Is it time to move away from Unique?

[P Flados]

I was just poking around and saw Natchez has 8# jugs o Unique in stock and a free hazmat special until the 4th.

However, the $315 is steep compared to their $233 for 8# of 231.

That is a 35% premium over a powder that has just about as much available load data including good comprehensive load info (with pressure data) from the maker.

[Chena]

Unique solves many needs without extensive load development. Sticking with a few old standards also simplifies powder inventory. I wish jacketed bullet rifle loads were as simple. I sold a .300 H&H a couple of years ago, and now am stuck with 4 pounds of R-19 I have no earthly use for. I would be in hog heaven if I could trade the many partial cans of niche rifle powders I have left over from old projects for half their weight in IMR-4064.

[35 Rem]

I know I have an unopened 4lb can of Unique and not sure how much beyond that. I think I have a large part of an old 8lb carboard can too. I love it for 32-20 cast loads with the Lyman 115 grain bullet at somewhere around 5 grains for about 1,280 ft/sec and also mid range loads in 44 Magnum. I originally bought Unique for shotshells however as it works great for duplicating the old factory "Duck and Pheasant" load of 3 3/4 Drams with 1 1/4 ounces shot in 12 gauge. It was natural that I would give it a try in my 44 Magnum revolver loads once on hand. Would not want to be without it.

[Charlie Horse]

Just got a pound of Unique that I ordered a couple years ago. It came in at $46. If I hadn't ordered it I wouldn't have paid that price. This was through my club. I like Unique but not that much.

[cowboy4evr]

Unique is a very good powder and it's one that I originally started reloading with . But ----- a few years ago when it couldn't be bought , year after year I switched to a " replacement " . A gentleman on another forum recommended Winchester Super Field . I bought some and have never looked back , I like that that well . Load data is a little thin , but I discovered to use unique starting loads and work up from there . Usually 1/2 to 1 grain more did the trick . On a burn rate chart it's close to Herco . It burns very clean , meters well and is accurate enought for me and ----- is much more available than unique most years , and it's not as expensive .

[TXTad]

Unique is a very good powder and it's one that I originally started reloading with . But ----- a few years ago when it couldn't be bought , year after year I switched to a " replacement " . A gentleman on another forum recommended Winchester Super Field . I bought some and have never looked back , I like that that well . Load data is a little thin , but I discovered to use unique starting loads and work up from there . Usually 1/2 to 1 grain more did the trick . On a burn rate chart it's close to Herco . It burns very clean , meters well and is accurate enough for me and ----- is much more available than unique most years , and it's not as expensive .

I'm doing something similar with BE-86. There are good data for it by now, but not quite as much as Unique. I believe there is very little that can be done with Unique that cannot also be done with BE-86. It just doesn't have the history of experimentation that Unique had, and probably never will since the circumstances that Keith, Jordan, Skelton, et.al had will never occur again. WinClean 244 is also available and relatively cheap so I got some of that to use for more mild-mannered loads. I did jump on an 8lb jug of Unique when Midsouth finally had some at the end of December. A friend also bought one on the same order, so we shared hazmat. With free shipping, it worked out to $44.62 per pound. More than I liked, but barely tolerable. With some other powders in my rotation now, this will last me a very long time.

[TXTad]

Just got a pound of Unique that I ordered a couple years ago. It came in at $46. If I hadn't ordered it I wouldn't have paid that price. This was through my club. I like Unique but not that much.

I understand. I didn't like paying what I paid for what I got last month, but I'm set now.

A friend just finally found some RL22 that he needed very badly for his .257 Wby...$65 per pound!

[jimb16]

I hear you guys crying. I'm not....YET. I still have 2 8# kegs of which I just opened the first one and have used less than 1 pound. Never the less, I'm going to be conservative in my use of it. I was using it in .45 Colt, but am switching to 231 for now. I'll keep the unique for shotgun loads. Being a skeet shooter, I go through a lot of powder.

[Beaverhunter2]

I'll try very hard NOT to move away from Unique. I use it in 9mm, heavy (260gr.) 45ACP, and it's versatility is hard to match. I have an 8lb keg stashed that I will never open unless there is nothing else left. That being said I have dropped 8208XBR for my 6.5Grendel and 69gr .223 loads. Too hard to find and too expensive if you do. I'll make H335 and LVR work. Those are more reasonably priced and much more available.

[TXTad]

I hear you guys crying. I'm not....YET. I still have 2 8# kegs of which I just opened the first one and have used less than 1 pound. Never the less, I'm going to be conservative in my use of it. I was using it in .45 Colt, but am switching to 231 for now. I'll keep the unique for shotgun loads. Being a skeet shooter, I go through a lot of powder.

I think I'm good for a long time as long as I use the alternatives I have when I don't need Unique. WC244 and BE-86 can cover a lot of bases.

[Charlie Horse]

I started reloading so as not to be a slave to the market. As Unique becomes cost prohibitive I'll just move on to something else that isn't, thank you very much.

[Rockindaddy]

I think the manufacturers of Unique are just pricing themselves out of business. Just bought 8 lbs of Accurate for $100. Still shooting old Dupont 5066 that I bought for $2/ lb because it was discontinued. When the Unique runs out I will fall back on what ever propellant is available! The correct boolit design and bore/ groove fit is more important than a particular propellant.

[justindad]

True Blue does a whole lot of things, meters like water, burns clean, and has given me single digit SD numbers in multiple pistol calibers. The problem with new powders, is manufacturers do not have a motive to test a powder in both pistol and rifle calibers - they make more money withholding that load data crossover.

[Tall]

I stocked up on powder and primers when it looked like there would likely be a President Dukakis. Thankfully that never happened but as it turns out buying a huge quantity of reloading supplies 35 years ago was actually a wise move. I still have a metal tin of Unique and a 4 pound cardboard box of it that I have not opened. Probably a lifetime supply.

[dverna]

Ive stocked a few kegs of Unique as ive found nothing that does everything like it does. I dont care what it costs, a do everything powder is solid gold.
Unique, Red Dot (Promo), 4064 and 3031. Tell me something i cant work up a load for

I think along the same line. It gets easier with judicious selection of calibers/gauges you want to reload for.

My core powders were Promo, Unique, Varget and H4895. Varget was a mistake as it has become difficult to get and pricey so will be moving to something else as I am down to 3 jugs.

Anyway, with those powders I could load all my "go to" calibers/gauges. .223, .30/30, .308, 9mm. .38 Spl, .357 Mag, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 12 ga, 20 ga and 28 ga.

Last year I sold the 20 and 28 ga guns so I no longer need Unique expect for the few 12 ga hunting loads I use a year. I have a lifetime supply of Unique for that so will not buy more.

I buy other powders if the price is right. 30 lbs of Clean Shot for $450 delivered was such a case. I had never used it, but I do not get anal about pistol or 12 ga loads. It's not like 9mm plinking loads need to be shooting 2" groups at 50 yards.

I am seeing sales for pistol powder under $250/jug and that is close to my buy in price. If I did not have a good supply of powder for pistols I would jump on it. Still waiting for rifle powders to come down but that may be a silly wish.

One thought. When the war in Ukraine winds down, and it will, there may be "surplus" powders in the pipeline that become available. If that happens, it could provide a buying opportunity for those shooting popular calibers. I regret not buying surplus powder when it was available years ago and will not make that mistake again.

[atr]

I am not moving away from UNIQUE.....one of the best utility powders.

[charlie b]

...One thought. When the war in Ukraine winds down, and it will, there may be "surplus" powders in the pipeline that become available. If that happens, it could provide a buying opportunity for those shooting popular calibers. I regret not buying surplus powder when it was available years ago and will not make that mistake again.

I am not sure anymore what will happen. If recent reporting about the limited sources of nitrocellulose (China and Russia) are correct, we may be in this shortage for the long haul, even possibly the military. Someone may have to build or reopen a plant in this part of the world to fix that, and environmental stuff may be a huge hurdle.

But, it could get fixed. Look at the new companies trying to start up primer production.

[Kosh75287]

It takes very little more than nitric acid, cellulose, a reinforced reaction chamber, and the technical skills of a Bachelor's level chemistry degree to manufacture nitrocellulose. Environmental impact is not particularly nasty, and obtaining zero-emission status (or very near it) can be done at reasonable expense. I don't know what obstacles the ATFE/DOJ might throw in the way, but DOD might be able to smooth the process on the basis of military need.
If congress gets off their posteriors and funds the Ukraine like they should, the need for nitrocellulose will doubtless increase and, with any luck, so will its production by countries that are not our adversaries.
A surplus of small arms propellants MAY happen as the U.S. and Europe get serious about fully equipping the Ukrainians, enabling them to win. I think the propellant surplus for which we all (mostly) hope is MOST likely if there is an abrupt (and, one hopes, favorable) end to the conflict, AFTER propellant production has fully geared up. If the war ends suddenly, before propellant production is scaled up, or ends on a timeline that is sufficiently long and predictable that propellant production can be scaled down accordingly, we may see precious little surplus powder on the market.

[Lance Boyle]

I think along the same line. It gets easier with judicious selection of calibers/gauges you want to reload for.

My core powders were Promo, Unique, Varget and H4895. Varget was a mistake as it has become difficult to get and pricey so will be moving to something else as I am down to 3 jugs.

Anyway, with those powders I could load all my "go to" calibers/gauges. .223, .30/30, .308, 9mm. .38 Spl, .357 Mag, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 12 ga, 20 ga and 28 ga.

Last year I sold the 20 and 28 ga guns so I no longer need Unique expect for the few 12 ga hunting loads I use a year. I have a lifetime supply of Unique for that so will not buy more.

I buy other powders if the price is right. 30 lbs of Clean Shot for $450 delivered was such a case. I had never used it, but I do not get anal about pistol or 12 ga loads. It's not like 9mm plinking loads need to be shooting 2" groups at 50 yards.

I am seeing sales for pistol powder under $250/jug and that is close to my buy in price. If I did not have a good supply of powder for pistols I would jump on it. Still waiting for rifle powders to come down but that may be a silly wish.

One thought. When the war in Ukraine winds down, and it will, there may be "surplus" powders in the pipeline that become available. If that happens, it could provide a buying opportunity for those shooting popular calibers. I regret not buying surplus powder when it was available years ago and will not make that mistake again.

i bought 16 pounds of virgin surplus wc844 (loads like H335). I am still working the stuff that I bought probably around 2008.

[Lance Boyle]

It takes very little more than nitric acid, cellulose, a reinforced reaction chamber, and the technical skills of a Bachelor's level chemistry degree to manufacture nitrocellulose. Environmental impact is not particularly nasty, and obtaining zero-emission status (or very near it) can be done at reasonable expense. I don't know what obstacles the ATFE/DOJ might throw in the way, but DOD might be able to smooth the process on the basis of military need.
If congress gets off their posteriors and funds the Ukraine like they should, the need for nitrocellulose will doubtless increase and, with any luck, so will its production by countries that are not our adversaries.
A surplus of small arms propellants MAY happen as the U.S. and Europe get serious about fully equipping the Ukrainians, enabling them to win. I think the propellant surplus for which we all (mostly) hope is MOST likely if there is an abrupt (and, one hopes, favorable) end to the conflict, AFTER propellant production has fully geared up. If the war ends suddenly, before propellant production is scaled up, or ends on a timeline that is sufficiently long and predictable that propellant production can be scaled down accordingly, we may see precious little surplus powder on the market.

I recall seeing youtube “urban” explorers lurking/trespassing on old military owned powder and ammunition depots. Rows of huge buildings that handled powder components and powder. All abandoned, decaying, some dismantled but the whole area was fenced, gated, and lightly patrolled. Signs iirc said superfund site.

Talon Mfg iirc had contracts to demilitarize a lot of old munitions and stored propellant stocks. They got in big trouble if my memory is correct by hauling a lot of it to the back forty of the depot and dumping the unusable powder on the ground.