Unique powder

[JoeJames]

It's one of the cast boolit powders that I would never want to be without. The same goes for Bullseye and 2400 as well. The so called holy trinity of the gunpowder world. Unique sometimes gets some bad press for being "dirty", but it's performance outweighs that minor distraction.

I consider Unique as in a mid range moderate loading. For 38 S&W and 38 Special I always use Bullseye. For 44 Special and very moderate 44 Special and 44 Magnum loads I use Unique. For upper range but still moderate 44 Magnum I go up to 2400. I have learned that Unique ignites very easily and works well in my 44 Magnum loads - 7 grains of Unique under a 240 grain cast boolit. Only draw back to Unique in my opinion is that it does not meter well at all and I always double check each load on my scale. I am probably stuck in the 1950's as far as powder goes.

[arlon]

I have large canisters of Unique, 700X, Blue Dot and IMR 4198. I can load anything I own with them. Unique does cover more ground than the others. Wouldn't mind having an 8lb canister of Red Dot just for fun..

[Art in Colorado]

Thats a very good idea. Not so sure it would evan take more time. Might even be better when using Tite Group and such when a double charge is very hard to see when eye balled.

[AlaskaMike]

For me it depends on what I'm loading. It is definitely dirtier than a lot of other powders, but that's not as much a concern to me as how it meters through my uniflow. I just started using BE-86 this past fall and I'm really impressed with it. I think it could probably easily replace Unique for everything I use it for, and it meters so much better. I haven't had a chance to shoot many loads over my chronograph, but so far extreme spreads are significantly smaller than with Unique.

[Petrol & Powder]

I keep some Unique on hand but it is not my favorite powder. I don't use it in powder measures but It does have some uses.
One of the positive attributes of Unique is its near universal applications in handgun and shotgun loads. If you were down to one powder, it would be a good one to have.

As fuel for the "Skeeter" load in 44 casings, it seems to do well.

Unique seems to do better when you load it near the upper end of acceptable pressures.

[gwpercle]

For about 20 years it was the only powder I loaded in handgun ammo .
Then I ventured into NRA three gun Bullseye Competition and had to give up on target loads with Unique...just not enough pressure and start working with Bullseye for target loads .
Life was so simple back in those days ... Bullseye , Unique and 2400 ...those three powders did it all in handgun and a lot of rifle rounds .
Now there are so many powders it boggles the mind .
But I'll never be without Unique ... still a favorite after 50 years !
Gary

[AZ Pete]

Unique is what I have used for .38 spl since 1967..... no complaints for that, no need for me to change. I also use it in .44 spl, and .45 Colt with total satisfaction.

[JWFilips]

Here Are some targets from yesterdays shoot at the range using unique in my Savage 340 30-30
The first one was sighting in a new scope and the the outer targets 4 were the NOE 165 Ranch dog bullets with 7 grains of Unique

the next was the Lyman 311291 Plain Base with 7.3 gr Unique

[smkummer]

I like unique, and use it in 45acp 38 spl. Etc. As far as being dirty, you can’t drop your pressure as low as with Bullseye, so keeping the load up to reasonable levels, it seem as clean as anything else I have used.

Yep, that’s why use 700X, bullseye and 231 for standard or light loads. Unique for plusP and of course 45 colt.

[Rapidrob]

The original lot of Unique is still with us today. It is stored under water and when a new lot is made,it is compared to the original batch so there is no difference. That says a lot.
I'm relative new to Unique powder. I've only been using it for fifty-seven years.

[pworley1]

It my not always be the best choice for every caliber, but I have not found one that didn't go bang when using it. Great stuff.

[bigted]

The original lot of Unique is still with us today. It is stored under water and when a new lot is made,it is compared to the original batch so there is no difference. That says a lot.
I'm relative new to Unique powder. I've only been using it for fifty-seven years.

Dadgum youngsters!!! Only 57 years indeed. Good on ya young man!!

By the way ... what is the "under water" thing? Have never heard that reference. Could you expound some please?

[RoyEllis]

*sigh* if only they would sell unique in 55gal drums.....

[onelight]

For me it depends on what I'm loading. It is definitely dirtier than a lot of other powders, but that's not as much a concern to me as how it meters through my uniflow. I just started using BE-86 this past fall and I'm really impressed with it. I think it could probably easily replace Unique for everything I use it for, and it meters so much better. I haven't had a chance to shoot many loads over my chronograph, but so far extreme spreads are significantly smaller than with Unique.

I have replaced UNIQUE with BE86 to , I have shot more Unique than any other powder but the BE86 works better on my progressive and I can use it in all the cartridges I used Unique in . Good stuff.

[stubshaft]

If I had had to use only one powder...Unique would be the one.

[6string]

I began reloading for 44 Magnum with a Lee Loader, in the early 1980s. I knew I wanted light loads, so the day I bought the Lee Loader, I also got the Lee powder dipper kit, and a Lee auto-prime. I also got a pound of Unique, primers, and cast bullets (local caster: Lyman WC 429348).
My first load used the 1.0 cc dipper of Unique (about 8.5 gr).
What a great load, and what a great first experience with reloading.
Unique has proven itself for me over and over again.

Jim

[Wheelguns 1961]

For about 20 years it was the only powder I loaded in handgun ammo .
Then I ventured into NRA three gun Bullseye Competition and had to give up on target loads with Unique...just not enough pressure and start working with Bullseye for target loads .
Life was so simple back in those days ... Bullseye , Unique and 2400 ...those three powders did it all in handgun and a lot of rifle rounds .
Now there are so many powders it boggles the mind .
But I'll never be without Unique ... still a favorite after 50 years !
Gary

I load 95% of my handgun loads with unique, bullseye, and 2400. I have some h110 and some hs-6, but I always try to come up with a load using one of my big 3. It really simplifies things.

[6bg6ga]

Unique is on my bench along with Red Dot, WW231, Bullseye,and 2400. Some say its dirty I say all powders are dirty who cares its part of shooting.

[Chill Wills]

I have started trying Universal in place of Unique except for maximum loads, the same listed charge weights produce the same velocities, - except cleaner. I don't often load to the maximum anymore so I don't know how that compares.
In the 1970's I loaded a lot of handgun cast bullets using Tamarack 50/50 lube and Unique. Wow! Talk about having some grubby greasy cases and firearms after I was done shooting!

That Tamarack lube was 50% ALOX 2138F mixed with Beeswax 50%. It is (was) a good all purpose lube but made for a very dirty clean-up.

I have found that using Universal power,, though not 'clean-clean' is noticeably cleaner than the same load using Unique. Still, I sometimes load Unique and don't plan to quit.

[35remington]

I will note that Universal is the most horribly position sensitive powder I have tried in such as the 38 Special, 32 Long, 44 Special, 45 Colt, etc.