How do you measure Unique

[C-dubb]

Hi all, been reloading for over 40 years but just got into casting and shooting .45 Colts a couple of years ago. I love to use Unique powder for my mild to medium loads but as I shoot more I need to load more and Unique is really slowing me down.
I can't get my powder measure to throw consistent charges (they vary +/- .2 grains) and have had to resort to measuring every round.
Just wondering how you guys are measuring your flake powders. I could go to a spherical like HS 6 but I would rather stay with Unique. Am I just being too picky about my loads ?

[Ickisrulz]

I have no problems using my Uniflow.

[SNDBGGR1484]

I use a Uniflow too and have no problems.

[John Boy]

When I reload 45LC's and have a 0.2gr difference - IMO, consider it loaded because the target will never know the distance

[EDG]

I use a RCBS LIL DANDY.
I dispense 10 loads and weigh. Then divide by 10 to see the avg weight. If it is ok for avg weight I use the charges from that rotor. I just live with the variation because most of my shooting is off hand plinking.

I have used a mountain of Unique, Red Dot and Green Dot in shotshell loads. The MEC charge bars are not nearly as good as a metallic ammo powder measure. But those 3 powders have worked fine for tens of thousands of skeet loads.

[BudRow]

Tap your crank handle gently two or three times against the stop on the "Fill Side" before you dump - but of course weigh three or four dumps to check weight and consistency.

[vzerone]

I use a Belding & Mull. Zero problems and accurately slices powder, no tapping anywhere necessary.

[poppy42]

Very little problems with uniflow orLee’s perfect powder measure

[JSnover]

In three different measures I haven't had a problem. A light tap to fill the measure, another light tap to shake all the flakes out into the case. Like John Boy said, +/-.2 in "mild to medium loads" is nothing to worry about.
My Hornady manual shows Unique loads 'stepping' up in .4-.7 grain increments with cast boolits. Two tenths either way won't send you into proof load or squib territory.

[15meter]

Dillon measure on a SDB for 45 colt gave me enough repeatability for cowboy shooting. Rifle stuff I have used Lyman 55, RCBS Uniflow, and Redding BR-3. Currently use a Redding BR-30, all worked but the BR-30 is the most consistent--and for the price it should be!

[AZ Pete]

I use to use a Uniflow with the small chamber....no problems. Now I use a Dillon SDB for about all pistol loads...very consistent. For small batches I use a Little Dandy...


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[daboone]

The 55 and both the Lee bench mounted Classic (now called Deluxe) and the progressive mounted Autodrum have all been very consistant with Unique for me.

[Kenstone]

Hi all, been reloading for over 40 years but just got into casting and shooting .45 Colts a couple of years ago. I love to use Unique powder for my mild to medium loads but as I shoot more I need to load more and Unique is really slowing me down.
I can't get my powder measure to throw consistent charges (they vary +/- .2 grains) and have had to resort to measuring every round.
Just wondering how you guys are measuring your flake powders. I could go to a spherical like HS 6 but I would rather stay with Unique. Am I just being too picky about my loads ?

Sorry I have to ask because you didn't mention it...Are you using the SMALL drum?
:-|

[Wayne Smith]

I have seven powder measures - including a Lyman 55, pistol powder measures, and Unique has had various problems in every one. I only use my Belding and Mull for unique.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have ten or twelve powder measures, not sure. I use lots of Unique and since I acquired the RCBS Little Dandy I use it and I have found it so consistent that I no longer bother to weigh. Of course I am talking only of pistol rounds.

[Motor]

I use the "small drum" in my Uniflow. I'll be honest though I love Unique it and Bullseye are my two "go to" powders but they, Unique more than Bullseye, do not dispense as accurately as finer granule powders.

I have seen +/- 2/10 grain but not typically any worse. For my own personal uses which is recreational shooting with mild cast or j-words loads this is totally acceptable. ;)

Motor

[Harter66]

I use an old uniflow with the large drum . The over/under was a problem for me .
I cut out a primer tray slip cover and punched a half inch hole in the center and cut it edge to center and made it a funneled baffle .

I flipped the the handle so it lifts to drop and drop the handle each throw . I throw about 5-6 charges when I change a setting then 1-3 for the scale .
I throw 5 in cases 1 to scale , 9 more 1 to scale , 14 more 1 to scale , the balance of 50 , 1 to scale .
Above 1/4 or so of the reservoir it throws within .07 over/under .
I check 3 per 50 if there are no changes such as a refill or adjustments .

[sparkyv]

+/- 0.2gr using Lee Auto Disk with larger disk. All good for my plinking loads, but I don't use Unique for my hot loads as error is more of an issue at those levels. The variation is larger using smaller holed disks. I will probably stop using it after I use up what I have left. So many comparable and even better powders for me that meter much better.

[country gent]

I have metered unique with several measures Harrels shutzen model, very good .1 grn or less. redding br 30 also very good at .1, belding and mull good but slow, rcbs uniflow large drum (only one I have) with micrometer adjustment. Fair.2 grns . With most powder measures a little experimenting / testing helps. 1 is fill the hopper with unique and set adding this back to hopper. when set. throw and weigh charges You should find a range on the hopper that does the best as to consistency. As the powder volume in the hopper changes so does the weight filling the cavity. MArk the 2 points with a piece of tape for future reference. A simple baffle can be cut to spread out the hoppers effect. I have used old plastic pop bottles. A simple vee shape with radioused ends and a small hole cut on each side. this keeps powder from bearing directly on the cavity. The baffle can be 1 hole and slanted or 2 holes and vee shaped make one of each and test again. If you want to really test try with different sized holes and spacings. Make the original and use masking tape on both side to block of the old holes and punch new ones. On some powders a baffle can make a big difference. Also test at different heights for the baffle.

Last is a powder measure needs to be operated smoothly and the same way each time. Consistancy of operation goes a long ways to consistant charges.

[Mal Paso]

My Uniflow small drum variation stays under .05g at about 11g per throw with Unique but every few throws I'll be cutting powder. Enough that it's nice to have the measure bolted down.

[44magLeo]

On light to medium pistol loads a .2gr difference is not a problem. Most can't shoot well enough to notice any accurcy issues. .5 probably won't effect such loads much.
On small lots of ammo I often use a 45ACP case trimmed to dip 8.5 grs of Unique for my light 44 mag loads. I can dip with in the .2 gr .
On powder baffles for measures I find an old pill bottle that is a slip fit in the hopper. Cut it about an inch up from bottom. Drill a 1/4 inch hole in center of bottom. If you think that won't flow enough powder fast enough try two holes, one on each side.
This has cut my 55's variations on all powders to small to matter.
Leo

[Tom W.]

I have a Uniflow with the micrometer setting. I just loaded 200 rounds of 9mm w/ green dot, with not much variation. With Unique, I usually am just going to kill paper, and a lot of times with most flake powders I'll use Lee dippers....

[Minerat]

Little Dandy with one of these.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?292558-Little-Dandy-Adjustable-Rotor

[winelover]

Used the Uniflow with the Micrometer adjustment and large drum for years, for as little as 5 grains of Unique, without any issues. Since I bought the RCBS Chargemaster, my three powder measures have been dedicated to throwing small set charges of Bullseye.

Note: The optional micrometer adjustment only works with the large drum.

Winelover

[mozeppa]

i've studied this problem a lot.

unique has me perplexed as well, and here is what i've come up with.
took apart my hornady case activated measure.(it is set up with the small rotor and pin adjuster.)

i took the main body in a vise and set up my drill press fitted with a brake cylinder honing tool to hone all the bumps inside the funnel part of the measure body.

also used a smaller hone to polish the drop area that is right before drum.

to my surprise these areas smoothed out like a mirror...no bumps, no paint , nothing!
then was polished inside with car polishing compound.

below the drum was harder to do but was do-able.

the powder from there drops thru 2 tubes ...one long one about 5"...and one short one that is caliber specific.
these were reamed inside and polished with diamond grit paste...again, mirror smooth.

as a final prep i washed everything so completely that a surgeon would be proud.
and just to make sure nothing would hang up in the measure i use mothers car wax inside of everything.

i added a buzz vibrator at the top of each throw & at the bottom of each throw at a 2 second duration at each
for settling the powder during loading of the drum and the dumping of the drum.

with everything polished, cleaned & waxed i have remove all fails that mechanical can produce.
and STILL i would have problems with unique powder.

while i admit that the charges that it will throw are better ...they are still erratic.

right now my target throw is 6.8 grains ... and i check them on a "myweigh" scale that reads in 100ths of a grain
but it only goes by 1/2 tenths. what i'm trying to say is my target is 6.80 grains but it will read 6.75 or 6.85 or more or less. it won't read 6.81...6.82...6.83 etc. just in increments of .05 of a grain.

that's probably more accurate a weighing job than is needed ...but that's the scale i brought to the dance ...so i use it.

all that being said ...my throws are better... i'm not 3 to 6 grains off every time i throw. (and some are spot on.)

after my careful flaw removing process , i'm 1/2 to 2 grains off. (and i realize that this minor amount of "off-age"
is acceptable with no ill effects, to a person like me who is a perfectionist ...being off even that much bothered me.)

so............with the equipment being as good as it can be. i turned my attention to the powder itself.

i noticed that the powder granules themselves were varied in size.

the larger of the granules ...and i mean only "one large granule" has enough weight to effect a change on my scale.
up to one half of one tenth of a grain = .05 of a grain.
while it took 5 to 6 flakes of a smaller size to effect the same change.

while reading another thread about black powder and how they got their designations of FG-FFG-FFFG-FFFFG
i found out that each powder was exactly the same composition wise, and to get their one to four status the powder was sifted thru various sifting screens.

FG is the coarsest with the largest granules...
and on the flip side FFFFG is the finest...FG & FFG is mostly for long gun loads...FFG & FFFG for handgun loads.
and finally FFFFG is for priming the flash pans.

where am i going with all this?

i contend that a mixture of tiny granules ...medium granules...and large granules, are not capable of consistent throws... and will ALWAYS BE ERRATIC.

here's my analogy...

you have three quart jars.

jar #1 is filled level to the top with 1" steel ball bearings.

jar #2 is filled level to the top with 3/8" steel ball bearings.

jar #3 is filled level to the top with 1/16" steel ball bearings.

which is heavier?.......................................ans wer = #3 ....as there are only very small voids between each.

now pour all the ball bearings of each jar into one tub.....try to scoop out a target weight and get even 2 scoops to
be exactly the same...you cannot.

it has to be the same problem with unique powder but on a much smaller scale.

i have very small deviation on the scale when i use H110- win296 - #5 powders as all granules are very tiny, like #5 is almost like measuring the sand in an hourglass.
because it is so small, it fills the charge area more consistently than the larger flake powders.

truth be known i'd like to take apart 100 finished cartridges from EVERY one of the guys here who say that their throws are perfect every time.

and i'd bet $100 to each one that they are not all 100% perfect.

[TheDoctor]

For 45 colt blasting ammo, cowboy action type, any measure is good enough for me since I'm loading low anyway. For higher end loads, and especially throwing something like H-110, then it's B&M all the way.

[Eddie Southgate]

In a uniflow or a B&M or one of the half dozen Lyman 55's I own or an Ideal #5 and if I don't feel like using one of them there are the two Lee's and three sets of Lee dippers . You can use anything to measure Unique that you use for anything else , even my old Hornady will work . If you insist on absolutely 100% accuracy you will have to weigh the charges regardless of what you throw them with . .2 is close enough for any pistol load but absolute max loads .

Eddie

[Three44s]

When I want loads heavier than mild or medium with unique I switch to HS-6. A .2 th variation at medium or less loading levels is still safe with Unique.

HS6 is a better choice than hot rodding Unique. HS-6 meters like butter on a hot skillet and gives you a pressure curve that beats the socks off of Unique when you want more power.

Now, reference books have trended to also run HS-6 at higher levels and that is alright with Jwords but I don’t subscribe to with cast.

I like to run HS-6 at 25,000 psi ball park with a good lead alloy/lube combo in a gun cleaned up for lead. You try to get that power out of Unique and you will being running 10k psi or more higher and exceeding most lead alloy’s strength.

This is referencing 44 Mag parameters. The Op is working with 45 LC I believe and you can take my pressure ranges down a bit but the relative difference between the two powders still hold.

Three44s

[Wasalmonslayer]

I agree with three44’s and he speaks much wisdom on this topic!
He turned me onto this info in the last year or so and I am now an HS6 man in all my 44 mag loads and when time allows going to try to work up the perfect 357 load with HS6.

[beemer]

I have two old Herter's measures, one has a 1/4 in. chamber and the other is 3/8 in. The 1/4 in is to small for Unique but fine for BE or ball powders. I just threw 20 charges at 6 grs. of Unique with the 3/8 chamber weighed each one. The average is 6.06 grs. I use this charge for my 357 mag, I would set it up to top out at 6 grs and let the variation be on the down side.

1 at 5.9
9 at 6
7 at 6.1
3 at 6.2

All charges fell in a .3 range and 19 in .2 range. I paid close attention but load a larger amount an I am sure it would open up a some. If I had weighed 10 charges the 5.9 wouldn't have shown up, it was #11.

A large chamber and small charges can be a problem as well as a small chamber and powders that don't flow well. Just have match what you have to what you are using.

I don't have a RCBS measure, can one of you tell me what size the two drums are?

Dave

[Wayne Smith]

My problem with Unique is less accuracy - several of my pistol powder measures are adequately accurate, but bridging. Unique has a tendency to bridge in every measure I have, and thus unpredictably you have light and heavy loads. I found this out with my 32-20. So I limit it to the B&M, no possibility of bridging there.

[Three44s]

Thank you for the kind words Wasalmonslayer!

I find that HS6 is fine in all I have tried .... 38’s loaded for 357,357, 41 Mag and 480.

I have the most experience with 44 Mag and that powder and the most admiration for it there. But I see no reason to doubt that with more work up that it is just as handy with just about all the revolver rounds that can handle 20k and say upto 26k on the top side.

Three44s

[M-96 Hunter]

I use Unique and TrailBoss for 45colt/44special blaster loads (banging steel at 15 yards).

I use a Lee dipper as it's fast and simple. They all go bang and the plates fall.

[pworley1]

RCBS little Dandy

[gwpercle]

Two ways give consistent results.

1.) Lyman 55 measure, with the slides set to give a narrow deep cavity and the correct weight desired. Keep hopper half full and operate handle in a consistent manner...consistent operation being the key to consistent loads.

2.) A dipper. Consistently dipped and leveled charges will give you very consistent charges....surprisingly .
Dipped charges give me my most accurate ammo. I make dippers or adjust Lee dippers to give me exactly the weight I want with a given powder.
Old school ...maybe slow...but it works.

The Lyman 55 and Dippers work quite well with flakey powders like Unique and Bullseye .

Gary

[C-dubb]

Thanks for all of the great answers and advice. I guess I am just being too picky. Probably stems from years of trying to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out of my rifles. To tell you the truth, I'm not that great of a shot with a handgun and I guess if I miss I can just blame it on the load :)

[tinsnips]

RCBS Chargemaster works great for rifle charges. I cleaned and polished my HornadayLNL measure oh and waxed the inside metal parts it works much better with Unique.

[Carrier]

I agree with three44’s and he speaks much wisdom on this topic!
He turned me onto this info in the last year or so and I am now an HS6 man in all my 44 mag loads and when time allows going to try to work up the perfect 357 load with HS6.

I use HS-6 in both 357 and 44 magnum. 8.5 grains under a 158 Campro flat point plated is a very accurate load out of my 6 inch 28-3.

[1bluehorse]

If you like using Unique but don't like the metering problem, try Herco (I switched a long time back) meters better, better performance in the same "window" and it's usually a bit less expensive. Plus it even looks "a bit" like Unique...Herco is an excellent powder in many applications. Usually will beat Unique's performance with a bit less pressure and a bit more velocity.

[Jack Stanley]

When setting up the Uniflow , I'll run about twenty charge through without weighing anything just to settle the powder in the measure .

After that My handle is set to be away from me , that is toward the wall . It fills when the handle is up and to dispense just push the handle away and down . It works much better than anything else I've tried .

Jack

[BKDinTexas]

Two ways give consistent results.

1.) Lyman 55 measure, with the slides set to give a narrow deep cavity and the correct weight desired. Keep hopper half full and operate handle in a consistent manner...consistent operation being the key to consistent loads.

2.) A dipper. Consistently dipped and leveled charges will give you very consistent charges....surprisingly .
Dipped charges give me my most accurate ammo. I make dippers or adjust Lee dippers to give me exactly the weight I want with a given powder.
Old school ...maybe slow...but it works.

The Lyman 55 and Dippers work quite well with flakey powders like Unique and Bullseye .

Gary
He is right. My Lee dippers are very accurate. Always within less than a tenth. Scoop them full and then scrape level with a business card.

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[rbuck351]

I gave up on unique for heavy loads in my 45acp as .2grs really warms them up if you are loading close to max. I now use either W231 or Universal Clays and get better velocity without the sometimes high pressure surprises. I bought a 4lb (IIRC} keg of Unique in the mid 70s and still have about half left. I have tested Unique in a variety of cast boolit loads for small rifles such as 25/20, 22H, 32/20, 256W and others but it has never been the best for any of my tests so I'll probably still have some of that keg when they plant me. But, to answer your question. I use a scale and dippers and weigh every charge when testing with Unique.

[robg]

that's why I started using true blue in some loads meters well

[toot]

not a problem.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I don't understand the uproar over measuring Unique. I've been using it since about 1975 in Pacific, RCBS and even Lee powder measures, never had a problem that I didn't cause, and very few of them.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[JMax]

I use Unique for both HG and rifles on my Dillon presses with excellent results. Im get 3 - 4" groups at 100 yards with my Norwegian Krag and 2 1/4" groups with my No4 MK1 303, both loaded on a Dillon 550, case prep on a Redding T-7.

[Shopdog]

No problem here.Lyman accumeasure,custom brass rotors.The diameter of the hole makes a difference.

[EMC45]

I use my Lee PPM for Unique. Rotate the lever up, flick the drum cover with my finger, rotate it down and it is consistently exact or within a tenth.

I use an old Pacific measure for Bullseye. It is very accurate as well.

[C-dubb]

Think I'll stick with Unique in my regular loads and experiment with HS6 and H110 for my Ruger only loads. Don't do many High end loads but they are fun to pull out when one of my Buddys starts bragging on his super duper 44 Magnum. :)

[smokeywolf]

With a Hollywood powder measure. Usually stays within +/- .1 grains; always within .15 grains.

[Taterhead]

In my Uniflows, either with the large or small metering cylinders, Unique is a consistent +/- 2/10ths variation. That is plenty close for anything that I load. Contrast that with Accurate No. 7 or No. 9. where variations are less than 1/10th.

A lot of people look to the dispenser itself as this issue, but it really has to do with how the powder organizes itself in the metering cylinder or cavity. Unique is just too oddly shaped to consistently organize well in a dispenser. The good news is that the paper doesn't seem to know the difference.

[Viper225]

Something to try.
Zip Tie a cheap Aquarium Bubbler to the powder reservoir. Around $7 at Walmart.
I have not done this with my Uniflo, but I have one on every one of my Dillon measures.

Bob R

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have not had a problem metering Unique w/ any of my measures: Dillon, Q-M, B&M, or Hollywood.

[Steve E]

Hornady L-N-L powder measure on my L-N-l AP press and a Lyman 55 powder measure for anything not on the progressive. Works great in both.

Steve..........

[crandall crank]

Like it's been said before...RCBS Uni-Flow!

[Larry Gibson]

How do you measure Unique?

you 'neak up on it..........

[38splpete]

Little Dandy is dandy

[Ranger 7]

Lock & Load 5 station progressive press with case activated Powder Measure.
Works great!

[Arkansas Paul]

If you're not near max, 0.2 grains either way is irrelevant in a case the size of a .45 Colt.

Load em and choot em.

[fstreed]

How do you measure Unique?

you 'neak up on it..........

Aha! That's what I've been doing wrong.

[fstreed]

I haven't used a lot of Unique over the years but I guess that's fixing to change. I was going through some reloading stuff that has been in storage for several years and discovered an unopened 8lb jug of Unique that I forgot I had.

It can't meter any worse than 800X.

[ulav8r]

How do you measure Unique?


By the grain or the pound.

[Hoytslayer88]

I get good results with the lee auto drum


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