Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Blue Dot in Varmint Rifles?

varmint season is about to start here in Oregon... tonight I was down at the local Bi Mart store, which is a good source for powder, primers, and bullets here in Oregon...

for some reason they have a ton of Green Dot on the counter, and that is about it...

however the folks at the counter have been saying that tons of guys are coming in, asking for 22 caliber bullets and also asking for Blue Dot...

they are also asking where can they get load data for it.. since it isn't in the reload manuals....

seems like it is a more attractive option all of a sudden since components are hard to come by.....

I don't buy my Blue Dot there, so they have no clue I load with it... however I didn't say anything to them about having load data...I'll share it privately with fellow forum members, but that is abou it...

especially considering novices playing with it...

if anyone passes it one, please make sure it is to someone who has a clue on what they are doing...

Good point, Seafire. Tetchy stuff, it is. Saved me tons of money not needing to buy a Hornet...

I get a lot of comments about, "squib", loads. I'm currently shooting both lite .223 and 7.62x39 loads using Blue Dot.

I have not done any full speed loads with the .223 and Blue Dot, just some lite loads with 55gr. Hornet bullets. Very good for fox and bobcats.

The Speer .30 cal Plinkers with Blue Dot in the 7.62x39 are a hoot.

At 8-10 grains per shot these loads are very economical.

Imr's 4759 was made and designed for reduced loads. Good loads with #4759 fill the case over half way eliminating a double charge.

I have used #4759 for decades and feel comfortable with it.

Use 4759 instead.

http://www.imrpowder.com/sr4759.html

I am also using SR 4759 in loads for these cartridges... usually not quite as accurate as Blue Dot... it is just as bulky...

both powders make for some economical varmint shooting without sacrificing too much velocity...

in my 223 loads, I'd say SR 4759 makes up about 40% of the loads and Blue Dot makes up about 60% of them...

each rifle is set up where I have a Blue Dot load and an SR 4759 load doing the same velocity, so point of impact is the same regardless of which one is available..

in times of shortages like this, I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket...

I use Blue Dot when loading for my Ruger 77 .22 Hornet, works good and is accurate!

I've been doing a ton of looking around for reduced loads on my 30/30. I've found loads for BD, Unique, SR4759 and H4895. Gonna try em and see what the gun can do. I even went so far as to type all the loads I found into a spread sheet so I could remember them. Unique and SR4759 are by far the most popular for reduced loads for the 30/30. Blue Dot is a distant third.

Thought of another question add.....

What about lil'gun for reduced loads? I have 8lbs and it falls right in between BD and SR4759 on the burn rate chart. Maybe it has inconsistent ignition in the large cases?

haven't worked with Lil Gun at all...so can't comment on it..

I have done work with Blue Dot, and am moving into SR 4759...
I focus in particular in the 223, and 22.250, as I shoot those calibers alot...

I have distant plans also for 2400 and 4227 powders...

but doing all this is both time consuming and spendy...

I do it for myself first and am happy to share what I find out with fellow forum members...but the limitation is back to time and expense.. so it doesn't happen over night...

Lil'Gun is not on my list.. neither is the request for H 110... however if someone is interested in it, some Euro acquaintences tell me that VitaVourhi produces data for N 110 which is fairly close in burn rate to H 110, as I am lead to believe...

I am using 8 grains of Alliant Promo powder (which is the same as Red Dot) in my 165 grain cast lead .30-30 loads. About 1250-1300 fps.

About 4759. You'd think that with IMR recomending it for reduced loads in rifle cartriges you'd be able to find more published loads. Looking at the Hodgdon/IMR data they don't even address it in most calibers. But they do have published info for using H4895 in reduced loads (their 60% rule and youth loads). Is there a manual that has reduced loads using jacketed bullets?

Seafire, I'll be hitting you up for some loads on a 22-250. Always wanted to work up some loads for 200 yard fox (2800 fps?).

There are alot of loads for subsonics using LilGun over on Sniper Hide.

IMR (before being absorbed into Hodgdon) advertised it for reduced loads and had it listed on the website. Now they are pushing the H4895.