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View Full Version : ''0ld Unique" VS ''New Unique'' Any Better??



sw282
05-04-2016, 10:21 PM
Looking thru my powder l found a 4lb jug of ''0ld Unique'' from app 2006..
Unbroken seal..My question, ls the 0ld Unique actually better than the new
''Cleaner Burning'' formula ???
The jug marked "New Cleaner Burning" is dated April 29, 2009. Shift "X''...

thanks
282

runfiverun
05-04-2016, 10:37 PM
no,,, but it's dirtier.

Outpost75
05-04-2016, 10:56 PM
The last Unique I used up was bought at Camp Perry in 1967. I have not used any newer to have anything to compare to.

I am still using Bullseye I bought at the same time. I have new Bullseye bought in 2012 which looks different in color and granulation, but shoots the same.

As for something cleaner burning, WST would be my choice to replace them both if I could find a case of four 8-lb. caddies...

Jack Stanley
05-05-2016, 08:31 AM
I haven't noticed any difference .

Jack

Lloyd Smale
05-05-2016, 08:53 AM
I'm with jack burns the same and I don't see a difference in one being cleaner.

Shiloh
05-05-2016, 10:54 AM
I haven't noticed any difference .

Jack


Ditto.
Been using it for 30+ years. First was a remnant in a square can, then the pull top plastic bottle, now the screw top bottle.

SHiloh

rintinglen
05-05-2016, 01:33 PM
I have about 14 oz left in a old 8 lb cardboard tube from the late 70's-early 80's, about 4 pounds left in a 8 lb square plastic from 2006, and two unopened pounds from 2012. Someday when i get the time, i am going to load up 30 each in 38 special and 44 mag just to see what transpires. My tentative game plan is to use 158 grain 358-311 bullets over 4.5 grains and 429-421 250 grainers over 8.5 grains, chronograph the results and check the apparent cleanliness after each string.
Now all I need do is work through the 90 odd projects between me and there.

fecmech
05-05-2016, 03:06 PM
I don't see where it's any cleaner

Blackwater
05-05-2016, 05:35 PM
The new stuff may be a tad cleaner, but it's not enough to matter or, usually, to notice. It certainly burns clean enough in both versions. Some folks get upset by any powder that leaves any trace in the bore, but I'm much more concerned with accuracy, power level, flash, etc. I have never even heard of an incident where a little "ash" in the barrel or cylinder has caused a malfunction. Maybe someone here has? I like it for its customary accuracy and performance level. It just makes for some really great ammo, and that's all I'm after. Some others may burn cleaner, but my experience indicates few (if any) are more accurate and give the same overall performance. It's just darn good powder. Cleanliness has its place, but extremes in this area really aren't here nor there in by far the vast majority of guns.

dannyd
05-05-2016, 06:02 PM
both have worked great for me.

unique
05-05-2016, 08:58 PM
I am sort of fond of unique so I buy up older cans when I find them. I ran a test with old to new powder and from velocity point-of-view across temperature saw no difference. My oldest can had the powder listed as a rifle powder so somewhere around 1933 I think.

The original was 40% nitroglycerin and that was changed to 20% in the 1960's. As a result the density did change but on weight basis the power performs the same. The newer cleaner burning was achieved by making the grain size more consistent hence more consistent burn.

I guess the answer to your question is it depends on what you mean by better. The newer stuff is a little cleaner if that is something you pay attention to otherwise performance-wise it is the same.

blikseme300
05-05-2016, 09:49 PM
I am a relative youngster compared to some on this board but it seems that there is a clean fetish with too many people. I care about accurate and consistent shooting and consider getting dirty and having to clean firearms normal. I don't care if my hands get dirty or that it takes a few seconds longer to clean after shooting or that some loads smoke more than others. If dirty was toxic I would think differently but it is not so.

dondiego
05-06-2016, 10:41 AM
I have a friend who I am getting into reloading and his number one priority was a clean burning powder. He had shot some of my Bullseye rounds once and it got some "black stuff" on his revolver. He was appalled! I just shook my head and said that was on the bottom of my priority list.

mdi
05-06-2016, 11:29 AM
What is the "cut-off" date? Old vs New?

DerekP Houston
05-06-2016, 11:34 AM
newbie here, I've only had experience with the "new" formulation. It is a little dirtier than my alternatives but it still shoots great! My intended use case was for mousefart rifle loads and unique seems to fill that niche.

I'm another that doesn't worry about "dirty" or "sooty" cases as long as the accuracy is where I want it. Not like I was going to put the gun away dirty either way, and all the residue cleans off in the tumbler for brass.

Geezer in NH
05-06-2016, 05:05 PM
Clean the gun after shooting and who cares about dirty powder. Leaving a gun for days dirty I do not understand.

JeffG
05-06-2016, 08:06 PM
Clean the gun after shooting and who cares about dirty powder. Leaving a gun for days dirty I do not understand.

Exactimento

Frank V
05-06-2016, 08:20 PM
I'm kind of a Unique fan. Some don't like it because they say it's dirty, doesn't run through a measure well, the biggest kicker is there are better powders. Better powders for what? Unique will run most handgun cartridges & run them well, some cast bullet applications in rifles too! I haven't noticed any difference in the old & new & if I had to choose just one powder for all handguns it'd be Unique. My use of Unique goes back to when we had Bullseye, Unique, & 2400 for handguns & a handful of shotgun powders. To say I like Unique would be a huge understatement!:grin:

lotech
05-07-2016, 09:10 AM
I'm hoping to get away from Unique altogether because it doesn't flow well through my Redding pistol measure, but I've used it for decades with cast bullets. While I've also used many other powders with cast bullets I've never been able to single out a particular powder (new or old formula) as being dirtier than another. Perhaps I'm not as observant as others when it comes to load cleanliness, but I've found the mixture of cast bullets, lubricant, and gunpowder creates a slightly dirty combination, particularly if several boxes of ammunition are fired during one session.

rhill
05-07-2016, 09:54 AM
In my opinion, which means nothing except to me, all powders are dirty. I have never seen a powder that does not leave residue, therefore I clean my guns when they are too dirty. That's part of the game, cleaning guns. Cleaning guns, although I not my favorite activity, is not a terrible thing to do, and it gives me a chance to look closer at the gun for worn or damaged parts(which I have never come across). If one does not want to clean guns, take up golf. I use a lot of Unique, works great in most every handgun I shoot and some leverguns too. I have never had a metering problem. It cuts down on my powder inventory because, well it is unique.

Frank V
05-07-2016, 08:21 PM
In my opinion, which means nothing except to me, all powders are dirty. I have never seen a powder that does not leave residue, therefore I clean my guns when they are too dirty. That's part of the game, cleaning guns. Cleaning guns, although I not my favorite activity, is not a terrible thing to do, and it gives me a chance to look closer at the gun for worn or damaged parts(which I have never come across). If one does not want to clean guns, take up golf. I use a lot of Unique, works great in most every handgun I shoot and some leverguns too. I have never had a metering problem. It cuts down on my powder inventory because, well it is unique.



:goodpost: :2_high5:

dudel
05-09-2016, 08:20 AM
newbie here, I've only had experience with the "new" formulation. It is a little dirtier than my alternatives but it still shoots great! My intended use case was for mousefart rifle loads and unique seems to fill that niche.

Unique IS dirtier when used in light loads. It cleans up nicely when run closer to max. Seems to be a characteristic of Unique. I have about a half pound of the old formulation (cardboard tube with plastic pull top spout) and the new (all plastic bottle). They both work well. Hard to say if the new one is much cleaner than the old one.

Not that it matters, the guns get cleaned after use. If they are dirty, they aren't dirty for long. Cleaning is a part of shooting.

sw282
05-10-2016, 08:42 AM
Guess l will open up that jug of 0ld Unique today and give her a try.. lt wont fit into the wall cabinets
over my new bench l got a couple years ago...At the rate l have been shooting l will hopefully run out
just in time to celebrate ''0ut With the 0ld-ln With The NEW'' in early N O V E M B E R :grin:

gnostic
05-10-2016, 10:30 AM
'If dirty was toxic I would think differently but it is not so.' I'm not trying to pick a fight, but the smoke from our guns contains lots of chemicals, lead from primers and burnt grease. This stuff ain't Wheaties...

Frank V
05-10-2016, 11:47 AM
You can do WAY worse than Unique!;-)

flint45
05-11-2016, 04:43 PM
I love a dirty revolver after a good day of shooting and dirty hands to!!:bigsmyl2:

Sam Casey
05-11-2016, 04:56 PM
I have used a lot of Unique; old & new; for shotgun & handgun. I believe that the "new" must be "improved" in some way because the manufacturer says it is, but I can't really see a meaningful difference. I do like the powder.

blikseme300
05-11-2016, 06:14 PM
'If dirty was toxic I would think differently but it is not so.' I'm not trying to pick a fight, but the smoke from our guns contains lots of chemicals, lead from primers and burnt grease. This stuff ain't Wheaties...

Yes, the smoke from our guns does contain lots of chemicals but the concentration and where we shoot matters. I rarely shoot indoors and around here it is seldom without wind so my level of exposure is slight. I'm sure that in city traffic a person is exposed to a higher dose of potentially harmful chemicals than at a well ventilated indoor range or out in the open. Humans need oxygen to live but it also causes rust so we are always exposed to chemicals. I'm more likely to get skin cancer from my daily exposure to the sun than from any chemicals from my shooting guns. Dirty hands and guns from shooting is not a concern of mine as cleaning myself and my guns is not a chore but a task that just needs doing.

Frank V
05-12-2016, 10:36 AM
Shoot 'em, :guntootsmiley:clean 'em, :Fire: then do it all over again!:wink:

Char-Gar
05-12-2016, 12:30 PM
This post made me curious, so I blew off the dust of my two unopened 8 lb jugs of Unique and it says nothing about "New Cleaner Burning" and they were made in December 2008. So, I guess I have the old dirty stuff. I am going to have to start using it soon as I only have a little in my old 1 lbs can.

I laid in a stock of powder when Obama came into office and still have an ample supply of Unique, 2400, Bulleye, AA5 and WC872.

dondiego
05-12-2016, 03:55 PM
I laid in a good supply of dirty powder and primers too so I wasn't out trying to buy up powder when it got hard to get. .22 LR too.

sw282
05-12-2016, 04:11 PM
New Unique jug dated 0ct 2009 and labeled ''New Cleaner Burning'' has a large orange colored disc on the front...UNIQUE is spelled out in white letters within the 0range disc...


0lder UNIQUE jug simply says ''UNIQUE since 1899'' in Shaded grey letters on front. No mfr date..

sorry,l don't know how to post pictures...l can send them to an e-mail address tho

Frank V
05-12-2016, 08:22 PM
Old or new it's a good powder.

Hogdaddy
05-12-2016, 08:57 PM
old or new it's a good powder.


^^^^^^^^Agree 100%^^^^^^^^ ; )
H/D

6bg6ga
05-13-2016, 05:41 AM
I'm just amazed that we need to talk about how dirty a powder is. My thought is if its too much for you simply sell all your guns, supplies, and reloading equipment and start making quilts. Real men play with their toys and don't worry about getting them dirty or possibly getting some dirt on their hands.

Frank V
05-14-2016, 11:20 AM
:popcorn::popcorn:

I never really have worried about a powder being dirty.
When I was shooting pistol bullseye I used a lot of Bullseye in a .38 special, it was dirty we just cleaned the gun & accepted the Xs it would shoot!:grin:

DerekP Houston
05-14-2016, 11:46 AM
New Unique jug dated 0ct 2009 and labeled ''New Cleaner Burning'' has a large orange colored disc on the front...UNIQUE is spelled out in white letters within the 0range disc...


0lder UNIQUE jug simply says ''UNIQUE since 1899'' in Shaded grey letters on front. No mfr date..

sorry,l don't know how to post pictures...l can send them to an e-mail address tho

oh cool, thanks for the explanation. My jugs were purchased in the last 2 years but are the "old" version then.

sharps4590
05-14-2016, 11:59 AM
Those who believe Unique to be "dirty" simply need to shoot black powder exclusively for a while. I shoot a lot of both and neither one are particularly difficult to clean.

Kevin Rohrer
05-14-2016, 01:20 PM
I have used both over the years, and the new version is a bit cleaner burning that old. There are even cleaner burning powders out there, but I have too much to ever switch.

Frank V
05-14-2016, 08:34 PM
DerekP

Don't worry about it it's good stuff. It has a LOT & I do mean a LOT of applications with handguns, it's a pretty good powder for 12ga shotguns, & some applications with rifles. With "jugs" of it I'd say you are pretty well set.:wink: