Unique Woes

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I used Unique for many years with my Ideal 55 powder measure.

I had no idea it was hard to meter, until I got on the internet and looked at some of the forums.

Interesting it doesn't work with some of the other measures. Now, is that the powder's fault? Maybe the equipment?
 
Using RCBS equipment, I never had issues with Unique. For issues you might try adding the powder baffle and keeping the level fairly full/constant - doing that removes any short throws
 
Your experience mirrors mine, and I have read many, many others who have had a similar experience. These days, I use Unique as a curiosity...to hand-dip ten loads of whatever cartridge. I've tried it with .380, 10mm, .45acp, .41 Mag and .45LC. Yes, it is versatile--so what? If there were a powder shortage going on, and I had 4 lbs of Unique, I guess I'd make it until things got better. :)
Unique was the first pound of powder I bought when I started reloading. I still have almost all of it.
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Exactly.
i love me some unique, i just got 16 pounds delivered.
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I note that you do not state what type of powder measure or any other details.

I will say that 16 pounds of Unique would be at least eight lifetimes worth for me. Probably more like 16 lifetimes.
Way too many other viable powders out here.
 
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Swore off Unique a couple yrs ago due to bridging problems. Got a real deal on a few pounds and bought them. This new batch have given me no problems and flows very well through the 55. Do not know what the problem was with the other batch but am satisfied with Unique now.
 
Scale and a powder trickler the use a fired .223 and cut it down till you have a scoop then solder some copper wire to it and keep it with your dies marked. Or just buy some Lee scoops
 
I use a cheap-o Lee Perfect Powder Measure
raise the handle tap tap tap
drop the charge tap tap tap

This gives me a consistent +/-0.1 gr with unique and other flake powders and gives +/-0.0 gr with spherical powders.
 
It seems that most of the folks complaining are using cheap Lee equipment.....I have been using RCBS Uniflow for 35 years and a LOT of Unique was used for pistol loads from 32 ACP through 45 ACP without issues. Perhaps the powder dispenser was the culprit, because those of us who use/d the better stuff don't seem to have the same issues
 
I've been using Unique for nearly 30 yrs. off and on, not my favorite but for .45 ACP full power loads it fills the case nicely and gives very nearly optimum performance. I can get variations as much as a hair over .2 grs from my uniflow but it doesn't really seem to show up on the chronograph or the target. That said I'm going to run out of my Hercules variety soon and I'm going to look at other options.
 
I was getting up to .5gr variance with my Uniflow, Pro Auto disc, and my Hornady LNL-AP measures.

As an experiment I set up to load .327 magnum shells with Unique powder and about every 20 rounds I would get a load at or around .5gr either over or under my target charge. I would double check it on my beam scales to verify it, I just can't blindly trust that no matter what is said about it in the positive. For me it's a no-go. I'm done with it.
 
Thanks for the tip Oneounce, Autocomp and WSF also seem to be kind of close to what I'm after for .45 acp 185jhp. Any thoughts on those?
 
I quit using Unique for that reason...inconsistency of the thrown charges without doing some kind of end zone touchdown pass shenanigans. Win 231, HP38 or WST work as well, and meter right on the mark. I've got measures made by Redding, RCBS and Dillon and none will throw consistent charges of Unique without the "dance". Rod
 
I use a cheap-o Lee Perfect Powder Measure
raise the handle tap tap tap
drop the charge tap tap tap

This gives me a consistent +/-0.1 gr with unique and other flake powders and gives +/-0.0 gr with spherical powders.
Click to expand...

Same here.
 
What I have found is unique does not have to be that consistent to be consistent on the target.

Just for fun, take some of your more variable reloads and shoot some groups. You might be surprised.
 
Just for fun, take some of your more variable reloads and shoot some groups. You might be surprised.
Click to expand...

If I'm loading at max load with Unique and I take a variable load that may be between .2-.5gr over max and shoot it out of anything other than a pistol that is known to take a lot of pressure (like Ruger seams to have) I probably would get a surprise, but it may be one I'm not ready for.

I will work up to my at max or over max load with a more controlled method than blindly trusting it to not blow up my guns when it goes up to .5gr over my target charge of maximum load and I don't know it.

Peter, I understand that what you are saying would work with midrange loads, and that is what most people use it for,

I know Unique is much more forgiving for volume/weight/pressure discrepancies then probably any other pistol powder on the market but at or close to max loads, I'll stick to my dribbler/scale combination until my supply of Unique is gone, or I can find someone around here that wants it, (I'll give it to them) then no more it.
 
Unique works great in my Grandfathers RCBS chargemaster! But then again, what doesn't!
 
It seems that most of the folks complaining are using cheap Lee equipment.....
Click to expand...

You must have read a different thread than I just did. Seems to me the Lee measures had the best reviews with Unique.

My worst metering powder turned out to be Universal. Which was funny since I bought it for its better metering properties. Where almost all of my meters would do +/- 0.2gr with Unique I had to get a RCBS Uniflow with the small metering chamber to have any sucess with Universal. I'm sure a small chamber would have worked with my Redding 3, but I bought the RCBS quick change instead for added versatility.

I agree with those that say Unique doesn't have to be measured that exact to work well. +/- 0.2gr was working well for me. Didn't have metering problems until I bought the 8# jug of Universal. :(
 
Titegroup Tiger,

Look at some older load manuals for Unique top loads and you will "likely" see that older data has much higher loads for Unique with most common calibers (38/357 are the ones I deal with the most). Thus a 0.5 grn over charge with today's manual might be perfectly acceptable to one only 15 years ago. Yes there have been a lot of changes in pressure measurement or other items, but again, I would suggest you at least consider trying some out.

As was pointed out above, Unique the powder is well, pretty unique in that it seems somewhat more accurate than the variations in powder measuring seem to indicate it should be. This is particularly true with lead bullets.

Suit yourself though. I would never advocate someone load up ammo that they are not personally comfortable with. I tend to judge powders by their performance on target first and over the chrono second. Performance on the scale while interesting has not shown to be a compelling issue.
 
Wow. I've been using Unique for 30 years. In the beginning using a Lyman #55 and most often lately with a Lee Autodisk in my loadmaster.

I periodically sample the charges as I load and I don't see wild variations.

I wonder if static electricity, humidity, poor mounting of press/measure, technique could be an issue? Are check weights being used to see if there is a scale issue?

I like Unique.
 
I scoop Unique. I use Lee dippers or a fired case that was filled to length of a weighed charge.
Weighing it to me is a waste of time.
 
Peter M Eick,

The amount of people that really like Unique tells me I probably have all the wrong powder measures.

I know Walkalong uses a 10X and it works for him and the people that use the Lyman 55 seam to be able to make it work but I just don't want to spend another $100.00 some dollars on another powder measure when I already have three now, apparently the wrong three according to a lot of people.

A lot of my load data does come from older manuals because there are loads in them with different weight bullets that just aren't in the new ones.

I've never been able to make it work with any of the three powders measures the way some of you have so I just quit using it. I do have 1 3/4lbs of it I would like to give away to any one around Winston Salem or if they are passing through, send me an email and I will arrange for them to get it for free but I won't try to mail or ship it.
 
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