Seafire bluedot

[W921]

So there are all kinds of people talking on imternet about this guy seafire and his bluedot reduced rifle loads that he worked up. Basically if you look for blue dot loads this guy keeps getting mentioned and talked about but I can't find him or his data on the web. Always just people talking him.
Any of you know him or perhaps use bluedot powder?
I know it's used for magnum loads in high pressure pistol loads and I guess shotguns as well but I'm looking for reduced loads and that's where seafire keeps popping up.

[rugerfan]

Never heard of it before but after a quick google it appears a lot of those loads aren’t very reduced, more just trying to get full velocity with minimal powder. Blue dot is kinda hard to find lately, unless you’ve got a bunch it might not be worth the effort. Red dot is popular for low pressure cast bullet loads as well but the same could be said of in in regards to availability.

[duceman]

a 40 gr vmax will make 2840 fps with 10 gr of blue dot in a 223, and the brass will last for ever. and it shoots very accurately. i have many hundreds of 50 gr tnt's in a duce with 10 gr of unique with same results.
only draw back is potential for double charge.

[W921]

Hercules blue dot they don't make anymore and I have some I'm looking to use up.
I think I'm made a blue dot that is different and also Alliant or someone else was making it after Hercules.
I used to use Hercules bluedot in 44/40 years ago. It worked good in my 1873 with cast bullets. Never blew it up. I think going from memory I was shooting 11 grains which would be close to regular black powder load.
Now I'm reading all this stuff on internet how blue dot doesn't work for reduced loads. Actually dangerous, etc.
But apparently Seafire guy has done a lot of loading with blue dot and good success with rifles. Example 30/30 with 13 grains bd with 150 or 170 grain. I'm guessing 13 grains can't be very fast and probably in 1500 or 1600fps range. Good for steel targets off hand.
I'm thinking this seafire guy must have taken all his loading material down off web

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by W921

I'm thinking this seafire guy must have taken all his loading material down off web

Pretty sure he never had his own site on the web. He was always on 24hr campfire, you could look up his posts there. I believe he just passed away recently according to some posts on there.

[W921]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Pretty sure he never had his own site on the web. He was always on 24hr campfire, you could look up his posts there. I believe he just passed away recently according to some posts on there.

I actually did that this morning. But he posted a gazillion posts on there but yeah I think will just go back there again and search some more.
3030 Winchester is pretty strong. If I didn't blow up that 1873, the 1894 should have no problem with blue dot.
I used to also have an 1875 Remington and with that blue dot load it hit point of aim. That's why I used that load in both guns.
Socks when good people pass on and leave us here. Seafire sounded pretty cool. No loading books for him (smile)

[eric2381]

I’ve read about these loads and tried them in a 22-250 for gophers. They worked fantastic and was cheap to load and easy on barrels and brass. You do have to be very conscious in not double charging though.

[tikka250]

Yup I also have used his loads in my 22-250. Fairly mild load with some random old soft points loaded up for Gophers. They worked like a charm and like stated make sure don't double charge anything.

[6.5 shooter]

Find an old Speer reloading manual, the one with the bullet and the multi colored pressure wave on the cover (Green). It has a bunch of reduced loads in it. There are others as well, Lee and Lyman manuals list reduced loads. Much safer then some unknown shooter on the net.

[W921]

Tell me more about your blue dot 22/250 loads especially with 55g bullets.


Yes old prewar manuals I always look for . Best bargains at gun shows and sometimes libraries sell off old books.

[32-40win]

Most likely place to see reduced load info en mass is on Cast Bullet Association, Cast Boolits and ASSRA sites, lthere are other than cast bullet, reduced load experimenters there too. I spotted some reduced loads with AA9 on the Accurate Powder charts as well, in some rifle calibres. You have to search thru for it, lots is contained as info within a post that doesn't mention it in the titles. And you can search thru Lyman manuals, there is a link to a site that has a few different ones you can download up in the reloading sticky

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by W921

Tell me more about your blue dot 22/250 loads especially with 55g bullets.


Yes old prewar manuals I always look for . Best bargains at gun shows and sometimes libraries sell off old books.

This is copy/pasted from a old post of seafire's. As always load at your own risk as this is not from a manual
The load I used was 11 gr in a 55gr bullet out of Tikka and savage 22-250's

Firearm Used: Ruger 77 Mk 2

Barrel: 22 inch sporter weight

Case: Remington

Range Tested: 7 grains to 20 grains. 20 % ( 6.6 grains) 60 % ( 19.8 grains)

Full Case Capacity to Rim: 33 grains/

Bullets Used in Test:
46 Win HP, 50 Hornady SP, 52 Sierra HP Match, 55 Win FMJ, 60 Hornady SP
63 Sierra SMP


Test Results:

I. 46 grain Winchester Hollow Point, Win Large Pistol Primer

1. 7 grs: 1721 fps
2. 8 grs: 1895 fps
3. 9 grs: 2095 fps
4. 10 grs: 2264 fps
5. 11 grs: 2390 fps

6. 12 grs: 2537 fps
7. 13 grs: 2675 fps
8. 14 grs: 2781 fps
9. 15 grs: NO Reading
10. 16 grs: 3063 fps

11. 17 grs: 3177 fps
12. 18 grs: 3274 fps
13. 19 grs: 3388 fps ( Consider Max)
14. 20 grs: 3440 fps ( Extractor Mark, Scrapped Case)

II. 50 grain Hornady SP, Win Large Rifle Primer

1. 7 grs: 1722 fps
2. 8 grs: 1911 fps
3. 9 grs: 2057 fps
4. 10 grs: 2206 fps
5. 11 grs: 2328 fps

6. 12 grs: 2473 fps
7. 13 grs: 2627 fps
8. 14 grs: 2729 fps
9. 15 grs: 2856 fps
10. 16 grs: 2940 fps

11. 17 grs: 3116 fps
12. 18 grs: 3181 fps
13. 19 grs: 3271 fps
14. 20 grs: 3354 fps

With this bullet, all the way to 20 grains was reached ( 60%). However, I would recommend max being set at 19 grains or less.


III Sierra 52 grain Hollow Point Match Win Large Pistol Primer

1. 7 grs: 1676 fps
2. 8 grs: 1841 fps
3. 9 grs: 1998 fps
4. 10 grs: 2127 fps
5. 11 grs: 2311 fps

6. 12 grs: 2416 fps
7. 13 grs: 2551 fps
8. 14 grs: No Read
9. 15 grs: 2795 fps
10. 16 grs: 2935 fps

11. 17 grs: 3029 fps
12. 18 grs: 3127 fps
13. 19 grs: 3252 fps
14. 20 grs: 3297 fps

This bullet also reached the 20 grains mark ( 60 %) . However once again I recommend max being set at 19 grains or less.


IV Winchester 55 gr FMJ, Win Large Pistol Primer

1. 7grs: 1636 fps
2. 8 grs: 1800 fps
3. 9 grs: 1986 fps
4. 10 grs: 2126 fps
5. 11 grs: 2247 fps

6. 12 grs: 2392 fps
7. 13 grs: 2504 fps
8. 14 grs: 2631 fps
9. 15 grs: 2738 fps
10. 16 grs: 2872 fps

11. 17 grs: 3003 fps
12. 18 grs: 3095 fps
13. 19 grs: 3203 fps
14. 20 grs: 3250 fps

As again Noted, this bullet also achieved reaching the 20 grain Mark ( 60%). However once again I recommend max capacity at 19 grains or less.