Unique and .40 cal.

[Joe's]

All,
I'm loading 155gr. Speer Gold Dots with Alliant Unique. The Speer reloading manual says 7.2gr. min. and 8.0gr. max. Alliant data online just says 8.0gr. No mention if that is min. or max.
I would like for these to shoot mid range to just close to where they are snappy. Loaded 5 ea. of 7.2gr., 7.4gr., 7.6gr., 7.8gr. and 8.0gr.
All of them came up to a level that looks to me as if they will be compressed loads. There is no mention in the manual or the online data that would suggest this would be a compressed load.

Question #1: Does the Speer reloading manual refer to some brand of Unique other than Alliant?

Question #2: Will it be safe to finish loading these and shoot them even though they will be a compressed load.

Thanks to All
Joe's

 

[Steve C]

The Speer reloading manual says 7.2gr. min. and 8.0gr. max. Alliant data online just says 8.0gr. No mention if that is min. or max.

The 7.2gr load of Unique is the "start" load and not a "minimum" load. Any data that lists one load level is giving you the maximum. It is up to you to do the math and reduce by 10% for your start load. Manuals that show the start level have just done the math for you. ex. .9 = 90% or a 10% reduction. 8.0gr x .9 = 7.2gr same as the manual.

uestion #1: Does the Speer reloading manual refer to some brand of Unique other than Alliant?

Unique is the only powder with that name. Alliant is the name of the current manufacturer of Unique. Prior to Alliant the company that made Unique was called Hercules but it was the same powder.

Question #2: Will it be safe to finish loading these and shoot them even though they will be a compressed load.

Unique is not a dense powder and it will settle and compact more than you think. As you shoot your reloads up the charge ladder, watch for pressure signs and stop shooting should they appear. The load one step lighter below where pressure signs appear, should they do so, will be your "maximum" load for your component mix and OAL settings. It isn't all that unusual to see pressure signs before you reach the maximum load. A start load is still a full power load.

 

[Captcurt]

Start low and work up. It has been my experience that Unique hot loads do not shoot well in the 40 S&W. I loaded 200 rounds of what was supposed to be a medium load. They turned out to be near Max in my gun and were all over the paper. I switched to Universal and had better results.

I later read of the same results in a gun rag. Wish I had read it first. As it turned out, I had 200 rounds of noise makers.

 

[CZ9shooter]

Alliant data online just says 8.0gr. No mention if that is min. or max.

From the "warning" page when entering Alliants reloading guide:

REDUCE RIFLE AND HANDGUN CHARGE WEIGHTS BY 10% TO ESTABLISH A STARTING LOAD.

 

[CZ9shooter]

I think everything you have loaded there will be quite "snappy." I used to load 40sw with Unique for an SR40. It's been a while, but I still have good notes.

The best shooting 155gr load was 6.8gr of Unique with an FMJ. It offered about 1070 fps and felt a little tamer than cheap factory loads. Good accuracy.

The softest shooting load I developed was with just 5.4gr of Unique and a cast/coated 155gr bullet. 915fps. I went down to 4.8 gr but started to worry about reliabilty at that point.

As you can see, you do not need to be anywhere near that maximum of 8 grains to get acceptable loads.

 

[Joe's]

Thanks everybody for the responses. Just the type of information I was looking for. I knew I could count on you all.

Joe's

 

[rg1]

Unique is a fluffy powder that takes up a lot of space. Lots of loads in 9MM and 40 S&W with Unique powder are at the base of the seated bullet or slightly compressed. I've loaded 9MM and 40 S&W using Gold Dots and consulting Alliant and other data sources. I've chrono'd some of the loads and find Alliant's maximum data hotter than I want to shoot. I'd stop at around 7.5 grains with 155 Gold Dots but work up to that level. I want a safe load that's safe in mixed brass. Do use Speer's recommended overall length.

 

[vaalpens]

My go to load for Unique and 40S&W is 5.6gr, 1.142" COL and either Xtreme 165gr bullet or Xtreme 165gr RNFPHPCB bullet.

Good luck and be safe.

 

[StanleyEBurris]

.40 Load data

Have ordered some 165 gr hp from Rainer. Will be using Unique and was considering a starting load of 6.5. Would appreciate any opinion on that load.

 

[CZ9shooter]

6.5 grains will probably work. If it were me though, I'd start at 6, maybe even a little lower. Working up a couple extra test batches isnt too big a deal. Better safe than sorry. And who knows, you might end up liking the milder loads better.

6 grains is far above squib levels, but wether or not it cycles your gun I cant say.

 

[gojones]

I shoot the everglades 165 Flat nose and worked up to a load of 6.6 grns of Unique. This shot well in my Sig P226. I started at 6.0 and went up by .2grns each group. 6.5 and 6.6 should shoot about the same. Any higher and my groups got wider.