45ACP Unique

[Jferguson79]

I am new to the forum and in need of some guidance. I have been reloading 9mm for a while and recently acquired a XDM 45. I ordered some 200g swc from mbc and need some reload data for unique powder. Below is where I am planning to start. Any guidance is appreciated.

6g unique
1.250 OAL

 

[Reefinmike]

Welcome

first, you should be consulting your reloading manual... if you cant spare the $20 for a manual, use data from alliants website.

that being said, my lee manual calls for 4.8-5.4(max) of unique using a 200gr lead cast.

Good luck... I havent been able to get unique to burn completely without a load that will slick the bore in lead. also it meters like corn flakes.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

That's the starting load for 200gr lead and Unique in Lyman's 49th edition, Looks like a good place to start to me.

If your slide doesn't reliably cycle or it won't lock open on the last shot you know your loading to light.

Unique is very accurate and reliable in the 45 ACP.

Edit: the starting load in Lyman's 49th edition for 200 gr SWC is 5.0gr and max is 7.5gr.
Lyman's 45th edition for 200 gr SWC is 5.0 gr max is 7.2gr.

Checked more than one manual to be sure.

 

[rcmodel]

1.240" is very likely going to be too long.

With SWC bullets, the correct OAL is seated to where you have about the thickness of your thumbnail of the front driving band sticking out of the case mouth.

Any more then that is most likely going to jam the bullet into the rifling leade.

So, whatever that OAL turns out to be is the correct OAL for tat bullet.

rc

 

[41 Mag]

Welcome to the discussion.

first off most all of us are about safety first and as has been mentioned a half hour researching load data from books or via the internet and the powder company website is time well spent.

As for your loads here are a couple fo links which will help you out in your quest for just the right seating depth as well as the proper crimp for them.

45 ACP reload problem

45 ACP bullet seating and tamper crimp

Both of those have some very pertinent information on just what your looking for if you will read through them. The one also has a great picture of just how your loads should look when dropped into the chamber of your barrel.

As for your choice weight of Unique, yep as mentioned it might be a bit stout for a start load. My best advice is to search out several sources of data which has been pressure tested by professional labs. This can be in loading manuals or from the powder manufacturers website. Using several sources will give you an average of the data and you will be better off than simply picking something straight out of the air. This isn't to say that a particular manual isn't correct, just that they might be using a totally different brand of bullet, which might be harder or softer than what your using. This can and does result in pressure being different than what you will see.

This is one of the main reasons you will find it repeated over and over again to start low and work up.

Anyway, hope the above links help out some, and again welcome to the forum.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Using several sources will give you an average of the data

41mag, isn't this a sorry state of affairs?
I don't ever remember as many discrepancies in loading data over the last 40 years as what exists now between the reloading manuals, the powder companies and just plain everything we read.

Don't know what to think anymore.

 

[Jferguson79]

I appreciate everyone's feedback. This information was extremely helpful.