7 gr unique

[lead chucker]

I see lyman has loads for up to 7.5 gr Unique for the 45 acp with 200 gr cast boolit. All my other books call for more in the 5-6 range. Any one here try 7 gr unique? I have tried 7 gr in my just right carbine. Very accurate but has some recoil to it. I dont want to pre maturely wear out my gun. What do you guys think?

[rintinglen]

People have looked at that load for years with questioning eyes. As you rightfully note, neither Speer, Hornady, RCBS, nor Alliant recommend anything close to that. Alliant says that 6.4 grains with a 230 grain boolit runs nearly 20,000 psi. A 15 percent overload? I would proceed accordingly.

[William Yanda]

Which Lyman manual? Brass Magnet in a thread on Cornell Pubs notes that Lyman Cast III came out before Universal Recievers were used for pressure testing.

[mozeppa]

i'am currently running .45 acp right now.

i'm doing 6.8 unique for cast cone shape boolits at 180 grains.

[jcren]

7 is stiff! I have ran that much for woods carry loads but got my fill of them pretty fast for plinking. The slide will rap the frame smartly and you will feel it. I don't think your gun will thank you for very many of them. I run 5.6 for general purpose and have even dispatched (head shots) a couple wounded hogs with this load.

[Texas by God]

Six grs is just right for me. No need for more IMO.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[vzerone]

Old Speer #9 manual says 7.3 grs for a 200 grain jacked hollow point. I've shot quite a few 7.0 grains with the Lyman 225 grain round nose and it wasn't all that hot. Even shot it over the years that Alliant changed the powder some and it's still the same for me. I'm not adocating that any of you do it without working up from a lower charge.

Lymans #49 manual list top load of 7.5 grains for a 200 gr cast at 16,600 cup.

[Larry Gibson]

I've used Jeff Cooper's suggested 7.5 gr Unique under a 200 gr cast for many years. Not my standard practice load but when I hunt with the M1911 or my M98 conversion it is the most common load I use. I also load 7.5 gr Unique under Hornady 185 and 200 gr XTPs for serious social purposes.

I have measured the pressure of the above loads in a TC Contender barrel via an Oehler M43 PBL here is how the pressures measured with some other ammunition;

WCC80 Ball; 16,500 psi

Winchester 230 gr Ball; 15,500 psi

Speer 200 gr HP; 15,300 psi

200 Lee SWC/7.5 gr Unique; 17,100 psi

Hornady 200 gr XTP/7.5 Unique; 18,700 psi

Corbon 230 gr +P; 21,300 psi

Hornady Critical Duty 220 gr +P; 22,000 psi

The SAAMI MAP for standard 45 ACP is 21,000 psi. The SAAMI MAP for +P 45 ACP is 23,000 psi. The 7.5 gr Unique load under the 200 gr cast or jacketed XTP bullets are well within the SAAMI MAP for standard 45 ACP cartridges.

[vzerone]

I've used Jeff Cooper's suggested 7.5 gr Unique under a 200 gr cast for many years. Not my standard practice load but when I hunt with the M1911 or my M98 conversion it is the most common load I use. I also load 7.5 gr Unique under Hornady 185 and 200 gr XTPs for serious social purposes.

I have measured the pressure of the above loads in a TC Contender barrel via an Oehler M43 PBL here is how the pressures measured with some other ammunition;

WCC80 Ball; 16,500 psi

Winchester 230 gr Ball; 15,500 psi

Speer 200 gr HP; 15,300 psi

200 Lee SWC/7.5 gr Unique; 17,100 psi

Hornady 200 gr XTP/7.5 Unique; 18,700 psi

Corbon 230 gr +P; 21,300 psi

Hornady Critical Duty 220 gr +P; 22,000 psi

The SAAMI MAP for standard 45 ACP is 21,000 psi. The SAAMI MAP for +P 45 ACP is 23,000 psi. The 7.5 gr Unique load under the 200 gr cast or jacketed XTP bullets are well within the SAAMI MAP for standard 45 ACP cartridges.

Good post Larry and I concur with you. I don't use that 7-7.5 load either as a daily load.

[lead chucker]

Thanks guys. I will drop back to 5 gr. That load seemed to shoot good enough to kill pop cans.

[EMC45]

I used 7gr. Unique in my Camp Carbine and cracked the stock. It was accurate, but it battered the buffer plug and then busted the stock. It is a warm load for sure.

[vzerone]

Thanks guys. I will drop back to 5 gr. That load seemed to shoot good enough to kill pop cans.

For sure you don't need 7.0 for pop cans. My load for that would be 3.4 to 4.0 of Bullseye.

[lead chucker]

im out of bullseye got lots of unique. I like to find the most accurate load but not at the expense of my rifle. I have a few ponds of W231 but i like to save that for my 9mm. Unique is so versatile i wish it metered better.

[vzerone]

im out of bullseye got lots of unique. I like to find the most accurate load but not at the expense of my rifle. I have a few ponds of W231 but i like to save that for my 9mm. Unique is so versatile i wish it metered better.

5.0 Unique is bottom of the start loads. I myself use 5.8 to 6.0.

[44MAG#1]

Hornady goes to 7.2 with a swaged200 gr and 6.6 with a 230 swaged.
Speer goes to 7.3 with a 200 SWC jacketed