One powder, 5 weapons

[Bladeswell]

Hi all,
I'am new and this is my first thread. I've been a reloader for many years but when it comes to reloading cast rifle boolits, I'am a babe in the woods. My hope is to use just one powder for all of my needs. It may have to be two, but time will tell. I'am shooting MN m44 7.62x54R, Mauser M24/47 8X57mm, .45 ACP, 9x19mm and 12ga shotgun. Now I've already narrowed down the last three to Unique powder. My question is about the suitabillity of Unique for the Mosin and the Mauser. I've seen Unique mentioned with loads in the 10 to 12 grns area, but where can I find a manual that is more specific ? And how well do you folks like Unique in 7.62X54 and 8mm ?
I've seen 2400 powder mentioned alott also and would use it if I need to go with two powders rather than just one. Sorry to be so long winded, Oh yes, I will be shooting heavier GC boolits. 170-200 grns.

Thanks for your opinions and feedback, Bladeswell

[Scrounger]

Unique will surely work in all five calibers. So too will Red Dot, Green Dot, or Herco, as will the equivalent powders in the Hodgdon and IMR lines.

[versifier]

I've seen Unique mentioned with loads in the 10 to 12 grns area, but where can I find a manual that is more specific ?


You've found it. This site IS the manual. There is no comprehensive published source for the kind of data you (and the rest of us) are looking for. If the "Search" feature doesn't get you what you need, and there is no data on the Gunloads Home Page or Castpics, a thread like this will always get you some usable data. First, you have to focus on the basics: 1) Slug the Bore of any firearm in which you want to use boolits - if you don't then you are reduced to trial and error. Proper sizing can make a really big difference in accuracy. Slugging isn't difficult to do, and if you don't know how or why to slug, do a search. You need to know about it. 2) Every barrel is different. As you must know by now from loading bullets, there is no such thing as a "universal load", merely a workable range of powders and charges within which to experiment. Data from one firearm doesn't necessarily work at all well in another, though sometimes you do get lucky.

I, too, like the thought of being able to use just one powder, and for plinking/short range target work, you might be able to find a workable compromise. If you have medium to large game rifle hunting in mind, however, each firearm will have its preferences, and I do not feel that you will be able to get acceptable performance (read: clean, humane kills) from your rifles at reasonable ranges with pistol powders. (I would look to reduced loads of 3031, 4064, RE7.) That said, Unique can give you decent (possibly amazing) short range target/small game accuracy in your rifles, and the 10-12gr range is as good a place as any to start. It only makes sense to try what you have on hand first, and UNQ also does me very well with both .45ACP and 9x19. (I don't load shotshells, so I have no idea how UNQ will work for them.)

[Bladeswell]

Thanks guys,
Wow you are fast. Mostly I plan on just informal target shooting with my milsurps. Maybe milsurp shoots later. I would most likely switch back to jacketted stuff if I were to do any big game hunting with any of these. More likely, I'd just choose one of my more modern rifles. And yes, you are absolutely correct, if you own a Mosin Nagant, you absolutely must slug the bore. They are just all over the place size wise. Unique has always been a good shotgun/handgun powder as many of my friends would swear to, but my preferance has always been Bullseye for the .45ACP. It was just cleaner by a huge margin and produced less than half the smoke. They tell me that Unique has been cleaned up, I'll have to give it another go just becouse it seems my best choice at the moment. Thanks again guys, and for the search tips as well.
Bladeswell

[Char-Gar]

Bladewell.... Welcome to the board. You won't fnd a great deal of sympathy here for the folks searching for a clean and smokless powder. For this bunch, the only thing that counts is the bullet holes on the target and this current quest for a clean power gets the Bronx Cheer. Clean your firearms and wash your hands. You should anyway.

Again, welcome.. but this business of looking for a clean power is a quest for the gunshop commandos, the faux minjas and the camie-jammie crowd. What is important here is sight picture, trigger squeeze, windage and elevation.

[KCSO]

Mauser and 7.62 with unique...
Work up from 9.0 grains under a 150 to 200 grain bullet until you reach the desired accuracy. The enclosed is 9.0 of Unique under a Lee 165 spire point in the 30-40 Krag. The group is 1.4 inches at 100 yards with peep sights. Unique will do the trick for all but the highest velovity hunting loads.

[Bladeswell]

Thanks again KSCO, nice group. more than exceptable at 100 yards. I will surely be giving Unique a try. I clean my weapons and wash my hands after every shooting session. And enjoy cleaning them almost as much as shooting them. And I completely agree that the first importance is performance at the target end of things. Still, no reason to suffer more smoke and grime when you can get the same or better results from another product. I had not tried Unique for better than 15 years and believe me, it was really, really dirty back then. However, as I said earlier, I've been told that Unique has been much improved sence then and I look forward to trying it. I have high hopes as it really seems the best choice for the majority of my needs. I was niether looking nore asking for any sympathy regarding that issue. I thank you for your welcome .

Bladeswell

[Ben]

If I had to pick one powder , it would be Unique. Can accurate loads be worked up with it ? Look at these links for your answer. I shot this 1st one with my M-1 Garand.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/1-7.jpg

Here is Unique being used in the 8 X 57 mm :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/8%20X%2057%20mm%20Sporter/3333.jpg

[Bladeswell]

Wow Ben,
Thats some shooting and makes me really hopeful with the Unique. Now if only my old eyes would let me see that well...:)
Bladeswell

[RayinNH]

Bladeswell, you asked for a manual. I'm surprised no one mentioned it already but the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is a must own book for anyone doing casting and shooting lead boolits. Load data is in this book on all the calibers you mentioned using Unique except for the shotgun. Welcome aboard also...Ray

[Bladeswell]

Hi Ray,
Thank you very much. I was aware of Lyman's book but thought it only had to do with the how toos of casting. I didnt know it had load data. Years ago I used to do some casting, .45ACP and .50 Maxiball. But my son has some medical issues and my wife wants no casting don around our home so I will be buying my cast boolits. Probably from an outfit called Gardener's Cache. looks like good stuff for a great price. Again, thanks.

Bladeswell

[singleshotbuff]

+1 on Unique.

IF (big fat IF) I were restricted to one powder, it would be Unique. I use it in all sorts of rifle loads (even a few jWord but don't tell), as well as 12 & 20ga shotguns. I don't CURRENTLY use it in handgun rounds, although I have in the past, only because I have 8lb jugs of W296 (mag loads) and HP-38 (target loads) on hand.

SSB

[David2011]

Bladeswell,

Yes, Unique is cleaner than it used to be. I had the opportunity to try the new and old on the same day in the same gun and the new formula shot with much less smoke.

Some of us are sympathetic to the smoke issue. If you shoot a lot of rounds in a short amount of time, there is value in being able to see the target clearly. I have had some powder and bullet lube combos make it hard to see the targets while shooting IPSC. Especially tough is shooting at night with lights above the shooting positions. After about 4 quick shots (6 second time limit to draw and shoot 6 rounds) there can easily be so much smoke that the target is obscured.

At the risk of blaspheming the group, I may go to jacketed bullets for the evening PPC matches as we have to start shooting after sundown. My lube is just too smoky.

David2011