357 Mag, 158 gr. GC boolit, and Blue dot

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Today, I worked up a stout load for my Daughter's Colt Trooper MK III.
Her and her husband like to buy factory 357 ammo, which just kills me...you know how much that stuff costs !!! I gave them a bunch of 38s last year, I haven't gotton the brass back, but they bring me lots of 1x 357 brass.

SO, I cast up a bunch of the Lee C358-158-SWC, lubed them with some randyrat's tak #1 and put a aluminum check on. I tried several charges of Blue dot, working up to 10.1gr. using a WSP primer. They were all accurate enough, But to be honest, I didn't bench any of the loads. If I get a 4" group or less at 25 yards off-hand, that's all the better I can shoot, I maybe got one flier out of the 30 rds tested...might have been me?

The Blue dot was dirtier in the lighter loads, and got real clean around 9.5gr.
I liked the top load of 10.1gr. the chrony had them going 1350 to 1370 fps from my S&W 586 nickel with 4" bbl. Hopefully she'll like these as much as the factory ammo.

[DeanWinchester]

I've had very good results with that bullet using a hornady gas check, tumble lube and 15.0g of H110. Stout but not abusive. No leading. As you say, accurate enough for these hands.

[fecmech]

I shoot a 10 gr BD load with the Lyman 358429 and it runs about 1250 fps out of my Ruger GP. it groups in the 3-3.5" range at 50 yds benched. Not as accurate as 296/H110 but pretty decent.

[HighHook]

The real bada-bing BOOM and accuracy i agree with fecmech for 296/h110 checked.

[nanuk]

The Blue dot was dirtier in the lighter loads, and got real clean around 9.5gr.
I liked the top load of 10.1gr. the chrony had them going 1350 to 1370 fps from my S&W 586 nickel with 4" bbl. Hopefully she'll like these as much as the factory ammo.

I wonder what that load would chrony out of a 22" rifle.

[chutesnreloads]

Me too.Settled on a 10 grain Bluedot load with 158 rnfp that shoots pretty decent from both a Security-six and .357mag Handi-rifle.No chrony so I DO wonder what the rifle is giving me.

[fcvan]

I remember back in the 80s Guns and Ammo ran an article on pistol/carbine comparisons for .357, .41, and .44 magnums. The velocity increase was greater for the .357 then .41, followed by the .44 and Blue Dot was the powder with big increases in each caliber. I did play with some blue dot loads in my S&W M57 8 3/8" and 20" Marlin in .41 and there certainly was a difference in down range performance. I didn't have a chronograph back then so I couldn't say how big of a difference there was. I guess it's time to experiment again.

[fecmech]

I wonder what that load would chrony out of a 22" rifle.
9.5 grs of BD + 358429 clocked 1450 FPS out of my Rossi 24" single shot rifle. Very accurate BTW out of that rifle.

[chutesnreloads]

1450 out of 24" barrel....Noted....thanks

[ubetcha]

I kind of recall some notifation about using Blue Dot in .357,but I think it was something with 125gr bullets.Suppose to produce excessive pressure if I can recall.The recommendation is not to use BD.

[leadman]

The BD warning was with a 125gr jacketed only in the 357 and no use at all in the 41 mag. I spoke with the tech at Alliant about my BD load in my Ruger SBH Hunter in 41 mag. Gave him chrony results and he said it was a good load and ok to use. He said some people were using old data with the new BD and it was way to hot.

[Cherokee]

I have a load of 11.1 gr BD with Nosler 158 JHP that was fantastic at 50 yd from my Python (back when I could see good). Cases showed no pressure signs and extracted fine. Don't try this, work up a load in your gun.

[dougader]

Blue Dot really does burn clean at the higher charge levels. But the old loads were found to be too hot when tested with the new psi equipment, IIRC.

My old load with 158's was 12.5 grains BD and it ran hot and super clean. Apparently, that's a might warm per the data today.

I used to run 10 grains Blue Dot with the Keith 173 grain swc and it knocked over the 200 yard silhouette rams well if my aim was on.

IME, BD is as accurate as I am, or better.

[chutesnreloads]

Only grouch I have with the Bluedot is it doesn't flow through a Lee powder thrower for **** ,at least not uniformly.