Anyone tried this out with 8mm Kropatschek?
10 gr unique, 7 1/2 in sbh, 2x burris 800 lb bull moose , 50 yd. Complete pass through, 240 grain wc. 2 steps, dead moose.
10 grains and a 250gr bullet in a 44Magnum is no starting load. If you want a plinking load in 44M, try 7 grains of Unique and a 240-250 gr bullet. My old Lyman manual lists 7gr as a 44M starting load, new manuals start 2 or 3 grains higher. Why?
Those of us with Marlin 1894 rifles in 44M have/will find accuracy with a 300 gr bullet disappointing. The rifling twist rate is too slow, about 1/2 the spin rate of a Ruger Super Blackhawk, where a 300 gr bullet can be very accurate.
I still follow Elmer Kieth's recommendations of Alliant 2400 for powerful 44M loads. Note the max powder charge changed when 2400 was changed to burn cleaner. 20 grains 2400 is the new 22 grain charge. My recovered bullets showed he was right when he wrote that Unique would melt the cast bullet base worse than 2400. I use a lot of Unique in 20 gauge shotgun loads, and 38 & 357 handguns, and lighter loads in my 44s. Actually 9 gr Unique/245 gr bullet is an effective hunting load in a 44M.
Last edited by Norske; 03-12-2019 at 10:35 AM.
Look what the Big Brown Truck brought!
These will be primed, filled with 10 gr of Unique, and have a Lyman 311440 seated on top - then make the trip to NCBS next Friday. I'm stoked!!
Attachment 242416
(It's .303 Savage)
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"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." ...Unknown
10 gr Unique has been quit accurate for me in several old rifles chambered in 45-70 and 45-90. Back in my hunting days would pass a 330 grain Gould bullet right thru deer at about 100 yds with ease, two steps and fell over. Shot plenty of them too resting on hay bales. Then I found 5744 that really puckered for me @ 26-27 grains, both great powders IMO-
GC45
I cannot, CANNOT get Unique to work in my Tikka 223 rifle. I'm talking beach ball sized patterns (not groups) at 100 yards.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
I want to use as a start six grains of unique in a 6.5. Ok?
10.0 grains of Unique , 170 gr. RNFP .323” as cast .32 Win Special WW brass WLRP . Win. 94 1400 FPS ,stupid accurate.
A charge of 12 grains of Unique has lately become my go to charge in .45-70 for everything. Same charge works real well in .30-06 with that 311284 as well.
Unique is awesome stuff, a guy can go through a lot of it real fast if he shoots much.
I have often thought of what happens to a bullet that shoots as poorly as this ? My thinking is if the bullet fits the bore, it is not seated ridiculously crooked, HOW can it leave the muzzle and fly so badly ? I’m talking with a proper twist barrel for the length of the bullet but I have had this happen before myself.
It just seems no matter what powder you are using it shouldn’t shoot that bad ! I know that different powders affect the barrel harmonics but 12”+ at 100 yards is just baffling
Jedman
4.5 gr of Unique under a Lee 55RF works well in the Hornet sparked with a WSP . In my 10" T/C it shoots faily clean , little recoil and groups well at 100 . For Hunters Pistol all I have to do is get dialed back in with this load . And this a book load from Lyman #4 cast book , Lyman says SR primers but the WSP worked better .
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Last edited by marshall623; 09-21-2020 at 05:50 PM.
Jesus said ( Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ) Matt. 11:28
I am going to be trying cast in the 6.5 Creedmoor eventually. I still have molds and quite a few cast bullets from a 6.5 Swede that I couldn't get rid of fast enough. The Ruger American I got has been very accurate with jacketed without even really trying.
I doubt I'll do any loads powerful enough to deer hunt with cast, but most of my shooting is very informal target shooting on my 100 yard range and 95% or better is with cast. No reason it should work like anything else, I would think 7 grains to be a good start point with Unique.
I guess I'll add my limited experience with Unique and 2400.
I use 5.7gr of Unique in my 9mm 115gr J-word HPs and under a Lee 452-200-RF in 45ACP.
I use 5.0gr of Unique with my Lee 452-252-SWC (casts at 260gr from ACWW for me) in 45ACP. It's +P and its a HAMMER! My USP45 loves this load. I seat the shoulder just above flush with case rim and it feeds perfectly.
12.5gr of 2400 in .357 with the Lee 358-158-RF
18.0gr of 2400 in .480 Ruger with the Lee 476-400-RF. 1080fps out of my 7 1/2" SRH. Shoots well and still over 800ft.lbs. at 100 yards. Most of my serious loads in .480 use a BaBore 400 RFNGC and 380gr HPGC but those shoot best with W296.
20.0gr of 2400 in 450 Marlin under a Lee 459-400-RF. I need to chrongraph this load. I'm guessing its around 1000fps. Soft shooting and amazingly accurate. The delay between the shot and the impact at 100yds had my buddy calling it the Pumpkin Roller. I told him he would't want to be in front of the pumpkin!
Thanks for all the info! I have some other rifles that need to introduced to Unique and you guys have given me lots to think about!
Be safe!
John
With cast, you can pretty much find a load that shoots in any rifle. I have shot it in 6.5s to 458s. By any other name, Unique would still be...unique.
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Roger’s Rangers
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In times of shortages Unique and cast bullets will keep most if not all of my family's rifles and pistols running and cost down .
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |