[spur0701]

Hi-Tech has "Russian Unique", $45 for 5 lbs, or AA#7, which is $80 for 8 lbs....I'll be using this in 9mm, .38, .45ACP, and .40S&W......which is the best deal and or most versitile? I've read/heard good things about the "Russian Unique" but not much about the AA#7.

[pistolero6869]

I would go with the Accurate #7 It was made to load tthe 9MM cartridge thats $10 bucks a pound a fair price these days!

[jibjab]

I think AA#5 would work Much better for .38spl and 45acp, at 16-19K psi is not well suited for #7.

[zxcvbob]

I bought 16 pounds of the NATO pulldown AA-7 from Hi-Tech a couple of months ago for $7/lb, and I love it. I should have bought 2 more jugs of it at that price (of course, if I had bought that much at once without trying it first, it would have sucked)

AA#7 might be a bit slow for the .38 Special, but it will work well in all the others (and it should be OK in the .38, at least for +P loads) It's about like Blue Dot but it meters better and seems less temperamental. It really works great in .357 Magnum.

If you are looking for target ammo instead of hot stuff, anything that resembles Unique might be better. It will be quite a bit faster than the #7.

Why not buy both? ;)

[ants]

I'm thinking, for $125 and ONE hazmat fee to cover both jugs, he'll have 13 pounds of powder, in two different burn rates. He can load those calibers in lots of different combinations. That's probably what Bob was thinking, too.

[jibjab]

As for the OP's question, if Russian Unique is anything like Alliant's Unique then thats your powder for the calibers mentioned.
Bring on the soot :D

[Steve C]

AA7 as about the same burn rate as Blue Dot. Its not really very good in low pressure cartridges like the .45 ACP and .38 spl. Works well in the 9mm, .357 mag, .41 mag etc.. In the 9mm your loads will be compressed.

If that Russian Unique is the same as Unique as we know and love, you can load any pistol cartridge with it.

[pinkymingeo]

AA7 is my preferred powder for hot 45acp loads. Nothing beats it for 200-230gr bullets, that I know of. Target loads is another matter, but both #7 and Unique are too slow for that. Try AA2. Unique meters about as well as Quaker Oats, and burns dirty besides. I gave up on the stuff long ago. AA7 meters beautifully, and while it doesn't burn particularly clean, it's no worse than Unique.

[Walkalong]

I am with Steve C on this one.

[ddhotbot]

i have shot both of these powders from hi tech. i like the russian unique the best for all pistol loads. the russian powder is a shotgun powder called salute with a burn rate very close to unique.it burns much cleaner than unique though. i use the aa7 in my 9mm,if you are just going to get 1 powder i would suggest the russian unique. hope this helps. give dan a call at high tech he will stir you right.

[zxcvbob]

What kind of powder is that Russian "Salut"? Is it large flakes like Unique, or tiny flakes like Bullseye, or balls like 296?

I like Unique, but I don't trust it in my progressive press powder measure.

[ddhotbot]

the russian salute is more like a granular ( almost reminds me of kitty litter). out of my dillon sqdb it throws fine. i really like this powder for plinking loads. i have never really tried to work up an accuracy load in my 9 or 45 with it so i dont know about that. hope this helps