Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Why I like BLUE DOT

vs,

I loaded up some BlueDot loads yesterday for my .204

10.0 grains BD, 32 gr. Vmax, Win. SR primers.

Aprox. 2700 FPS

Got a 5 shot group at 30 yards, all cutting the same hole.

Works for me!

Virgil B.

I have to ask why you test at 30 yds as almost any load should cut one hole at that distance. I am interested in the BD loads in 20 cal as I intend to try them in my 20 VarTarg but unless they were workable to 200yds they would not be worth the trial. Have great 4198 - 35gn Berger loads that have been effective to 350yds (so far) but a close range load to 200 is the aim with the BD.

Von Gruff.

I wouldn't call Blue Dot loads particularly close range.
They scoot pretty good.
I would suspect, however, that in a sorta-overbore case like the 204, you will need to be extra smart in your workup. The idea in my book is to kick little bullets in the fanny with BD, not big bullets. If you are doing 32s, BD should be tractable, but if you want 35s and up, you are better off with something like 4198 or even slower rifle powders in the 4895/Varget range.

I have followed seafires post for a few days and reading things over.
I just found this site 3 days ago searching for 223 blue dot loads and just signed up.looks like a nice place.
I am going to give the 223 and 204 loads a try.
I have been loading for 20 years and burned a ton of blue dot in 44mag and 357 mag,but not rifle this looks good.
anyone use bluedot in 6mm remington,I am working on a 6mm rem ackley imp on a 1918 springfield right now.

So here's where I'm at. I live in SouthWest Idaho and mostly shoot ground squirrels. They are a small target and a low recoiling round is preferable, if you hunt by yourself, which I mostly do. I use primarily a 221 fireball w/ 40 grain bullets, or a 223 w/ 40 grain bullets. These are are medium-heavy varmint rifles (Rem 700 VLS and Cooper). Anyway, I have a 22-250 Tikka continental Varminter that hardly gets shot because of the recoil jump factor with 55 gr bullets at full power. It is my long range rock chuck rig, but I would like to shoot the rifle more because, well, I like the rifle, and rock chucks are few and far between. So, I am going to load up some of Jordan Smiths Blue dot loads in an attempt to turn my 22-250 into more of 221/223...May not make sense to some, but I'd like to enjoy all the rifles I have, as often as I can.

Tom,

I load 22.250s up to that velocity as well depending on what I am out shooting... I even do it going to the range at times..

Most of the guys who always knock using these loads, will admit to never trying them, if they are honest..

Cast bullet manuals have data with a ton of powders much faster than Blue Dot, to include the 22.250...

I figure guys who knock it, because the data 'didn't come from the factory' are just a by product of our sue happy world, and lawyers sticking their nose in the shooting industry and world..

my usual loads for Blue Dot in the 22.250 range from 12 grains on the low end, to 18.5 on the high end... 19.5 is actually maximum.. but 18.5 makes a 223 out of it..

if you don't mind the expense of 30 grain Berger HPs or Calhoon's 30 grain HP...working up a load in the 22.250 with those ( especially the Berger) you can get a very fast load using Blue Dot with those bullets, still without the full power "Boom" of the 22.250...

First, welcome to the Campfire here..

secondly if desiring to use Blue Dot in the 6mm Rem case, or any similar case ( 257 Roberts, 7 x 57 Mauser, 6.5 x 55)... max load with Blue Dot is 24 grains, regardless of bullet weights under 140/142 grains..this includes the lighter bullets also..Characteristics of Blue Dot is not like with slower powders, where the max charge for a say a 60 grain bullet is higher than with a 105 grainer..( in 6mm Rem or 243)...

Max with Blue Dot is Max almost across the board...sure it can be pushed a little, but I like passing on simple rules of thumb..people get less confused..

Now when we take a look at the 6mm Rem, I've settled on my max load with ALL bullet weights as being 22.5 grains... reasoning is, velocity is fast enough for what I am using it for...

secondly, pressure is in the 40 to 45 K CUP range.. ( standards for the older 7 x 57 and 257 Roberts loads) so it is easy on the brass...can get away with a lot of neck sizing, not working the brass as much and stretching out brass life dramatically..

even in shot out barrels, Blue Dot and SR 4759 loads will still add a fairly longer life span to the barrel for accuracy.... same with a bad shooting barrel..

guess that is attributive to the powder's consistency..

you'll also notice there is not very much velocity deviation spread when you chronograph some of these loads...

Thanks a lot seafire I can not wait to try these in my encore 223 with 55 grain bullets and my encore 204 with 32or 34 grain bullets.also I think these will be a real blast in my 6mm ackley ,as the heat and barrel wear will be low.they should be a real hoot to shoot the 60 grain hp with this rifle. it should be like a super high speed bb gun for recoil as it tips the scale at 24 lbs right now.

What velocity are you getting ballpark with 22.5 and bullet?

I will be working up 60 grain hp loads as mine is a 14 twist barrel I got for light bullets.

Should I start about 12 grains of bluedot and work towards your 22.5 loads.
One other thing I have my die for this rifle set to seat just short of touching the lands will this be ok for these or should I give the bullet a bit more room to move?
Thanks kurt

VonGruff,

I'm testing at 30 yards because that's where this rifle will be shot the most. (from my front porch) Gotta keep the ground squirels out of my bird feeder!

I have a dirt bank at 30 yards, so this is handy for me.

I will also be testing at 100 yards to see how this load will work for Sage rats.

Virgil B.

That is a jazzy looking scope there, Kurt. I like it and it compliments your stock quite well.

Kurt...

you can go right to 22.5 grains, unless you want to work up to that point and see what some of the other charge weights give you..

I always seat my bullets just short of touching the lands also...

as long as you are not touching the lands..just make a dummy round and make sure everything goes in nice and smooth...with no resistance...

with loads even at 22.5 grains of Blue Dot, you'll notice that pressure is still low enough, that neck sizing your brass is all you really need to do for 3 or 4 firings.. at least in my 6mm Rem..

I don't have my notes, but the MV should be in the 3250 to 3300 fps or so ( IIRC).. you'll find that Sierra HP will be quite explosive..

essentially you are making your 6mm Rem, recoil like shooting a 6 x 45 instead..

Thanks I still got a lot to do yet but I Just have to take a brake from working on it to shoot it.I am working on a brass butt plate I made but do not have that done yet.

These Blue dot loads are a BLAST!!!!!!
I loaded some foe 223 with 55 grain bullet 11.1 blue dot one hole
at 50 yds,loaded some 30-30 for 94 win with 160 grain cast lead fn
@ 10 grains blue dot and they shot good,also loaded same bullet in 30-06 with 12 grains blue dot and they shot well.These 30-30 and 30-06 loads will work great for what I was looking for= coons in garden and put the smack down on them with the cast lead 160 grain bullets but still like a 22 to shoot.
My 10 year old was shooting the 1918 Springfield 30-06 with these loads today .
Thanks for all the info guys.
Kurt

Seafire knows what he is talking about with these loads.

I should say so..

I just got back from the range and tried a few Blue Dot/55 grain loads in the .223..

All shot good, but my rifle liked 12.0 grains the best...Ill try some more at 200 yds next time...they shot an easy .75 at 100 yds..

Ingwe

I've appreciated Seafire's testing on these loads with Blue Dot. I currently use it in .357 Mag (obvious usage), 6PPC, .260 Rem, .243 Win, .308, and .30-06. The 6PPC is a lot of fun to run with BD and 60 gr. Sierras and makes for very cheap shooting in addition to a good introduction to centerfire's for my daughters in a year or two. I use them in my other rifles for offhand practice loads out to 200 yds on quart oil bottles and milk jugs. Lots of good field position practice, much less recoil and muzzle blast and getting inaccurate loads with BD is MUCH harder than getting accurate loads - as long as I stay within parameters set by Seafire I've enjoyed MOA or less with every bullet and rifle I've sent it through.

I also use the Blue Dot loads as outlined by Seafire, quite a few of them in fact.

I'd like to remind everyone that they need to be extra careful and make sure of your loading technique that you don't double charge a case.

In my loading, I'll put the empty cases to the right of the press, near the measure, drop a charge, then set that case in another block to the left of the press. After charging, I'll check each case with a wooden dowel that marked with a pencil line around the top of the case. I lower this into each case and note where the line is in relation to the case. Any significant differences get dumped out and recharged. Only after checking the powder level of the whole block (it literally takes a minute to do this) will I seat bullets. In small cases, I find I can't really judge the powder level by looking in like you can with full charges of a more appropriate powder for caliber.

I really like shooting the reduced loads and just take those few extra precautions to keep it safe.

Very good advise ,I use a pencil with a mark on it as you do.

a dowel with marks on it works well also...