Unique

[Dusty Bannister]

Unique is the first powder I purchased when I started reloading quite a long time ago. At that time I bought the RCBS Uniflow with both large and small drums. I do not ever recall using the large metering drum. Many suggested that a uniform movement of the lever making positive contact with the stop at each end of the movement could lead to more uniform metering. There were also baffle plates that could be inserted in the plastic tube holding the powder. Instead of installing a baffle, I fabricated a funnel that was about 2" short of reaching the level of the casting. In use, this seems to provide a uniform powder column to feed into the metering chamber. My needs are not critical, but consistent measurement seems a good idea.

My next most used powder measure is the old Bonanza Bullseye measure. It had not had the greatest of care and the set screw that was supposed to enter a hole in the red funnel had not been used so the opening at the base was badly distorted. Tight budget forced me to modify a plastic piece to just fit on the top of the metal body and secure with epoxy so the powder movement was straight down into the metering cylinder. Starting at nearly full, and moved independently to fill a loading block of primed cases, always left me sufficient powder in the cylinder to result in decent consistent results.

Low pressure charges result in a lot of unburned powder flakes but that is a use issue, not a powder issue.

 

[Reeferman]

Both of my Hornady LNL measures one is on ap other is stand alone and RCBS Uniflow all drop Unique within .2 grains or less of set charge. I can’t tell difference in handgun for shooting steel. LabRadar picks up the difference though.

 

[popper]

I only have the uniflow and it works fine with Unique. I did worryabout differences but unless a double charge, doesn't seem to make a difference on target, lite 30/30 or 40sw loads.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I purchased the RCBS Little Dandy when I started playing with 32 ACP and Bullseye. I was using a homemade powder scoop and that was working. But between those tiny casings and the tiny bit powder I was dealing with, the remainder of my limited sanity was in jeopardy. The Little Dandy saved what was left of my mind.

I don’t think I’ll ever trust Unique in the Dillon. The Redding works OK with Unique if the weights are above about 6 grains. I’m thinking the smaller diameter cavity of the RCBS rotors for the Little Dandy may be the key with the lower charge weights.

 

[Winelover]

No experience with the Little Dandy. I'm sure it works, as designed, by RCBS. Don't think I would like having to keep changing rotors, though. I don't care to change over hand primers, so I have one set up for each of the primer sizes used.

 

[RBHarter]

I didn't weigh any of the 100s of shot shells I've loaded with Unique .

When I used the Lee disc measures briefly I found that with the old 68' lot that they dropped considerably light from the book suggested charge per number .

The Uniflows gave me a little trouble until I made a baffle that contained or maybe confined the flow to basically a " scoop pile" on the rotor rather than the whole column .

 

[Petrol & Powder]

No experience with the Little Dandy. I'm sure it works, as designed, by RCBS. Don't think I would like having to keep changing rotors, though. I don't care to change over hand primers, so I have one set up for each of the primer sizes used.

I would not recommend a Little Dandy powder measure as a PRIMARY powder measure for anyone that makes more than a few different loadings. However, as a supplemental measure in addition to a variable volume measure, it is very handy.

The fixed volume rotors are not ideal for broad applications, but they have their place. It’s sort of like having a lug wrench in a car that fits the lug nuts of THAT car. It’s not nearly as useful as a rachet and set of sockets but it is extremely handy for that ONE application.

Sometimes I don’t want to re-configure the Dillon or spend time dialing in a powder measure to load just a handful of cartridges. The Little Dandy and a fixed rotor that throws a known weight of a particular powder is handy. It’s also useful if you have a standard loading that you never alter. (that’s the fixed size lug wrench thing where it isn’t flexible but it doesn’t need to be)

 

[Jeff H]

....IMO, it's all about consistency of operation of the dispensing handle.

Nah, you're not pinning that one on me!

I am very anal about consistency in throwing charges and also weigh every tenth. If I throw a charge and detect any difference in the "click-click" of the measure when I throw a charge, I dump that charge back in and do it again. That may be one of my unnecessary handloading obsessions, but it makes me feel better about it. Over the past several years, I've weighed EVERY charge out of the Uniflow, as I've been testing all different guns/loads as I revamped my battery, so I've observed a lot very closely. There's definitely something more than consistent operation of the measure.

I've been through several 8# jugs myself since 1982, when I bought the Uniflow, but I'm not blaming the Uniflow either. As much as I love Unique, it has that quirk. It may well be something to do with humidity. In Salinas, CA, it was a little quirky. In Huntsville Alabama, a buit more quirky. In Orangeburg, SC, REALLY quirky. In NW Ohio, sometimes it's fine, sometimes it's a little quirky. Lately, it's been a pain in the butt. I'm leaning toward @RicinYakima 's hypothesis about humidity the more I think about it.

MAYBE I should also run a test on the Pacific with the sliding charge bar while it's this humid right now too. Possibly my own hypothesis that the linear v. radial striking-off makes a difference - really doesn't.

I grew up with Redding and don't remember any issues with Unique, but I do remember my dad cussing every time a log of 3031 stopped the measure mid-charge.

 

[todd]

the Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Charger does it for me. i use Unique in my rifles and revolvers. i've had the LnL for 12-15 years and never a problem.

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[Jeff H]

The quirk definitely seem to be in lower charges, and possibly charges low enough that, yes, another powder would be much easier to use.

No arguments or contradictions, rather more observations based on using Unique a LOT over the past several years:

To be fair, the inconsistencies I have seen have probably not been enough to make a noticeable difference in shooting 25 yard handgun groups or "plinking," and the inconsistencies seem to be only with charges below seven grains and especially below 4.5 grains. I have been experimenting for several years now using just Unique and cast bullets for a handful of cartridges as a long-term experiment. I do have other powders. I also have more Unique than I'll ever be able to afford primers for - even the ones from Argentina.

So, I also put Unique at an unfair disadvantage at times when using it where a faster/different powder would definitely be easier to use, like 3.3 to 4.5 grain charges in the 357 for suppressed carbine/short revolver general-purpose loads. Yes, I SHOULD use a different powder, but this is to see just how much a fella could do with how little - to include available powder selection. The Qusetion: If all I could find or afford were ONE pound of powder, which one would it be and how long could I make it last?

So far, I can say with confidence that I could load for the 357 revolver/carbine combination AND the 30/30 rifle to the tune of 1,000 useful loads for small game, vermin, personal protection and close-range deer from one pound of Unique. Some loads as light as 3.3 grains. Some loads up to 10+ grains. In combinations proportional to frequency of need/use, there's a thousand loads in one can.

Maybe a little bit of a nuisance to load some of the lightest charges, but they are limited to accuracy on small game/vermin at ONE to 25 yards. I am looking most closely at trajectory and accuracy for the moment.

 

[Dusty Bannister]

While uncertain exactly what caliber you are shooting through the suppressor, I would be thinking 3.5 grains bullseye to 4.5 grains of Unique leaving unburned powder debris to clean out? I would think the answer might not be too hard to discover. Unless your suppressor is easy to clean.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

For me Unique is a powder Ill do my best to have on hand.

Yea it dosen't meter wel. So we know that and there are many ways to dispense. There are dozens of powder that are a no go for progressive use. Knowing that is enough. Progressives get ball or spherical powders BECAUSE of there ability to meter and flow producing consistent charges. Progressive loading isnt the only kind of loading either.

I also love 800x for my 357 Sig and 10mm hot loads. But tenths separate TOO HOT from very nice fast accurate bullets! I cannot DREAM of use with a stand alone powder measure or a progressive.

CW

 

[Jeff H]

While uncertain exactly what caliber you are shooting through the suppressor, I would be thinking 3.5 grains bullseye to 4.5 grains of Unique leaving unburned powder debris to clean out? I would think the answer might not be too hard to discover. Unless your suppressor is easy to clean.

357 Mag, 18" MGM barrel 1:14" twist. The 3.3 grain load is for 148 grain WCs. Even as low as it is, that charge still shows up as a minimum charge in at least one source, so I'm not off the charts.

crumbs left behind are not really a problem at all for a few reasons:
1) I'm not shooting 300 rounds at a time, as this is a single-shot and that load is used fairly infrequently (vermin assassinations)
2) The suppressor is very easy to clean (Liberty Mystic X)
3) There's just not that much residue left behind anyway, at least not in the can. I've had it apart several times over 200 rounds or so and there is never any debris floating around in there.

Bullseye or more Unique would be "better" for that load in terms of debris and probably velocity uniformity, but it's not a load shot that often either. Incidentally 4.5 grains behind a 158, 180 or 190 leaves a little less debris behind. The 158s over that charge open up a lot at 50 yrds, but the 180s and 190s are very accurate at 50 yrds. A very good charge for the 180s and 190s, but too fast and too heavy for close-up vermin/varmint-shooting at close range.

 

[todd]

try Trail Boss, i have a can or two and it's great for my 444 Marlin in a 23" MGM barrel. i don't need no hearing protection with that. with a suppressor, TB would be even better.

 

[Jeff H]

try Trail Boss, i have a can or two and it's great for my 444 Marlin in a 23" MGM barrel. i don't need no hearing protection with that. with a suppressor, TB would be even better.

Yep, I get it and I appreciate your knowledge and experience a great deal, so this is not to be dismissive of your wisdom.

This is just a personal objective to learn something specific first-hand. After having had about every gun I've ever wanted, having been able to get my hands on and afford whatever powder, cases and expensive jacketed bullets I've wanted, and using all in profuse quantities, this is a new and very rewarding and enjoyable diversion. And I'm certain that nothing I'm doing hasn't been done and published long ago and I enjoy finding validation in those texts when I find them, but there's a lot of pleasure in working this "one-powder" thing out. Maybe it will help someone someday too, who knows?

 

[CZ93X62]

I have NEVER been without Hercules or Alliant Unique powder since I started refilling shotshells at age 15. If I had to, I could load all of my lead-shot loads in 3 gauges and ALL of my handgun ammo with it. I could make all of my rifles work with cast bullets as well.

 

[MW65]

I have NEVER been without Hercules or Alliant Unique powder since I started refilling shotshells at age 15. If I had to, I could load all of my lead-shot loads in 3 gauges and ALL of my handgun ammo with it. I could make all of my rifles work with cast bullets as well.

Likewise!!! 44mag to 45acp, 9mm & 38... 12ga and more. It's a good powder for what I want, and have some pet loads that are just great for plinking accuracy. Just tried 231 and 200gr in a 45acp, and accuracy wise, it's great, but a different recoil impulse.

 

[richhodg66]

I have a lot of Unique onhand, it and 700X are the go-to powders for just about everything.

 

[fiver]

i'm gonna be of no help, i've never used Unique in anything but a Dillon.
except when i used it to make up a bunch of buckshot loads.

 

[Jeff H]

To answer the question regarding how much crap is left in the bore with light loads of Unique, one might be able to make a relative assessment with this particular load. Haven't shot this in the 3" revolver yet, but in an 18" MGM 357 barrel on a Contender action, and a Liberty Mystic X on the muzzle, this is what I get.

This was three shots.

NOE 360-180 WFN with the GC rebate removed - now weighs 187 grains, PC'd.
Sized to .358" for the .358" bore
Starline cases
S&B SPP
4.5 grains of Unique

That's all that was left in the bore. If I remove the can, disassemble and shake, I get no more debris. Two flecks of powder.



Far from being a compromise load, when another powder might be "better," the POI at fifty yards is about 1/2" higher than it is at TEN yards. At ten yards, you can't tell how many went into the hole on the target. At fifty, I managed just over an inch for five with the five I had available to test that day. I'm NOT the best shot these days, so I assume any gun to be able to shoot at least 50% better than I shoot it.

Today, I had FIVE minutes I didn't know what to do with. I grabbed the Contender and three rounds and walked out the back door. At 65 yards, I was able to hit the 4"(?) swinger three out of three times (three darkest spots in the lower/right quadrant) off-hand. I can only do that spontaneously. I could shoot the rest of the afternoon and not do that. Couple days from now, I could walk out there and put the first three on it.



That's with the scope set at 3X, it's max, and holding dead-center.

I must say that it does thwack that little plate hard for as light a load as it is.

Anyway, again, not the ideal powder for the lightest loads, but workable. The heaviest loads attainable without being stupid are plenty for most of my needs. It covers a wide range of usefulness, if not ideally, at least well enough for a lot of applications. BUllseye, Unique and 2400 woiuld do it for me. I'd want 8# of Unique to every 1# of each of the other two though.