Powder for .357 mag and .38 spl.
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Maj Dad
Member
Unique is called that for a reason. I use it for 20 ga skeet loads, and every pistol caliber I load for: 9mm, 38 spl, 357 mag, 44 spl, 44 Mag, 44-40, and 45 colt (and lead bullets in my trapdoor 45-70). And contrary to this:
Just my 2 cents.
in my experience it meters exceedingly well, both in my Lyman 55 & my Dillon 550 measure, to about .1-.2 gr at most (and usually .05 gr by my RCBS 1010 scale), and shoots as clean as any powder I use (much cleaner than some).
Just my 2 cents.
Sport45
Member
Unique or Universal.
But my real advice is to go ahead and give up on the idea of "one powder for them all". You'll wind up with lots of powders anyway so ga ahead and get a good powder for each application. W231/HP38 is good for the .38 special (as are many others) and 2400 is a good choice for cast bullet magnum loads (although I've never tried it).
But my real advice is to go ahead and give up on the idea of "one powder for them all". You'll wind up with lots of powders anyway so ga ahead and get a good powder for each application. W231/HP38 is good for the .38 special (as are many others) and 2400 is a good choice for cast bullet magnum loads (although I've never tried it).
ljnowell
Member
Thats great for you Dad, but the majority of people that I talk to feel the same way I do about it. And if its much cleaner than some powders you use, I hate to ask what they are.
Though I'm not your father, count me as in your minority of people I guess. "Group think" goes a long way in reloading/guns and I think many ideas just get regurgitated on and on in some circles. It doesn't help Unique is an "old" powder because for many, especially relative to age/experience, "old" means outdated. Regardless, I just never get the idea of a "clean" powder, or the idea that fired guns won't get dirty, or that soot is something cleaning can't solve. I've run more than 1k though a gun (many times) with Unique and the gun still ran and cleaning took no longer than usual. With a medium burn powder like Unique, you can't run bunny fart loads like some gamers like to run without making more a mess of things. Keep those loads warm and Unique is about the same as any other powder in my experience. But, again, the quick easy solution to a dirty gun is cleaning it.
Salmoneye
Member
Unique is for people that can't handle Red Dot for all their needs...
USSR
Member
+1. Zero problems running Unique through my Redding #3 powder measure, and accuracy trumps cleanliness in my book.
Don
ljnowell
Member
I didnt call him Dad out of disprespect, its his username. Being an old powder has nothing to do with it, I load 2400 almost exclusively as a magnum handgun powder, and I think we can all agree thats a pretty old powder too. It has to do with not metering well in the dillon measure, and the two lee powder measures I have tried it in. +/- .2gr is not good enough for me, sorry. As far as being clean or dirty, you are right, you can surely clean it every time, but right now I am in a bullseye league and I dont want to overfoul or completely clean the barrel and cylinder on my gun, as it can be adverse ( and yes, I have tested that, POI changes for the first xx number of rounds after being cleaned).
Certaindeaf
member
lolz. I use and have used way more RD than Unique for mid-range etc. RD has the haters too though.Unique is for people that can't handle Red Dot for all their needs...
Jim Watson
Member
Agree with Sport. R. Buckminster Fuller said "Simplify as much as possible, BUT NO MORE."
Limiting yourself to one powder for both Specials and Magnums is false economy and ballistically ineffective.
I like W231/HP38 for non-magnums.
If I ever shoot enough magnums to burn up my present stock of 2400 and 4227, I will go to N110.
Limiting yourself to one powder for both Specials and Magnums is false economy and ballistically ineffective.
I like W231/HP38 for non-magnums.
If I ever shoot enough magnums to burn up my present stock of 2400 and 4227, I will go to N110.
zxcvbob
Member
I've not found any smokeless powders that were excessively dirty as long as you loaded them towards the top end of the load data. If you want to load them down, switch to a faster powder (like Red Dot or Clays) That include Bullseye, which is not as fast as you think it is.
Vitavhouri N110.
It permits true whomp`em/stomp`em without:
- The need for max case volumes (like H110/W296 require)
- The need for magnum primers
- The need for absolute max velocity every time (can run intermediate)
and is superbly accurate in both pistol and rifle
It permits true whomp`em/stomp`em without:
- The need for max case volumes (like H110/W296 require)
- The need for magnum primers
- The need for absolute max velocity every time (can run intermediate)
and is superbly accurate in both pistol and rifle
James2
Member
Unique!
I keep hearing things like this: "A lot of people will say Unique, and on paper and in practice it will do the trick. I just dont like the stuff. It doesnt meter well in any measure i have used and its still too dirty, even the new "clean" unique. "
Sorry, I don't agree. I have used more Unique than any other handgun powder and like it. My Lyman 55 measure will throw consistent loads with it. Dirty? Not sure what that means. I don't see much diff than with any other powder. To each his own........
I keep hearing things like this: "A lot of people will say Unique, and on paper and in practice it will do the trick. I just dont like the stuff. It doesnt meter well in any measure i have used and its still too dirty, even the new "clean" unique. "
Sorry, I don't agree. I have used more Unique than any other handgun powder and like it. My Lyman 55 measure will throw consistent loads with it. Dirty? Not sure what that means. I don't see much diff than with any other powder. To each his own........
bubbacrabb
Member
Unique, works great in my Dillon powder measure. So do other powders, but I use Unique the most. I also use a lot of 231, I'm just a big fan of Unique though. I always seam to shoot the best with it. Regardless of this muscle flex this powder is better than that, wont work in this measure, dirty blah blah. Just buy some 1 pounders and see what you like. Powder aint that expensive. Find stuff you like and then make a monster purchase of it from one of the online vendors.
ljnowell
Member
And thats the beauty of opinion, you dont have to agree with me and I dont have to agree with you. My opinion is worth no more than yours, thats all they are. I appreciate you sharing yours as much as the OP does I am sure.
It still wont stop me from saying that I dont like they way it meters and I do not like the way it burns. I have found other powders that do what I want them to do much better.
I would also point out that you quoted me as saying that, but read the quote again, I was recommending unique to him if thats what he really wants. The part about "on paper AND IN PRACTICE." I just dont like the characteristics of it and will point out alternatives.
ljnowell
Member
When did it become cool to come to THR and be a weiner? Muscle flex, really? Makes me wonder why I bother to come around here anymore at all to be honest.
tom357mag
Member
Unique Unique Unique !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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