Unique

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rikman

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I loaded my first bunch of 44 mag & 41 mag. I used unique because I had a pound I gave up on last year. I like how versatile it is and cheap. But, it meters like crap. I have a good powder measure IMHO, Redding 3BR. The 3BR does ok with Varget plus or minus .1 grs. But Unique was all over...plus or minus .2 or .3grs....is this just life with unique? I mean I didn't go near the max charge, but i bothered me, or at least my OCD side lol

I ordred a Lee auto disk tonight. I'm using a Lyman T mag with Lee dies. A friend told me he has good luck with it metering unique. And would speed things up a bit charging cases.....
 
It should do better then that.

I use a Lyman #55, and can get +/- 0.1 if I use it consistently with the tapper hammer, and keep it 2/3 or more full.

rc
 
I have a Redding 3 with a pistol micrometer and home-made baffle. It meters .1 to .2gr with Unique and .1gr with W231. Using it consistently is the key.
 
Hey RC,

Funny you say that...I was experimenting with tapping the hopper and then I filled it up almost full of powder. Then I ran about 4 throws into a 30-06 case then the charges stabilized to 8.0 grains (.41mag load ) but I tried charging 10 cases and recorded the charges. Those 1st 3-4 were way over before stabilizing on 8.0 grs that I needed.

Rikman
 
mbop,

I think you're right. I showed my buddy my 10 recorded charges and the last was 7.9( still above min of 7.8) and he said that showed I got lazy or tired on that last throw.

Last year, I practiced for a day or two with Varget. And once I got good at being consistent, I was within .1 gr ....
 
No.

The Lyman #55 powder measure has a little powder knocker hammer thingy on it that you flip with your finger to settle the powder in the hopper every throw.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/703838/lyman-55-powder-measure

Those 1st 3-4 were way over before stabilizing on 8.0 grs that I needed.
Click to expand...
Well, anytime you fill the hopper, or bump it, or do anything different with any powder measure?
You need to throw 10 charges or so the same way, and dump them back in the can before charging cases again.

Loose or packed powder in the hopper will always throw different weights then what you set it to throw.


rc
 
Well, it could be because the Ideal #55 (later Lyman) was designed about the same time smokeless flake powder was invented.
Maybe?

I have four of them and buy every one I see at garage sales and gun shows for $15-$25 bucks a pop!

Some have not been adjusted from my "standard" handgun loads for years.

Some say a "vibrator" motor, like an aquarium air pump, attached to a standard powder measure helps a bunch with flake powder. I have never had the need to try it, but it sounds good in theory.

rc
 
Ah, makes sense. I'm sold... I think I'll look for one at our local shows. I've yet to attend a gun show. That's a steal if you've found them at that price.


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk
 
I do low volume loading on a single stage press and went and got me one of those dispenser/scale combo's a month ago. Now it doesn't matter much what powder I use. Even at that though, the flakes in Unique still clump together enough coming out of the trickler that it often goes over by 0.1. Good enough for me - I love Unique for almost everything in mid to mid-high ranges and particularly for .41 Mag and .45 Colt.
 
rcmodel said:
Well, it could be because the Ideal #55 (later Lyman) was designed about the same time smokeless flake powder was invented.
Maybe?

I have four of them and buy every one I see at garage sales and gun shows for $15-$25 bucks a pop!

Some have not been adjusted from my "standard" handgun loads for years.

Some say a "vibrator" motor, like an aquarium air pump, attached to a standard powder measure helps a bunch with flake powder. I have never had the need to try it, but it sounds good in theory.

rc
Click to expand...
Remodel - that Lyman #55 powder measure looks very nice I may have to add that to my wish list. Thanks for the info!
 
I used Unique for almost 20 years. About 10 years ago I went to a progressive press and had the worst time with Unique. 90% of the time it was fine, but the other 10% was a crap shoot.

After the 3rd squib on the Dillon I was done. I used the last of what I had for fertilizer and bought Power Pistol and Universal. The newer powders are just so much better then Unique that you wonder why you didn't leave it sooner.

Do yourself a faver and try Universal, guarantee no more troubles.
 
I'm able to stay within +/- .1 grain using Unique in either my RCBS or Hornady powder measures.
 
I have a Lyman 55 and use Unique with it all the time for my .45 ACP loads. It takes a few throws to settle down and then you have to be consistent, but it's accurate then.
 
I have good luck in my 550 with unique. Unique is that powder most love or hate it seams. I hear some praise, some curse it. I don't let it sit long, I don't usually load less than 500 rounds in a run.
 
My experience is that static charge is often the culprit with Unique. I keep a used dryer cloth sleeve over my powder measure and slide it up and down every so often. I get very consistent charges with unique using a Hornady powder measure.
 
Unique might not meter that well but it sure shoots good for me. I always use trickled loads though.... IMO...I have about come to a conclusion its accurate in any handgun caliber I load. It makes for some good shooting and accurate hunting loads... I use an assortmant of powders but I seem to keep finding best accuracy with Unique...does anybody else have this same experience? I got accurate Unique loads for 40 cal, 10mm, 41 mag, 44 mag, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh & 500 S&W...
 
I throw all unique charges with a redding powder measure and get good throws by double tapping the handle to the frame. just a quick consistent tap is needed and throws settle in to .1 gn. This is a trick I usa with ball powders if I want a slightly heaver load than the measure is throwing, it will increase the load a consistant ammount and and be very consistant.
 
I too get good results using the "double tap" method. I found tho that Unique is one of those powders that performs better with consistent volume, so if the charge varies .1-.2gr one way or the other, as long it fills the case consistently, it shoots consistently. That's why it works so well with dippers. YEMV
 
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