Is Unique...unique?

[gofastman]

I want to find a replacement. I just don't care for the stuff that much, I don't hate it, but I find it dirty, smokey and I don't like the way it smells. I think it may be too fast burn wise for what I want to do as well.
There is no denying that it is versatile though.

the goal is to load some mid-hot .40, 10mm, and 44mag/spl rounds, think Hornady factory ammo velocity.
I guess I want something a bit faster (burn wise) than BlueDot, but slower than Unique while still maintaining versatility.

what is a good substitute for unique?
should I give Power Pistol or WSF a try? on the powder burn rate charts Unique is at #31, PP is #33 and WSF is #36

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive had good luck with power pistol but its sure not much slower burning. Load data is about grain for grain.

[MT Gianni]

I like Herco, but you might find the things that inconvience you about Unique to exist there too.

[mtgrs737]

I load Hogdon HS-6 in 40 S&W, I have not tried it in anything else, but see no reason why it would not work.

[ScottJ]

Accurate No. 5 behaves sort of like Unique in several cartridges

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[myfriendis410]

Universal Clays is almost identical to Unique. I've found it to be basically interchangeable. For the 40 it would be good, but you might try 2400 in the 10 mm and .44 mag. Trying to get the most out of these different cartridges might preclude you from using just one powder.

[rexherring]

Accurate No. 5 behaves sort of like Unique in several cartridges

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

I also use a lot of AA#5, measures very nice in most powder measures, cleaner too and just a tad slower than unique.

[gofastman]

thanks for the input folks, I think Ill look a bit more into AA#5 and Power Pistol, Ill probably just end up flipping a coin to see which one to buy.

Does anyone have any comments on WSF? I'm still intrigued by it.

[paul edward]

Just fired my first batch of 9mm loaded with Power pistol. Impressive fireball. Burned clean.

[UNIQUEDOT]

Is Unique...unique?

Yes it is!


I want to find a replacement. I just don't care for the stuff that much, I don't hate it, but I find it dirty, smokey and I don't like the way it smells.

If these are the problems you are having with the powder you either have an older batch or you are under loading it. In order to get a clean burn ya gotta keep the pressure up. The new unique is quite clean burning, but to answer your question... i use accurate no. 5 when i want a powder that competes with unique yet meters like water. I tried universal years ago (still have some) which is hodgdon's answer to unique, but went right back to good old American made unique. Accurate no. 5 is now an American made powder and i still use it as it meters as good as it gets, but if i didn't load small calibers on a progressive press i would use unique 100% of the time when i needed a powder in that burn range.

[bobthenailer]

thanks for the input folks, I think Ill look a bit more into AA#5 and Power Pistol, Ill probably just end up flipping a coin to see which one to buy.

Does anyone have any comments on WSF? I'm still intrigued by it.

Ive had good success with WSF in the 9mm, 38 Super & 45 acp ! these are the only ones ive tried WSF in.
Ive also had good luck with Power Pistol in the 38 Super & 9mm.

[Rocky Raab]

The only objectionable aspect of Power Pistol is that it doesn't contain an anti-flash additive. It was created to "make major" in certain shooting games. Anti-flash ingredients reduce the "oomph" of a powder a wee bit, and since these shooting games are only shot in daylight, it made sense to leave those additives out. It would have a serious drawback as a powder for low-light use.

[Justin Appleseed]

Scott was right on with Accurate #5 I use Accurate #2 the only difference between them is the #2 is for defense rounds, it's low recoil with low flash. I load .380. 9x19, and .38 with it. I've had zero problems with it, and all their load data is right on there website.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/products/handgun/

[geargnasher]

My first thought was Power Pistol. It meters well and is a tad slower than Unique, but not much. It needs pressure to burn well, like 15K PSI or more to clean up to 90% burn. If you load milder stuff you should check out WW231/HP38 or even Bullesye. Power Pistol has a unique sound to the report (maybe a result of the coating formulation?), and Rocky Raab wasn't kidding about the lack of flash suppressant. It will shoot dull orange fire what seems like two feet out of both sides of the cylinder gap of a revolver, and about six feet out of the muzzle in broad daylight.

Hodgdon Lonshot is another one to look at really well. Like all the powders slower than Unique, it needs more pressure for a clean burn, but when it burns dirty it just leaves a dry soot and not many "mummies" in the case and bore.

Gear

[Chill Wills]

Universal Clays is almost identical to Unique. I've found it to be basically interchangeable.

I agree. Plus the Universal clays burns cleaner - but I still like Unique for old times sake.

[unique]

Well I happen to think it is unique.

It has gone thru several alterations over the years but has kept certain characteristics which make it extremely flexible.

It originally was put on the market as rifle powder for reduced loads. I have booklet from 1933 verifying that and some old cans which are labeled rifle powder.

It is a flake powder so fairly fluffy which is good for ignition and filling large cases. Current version is 20% N.G. so doesn't absorb moisture, ignites easily and won't degrade like single base will. Basically the stuff never goes bad.

It burns fairly hot so has greater tendency to lead, everything else the same. The orignal up to 1960's was 50% N.G. and of course more prone to leading, all else being the same.

The thing that makes it so flexible is its burn curve which is fast but not too fast. I can put 16 grains in 45-70 case and get perfect ignition consistently even with barrel up or down before firing.

The latest version does burn much cleaner and this was accomplished by controlling grain length. What I mean is older version had thinner & thicker grains which averaged out but thicker grains didn't burn completely and hence was some dirty.

The latest version has more consistent thickness so burns more completely and hence cleaner.

Basically you can use it in handguns, shotguns, and rifles and not sure if any other powder can make that claim, excepting one of unique's cousins, those being the dot powders.

[gofastman]

Power Pistol has a unique sound to the report (maybe a result of the coating formulation?), and Rocky Raab wasn't kidding about the lack of flash suppressant. It will shoot dull orange fire what seems like two feet out of both sides of the cylinder gap of a revolver, and about six feet out of the muzzle in broad daylight.
does it have a bigger flash than BlueDot??? if so, I may need to try some just for the heck of it!

For this mission, It sounds like Power Pistol is out. I'm looking for a "softer" shooting powder, I have some Trail Boss, but it smells like burning acrylic and makes me almost barf! I need a tad more oompf too.


Scott was right on with Accurate #5 I use Accurate #2 the only difference between them is the #2 is for defense rounds
where are you getting that from? it looks to me like AA#2 is quite a bit faster burning.

[softpoint]

800X is probably about where you want to be in burn rate. It does NOT meter well in some measures though. :smile:

[mstarling]

WSF is pretty much magic in 40 S&W ... for heavier loads. With light bullets (135 Nosler HPs) is can produce astonishing velocities in guns build like a bank vault and good velocities w boolits from 140 to 200 gr. Burns clean and meters well in powder measures.

[garym1a2]

I have only used WSF in 9mm and it meters very well, is clean burning and does give very high velocity for what seems like low pressure. If I was trying a 357/44 mag load or a 40 load at full power I would give it a try. I think it would be better than Unique in those places and cleaner than 2400. Just research it in detail if building up full power loads.

[gofastman]

I picked up a pound of AA#2 on a whim, Its way too fast for anything but range fodder, but it should work well for that purpose. the price was just too good to pass up

[Char-Gar]

I don't care what the powder smell like or if it is diry or clean, so I continue to use Unique. I also use AA5, but in my experience it leaves more residue than Unique.

[paul h]

I like unique, great stuff. I've used it for 38 sp, 357 mag, 9mm, 45 acp, 44 mag, 480 ruger, 308, 35 whelen, 350 rigby, 350 rem mag, 458 lott and 500 Jeffrey and probably a few calibers I'm forgetting.

It is not a do it all powder, but for a cast bullet shooter, it is an extremely useful propellant. I have used some of the supposed replacements but just didn't seem to find an advantage to them. I haven't found unique to be objectionably dirty, but I have found it to be exceptionally accurate when you find the right combo.

[Jack Stanley]

After burning up the last of sixteen pounds of Universal Clays I'm back to Unique for the economy of it . I find it works just as well now as it did then , the new Alliant stuff doesn't seem to smell any different to me . I suppose the issue of smell isn't a problem because it doesn't smell near as bad as the powder that's loaded into Aguila 22RF ammo :p As for dirty or clean it's not like it's GOEX two"F" so I'll keep on with it .

Perhaps you could get a sampling of the aromas you like and go from there . That's not so far fetched , I think it was Frank Marshall that said he liked the smell of one of the old Dupont powders . Eventually it will come down to what does it do for your ammunition quality and will you like it when you get there .

Jack

[gofastman]

Aguila 22RF ammo
Now that is some stinky, disgusting stuff!!!
I think its their priming compound though, not the powder.

[WRDSMTH]

In my opinion Unique is one of the all time great powders. It is very versatile. I use it in rifle,shotgun, and pistol. The fouling it leaves is not very tenacious and the smoke seems negligible.
Perhaps for specific applications such as in the .40 S&W there are better powders.In the .40S&W I shoot mostly the 180 grain bullet(Berry's or Rainier plated) and use 5.7 grains of Herco for practice loads. This is a load I found in one of Ken Waters early articles. It is easy on the shooter and gun and functions reliably.

[Justin Appleseed]

I ordered it from Midway USA, I didn't see it on there website but they do carry it. Item #435305

One of our LGS carries AA but doesn't stock #2 or #5 so I paid the hazmat this time.. Next time he said give a heads up and he will put in the special order with his to save me the ship + hazmat.

[MasS&W]

I had your same problems with unique, and switched to herco. Solved all my problems. Meters better, burns MUCH cleaner at lower pressures, and fills cases up much better (357 and 38). Actually found it to average about 3 bucks a lb cheaper too. You won't regret it. Smells like a horse stall when you first pop it open though.

[9.3X62AL]

I use more Herco than I do Unique, but both have a place in my powder cabinet. I don't get bent outta shape by "dirty powders" after using Goex in cap & ball revolvers, and I think the sobriquet "Flaming Dirt" given to Unique is an egregious exaggeration. There is Hoppe's and Shooter's Choice, after all. :)

[MasS&W]

I agree wholeheartedly, my only issue was that at low low pressures (12000psi) unique would jam up my cylinder quickly in competitions like steel challenge. Plinking in the woods was all well and good, but when I started shooting 175 rounds in 2 hours... things got a bit sticky.

[TNFrank]

I've used more Unique then just about any other powder and I think it's great for what it is. As has been said, it likes middle of the road or hotter loads to get the pressure up to where it'll burn cleanly but I've yet to find anything that I can use to load just about everything that I like to shoot.
W231 might be close as would AA#5, both good powders but I've just used Unique for so long I'm kind of hooked on it. Maybe after I use up this recent Lb that I bought I might go to AA#5 or W231 just to change things up a bit but I don't know, habits are hard to break.

[MasS&W]

Clays, unique, bullseye, herco... they're all pretty darn similar. Bullseye is the faster of the 4, unique, herco, and clays are about equal.