Accurate #5 and Unique

[abunaitoo]

Can I use Unique in place if Accurate #5????
They are close on my chart, with #5 being faster.

[NSB]

Close doesn't always work. I suggest using "book" loads if you want to switch powders. This can be especially so in something like a semi-auto handgun where pressure levels are required to cycle the gun properly.

[alamogunr]

I won't pretend to know how to answer OP's question but I will relate something that I encountered using comparative information.

A few years ago I purchased a jug of surplus powder that was supposed to be similar to AA#5. I loaded a few .45ACP rounds and off to the range. Since I have a .45ACP cylinder for my Freedom Arms 83, I decided to fire a cylinder over the chronograph. Quite a surprise when I saw the first round register over 1300fps. Since it was in the FA, I fired the remaining 4 rounds with similar results. The leftover rounds were pulled.

After a little investigation I determined that the powder was nearer to Bullseye. Needless to say, I'm glad I had that .45ACP cylinder.

[RED BEAR]

I have to agree close don't cut it. Even though they are close they can act different to a variety of things.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I use both powders extensively, but use only loads shown in manuals. If I get the meaning of your post, you can't just assume that if 3.0 gr. of Unique is a published load for a specific cartridge, that you can automatically substitute 3.0 gr. of AA #5.

[Conditor22]

Can I use Unique in place if Accurate #5????
They are close on my chart, with #5 being faster.

My chart shows Unique faster



What are you loading for? there might be Unique data for that.

[abunaitoo]

Three charts I've checked, all list Unique as slower.
I wish the powder industry would come out with one tested chart for powders.
It's for a 9mm Largo in a Destroyer.
I'll always start off low and work up.
Don't have any Acc #5 to compare it with.
Well see

[JBinMN]

I use both powders in different situations. I don't usually check on burn rates, unless I have a reason to do so. I just use the recommended load data from the applicable powder mnfr. & reloading manuals, then I usually stay in the recommended safe zone/below Max. most of the time for the loads.

Here are a few online burn rate charts below. I would also recommend that folks would look at the ones in any reloading manuals they have & the most recent the better.


https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/u...rate-color.pdf << Unique#32 faster than AA#5 at #42

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...rn-rate-chart/ << Unique #31 faster than AA#5 at #41

http://www.lasc.us/BurnRatePrint.htm << Unique #31 faster than AA#5 at #41

https://loaddata.com/Article/BurnRat...-Chart-NEW/159 << Unique #41 faster than AA#5 at #53

https://www.sampletemplates.com/busi...ate-chart.html << Unique #34 faster than AA#5 at #45

--------------------------------

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-con...burn_rates.pdf << AA#5 Faster than Unique

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/burnrate.htm << AA#5 at #22 Faster than Unique at #23

-----------------

I would say that there is a significant spread between the charts with Unique supposed to be faster than the ones where they say AA#5 is faster. Just something to think on.
One more thing is that there are more listing with Unique faster than AA#5 than there are slower.

Anyway.... "Pick your poison", I reckon. "Start low & work up", & "use a reloading manuals recommended load data", like is constantly repeated.


And if some want to go read this, it says that burn rates are a waste of time:
https://chuckhawks.com/powder_burn_rate.htm

G'Luck!

[jaysouth]

My chart shows Unique faster



What are you loading for? there might be Unique data for that.

Is this the chart from Hodgdon? I question that red dot(#7) is faster than Bullseye (#13). conventional wisdom for the 50 years that I have been reloading pistol cartridges has BE as the faster of the two.

[rockshooter]

I use AA5 for the same applications as Unique- just use published data. AA5 measures far better and doesn't seem as position sensitive. I use burn rate charts as a general guideline, not for developing loads. There is plenty of AA5 published data out there.
Loren

[BCB]

Is this the chart from Hodgdon? I question that red dot(#7) is faster than Bullseye (#13). conventional wisdom for the 50 years that I have been reloading pistol cartridges has BE as the faster of the two.

QL program show Red Dot to be faster than Bullseye. Red Dot produces substantially more pressure that Bullseye, but with only a small increase in velocity. Still this would indicate faster for Red Dot...

Good-luck...BCB

[BCB]

Unique is faster than AA#5 in applications I have used them in--357 Magnum being one of them...

Good-luck...BCB

[Wayne Smith]

All smokeless powders burn progressively - that means there is no straight line comparison between them. Add pressure and they behave differently than with lower pressure. Thus you will find different burn rates for the same powder depending on the pressure used to make the measure.

NEVER use burn rate charts to try to calculate loading data. It will not work!

[curioushooter]

I load both powders. AA#5 is much denser. There may be a few situations where unique would run out of space.

Also those relative burn rate charts are not gospel. Look at 2 of them. Or 4 of them. They are close, but seldom in agreement. And in any case it os often cartridge specific.

For example in 38 special you can use more AA#5 than unique with the same bullet, which suggests its slower. But most burn rate charts show unique between #5 and #7.
Personally I do not use very old or non standard powders. It's just not worth it, especially with your own guns.

[mdi]

Another thought; burn rate charts are not lineal. They are "relative" meaning they only show which powder is faster/slower than another (relative to another). The difference between powder #7 and #8, for example, may be very little or it may be huge. A Relative Burn Rate chart will tell you if a powder is faster or slower than another, but not how much faster or slower...

[Guncrank]

Can I use Unique in place if Accurate #5????
They are close on my chart, with #5 being faster.

Abunaitoo,

As you've no doubt come to realize by now there is no direct correlation between the published burn rate charts and specific load data. That, due to all the many variables of each cartridge a particular powder may be best suited for.

However, as regards Unique and 9-Largo... I have for many years now been using 9mm Luger/Parabellum loading data to load for my Astra 400's and Destroyer carbine. Suggest you consult Alliant's 9mm Luger data for Unique and your bullet weight of choice then go enjoy a few days at the range developing a new accuracy load!

GC

[crowbeaner]

I use both powders; in older guns I use Unique because it's been around forever. I like #5 in the 9mm, 38 spl., and 380. With a 95 gr hp, you can get some cracking good loads for the short case.

[Char-Gar]

I am using 25 year old Israeli made AA5 and it is SLOWER than Unique. Use Unique with the data for that batch of AA5 and you will get a significant overpressure load. AA5 was developed in Israel for use in the 9mm round, but has the same basic applications as Unique. In general I think it is a very bad idea to use the data from one power to load another powder. There is no reason to do so, as their is plenty of free data from the makers of both powders online.

[Rick459]

AA# 5 and CPP powder which Hi-Tek Ammo was the last place that was selling CPP use the same loading data. CPP stands for Comerical Pistol Powder
Rick