Handloaders' Warning- Do NOT use Blue Dot in .357 Mag with 125 gr bullets

[Trailrider]

This warning was posted in the October 2008, p 24, upper left hand corner.  Alliant Powder apparently determined that using Blue Dot with 125 gr bullets can produce high pressures and possible injury to shooters!  HOWEVER, HEAVIER bullets are okay!
Also, Alliant states that Blue Dot is NOT SUITABLE for the .41 Magnum...PERIOD!

Now, I can't account for their statement on the .41 Magnum, as I have never SHOT nor handloaded for .41 Mangle-em.

I suspect the problem with the .357 Mag 125 gr bullet is that it isn't heavier enough to allow Blue Dot to start burning stabily, leaving the possibility for the slug to stick in the barrel.  If that happens, the bullet could stick in the forcing cone, and the powder then "takes off", until pressures exceed the strength of the cartridge case, resulting in a blown gun!  We MAY have seen this with reduced loads in other calibers, especially .45 LC.  Unfortunately, the instrumentation with which I've been trying to detect the ignition delay with other powders and reduced loads hasn't been sensitive enough to detect the ignition transients.

As to why Blue Dot shouldn't be used in the .41 Magnum, I can't say, as I have never fired a .41 Mangle-em!  I'll take Alliants word for it, however!  YOU DO THE SAME!