IMR Blue powder

[sniper]

I called and spoke with a tech at IMR powders last week, inquiring about IMR Blue as a replacement for Blue Dot in loads for my Ruger
Match Champion. I was told that data was in the process of being accumulated, and "might" be available "in a year or so"!:o Hmmmmm.... Dunno...maybe I need to look at TrueBlue...I haven't seen any on lgs shelves, but at least data is available.

[megasupermagnum]

Why wouldn't you just use bluedot?

[Tackleberry41]

Seems a bit boneheaded, offer a powder, but say take a year to be able to use it in anything.

[megasupermagnum]

Seems a bit boneheaded, offer a powder, but say take a year to be able to use it in anything.

That's besides the fact it's been out for I think 2 years now? I don't understand why Hodgden thinks it could have competed directly with Alliants most popular powders anyway.

[jmort]

Right or wrong, when there is a powder shortage, Alliant is the first to get bought-up. I would buy the Hodgdon/IMR clones, but only if the real-deal was unavailable.

[sniper]

Why wouldn't you just use bluedot?

Conservative, or whatever you may wish to call it.
After using Blue Dot very satisfactorily behind 150-158 cast SWCs, the warning about 125 gr boolits made me a bit skittish, seeing as how that is my other most-used projectile weight.

I know several highly-experienced and respected members of the forum have done extensive testing as well as had communication with the powder manufacturer, and found little hard evidence of pressure spiking, given proper loads.

My days of just having to have full 357 loads are gone, and now I prefer something between .38 Special and 357 Magnum starting loads for my everyday shooting. My EDC rounds are either 38 Spl. Remington 125 gr. Golden Sabers or Speer 135 gr short Barrel +P rounds, and I try to load to about the same recoil pulse as either of those rounds.
But, in some of my manuals, I still find data for Blue Dot under 125 gr boolits, and the Blue Dot I find on some shelves is somewhat cheaper than others, making it more "efficient"(?) than other powders. So, I may give it a try once again.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm not sure the 125 grain / 357 magnum deal was all about pressure. I seem to remember it being more an issue of erosion or flame cutting. Personally I don't think 125 grain bullets in a 357 is a good idea with any max charge of magnum powder, be it bluedot, 2400, H110, lil gun, etc.


If you kept the bluedot to lower charges, I doubt anyone would find any fault. Feel free to run it full tilt with 158 grain or heavier though.