Unique Powder Use

[Hammerhead]

Good point, even though Unique doesn't meter perfectly, it still delivers the accuracy even whrn the charges are a little off.

[Slamfire]

It is my opinion that Hercules/Alliant were selling their powders to the US Army (Iraq and Afghanistan), that they neglected the civilian market because the profit margin was so high. At the time, the Military paid whatever the ammunition vendors wanted. They had to because the Army ammunition plants the WW2 generation built for surge capacity, were all sold off by the 1990's.

Unfortunate for Hercules/Alliant, when shooters went to the store and could not find their favorite Unique or Bullseye powders, what they found instead were very acceptable substitutes. The Bullseye shooter's I know, when they went to the store, it was out of Bullseye, but Titegroup was in stock. These guys tried Titegroup and liked it. They developed excellent loads with Titegroup and are not in the mood to switch back. Once you get your gun set up, establish your zero's, build confidence in your load, chasing the latest and greatest powder is a fool's game. New shooters who developed Titegroup loads have no memory of Bullseye, and are going to stick with what works. I think that also happened with Unique. My Unique dates back to the 1980's when I bought cases of 1 lb bottles. I have used it in 32 S&W Long, 38 Special, 44 Special, 45 LC, 44 Mag, and 45 ACP. This powder is just outstanding in 44 Spl and 45 LC, I have yet to find another that shoots as well, and I am using thrown charges. Unique was a staple in the 45 ACP for Bullseye Competition, it was just behind Bullseye powder, but when the store ran out for ten years, shooters moved on.

[Pathfinder45]

Absolutely. when it's hard to buy ammo and components, the best powder you can buy is often whatever powder you can buy. I use Unique for 45 Colt and rarely anything else. But if you need a particular powder and can't find it anywhere to save your soul, you will start thinking of substitutes. Then you find yourself at a gunshow and find an odd can of something you could use instead, and since you are out of your preferred powder that can no longer be found.... And, thus, over the last several years of shortages many of us have found ways to keep on shooting when most other guns have been silenced. I have discovered that I can make do with any number of substitutes. I have more powders available in my inventory now than I ever have, mostly because of the shortages causing me to not pass up those odd opportunities to pick up something else that will at least work. I would have never considered using, much less buying, SR-7625. But, hey, it's like it's a single-base analog to Unique. I got it, and many others, at various gunshows, etc. I may never buy it again, but it's good to know that it's one I can fall back on with every confidence. But Unique, preferably, is one of the powders I never want to be out of.

[rclark]

I've used/tested lots of different powders. Sortof standardized on Unique for the .44s, Green Dot for the .45, HS-6 for woods load, 2400 for hot loads, True Blue, AA#5, Red Dot, Trail Boss, etc, occasionally.... Anyway, long story short, I'd be just as happy with Unique and 2400 when it comes down to it. Two powders that have stood the test of time and really will do anything that needs doing in the revolver/pistol category.

[GeauxTide]

Love Unique in my 45 Colt, 44 Spl, and 45ACP. When supply loosened up, got some Power Pistol. Loaded 8gr of each in the Special and can't tell the difference in accuracy. Unique is a tad slower.

[Tsquared]

I have used Unique in 9mm, 44SPC/MAG, and 45 and it works OK. It can be a bit dirty and for outdoor range ammo it is fine. I like it better in my 44 but I don't shoot that much 44 anymore. There are better powders for 9mm and 45. I like CFEpistol for 9mm and I have a few more pounds of Universal to use up for my 45 and then I will switch over to CFEp for it as well.

[pete2]

I find that Unique works great in 9mm, .38, .44, .45, .357, .45 Colt. I do prefer something faster in the .45ACP and .38 Special. Faster such as Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, WST, Titegroup, 700X, Clays, Accurate #2, The list goes on, they all seem to work.

[BBarn]

I most often reach for Unique when loading large capacity revolver cases. The burning speed and bulkiness of the powder make a nice combination for 38 Special, 45 Colt, and low to medium power 44 Mag loads. For the smaller auto cartridges I typically choose something with a similar burning speed or a little faster, that has a higher density, and that meters more smoothly thorough my powder measure. If not for that last point, I would probably use more of it. But as it is, I often choose something else that flows better.

[Nick_C_S]

I'm not fan of Unique.

I used it some in the mid-late '80's but it fell out of favor with me; mostly just because of a change in my shooting style.

When the big shortage hit in 2013, I was caught flat-footed for components. I got ahold of 3#'s of Unique out of desperation. One # is used up. One # is in progress. And one is unopened.

It's hard for me to find a home for Unique. I kinda like it for 125 JHP's for 357 Magnum - makes a good medium-strong loading.

And it makes good near-full-throttle 230gn 45ACP shooters. I've wound plated 230's up to 930 f/s (full-size 1911) using Unique; and set the load recipe at 900 f/s. So it's a good potent round. For the purpose (high recoil practice), I still prefer Power Pistol or HS-6. But, Unique serves the purpose well, I suppose.

Still not a fan though. When my supply of Unique is exhausted, I won't be replenishing (sitting on about 6 #'s of Power Pistol).

[gwpercle]

Unique powder came out about 1900 and there's a reason it's still made today. Manufacturers try to make new powders that will cut into it's range of use but no one makes anything better. Some come close but none have a wider range of application.

Same with Bullseye powder , came out in 1913 ...several makers are trying to make a better powder , to cut into the Bullseye market , but none have quite done so.

I continually try the new powders, back in the day the Alcan powders , IMR700X, Red Dot ...now we have Universal , Titegroup, Accurate #2, #5 and #7and many more ... All usable maybe almost just as good powders, but nothing beats out Bullseye , Unique and 2400.
I keep trying to find that magical best powder that's better but so far , have found nothing better.
Gary

[44 AMP]

Unique, is my go to powder for the .45 Colt 250gr bullet, .45acp 200-230gr, and my above midrange but well below max .44Mag 240gtr load for use in an M29.

Its the only powder I use in .45 Colt. Its like me, its old, dirty, and it smokes


I had a Unique load with the Speer 200gr "flying ashtray" that clocked 998fps from a 4.25" Browning BDA barrel but it was a BIT above listed max....

sure was snappy though

hard to beat the "holy trinity" of pistol powders that were from Hercules, when I first met them... Bullseye, Unique and 2400

People have been trying for a century+ now, and haven't managed anything significantly better.

[briandg]

Every company wants to limit the number of products that they make and sell. Unique isn't as popular now. They will make small lots and not often. When it finally becomes such a poor selling number that it isn't going to move out of the warehouse as soon as it is made, it's going to vanish. Too many powders do the same thing, and unique is used by stubborn old men. Stubborn old men eventually have to buy a different beer and car wax. My grandfather used Vista, thank god that he died before it was discontinued.

In fact, it's possible that it already has been cut from production.

[BBarn]

I wouldn't write Unique off too soon. It has remained a favorite among many powders in the same burning range, including Alliant's own Power Pistol. And as pointed out, Unique remains a very good performer in many applications. In the shooting world, things don't die just because they are old. Unique, like several old cartridges, are still popular today.

[the possum]

I use it in .45 Colt & .44 Special, like so many other guys have mentioned above. But those are lower volume shooters for me. I do not use it in my auto rounds, because I tend to sit down and load more of those at a time, and Unique (and other flake powders) DO NOT like to meter well from my Redding 3 measure. You may have noticed a lot of other guys mention this same thing. I even bought the smaller tube thingy for light/handgun charges, and it helps, but still not as consistent as I'd like.

If you're only loading a small number of rounds, the extra time to trickle or weigh may not be that big of a deal. But the last time I was looking at a bucket of empty .45 ACP brass, and pondering how long it would already take on my single stage press, I decided it was time to switch. There are fine grained powders out there that work just as well or better, and flow through the meter like water. With Accurate #7 (for my .45 auto), nearly every charge is dead on down to the tenth of a grain. And I can get in a rhythm and charge 100 case batches in no time. No more pulling my hair out & wasting a whole week of evenings.

[pete2]

I would hate it if Unique was discontinued. It is really a versatile powder. Works for almost any handgun caliber and can be used in 12 and 20 ga. shotgun. It's not ideal in every instance but it will work. Kinda like mama's CR-V, It doesn't do a super job at any one thing but it's more than just acceptable at nearly everything.

[Mike / Tx]

There has been Unique, and 2400 both in the house since I can remember back in the mid to late 60's. Throw in H-4831 and that was about all one needed to load just about any caliber. Might not always have been the absolute best at anything but you could always count on getting something accurate enough to punch the bull out of a target or put meat on the table.

Sometime back around the mid to late 80's I decided to narrow down my powders to ones that would cover broad based loading. Unique was one of the first I purchased in an 8# jug, followed up by 2400, H-4895, and 4831. Like mentioned above they might not be the absolute best at any one thing, but they will load everything I have sitting in the safe and cover a range of bullet weights doing so.

When the buying spree hit, I was sitting pretty, and never had an issue to worry about running out of anything. I learned when Clinton was in to be prepared for anything that might come up. So this time around I was set.

I did however start to cast my own bullets a year or so before that. When I did I found new uses for these powders and also for some of the others I had tried but neglected like Bullseye, and some of the Dot powders. It only took me a short time to acquire a quantity of each one that would fit my shooting needs the most. As such, I could probably say I have changed my loads accordingly. Now instead of loading mostly Unique, I am throwing more Bullseye. It is simply far to easy to use and the loads I DO use with it are superbly accurate and only take a small amount to get the job done. Heck even a one pound can seems to last forever, much less an 8# jug. When I got my 9mm's I found that 4grs worked great over several different bullets as well as using the same load under the 185 or 200gr SWC's in my 45's. Now the only thing I have to change is dies and shell plates when switching calibers on my progressive.

With the Unique though, I throw the charges using my Uniflow and have not found any issues in getting wide swings between throws. These all are run atop my progressive and fall within a tenth or two of the same load. For what I am shooting it in this is PLENTY close enough.

I have several powders that I like to have, but I have some I will never be without and the ones mentioned above will do me just fine.

[hdwhit]

From the time I was 19, the guy at what was then the LGS sang the praises of Unique. At the time I didn't load any pistol cartridges (because being 19, I didn't have any pistols) so I didn't pay much attention. After I started loading pistol cartridges, Unique was difficult to find and so I developed loads around the powders I could find (HP-38, Hi-Skor 800X and Bullseye). As the panic ended (and before the local Gander Mountain went out of business) I did get a pound of Unique, but I'm saving that to play with in retirement (7 to 9 months away).

[Rivertrail]

Originally Posted by briandg

Every company wants to limit the number of products that they make and sell. Unique isn't as popular now. They will make small lots and not often. When it finally becomes such a poor selling number that it isn't going to move out of the warehouse as soon as it is made, it's going to vanish. Too many powders do the same thing, and unique is used by stubborn old men. Stubborn old men eventually have to buy a different beer and car wax. My grandfather used Vista, thank god that he died before it was discontinued.

In fact, it's possible that it already has been cut from production.

briandg I gotta say your post made me laugh - the older I get the more set in my ways I get for sure and apparently grouchy for that matter.

Mike / Tx - You sound like me. I basically use Bullseye, Unique, 2400, 4895 and 4831. That gets me every handgun and rifle cartridge that I care about and a couple that I dont care about but family wants me to keep loading for them.

[30Cal]

I like it and shoot a lot of it. But it is equal in many ways to flaming dirt.