Charlie, shooting Blue Dot behind 1 1/2 ounces in an eight gauge bore would seem to result in a very low pressure load. Blue Dot behind 1 1/2 ounces in a 12 gauge shell is not a very high pressure load, about 10,000 at a full 1200 fps. As we progress from .410 to 12, in light shot loads, 1/2 ounce, 3/4 ounce, 7/8 ounce, 1 ounce, and finally, 1 1/8 ounce, we go from very slow powder in the small gauges to very fast powder in the 12 gauge. Why would we go back to very slow powders as we progress to the eight? As long as we are discussing Alliant powders, my opinion is that a light eight gauge load, about 1 1/4 ounce, would be more properly constructed using something relatively fast like Red Dot or Green Dot. It would seem like an extremely slow powder like Blue Dot would give very low pressures and poor ignition in cold weather. I would like to review Sherman Bell's eight gauge loads if I knew what issue of DGJ to look at.
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