Re: Reduced Loads
I have fired thousands of reduced 223 loads loaded with Blue Dot.
These are almost unbelievably cool, clean, and accurate.
The down side is that Blue Dot sometimes hangs in the RCBS Uniflow powder measure. Making one round with a light charge followed by making a round with a heavy charge is always a danger, because the correct charge only fills part of the case.
Blue Dot can be peaky and erratic at high pressure. While the 223 is registered at 55 kpsi, it can be used with long brass life at more like 75kpsi. But with Blue Dot, it is best operated at 37 kpsi to get the powder to be as extremely consistent as it can be.
As a result of this danger, every charged case should be checked for fill. It is not appropriate for novice hand loaders. I do not think you will ever see it in a load book.
One good way to check for case fill, is not to look in the case, but to insert a nail. The nail should always go the same distance in each charged case before the nail head hits powder.
And if you are shooting lots of ammo at low value targets, you might as well be wearing eye protection.
For 22-250, 52 gr Amax, that would be a max load of 17 gr Blue Dot, 38 kpsi, 3000 fps, and the case only 57% full of powder.