Are you getting consistent loads with Unique?

[Texas1880]

I get .1 from my Dillon measure. No issues, and the .1 variance is not constant. I’m fine with that.

 

[LiveLife]

Regardless of powder charge weight variance, ultimately it's the holes on target that matters. Isn't that why bench rest and long-range precision shooters use volumetric powder charge drops instead of weighing out the powder charges?

I have gotten good accuracy with Red Dot/Promo even though they metered with .2+ gr variance. Now that my C-H 502 meters new reformulated Promo with .12 gr variance, I am a happy camper - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/c-h-502-micrometer-powder-measure-10-drops.834894/

I think I will do some myth busting and see if charge volume vs charge weight accuracy shows on target (Stay tuned).

 

[joneb]

My powder measures do not throw large flake powders well, which for me working up a Unique load at the max to get it to burn clean worries me. So I have found a few suitable unique alternatives, Accurate # 5 meters very well. VV N-340 meters better than Unique, WSF meters well.
If I were loading cartridge where I was under the max load and I got a clean burn I would use it, even though it does meter that well it is still accurate.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I wouldn’t worry about the dust...kind of like cooking with a cast iron pan, that dust is what seasons your measure..

Also to note, any virgin hopper or measure I get I pre season it with powdered graphite. Which invariably increases the metering consistency of Unique (or any powder). It truly is the key IMO when handling Unique.

CK

Thanks

 

[PapaG]

I mainly use Unique in 38/357/44s/44m/45acp/45C. Some in 9mm, very seldom but some in 30-30, 30-06, and 45-70 with cast bullets. I don't worry about .3 grain variation in the bigger cases. Heck, I'm not good enough to tell the difference on target. With small stuff, 380, 9mm, 38 sp. I use a Redding or RCBS, both the same, drum type measure and it holds .1 grain accuracy. I weigh quite often, however.
BTW, I LOVE Unique. The name says it all. Or, you can be good at something but not good at everything...take your choice. It is great for some things, good for others and unsuitable for other things. I think great in handguns. I don't personally care one way or the other about "dirty".

 

[Zendude]

Unique did not meter very well in my lee pro autodisk, so I stopped using Unique.

 

[warnerwh]

I get plus/minus .1 grain in my Pro Auto disk. Have used Unique forever and have no intention of changing powders. Unique is an excellent powder. There's a reason why stores run out of it, during shortages Unique is of the first to disappear. It's very versatile.

 

[Dudedog]

AS I recall I was + or - about .2 with Unigue with my Lee Pro Auto Disk. I just loaded for the high side of the swing and didn't laod max charges with it.
Seemed to shoot decent. If I had it I would use it, but I wouldn't buy it for handgun rounds if I had other choices available.

 

[LoneGoose]

When I started loading for handguns, I bought a pound of Unique. I found it to be dirty, and unburnt flakes of it got into the gun - even under the ejector star. When I upgraded to a Lyman 55 powder measure, I weighed the dropped charges and found weight to be inconsistent. Now with a Hornady LNL, its powder measure drops inconsistent charges. So I still have some unique left. I have found several good, clean-burning, consistent powders that meter well. I wondered why Unique is quoted so often in reloading manuals. It must be because it was around when there weren't so many powders available - and fine grained powders weren't yet developed.

 

[Walkalong]

It is because it was so accurate in so many applications. If you were getting unburned flakes your pressure was too low.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I'm getting consistant drops with my Uniflow and Unique. 90% of the time it's within .2 grains.

I typically run it near/at max, so weigh them all out anyway.

Running it at the upper end also takes care of its "dirty" problem as well

 

[jski]

Those big fat flakes of Unique are hard to meter for small handgun loads (< 10 gr.). I abandoned Unique and went for something for more modern, Ramshot True Blue, a very fine grain ball powder ... as my "universal" pistol powder.

 

[VinnAY]

On my lyman 55 with Unique I only use the largest chamber for the charge, say for 5.0gr in 9mm I don't use the smallest but the middle charge bar and keep them open equally as close as I possibly can. Otherwise I double tap the handle up on the top stroke and let it sit there for a second and then drop it.

 

[Ireload2]

I have excellent results with Unique in rifles, handguns and 20 ga shotgun for about 50 years.
I use it in 45-70 and .357 Mag with a RCBS LITTLE DANDY measure.
The shot shells are measured by the MEC Sizemaster..

I have noticed within the last 10 or 15 years that reloaders are becoming more and moe OCD about how clean powder burns.
My autoloading skeet gun was shot about 400 rounds a week for 2 decades. I normally gave it a little shot of Barricade into the chamber and stood it in a plastic cup in a corner. That gun was rarely cleaned and never missed a beat. The Barricade was used to prevent chamber rusting caused by shooting plastic hull ammo.

 

[entropy]

Yes, I get very consistent loads with Unique. I hand throw every charge with Lee Dippers onto my 505.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I've loaded with Unique since the mid 70's, (last century), it will vary about +/- .1 gr on average no matter which measure I use. A great powder.

Have a blessed day,

Leon