45 Colt +P loads with Blue Dot and 800X

[Doc.Holliday]

I'm wondering if any of you kind folks can give me some reloading advice for the 45 Colt +P loads with Blue Dot and 800X powder that was given me. An old friend is giving up reloading for his shotguns and has given me near a pound of each.
My books show precious little data on these 2 powders and I hear reports of not to be used in freezing weather, burns dirty leaving powder granules etc.
I don't mind dipping and weighing these big flakes and I thought I could make some mid level magnum loads out of them ,.
I use Red Dot for plinking and Power Pistol for mid loads in my 45 colt Rossi and Winchester rifles now and figured I could step it up a notch with these 2 gifts.
My cast bullets run 240 grains of lyman#2 alloy. If anyone has any experience and load data they care to share I would be most appreciative rather than fertilize the lawn with it.
I should add I reload for 32 special as well about 175 grain bullet. Would these 2 powders have any use here??

Respectfully
Doc

[Don McDowell]

Couldn't tell you a thing about 800x never used it.
I can however tell you that if you use the data on alliants web for bludot in the 45 colt you will be getting +p (or nearly so) velocity at what they claim to be saami spec pressure.
The stuff also works really well in the 38-40 and has served with interest under cast bullets in the 30-30, and if you're interesting in making a 32h&r stand up and pay attention bludot is your game.

I always get the chuckles when someone says this or that smokeless powder is dirty, I can only see them hike up their skirts and wrinkle their noses (eeewww) if they shot blackpowder

[Old Savage]

Most accurate load in my 44 Spl was 12.5 gr under a 240 gr cast. Left unburnt kernels in the barrel but seemed to affect nothing. That is not what I look at as a dirty powder. Dirty to me is black sooty deposits in the gun.

[Old Savage]

Hodgdon 26 has loads for 800X is a wide range of bullets - 12.5 gr @ 1170 fps/23,600 CUP to 14.0 gr @ 1326 fps/29,400 CUP is what is listed for 240 - 250 gr bullets. That is in a 7" test barrel.

[Doc.Holliday]

I am thinking that either of these powders would give a fairly good % case fill compared to others.
I find Alliants Data wanting for +P loads in 45 Colt. I know i exceed their data with Power Pistol and have made some great loads for my 45 Colt Rifles.

Doc

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank-you kindly Old Savage . I checked my books and IMR webSite and 800X was a no go.
A lot of people have said Red Dot and other shotgun powders burn dirty in revolver and rifle but I've had good luck with RD.
Most if not all of these powders were meant to burn at low shotgun pressure anyway so I couldn't see what the problem was regarding unburnt powder unless I'm missing something?

Doc

[Don McDowell]

Well 1028 fps with a 250 gr bullet out of the colt will do about anything that needs done with a handgun, the velocity will jump about 200 fps from a rifle. I cut the load down to an even 12 grs and find the accuracy and velocity more than enough to do anything I need done with a 45, and out of the trapper it will zip a 260 gr Keith bullet to 250 yds and not use all the elevation on a williams 5d.

[Doc.Holliday]

Your right about that. There is a limit you can push the old girl to whether pistol or rifle. Just not made for that pressure.
I know I can go heavier in my Power Pistol load but groups open up and 2 more grains of powder don't give much chronyed speed. Just a waste.
Unless there is a remarkable result from the Blue Dot and 800X freebees to make me want to stay with either; my 11.1 grains of PP is more than satisfactory from accuracy speed economy and barrel crud.

Doc

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have had great results with 800X.
255 gr. lead and 6.5 gr. starting load for 700 fps. and 8.6 gr.(max. load) for 900 fps.
(from Hornady #9 manual Ruger 7 1/2")

[Doc.Holliday]

Thanks to all who responded . As well I came across some of Ken Water pet loads for the Winchester 94 Trapper in 45 Colt.
He had quite a variety of bullet weights both cast and jacketed and a few for the 800X and Blue Dot powder.
So between all this info I'm sure I can burn thru it all and maybe even find a new favorite powder at the end of it all.

Respectfully

Doc