Shot my first 223 bluedot loads today and I did not blow myself up.

[tammons]

Disclaimer first for anyone that wants to try it so please triple check everything.
This is pistol powder and can be extremely dangerous in rifles if care is not taken.

If you go over a max load by several grains ++ to a significant amount you could blow yourself up.
If you double charge you are in big trouble, but a decent load like 12 gr in my rifle, and considering the case holds 24gr to the top, a double charge would be over flowing.

Where it would get dangerous is if you were loading say 10 gr loads and double charged to 20 and did not catch it. You would end up in the 110+ k pressure range.

Yikes !

Link - I guess lucky for this joe, the ar15 is designed to blow the works out the bottom.

http://www.quarterbore.com/ar15m16/ar15kaboom.html

Also I had a squib a few months ago. First one ever after a few years of reloading, so now I weigh all of my cartridges after all the bullets is seated and I am finished.

That is probably the best thing to do with any hand loading anyway, but especially with these type loads

The action is a stevens centerfeed action, SSS trigger, factory lug, A+B 14 twist 223 barrel, not bedded in a modified bell and carson staggered feed stock, 3-9x50 cheap Nikon prostaff scope, weaver cheapo base, tasco cheapo rings (on sale at midway for $5, got some burris rings on the way)

First thing on the new barrel, I broke it in with a Tubbs final finish 20 bullet kit per instructions, shoot 5 then clean etc for 20 shots then I shot about 10 more shots testing full on hunting loads with 45 gr barnes loads with H4895.

With the bluedot.........

I started off with 52 amax over 10 gr of bludot.

That was about like a pellet gun.

Worked from 10 gr up to 12gr of powder in .5 gr increments. After 12 in .1 gr increments up to 13.5gr.

10-11.5 was open.

Started to get semi flattened primers around 13, but even 13.5 was not that bad.

I was not really shooting/loading for accuracy, just trying to find the max load, but I seemed to hit an
accuracy node somewhere around 12.1-12.8gr where I was getting several shots in one ragged hole, touching etc. then they opened up past 12.9 or so.

This is such a pleasent, accurate, low recoil, low noise round to shoot, now I can see why people like it so much.

[dfrosch]

Not blowing yourself up is always a plus. ;D ;D

[1Shot]

...I've been shooting holes with 12.5grs blue-dot & 50gr Noslers for a couple of years now...It replaced my hornet along time ago..lol.. ;)...Makes for quieter OTW shots.... ;D..

[tammons]

Since you have more experience with this combo, I assume 12.5gr is the place you want to be.

Funny that seemed most accurate with 52 gr amaxes and Savageboy's best load with 35gr Vmaxes is also 12.5.

[1Shot]

Since you have more experience with this combo, I assume 12.5gr is the place you want to be.

Funny that seemed most accurate with 52 gr amaxes and Savageboy's best load with 35gr Vmaxes is also 12.5.




..Yup-er...Puts the node just right in the varmint bbl. Just tune your oal & see how consistent it really is..lol..

..Kinda off topic, but if I can'nt find any .308 brass.. Would you be interested in renting your 338/284 reamer out..??

[tammons]

You mean to make 338 fed brass from ??

Marty at Teppo Jitsu has my 338/284 reamer.

Unfortunately he got hit hard by that hurricane that hit Texas so I dont know whats going on with it. I know he reamed a savage barrel as a test rig to develop loads for his 338/284 ar10. He shots some test rounds. Not sure if he made it any farther than that.

Whats the deal with 308 brass ??

338 fed is a heck of a lot more civil round for everyday use.

A 24" 338 fed barrel vs my 19" 338/284 barrel is close except mine kicks a lot harder.
Its a real mule.
When I shoot it at the range I put a limbsaver pad on it and wear a magnum past pad.
All that said the recoil is managble compared to some heavy rounds out there.
My gun is light. Around 8# and cutting the barrel down did not help either.

[memilanuk]

Interesting... years ago I messed around with Blue Dot some, but it didn't seem that much quieter than a regular .223 Rem (certainly still needed hearing protection) so I didn't pursue it any further. Now you guys have me thinkin' about it again... seems like it might be a good ticket for sniping rock chucks and such in around buildings - we have a few places we can shoot, need/want a little more thump than a .17HMR can deliver, but don't exactly need a full-power .223 varmint load.

I don't suppose there is any chance in heck of it producing enough gas to cycle an AR? ;)

How is the load as far as fouling and such? Would it work for extended sessions on ground squirrels i.e. couple hundred rounds without cleaning, all inside 200yds?

Thanks,

Monte

[tammons]

Wont cycle an AR, but I have been thinking.
You might be able to get one to cycle - mod a barrel for ust that load, move the gas port to a pistol position, bigger port, and use an adjustable gas tube.

Very very clean burning.

I think it would work for an extended session, you would just get a lot of copper fouling.
Moly bullets might be the way to go there.



Interesting... years ago I messed around with Blue Dot some, but it didn't seem that much quieter than a regular .223 Rem (certainly still needed hearing protection) so I didn't pursue it any further. Now you guys have me thinkin' about it again... seems like it might be a good ticket for sniping rock chucks and such in around buildings - we have a few places we can shoot, need/want a little more thump than a .17HMR can deliver, but don't exactly need a full-power .223 varmint load.

I don't suppose there is any chance in heck of it producing enough gas to cycle an AR? ;)

How is the load as far as fouling and such? Would it work for extended sessions on ground squirrels i.e. couple hundred rounds without cleaning, all inside 200yds?

Thanks,

Monte

[tammons]

..Yup-er...Puts the node just right in the varmint bbl. Just tune your oal & see how consistent it really is..lol..


What is a good starting point for oal jump/jam.
The loads I shot yesterday were jumped about .006.
My tightest groups with these 52 gr amaxes was jumped about .015 but that was over varget.
Not sure about this bluedot load though.

Where do you think I should start.

[oleredhead]

Why not start at factory OAL, what is it 2.26 ? Don't have my books with me and every rifle will be different. Been loadin 40gr V-Max's over 10.2 gr Blue Dot, inch and 1/2 low but about 1/2 to 3/4 in groups at 100. Absolutely the cleanest I've ever used.

[tammons]

Just thoguht he might be able to give me a heads uo on a distance to the lands or jam that is producing 1 hole groups.

My loads at 10.5 gr were open.

They really closed up at around 12.5

The sammi oal is 2.26

This barrel has a very short throat unlike the savage barrels.

With the 52 gr amax the lands are at 2.256.

[1Shot]

..Yup-er...Puts the node just right in the varmint bbl. Just tune your oal & see how consistent it really is..lol..


My tightest groups with these 52 gr amaxes was jumped about .015 but that was over varget.
Not sure about this bluedot load though.

Where do you think I should start.



....Depending on your bbl...Go with a .015 jump first...Then dial it in with +/- .005 moves....

[1Shot]

Interesting... years ago I messed around with Blue Dot some, but it didn't seem that much quieter than a regular .223 Rem (certainly still needed hearing protection) so I didn't pursue it any further.


...It's not as loud as a full on .223 load...It just has a sharp bark up close but the sound does not carry as far...

[tammons]

Thanks

About where are you shooting yours ??

[1Shot]

Thanks

About where are you shooting yours ??


...015..off...Had some old Barnes 50gr verminators that I had to go .045 off..They made a mess out of crows..lol...Now they went with the V-Grenades..Not as good imo...waste of good powder & time..

[69Roadrunner]

I load 13.0 grains of Blue Dot behind a 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. Groups under 1/2 inch and shoots two inches lower than my Nosler 69 HPBT over 24.0 grains of H335 at 100 yards.

[Scarface]

First off I want to thank posters here for their input on this interesting and useful topic. I recently googled this thread for more information. I have been using Blue dot and Red dot for years but at lower amounts than many advocate. I wanted quieter short range alternatives. With a Lyman electronic measure it is easy to get safe accurate loads quickly. Still I realized early on the inherent danger of potent fast burning powders in case of inadvertent double charges. It's hard to double charge regular rifle powders. Not obvious at all with Blue dot. The drill is to pour one at a time and seat the bullet before picking up another case. Never have but one case in the loading block.

So how did I blow up my beautiful Sako AI?

I'm not sure but fairly certain it was the dreaded double charge of 9 grains=18. I remember an error message on the Lyman and resetting it, recalibrating it. Something went awry during this distraction no doubt. I pulled a few bullets and the weights check out to 9. So I blame myself not the machine and certainly not the load itself or the practice of using shotgun powders in rifles. SLOW DOWN!

Lucky for me the Sako is incredibly strong mauser acton. The wood shattered. The extractor and claw blew off, bent and cracked the bar. The hinge floor plate bent severely enough to blow open, bending the bottom metal and cracking one side.The magazine box expanded and deformed slightly and the plastic follower exploded. No one was hurt and I only got a little gas and powder in the face but not a scratch. The gun went flying and hit the concrete. Not sure if the scope survived. BE CAREFUL!!

[tammons]

Safety is paramount. I really enjoyed shooting bluedot in 223 but it is risky.

The best advice I can give is load them in the morning, IE not at night.

Also the best thing I started doing was weighing all of my loaded cartridges as a safety precaution, especially bluedot loads.

Also a good way to catch squib loads. They can be just as dangerous as a double charge.

[Uncle Jack]

Maybe I'm a little slow here, but I don't get the point. Why screw around with a powder like Bluedot that is dangerous in rifle cartridges when the same results can be obtained with reduced loads of conventional rifle powders that won't blow your head off if you make a mistake?

What am I missing?

uj

[1Shot]

..When I load for Blue-Dot I use 2 loading tray's... ;) & beam scale every load...