WidenersLee PrecisionTitan ReloadingRotoMetals2
RepackboxLoad DataMidSouth Shooters SupplyInline Fabrication
Reloading Everything
Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Unique and 30 06

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634

    Unique and 30 06

    Hi all,

    Looking in my Lyman cast bullet handbook (4th) I see a great deal of Unique listed for cast rifle (specifically'06)

    I live unique, use it in pistol and was what I learned to reload with long ago...

    They list what seems like very high loads of unique on cast bullets (ie for their 311672 the show a Max load of 24grains for nearly 2200 fps) I get that is Max load at 56k pressure but wow...that seems awfully high.

    Anyone tried loads that high with unique in '06 before? I have seen tons of folks say a 10-14 grain load range for 150-170 grain bullets is a sweet spot accuracy load and tons of fun...

    If love to try some on the upper end for hunting at short Louisiana wooded ranges (35-50 yards) the 10 or 11 grain loads just wouldn't have the umph to push at velocity enough to expand well or carry enough energy I feel comfortable with. But at 15+ grains it gets more speed worth hunting with depending on bullet weight.

    I'm sure there are tons of bullets that will work better for what I'm looking at but just interested if unique hunting loads are even possible or if anyone has tried it before and what success you've had?

    I have on hand 4227, 4198, 4064, 4895 hp38 tight group and unique... so tons of powder to try other loads with too (also Cabela's close by with nearly everything on hand...thank you ft worth Cabela's) but in general....has anyone tried warmer/hotter loads with unique in '06 and how did that turn out for you?

    Side question, when shooting pistol powder in large capacity rifle should you use a different primer (ie magnum) or open up flash hole?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Maven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    4,946
    With cast bullets weighing between 175gr. (Saeco #315) - 195gr. (Ly. #314299), I use 12.5gr. Unique and am pleased with the results: very accurate and repeatable. With #311672 or its predecessor, #311644, I'd use 23gr. or 24gr. before trying the high pressure load of Unique.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy

    NC_JEFF's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Ellenboro, NC
    Posts
    460
    It is recommended that you open up the flash hole of cast cartridges, as well as permanently mark those cases if they're to live a life on a cast diet. There is a lot of info as to how and why in the forum here. I use 10-12 gr Unique in '06 cast 130-150 gr boolits when I want a practically zero recoil signal is when my granddaughter wants to shoot one of Pawpaw's big guns. I'm not a hunter so I can't really help with your original question other than to say I'm unfamiliar with seeing Unique used above 16 grs. Not saying it isn't, I've just never seen it. Good luck and stay safe John.
    Jeff
    You don't have to use mag primers
    (I was in boot camp with a McCorkle at Parris Island in '82)

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634
    Quote Originally Posted by jedomejd View Post
    It is recommended that you open up the flash hole of cast cartridges, as well as permanently mark those cases if they're to live a life on a cast diet. There is a lot of info as to how and why in the forum here. I use 10-12 gr Unique in '06 cast 130-150 gr boolits when I want a practically zero recoil signal is when my granddaughter wants to shoot one of Pawpaw's big guns. I'm not a hunter so I can't really help with your original question other than to say I'm unfamiliar with seeing Unique used above 16 grs. Not saying it isn't, I've just never seen it. Good luck and stay safe John.
    Jeff
    You don't have to use mag primers
    (I was in boot camp with a McCorkle at Parris Island in '82)
    Ha! If there is another McCorkle out there they are almost certainly kin folk....same breed different litter. Too few of us around for us not to be related.

    If a lower load is able to give me some decent expansion I'm happy with that too...I'll just have to play around with alloy and bullet a bit to get the results. I really want to start hunting with cast... plenty of other options out there for a handloader but it's like bow hunting or stalking, it adds a new and interesting element to the hunt.

    Thanks so much for the input guys.... really appreciate it. Have cast tons for pistol and some for 300 blk (still sort of a pistol round) but not much yet for rifle...and there are new aspects to consider

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634
    You know I wonder what a soup can load would do in 06 with unique...I have the round nose version of that mold from Lee...you could get it up to velocity easier with less pressure spike that would likely expand just fine especially for <50 yard hunting...plus that 113grain version with the wider metplat would make expansion even easier

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy sledgehammer001's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Moved back to Kearny, Az
    Posts
    160
    My best cast load with Unique was Lee 170 GC over 13.4 gr of Unique. I found my rifle likes a 200-220 GC better, and I use SR7625 with very good results. Use Unique in my handguns now.
    if it doesn't fit, don't force it. Get a BIGGER HAMMER!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    1,776
    You won't need any more than 15 grains of Unique. The last deer I shot was with a 30-30 at 80 yards. I was shooting a RCBS 180 gr. actually weighed 192 with my alloy. I was loading these boolits with 10 gr. Unique. The boolit went all the way through. He only went about 15 yards and down he went

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634
    Quote Originally Posted by 45-70 Chevroner View Post
    You won't need any more than 15 grains of Unique. The last deer I shot was with a 30-30 at 80 yards. I was shooting a RCBS 180 gr. actually weighed 192 with my alloy. I was loading these boolits with 10 gr. Unique. The boolit went all the way through. He only went about 15 yards and down he went
    Follow on here with alloy, plan is for 50/50 air cooled powder coated and gas checked, sized accordingly to bore...170 Lee flat nose is what I am thinking but I also have the 160r from Lee as well. Alloy sound ok for expansion with 15-16 grain load?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634
    Quote Originally Posted by sledgehammer001 View Post
    My best cast load with Unique was Lee 170 GC over 13.4 gr of Unique. I found my rifle likes a 200-220 GC better, and I use SR7625 with very good results. Use Unique in my handguns now.
    Happen to know what velocity you were getting with the 170?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    South of the north pole in the land of the falling waters
    Posts
    4,070
    You probably won't need more than fourteen grains to get the job done .

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    JSnover's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sicklerville NJ
    Posts
    4,380
    Love Unique for all of the above reasons but double check the practice of drilling the flash holes. My understanding is you only need to do that for light loads, it could cause problems with standard pressures, even with cast.
    Warning: I know Judo. If you force me to prove it I'll shoot you.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    261
    I just got the lee 170 fn it will be perfect for powder coat it casts at .3075 on driving bands and .297 on nose. (Wwac)

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

    Hamish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Edge of The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
    Posts
    3,569
    *Enlarging flash holes is strictly for "cat sneeze", parlour type, ultra low velocity loads* and must be kept separate from standard brass and standard loads.
    More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"

    Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Winnemucca, NV
    Posts
    1,600
    Can't speak to Unique, but I regularly reload subsonic loads (1000 fps) for my M1 using W231 or 700x-- barely 7 grains for the W231, standard primers, and NEVER enlarge the flash holes. Somepeople recommend drilling out the flash holes, some others say it is bad practice. All I can say is I don't and the loads work fine.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Pennsylvaina
    Posts
    56
    Quote Originally Posted by John McCorkle View Post
    Hi all,

    Looking in my Lyman cast bullet handbook (4th) I see a great deal of Unique listed for cast rifle (specifically'06)

    I live unique, use it in pistol and was what I learned to reload with long ago...

    They list what seems like very high loads of unique on cast bullets (ie for their 311672 the show a Max load of 24grains for nearly 2200 fps) I get that is Max load at 56k pressure but wow...that seems awfully high.

    Anyone tried loads that high with unique in '06 before? I have seen tons of folks say a 10-14 grain load range for 150-170 grain bullets is a sweet spot accuracy load and tons of fun...

    If love to try some on the upper end for hunting at short Louisiana wooded ranges (35-50 yards) the 10 or 11 grain loads just wouldn't have the umph to push at velocity enough to expand well or carry enough energy I feel comfortable with. But at 15+ grains it gets more speed worth hunting with depending on bullet weight.

    I'm sure there are tons of bullets that will work better for what I'm looking at but just interested if unique hunting loads are even possible or if anyone has tried it before and what success you've had?

    I have on hand 4227, 4198, 4064, 4895 hp38 tight group and unique... so tons of powder to try other loads with too (also Cabela's close by with nearly everything on hand...thank you ft worth Cabela's) but in general....has anyone tried warmer/hotter loads with unique in '06 and how did that turn out for you?

    Side question, when shooting pistol powder in large capacity rifle should you use a different primer (ie magnum) or open up flash hole?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk
    I have in a 308 not quite that hot but with good success so I can't see why not just walk up to the high side I think I'm shooting 19.5 in my 308


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Ft Worth, Texas
    Posts
    634
    Quote Originally Posted by Hick View Post
    Can't speak to Unique, but I regularly reload subsonic loads (1000 fps) for my M1 using W231 or 700x-- barely 7 grains for the W231, standard primers, and NEVER enlarge the flash holes. Somepeople recommend drilling out the flash holes, some others say it is bad practice. All I can say is I don't and the loads work fine.
    What grain weight boolit you using in that 231?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    1,776
    Quote Originally Posted by John McCorkle View Post
    Follow on here with alloy, plan is for 50/50 air cooled powder coated and gas checked, sized accordingly to bore...170 Lee flat nose is what I am thinking but I also have the 160r from Lee as well. Alloy sound ok for expansion with 15-16 grain load?

    Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk
    My alloy was streight Wheel Weights with about 1 persent tin air cooled
    Your alloy seems a little soft. I would go with the 170 gr. My RCBS 180 is my favoritq boolit for the 3030 and the 3006.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    upstate NY
    Posts
    234
    My go to load in all my 30-06’s is 13 Unique over any good 170 to 200 grain cast bullets. The reason I settled on 13 is it works with the battle sights on my 1917.

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Broken Arrow, OK
    Posts
    33
    I used 15.5g of unique as well as 16.2g of AA#9 behind 180g rcbs sil. bullet with good results.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check