Measuring Unique

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've never experienced a problem metering out unique, but then again I don't check each charge, 1 in 10 usually. I use a Lee turret press with case actuated powder dispensers (Lee's disk or drum and recently converted a dillon as well). All 3 systems are volumetric dispensers and no problems as far as consistency.
That being said because of all the jarring movement in the turret, it probably settles the powder into the measure before being dispensed.

Same here.
I always check the first 5 to 10 charges, and I get ± 0.1gr for most flake powders, including Unique, with Lee's Pro-Disk on the auto-indexing classic Turret press. The jarring vibrations are just the ticket. The trick is, to run the press consistently, to get the same jarring vibrations from one round to the last.

[Mal Paso]

I use a Uniflo with the small drum. When dispensing the powder I give the handle a vigorous tap at top and bottom. I usually stay withing 1/20th to 1/10th of a grain. Now when dispensing less then 3 grains I can still feel the measure cut powder every once in a while.

Same here. I have to bolt the Uniflow stand to the bench for Unique and N350 so it doesn't jump when I cut powder. Never had a problem with charge weight but Unique meters like drainrock.

[Carrier]

Both of my Hornady LNL powder measures drop Unique pretty good. When set for 8.5 grains they will vary between 8.4 and 8.6 all day long. I used to check every couple of drops then after a dozen and now I rarely check anymore. However if I let powder level get below half then the variance will get a tenth or two more.

[HP9MM]

I use a technique no one has mentioned. Fill the Lyman 55 up more than half and then tap on the plastic tube with a wrench, brush or something like that. This settles the powder down to a uniform settling. You will be surprised how the powder level drops down as it is settled. I do use a deep hole in the measure to drop the powder in to minimize cutting. This works great for Unique and all the powders I use to get uniform powder drops.

[Scrounge]

I've been loading some rounds with Unique, and I'm finding a lot of weight variations with my Little Dandy measure. Sometimes as much as a 1/2 grain or more. That's a lot of variation when you're only dispensing 5 or 6 grains. So I get out my Lyman 55 and the same happens with that too. I try to keep my procedure of dispensing the same and nothing seams to work any better. Even setting the Lyman up with a narrow and deep hole or wide and shallow doesn't seam to improve the situation.
What's the secret of measuring Unique, other than weighing each charge???

Unique was the powder I used almost exclusively for some years, and is why I weigh each load. Since I'm not into volume production, it works well for me, no matter what powder I'm using. YMMV, of course. I do only have three firearms that are semi-auto, and two of those are .22lr rimfire, so that may have something to do with it, too.

Bill

[Walks]

Just once, was using the Little Dandy when it first came out back in the late ?1970's?.
Was using Unique too, light charges for .38WC's, had a bullet stuck in the bore out of a 1,000 rounds. Never used it to throw light charges of Unique again.
I also started to check the powder levels in the loading trays after that, so it may have been the learning curve for a new reloading tool/method. Since then, and up until now it throws 4.7grs of Unique within .1gr every time. 2400, W296, W231, Bullseye It's all in the wrist.

[Chaparral66]

I started with a single stage press and all my brass standing up in a multi-shell holder. Before continuing on to boolit installation I scanned all the shells for equal powder volume. Worked great. Then I upgraded to a Lee rotary press. Now I just need to keep my mind from wandering (ADD... squirrel) and maintain a consistent rhythm. Hard to double charge, but easy to load no powder.

[oley55]

Same here. I have to bolt the Uniflow stand to the bench for Unique and N350 so it doesn't jump when I cut powder. Never had a problem with charge weight but Unique meters like drainrock.

Being old and slower of mind than others, I was compelled to look up "drainrock", and just like that another 60 seconds of life lost to the internet universe.

Drainrock Industries (they use drain rock in their water mitigation business).

[justindad]

Keeping the powder hopper at a consistent fullness level helps… if your charge variance is a gradual drift.
*
As others have said, tapping the throw handle after pouring a charge and keeping a consistent throw speed have improved my consistency. This helps more with charge-to-charge variation than batch-to-batch variation.
*
If you frequently adjust the fill dial to correct for the previous fill being high or low, you will be running an experiment called known by Quality Engineers as “exploding variation.” I only mention that because 0.5 grain variance is larger than I’ve experienced.

[whisler]

My Lee Pro AutoDisc will throw Unique within 0.1-0.2 gr. (as long as I keep the hopper screws tight)

[Three44s]

I concur with just about all the advice offered thus far. Tapping to settle powder in the reservoir, tapping to settle individual charges, using a scale that works for you.

But something not mentioned as I recall is to load medium charges with Unique.

By staying in the middle of its operating pressure range one can avoid dangerous parts of the scale.

An example would be my beloved 44 Magnum:

A Skeeter Skelton load would be 8.5 gr of Unique behind a 250 gr lead slug. Not a plinker nor a blaster! A two or three tenth grain (up or down) will not bust a gun or stick a boolit.

If you move up-to maximum and you “slip up” for a few tenths, you could have entered the red zone!

My response is to switch to HS6 by Hodgdon! You will lower pressure and have a powder that meters like SIN!

If your intention is to go slower, then chose a faster powder that meters well. It’s just common sense!

Three44s

[jimb16]

This is interesting. I get pretty uniform drops with every powder I use. But I also have baffles in every one of my powder measures (even my MECs). I'll grant you that the larger flake powders are not as uniform as other powders, but +/- .1 gr is consistent enough for my needs.

[littlejack]

jumb16
Ditto for me as well.

[oley55]

jumb16
Ditto for me as well.

me three. ^^^

[rbuck351]

I still have about 3 lbs of unique I bought about 40 years ago. That's when I discovered Win 230P and stopped using unique. When that was discontinued I went to W231. Both meter really well with most any powder measure and are close enough to unique to work in the same type loads. I also found Universal clays to work very well in place of unique and meters very well. I use unique for the occasional shotgun loading I do.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I don't use Unique, but the Lee Auto Drum, mounted on a Lee turret press, measures Promo (flake powder) very well for me. I'm always sure to run the turret around between charges to settle the powder.

[gunther]

Learned to reload on a small rotor Uniflo; 5 grains of unique and a 358477. Learned to shoot on that load in a 6 inch Highway Patrolman. Younger eyes and less arthritus and don't remember a low charge. But, that was 1970. Added a micro-adjustment a few years ago, and am still happy with the measure. The measure was mounted solidly, and I remember cutting a lot of grains of Unique into smaller pieces. Mostly used a loading block and checked the powder levels; don't remember any glaring problems.

[Texas by God]

This blackpowder priming flask is my favorite way to drop 9 grains of Unique. I use that load in a variety of my guns so it is convenient as all get out.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[243winxb]

A variable of 2/10 gr +/- doesnt seem to hurt a thing.

[ABJ]

243, I don't care how old you were or weren't, that is good shooting for anyone. I shoot Bullseye and score very few long line targets with that many x's. except when the AMU or National guard teams shoot but hey they get paid to shoot and we buy all the ammo they want, and I have no problem with it.
I agree with you on certain powders, 2/10 doesn't show on target. I have seen those AMU shooters pick up an unknown gun and ammo and shot a 100 and hand it back to the gun owner and just smile.
Just looking at the picture and not the actual target, maybe a 6x?, Bullseye is high line cut.
Tony