB]

80304


So it appears the info I sent you in a PM was helpful, and your success using Bluedot matches mine. I've had equal success in many other calibers using Bluedot......did I mention it's one of my favorite powders?

[Bonz]

from the Alliant website:

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.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

[Southern Shooter]

454PB...YES!!! You have been a huge help and encourager with the use of Blue Dot, the Lee 452-255-RF and my SRH Alaskan. I have to admit I was rather excited when I saw the combination was capable of over-lapped shots. Now, I need to load a sizeable number of rounds and practice shooting free-hand.

I did not use my chrono. Not too worried about the velocity, at this point. I was getting an average of 1,195 FPS with 17.5 grains of Blue Dot. Figure with 18 grains it must be easily 1,220 FPS. I believe that to be sufficient velocity for most defensive situations in the Western mountains or Deep South.

By the way, if anyone was wondering about my choice of lube it is tuble lubing with 50/50 JPW and LLA. No leading at all visible to date. And, that has been for quite a number of shots over the past year.

Future plans for Blue Dot per our exchages are loads for a S&W 625-5 .45 Colt utilizing the 264 grain RF used for my Alaskan, and a Dan Wesson 15-2 .357 Magnum (using a 162 grain SWC).

[historicfirearms]

Southern Shooter, thanks for posting this info. I've got a 454 Alaskan on order, so I have been reading this thread with interest. One question, maybe I missed it somewhere, but are you using 454 Casull brass or 45 Colt brass?

I'll have to give the Blue Dot a try, it looks promising.

[Southern Shooter]

Bonz, the information is appreciated. But, I am already aware of those concerns and don't use Blue Dot in such situations.

[Southern Shooter]

historicfirearms, I am using .454 Casull brass. Specifically, Starline brass. It has been debated/argued with me that I could do just as well and with less powder using .45 Colt brass in the short-barreled Alaskan. However, I choose to avoid the carbon ring build-up in my Alaskan chambers.

[Bonz]

Was looking thru the Alliant website because I am interested in different powders for my S&W 500 mag. Currently loading with VV N105 or PowerPistol. Also picked up a used Raging Judge here last week that I have not yet tried any 454 Casull in.

[Southern Shooter]

Bonz,
I am seriously young at this world of .454 Casull hand loading. There are some members here with great experience to draw on, though. I will say this, though...I am hooked. My better half can't seem to understand her inability to distract me once, in this case, Blue Dot odor is in the air. ha ha. She says I look like a mad scientist measuring, weighing, writing, and mumbling to myself til late in the night. LOL.

Are you posting your S&W .500 results? I would be interested in reading up on them.

[Bonz]

Don't have a chrono yet but just got permission to set one up at the local range that I shoot at. Also need to find some Blue Dot :cool:

[Kansas Ed]

I would highly recommend AA#9 for the 454 if you have it available. FA used H110 until the velocities started dropping, then switched to AA#9 for their factory loads prior to getting out of the ammunition loading game. BTW, using 45LC brass isn't so much a "carbon" ring concern, as it is a bullet shaving concern. The jump to the cylinder throat scrapes enough lead and jacket material off that it can create chambering issues over a couple hundred rounds. Cast is especially subjected to this. If it were carbon, it would brush out fairly easy, but heavy leading at the junction of the chamber/cyl. throat would sometimes require a chamber reamer to remove. Of course this was exclusively with FA 83's...Ruger SRH may exhibit different results dependant upon the chambers.

Ed

[Southern Shooter]

Well, I went to the range yesterday with a few Lee 452-255-RF boolits that I had beagled and had them dropping at 274 grains in stead of the original weight of 262-264 grains. I ran them through the sizer and loaded them on top of 18 grains of Blue Dot. The average velocity was 1,235 FPS. Here is a picture of the last 5 fired standing, free-hand, no support, double-action, at 20 yards, from my Ruger SRH Alaskan 2 1/2" barrel. Better than anything I have done, so far.

81794

It should be noted that I also fired some the same bullet cast at 264 grains (no beagling) also using 18 grains of Blue Dot. The velocities averaged a slower 1,205 FPS and were a little looser on the grouping. I am guessing that the velocity and grouping differences came from better fit in the chamber throats and maybe more contact with the rifling? The 264 grain bullets really show very minor resistance to being pushed through all of the chamber throats. The 274 grain boolits, after being pushed through the .454 sizer, showed more resistance to get through the throats.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Southern Shooter, I have a couple questions in general about SRH Alaskan. How is the recoil? In general how does a hot 454 Casull compare to a similarly hot 44 magnum as far as recoil?

[Southern Shooter]

Nocturnal,
The Alaskan .454 Casull recoil compared to that of the .44 Magnum...well, I sold my 95% condition 1972 3-screw Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum to get the .454 Casull. And, I have a S&W 629 .44 Magnum that sits in the gun safe.

The .454 Casull from the Alaskan is a force with which to be reckoned. With my 360 grain boolits on top of 24 grains of W296 @ 1,037 FPS it can be a monster, but manageable. With the heavy loads it is like a huge, sudden push, though...best I can describe it. But, the .44 Magnum had a snap and sting to the recoil that I just did NOT enjoy.

[jonp]

I have found heavy loads in the 44Mag to be far more punishing to my hand than either the 45Colt or 41Mag heavy loads. Much as you have said much less "snap" and more push.

[1750shooter]

Just a note from an old timer - some 35 years ago a bunch of us were working with Blue Dot & a couple of bullet weights in .357 mag., .41 mag., & .44 mag. Overall we liked it for heavier loads - until the weather got cold. We began having large pressure excursions with all calibers & bullet weights. One of us wrote to G&A about it & there was a flood of letters from folks having the same weird pressure problems in cold weather. We decided it was too risky & gave it up, so be careful!

[Frozone]

Just a note from an old timer - some 35 years ago a bunch of us were working with Blue Dot & a couple of bullet weights in .357 mag., .41 mag., & .44 mag. Overall we liked it for heavier loads - until the weather got cold. We began having large pressure excursions with all calibers & bullet weights. One of us wrote to G&A about it & there was a flood of letters from folks having the same weird pressure problems in cold weather. We decided it was too risky & gave it up, so be careful!

THIS!!!!

Blue Dot goes from mild to wild all to quickly in magnum loads.