Unique powder

[bigted]

I use unique in many cartridge reloading task's and get pretty good accuracy and uniformity with it.

It loads everything from 38 special to 45 Colt. 38-55's 45-70's 444 Marlin and all my auto loaders 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP.

This is a wonderfull powder that seems like an all in one powder which gets long milage per pound making it very affordable per round.

What say you ... for a do-it-all powder that keeps boolits on the bull's eye ... what is your experience?

[waco]

Unique is hard to beat. I think I'd be safe saying that most of us could probably get by just fine with only
Unique
2400
4895

[Wheelguns 1961]

I love unique! It is a great powder when used properly.

[Winger Ed.]

I don't use it in rifle loads, but it's done a good job for me in 9mm, .38Spec. & .45ACP.

[poppy42]

Unique! One of, if not the most versatile powders. Also, by the way, one of oldest smokeless powders! It’s origins and formula go back to the late 1800s. Just a little bit of useless trivia

[jonp]

There was a thread on here or poll I think which asked what was the one powder you could make do with if you only could have one. I'm pretty sure the winner was Unique and by a large margin. I always keep a couple of kegs on hand.

[ShooterAZ]

It's one of the cast boolit powders that I would never want to be without. The same goes for Bullseye and 2400 as well. The so called holy trinity of the gunpowder world. Unique sometimes gets some bad press for being "dirty", but it's performance outweighs that minor distraction.

[bigted]

I like the old 10 grain load in most large rifle cartridges. I have used this as a starter in 30-06, 375 Ruger, 444 Marlin, 45-70, 38-55 and 40-65 Win. Been tempted to try this in my 43 Spanish but do not know what pressure it would develop.

Generally I believe that pressure wise, Unique is conservative in rifle cartridges. Can easily be over pressure in handgun cartridges tho and care should be taken to not double charge with Unique.

Loading wise ... my procedure is to size, flair and prime the cases. Then I meter a powder charge into a case and immediately put it in the press and seat the boolit ... BEFORE GOING TO THE NEXT CASE! Little slower, but my loading is as fun for me as shooting, casting or cleaning the weapon. It is all inclusive for me and I find that doing my loading like this makes sure I look inside EVERY case before seating a boolit. Gives me the secure knowledge that all loads are as perfect as I can make em.

[trapper9260]

I use it and works for me. I seen some post about it being dirty, to me your gun will get dirty no matter what you use. So it dose not matter to me. You need to clean your gun anyways. I use it in handgun and rifle like was stated.

[Larry Gibson]

Must be why it's called "Unique"......

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Must be why it's called "Unique"......

We really need a like button

[bigted]

We really need a like button

Agreed

[Plate plinker]

I have been know to use UniQUE in more than one cartridge.

[tazman]

Unique also works well in shotguns.

[johniv]

I like unique, and use it in 45acp 38 spl. Etc. As far as being dirty, you can’t drop your pressure as low as with Bullseye, so keeping the load up to reasonable levels, it seem as clean as anything else I have used.

[Outpost75]

IF you use a Dillon or Star machine to load large quantities of ammo, you do not want a flake powder of large particle size. I have found that in standard-pressure revolver, autopistol and cowboy loads that Alliant Bullseye, Hodgdon TiteGroup or Olin WST (or 452AA if you still have any) are much better choices and in most applications give similar velocity and pressure with about 70-75% of the Unique charge.

If I want to load .38 Special +P and +P+, 9x19mm, .40 S&W, 10mm auto, .32 ACP+P, .32 H&R Mag., 7.62x25, or .30 Carbine that Olin AutoComp neatly fills the Unique niche, but measures far more uniformly in the Dillon and Star machines.

I have not used Unique since the 1980s. Quite frankly, I was glad to use my the last of it.

[Bmi48219]

I used Unique in most pistol cartridges I load. Always with great results. Never had a problem with metering accuracy, easily maintained less than .1 grain variance in a Lyman 55. In light loads it tends to be a little dirty but no more so than other pistol powders.
About four years ago I went with Tite Group because Unique was scarce and, in comparison, more expensive. It isn’t as versatile as Unique but for most of my target loads it performs just as well. Still use Unique, just not as often.

[Harter66]

I can't be alone .
I've shot it in pistols from 380-45 Colts via 357 mag .
I've shot it in rifles with case families of 223, 30-30,308,06' and belted mags .
12,16,20 ga shot guns .
At BP pressures it is dirty but it shines above about 15kpsi . It behaves down to tiny charges in huge cases , so what you have to tip up , it actually does load many pistol cases full , 9mm touches the bases . 22 CF rifles ......forget about subs , but you can get some very angry 22 mags out of 222&223 . Want to turn your 45-70 down to a 45 Colts ? Want it to shoot Trapdoor levels ? Want to load some forager loads ? Now your in the meat and potatoes of Unique .

Will it get rifles up to jacketed speeds ? A few but it's getting ragged .
Does it load full mag potential ? No it leaves some on the table , but then I don't shoot all the mags and if the 1200fps 357 158 won't do it then a 1050 fps 250-265 probably will , both very attainable .
Ever hear anyone complain about 1-1/4oz of #7.5,6,5 , or 12 00B at 1300 fps not being enough load on the game end ? I'm not deeply invested in the 16 yet but I'll bet it'll throw lead in the 1-1/8oz 1270+ . 7/8oz 20 ga at similar speeds isn't a bad load either . There's this old 10ga ....... :)

Yep probably a Unique fan boy .
But when it works so broadly what's not to like ?

[WRideout]

I use a fair amount of Unique in my milsurp 30 cal pistols; 7.62 Tok and 7.62X38R Nagant. It is good in almost any pistol caliber, given enough pressure. Very light loads will definitely leave a lot of unburned powder and crud in the bore. I have most recently found that it works fine in my new-to-me 25 auto. 1.4 gr Unique nearly fills the case.

Wayne

[FergusonTO35]

Funny, I've never had much success with the universal 10 grain rifle load. As far as handguns go, it works but I have always had much better results with HP-38/W-W 231.

[JoeJames]

It's one of the cast boolit powders that I would never want to be without. The same goes for Bullseye and 2400 as well. The so called holy trinity of the gunpowder world. Unique sometimes gets some bad press for being "dirty", but it's performance outweighs that minor distraction.I consider Unique as in a mid range moderate loading. For 38 S&W and 38 Special I always use Bullseye. For 44 Special and very moderate 44 Special and 44 Magnum loads I use Unique. For upper range but still moderate 44 Magnum I go up to 2400. I have learned that Unique ignites very easily and works well in my 44 Magnum loads - 7 grains of Unique under a 240 grain cast boolit. Only draw back to Unique in my opinion is that it does not meter well at all and I always double check each load on my scale. I am probably stuck in the 1950's as far as powder goes.

[arlon]

I have large canisters of Unique, 700X, Blue Dot and IMR 4198. I can load anything I own with them. Unique does cover more ground than the others. Wouldn't mind having an 8lb canister of Red Dot just for fun..

[Art in Colorado]

Thats a very good idea. Not so sure it would evan take more time. Might even be better when using Tite Group and such when a double charge is very hard to see when eye balled.

[AlaskaMike]

For me it depends on what I'm loading. It is definitely dirtier than a lot of other powders, but that's not as much a concern to me as how it meters through my uniflow. I just started using BE-86 this past fall and I'm really impressed with it. I think it could probably easily replace Unique for everything I use it for, and it meters so much better. I haven't had a chance to shoot many loads over my chronograph, but so far extreme spreads are significantly smaller than with Unique.

[Petrol & Powder]

I keep some Unique on hand but it is not my favorite powder. I don't use it in powder measures but It does have some uses.
One of the positive attributes of Unique is its near universal applications in handgun and shotgun loads. If you were down to one powder, it would be a good one to have.

As fuel for the "Skeeter" load in 44 casings, it seems to do well.

Unique seems to do better when you load it near the upper end of acceptable pressures.

[gwpercle]

For about 20 years it was the only powder I loaded in handgun ammo .
Then I ventured into NRA three gun Bullseye Competition and had to give up on target loads with Unique...just not enough pressure and start working with Bullseye for target loads .
Life was so simple back in those days ... Bullseye , Unique and 2400 ...those three powders did it all in handgun and a lot of rifle rounds .
Now there are so many powders it boggles the mind .
But I'll never be without Unique ... still a favorite after 50 years !
Gary

[AZ Pete]

Unique is what I have used for .38 spl since 1967..... no complaints for that, no need for me to change. I also use it in .44 spl, and .45 Colt with total satisfaction.

[JWFilips]

Here Are some targets from yesterdays shoot at the range using unique in my Savage 340 30-30
The first one was sighting in a new scope and the the outer targets 4 were the NOE 165 Ranch dog bullets with 7 grains of Unique
256539
the next was the Lyman 311291 Plain Base with 7.3 gr Unique
256540

[smkummer]

I like unique, and use it in 45acp 38 spl. Etc. As far as being dirty, you can’t drop your pressure as low as with Bullseye, so keeping the load up to reasonable levels, it seem as clean as anything else I have used.

Yep, that’s why use 700X, bullseye and 231 for standard or light loads. Unique for plusP and of course 45 colt.

[Rapidrob]

The original lot of Unique is still with us today. It is stored under water and when a new lot is made,it is compared to the original batch so there is no difference. That says a lot.
I'm relative new to Unique powder. I've only been using it for fifty-seven years.

[pworley1]

It my not always be the best choice for every caliber, but I have not found one that didn't go bang when using it. Great stuff.

[bigted]

The original lot of Unique is still with us today. It is stored under water and when a new lot is made,it is compared to the original batch so there is no difference. That says a lot.
I'm relative new to Unique powder. I've only been using it for fifty-seven years.

Dadgum youngsters!!! Only 57 years indeed. Good on ya young man!!

By the way ... what is the "under water" thing? Have never heard that reference. Could you expound some please?

[RoyEllis]

*sigh* if only they would sell unique in 55gal drums.....

[onelight]

For me it depends on what I'm loading. It is definitely dirtier than a lot of other powders, but that's not as much a concern to me as how it meters through my uniflow. I just started using BE-86 this past fall and I'm really impressed with it. I think it could probably easily replace Unique for everything I use it for, and it meters so much better. I haven't had a chance to shoot many loads over my chronograph, but so far extreme spreads are significantly smaller than with Unique.
I have replaced UNIQUE with BE86 to , I have shot more Unique than any other powder but the BE86 works better on my progressive and I can use it in all the cartridges I used Unique in . Good stuff.

[stubshaft]

If I had had to use only one powder...Unique would be the one.

[6string]

I began reloading for 44 Magnum with a Lee Loader, in the early 1980s. I knew I wanted light loads, so the day I bought the Lee Loader, I also got the Lee powder dipper kit, and a Lee auto-prime. I also got a pound of Unique, primers, and cast bullets (local caster: Lyman WC 429348).
My first load used the 1.0 cc dipper of Unique (about 8.5 gr).
What a great load, and what a great first experience with reloading.
Unique has proven itself for me over and over again.

Jim

[Wheelguns 1961]

For about 20 years it was the only powder I loaded in handgun ammo .
Then I ventured into NRA three gun Bullseye Competition and had to give up on target loads with Unique...just not enough pressure and start working with Bullseye for target loads .
Life was so simple back in those days ... Bullseye , Unique and 2400 ...those three powders did it all in handgun and a lot of rifle rounds .
Now there are so many powders it boggles the mind .
But I'll never be without Unique ... still a favorite after 50 years !
Gary

I load 95% of my handgun loads with unique, bullseye, and 2400. I have some h110 and some hs-6, but I always try to come up with a load using one of my big 3. It really simplifies things.

[6bg6ga]

Unique is on my bench along with Red Dot, WW231, Bullseye,and 2400. Some say its dirty I say all powders are dirty who cares its part of shooting.

[Chill Wills]

I have started trying Universal in place of Unique except for maximum loads, the same listed charge weights produce the same velocities, - except cleaner. I don't often load to the maximum anymore so I don't know how that compares.
In the 1970's I loaded a lot of handgun cast bullets using Tamarack 50/50 lube and Unique. Wow! Talk about having some grubby greasy cases and firearms after I was done shooting!

That Tamarack lube was 50% ALOX 2138F mixed with Beeswax 50%. It is (was) a good all purpose lube but made for a very dirty clean-up.

I have found that using Universal power,, though not 'clean-clean' is noticeably cleaner than the same load using Unique. Still, I sometimes load Unique and don't plan to quit.

[35remington]

I will note that Universal is the most horribly position sensitive powder I have tried in such as the 38 Special, 32 Long, 44 Special, 45 Colt, etc.

[Chill Wills]

Hmmm... position sensitive. That is interesting. I will have to play with that a little and see. That would be easy to check in light accurate rifle loads.

[TCLouis]

I have a supply of powders, but typically settle on using a few, and of course Unique is in that list.
People complain about powders being dirty, but since most of my shooting is with BOOLITS, all loads are slightly dirty.

That reminds me, I need to load something and go shoot!
Wasting some mild winter weather.

[35remington]

Haven’t tried it in rifle loads so much as pistol cartridges. Universal, that is.

[jrayborn]

I love Unique. It was the first powder I ever bought.

[ddixie884]

If I had only one handgun powder it would be Unique. I don't use that much of it but I have an extra can, just in case. It is like the .41 with the .357 and the .44 ahead of it people see little use. If it had been first there might not have been a need for them. I use a lot of powders but I don't want to be without Unique.....

[Idaho45guy]

How do you develop accurate pistol loads?



Unique up on them!

Sorry, couldn't resist. When I started reloading pistol rounds a few years ago for .45 Colt and 10mm, Unique was the first powder I tried.

I bought a 10mm Glock and started competing in GSSF matches, so I needed a soft shooting accurate load. 5.7 grains of Unique gave me the most accurate load and best group I've ever shot out of a pistol...

256988

[PapaG]

I shoot more Unique than any other powder. .380, 9, 38, 357, 44s, 45cap, 45c, 222,223 with cast, 308, 30-06, 45-70 all with cast. 12 gauge heavy trap and game loads. Name says it all.

[gunauthor]

Unique also works well as a clay target load in 20 gauge.......

[RJM52]

For handguns...I could just have UNIQUE and not bother with anything else... I use it in everything from .22 Jet to .500 S&W...

It may not meter all that well but but since it produces little tiny groups in everything I try it in, who cares...

Was recently loading up some .38-44 rounds for a Smith pre-27 and a Heavy Duty with the 358156 bullet. I settled on 6.0 grains of Unique and checked a bunch of them out of the Dillon 550 powder measure. Of probably 20 checked drops, the low was 5.9 and the high was 6.2.

If I need more velocity than Unique will get, I jump right to H110.

Larry put it best...it is why it is called Unique...because it is...

Bob

[onelight]

How do you develop accurate pistol loads?



Unique up on them!

Sorry, couldn't resist. When I started reloading pistol rounds a few years ago for .45 Colt and 10mm, Unique was the first powder I tried.

I bought a 10mm Glock and started competing in GSSF matches, so I needed a soft shooting accurate load. 5.7 grains of Unique gave me the most accurate load and best group I've ever shot out of a pistol...

256988
Wow , that is a great group , nice !

[sixshot]

Started reloading in the 60's & Unique was the first powder I bought & it's still my favorite, next up would be 2400. Just bought 3 lbs off of a guy in Boise for $13 a lb!!!

Dick

[bigted]

My love affair began in the early 70's while loading and shooting 45 Colt in an early Ruger Blackhawk. Fond memories of that time frame. Broke most of the times and still had the bug so resulted in as inexpensive a settup as possible. Lee hammer together loader, Rugers Blackhawk in 7.5 inch barrel and Unique powder, and cast 255 grain boolits. Those were the days my friends.

Never got over my fondness for 45 revolvers, Unique powder AND cast boolits. What a combo!!!

[Walks]

I grew up on it. My Dad loaded it in just about every cast bullet load with the exception of His Bullseye Competition Loads and Hot .357Mag & .44Mag loads.

And that is a lot of .380, .38Spl, .44Spl , .45Colt, .45ACP Hardball. And a bunch of rifle loads for plinking & paper.
Like most here if down to one powder it would be Unique.

Position Sensitive? Never noticed it.

[roverboy]

Its a great powder but, I've never used it a whole lot. Mainly because I have a lot of Herco on hand.