Throwing charges of Unique

[m33p0n3]

One of the first few powders I tried out when I first started reloading was Unique. The loads I used it in shot well, but loading it was kind of a pain. It doesn't meter well in my Lee Pro Auto Disk. From comments made by other posters here, it seems this is just the nature of the beast.

My question is, how do you guys meter out Unique? Is it just the Lee disk measures aren't conducive to Unique? Or do people who use it use a scoop and/or weigh out each individual charge?

 

[mbopp]

I have a Redding #3 with a pistol powder measure and a home-made baffle. It does a good job for me.

 

[Funshooter45]

It's not just a problem for the auto disk measures. All measures go by volume with the assumption that a constant volume should yield a constant weight. That works pretty good for most powders. But with large flakes like Unique, they all run into problems. My auto disk actually does a slightly more consistent job than my Lyman 55 with Unique. If you are throwing fairly large volumes of Unique like for my .45 Colt or .44 mag, it's not too bad. But the variations are worse when you use a smaller diameter cavity like you might for .38 special for instance.

The guys that use the powder scoops have the same problems. Most of them just figure it isn't worth worrying about. I just accept the fact that my Unique loads will have a +/- 0.2 gr variation so I make sure I'm not right at the max for that gun. Or else I use a different powder if I'm concerned about the variation. Or weigh every load if you're compulsive.

 

[JimKirk]

Unique is one of the more difficult powders to meter to an exact charge, but because it is such a useful powder, to me it is worth the hassle. That being said ...my RCBS Uniflow does a good job throwing Unique with in acceptable allowances.

Jimmy K

 

[Steve C]

I have 2 Hornady Powder measures, on free standing and the other on my LNLAP (progressive press). With the pistol meter insert in place Unique measures as well as any powder, usually dropping spot on charges. I don't get consistent charge throws from the larger "universal" rifle meter insert with weights under 10 grains. There are a few things though in using any of the flake powders like Unique, Red Dot, Clays, etc. The flake powders need some settling to meter uniformly so I always throw perhaps a half dozen charges throwing them back into the hopper and then weigh a couple after that to see if its settled down. The normal movement of the AP press settles the powder in the hopper quickly as does the vibration of operating the stand alone unit. I always check the first throw from the powder measure after its been sitting a while but find its usually right on or perhaps a .1gr heavier.

 

[Walkalong]

As JimKirk posted, Unique measures "acceptably" well from good measures when using at least decent technique.

Bottom line is it shoots great much of the time.

700X meters anywhere from decently to poorly (depending on who you ask), but it shoots well much of the time too. Some powders are just that way.

 

[hogcowboy]

acceptable allowances

Jimmy K said it like it is with Unique. Acceptable allowances.

 

[dwhite]

Lee dippers.

While my Lee Perfect Powder Measure drops Unique pretty well, nothing equals my Lee dippers. Easy to use and quite accurate.

Once you get the load you want you can cut down a cartridge case to hold the appropriate amount of powder. Super-Glue on a handle and you're good to go.

You may have some variance after you go to a new lot of powder but if you're 5% below max. it shouldn't matter. If it does you can make another dipper.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[oneounceload]

I have used Unique for handgun and shotgun loads - loaded through my RCBS Uniflow or my MEC or RCBS shotgun powder measures, I have never had an issue - even loading 32 ACP

 

[cfullgraf]

I have great success metering Unique and 700-X through an RCBS Little Dandy, RCBS Uniflow with the small drum, Hornady L-N-L with the small drum and a Redding 10-X.

Also, Unique is my main powder for 20 and 28 gauge shot shell loads use a MEC 600 Jr.

I could never get consistent results with a Lee Perfect Powder measure.

 

[ranger335v]

No measure can handle thin flake powders very well. Operated correctly, the Lee's do as well as any.

Weighting charges for handguns is an exercise in futility.

 

[LiveLife]

Well, because of the many positive comments posted here, I finally decided to try Unique. Will be adding to the next group buy order from Powder Valley.

I guess it's never too late to teach an old dog a new trick.

 

[sweater914]

I've had some of the same metering issues, I'm not loading anywhere near max and have come to accept the variations involved in using Unique. Unique is just one of those pistol powders that's hard not to have on the shelve, it covers so many chamberings from 9mm through .44 magnum that it's metering shortcomings are forgiveable. It's not the first powder I lean to but when the proverbial poop hit the fan it works.

 

[Fanky]

I started out on Unique, and it works well enough for my plinking reloads. I don't always get accurate drops out of my Perfect Powder Measure with it, but if I'm trying out new loads, I just trickle it up to the weight I want. Some might call me crazy trickling pistol loads, but I do a low enough volume of reloading where it doesn't bother me to take the extra time for more precise loads.

 

[GLOOB]

Unique throws pretty well out of my Lee Perfect Powder measure, but I use scoops.

I've never weighed a single, individual charge, outside of a post-mortem examination of a pulled cartridge. I only weigh the sum of 10 scoops/throws. I do that a few times after making a new scoop, and this sum weight stays the same within a couple tenths with Unique, same as any other powder. It just takes a little more effort to move the scoop through the corn flakes. If my scoop-to-scoop variation is greater with Unique, I doubt my level of shooting skill will ever reveal it.

 

[Col]

hi guys, still on the subject of accurate throwing of Unique, I use Unique for pinking with my .44 mag and 357 mag marlin carbines. My Lyman powder throw refuses to get much more accurate than +/- .2 grains and so being reletively new to loading (about 2 years ) I usually use my sprinkler to top up and weight each load.
The question I would like answered is would I notice much difference on the POI with the varying discrepancies in the charge if I except the +/- loads

 

[northark147]

My Dillon seems to handle it ok. At least its dead on on the 10 charges I throw initially to check it and when I check it every 25 rounds.

 

[Furncliff]

Unique was my first powder, it was/is touted as a do-all powder. I almost quit reloading right there. One because I didn't know what to expect and two because the stuff did not meter well in my Dilon Sq Deal B. After a lot of frustration I went to another powder for .38/.357. Problem solved. I now have 8 different powders to experiment with, as well as some more realistic expectations. I'm also quicker to ask for help here (thank you all). I will go back to finish up the can, but with so many other choices out there....

 

[Maj Dad]

I have excellent, repeatable accuracy with Unique, Red Dot, Green Dot, Blue Dot & the other flakes (powders, of course ) in my Lyman 55 (ca. 1965 or so), and also with my Dillon. I tend to gently "bang" the apparatus in a consistent way as I use it to settle the powder and keep it from bridging. It's a trade-off, sure; if you're loading 50 in a block, you can get away with the Lee scoops and a scale; 500 makes it pretty much de riguer to use a measure (& your progressive).

 

[rfwobbly]

700X meters anywhere from decently to poorly, but it shoots well much of the time too.

As opposed to me. I meter well much of the time and shoot poorly the rest of the time!

 

[Funshooter45]

I don't want to badmouth Unique at all. I still use it sometimes. Sometimes I just don't care if my powder measure throws a bit more or less than the target weight. But I have to wonder why all the angst about trying to get Unique to meter through our measures better? There are OTHER POWDERS out there that meter much better if that's important to you and they will propel your bullet just as well as Unique does. No big deal either way really. You can find a target weight for Unique so that a variation of +- 0.2 gr isn't a big deal. Or, you can use Universal and it will do the same thing and meter much better. Or True Blue. Or VV 330. Or AA5. Or... a few more. Lots of easy solutions if this one is giving you problems.

 

[SASS#23149]

I've learned that a light double tap with my knuckles on the powder hopper between throws realy helps with Unique,verfied by electronic scales. Easy to do,just takes a second,and sure helps with more even metering of Unique.

 

[RidgwayCO]

After reading all the entries about "double taps" and "rapping the powder measure", I flashed back to a post I read years ago. Supposedly, someone taped their wife's battery-powered vibrator to their powder-measure/press, turned it on, and got very uniform drops of Unique. Might work, but could also be very expensive (in terms of trips to the shrink to work out your issues...).

Personally, I'll just use a powder created closer to the beginning of this century...

 

[cfullgraf]

After reading all the entries about "double taps" and "rapping the powder measure"...

When I regularly used an RCBS Little Dandy measure, I did some wrapping at the top and bottom of the powder delivery stroke.

When I transitioned to a measure with an adjustable drum, I found I needed to change my technique.

First, I removed the powder measure from the loading bench and mounted it on it's own free standing floor stand. I found vibration from the bench was settling the powder column.

Second, I added a powder baffle. The baffle needs to be installed with the axis of the openings parallel to the rotational axis of the cavity drum. Otherwise, the baffle is not as effective.

Third, I smoothed my operation and stopped wrapping on the measure to minimize settling of the powder column and increasing its density.

I have good success using this process with any powder, including flakes like Unique, 700-X and Blue Dot. Little or no variation of the powder charges.

No need for the significant other's vibration device. But, whatever process that works for you is the one to use.

 

[Walkalong]

One thing I don't think we have mentioned yet is running 10 to 15 charges through the measure before weighing to see what it is throwing or charging cases.

Some powders (Unique, 700X) take a good bit to settle in. When using these powders without a baffle there is no chance of consistency when adding powder every so often. Some powders settle down after only 5 or 6 throws (W-231, WSF), and some after only 2 or 3 of throws (AA #2, True Blue).

YMMV