"Flaming dirt" ?? Unique......

Mbrgr1 · Jun 28, 2022

So I took down the the unknown powder loads as discussed in a recent thread "Unknown 44", switched out the 288 gr lead LSWC bullets for 240 gr LSWC and pulled the 14.4 gr unknown powder load for 7.1 gr of Unique and kept the unknown primers.

Went out the the range today and shot a lot of much older S&Ws, 2nd model 455 Webley (A joy!) 22 Combat Masterpiece (A real joy!) and the diminutive H&R model 732 32 S&W long (a gun I carry often and a hoot to shoot), all with factory loads except the 32 which I load with the Unique powder, but I digress..

The main reason for the trip was to see what the 44 Magnums were like in the 8 3/8 629-1.

Very accurate, nice flat trajectory from 20 yards out to 60, but... Sooooooooo dirty!!

Is this a case of too light a load? first time seeing Unique on a stainless gun? unknown primers? A combination of all or???

I didn't see any unburned powder, but definately a "running rich" situation....

Thanks!

biku324 · Jun 28, 2022

Unique has always been trashy - I've replaced it with Longshot for nearly everything except 38 Spl lead bullets over the past few years.

arjay · Jun 28, 2022

Unique is dirty,but 7.1 gr is on the light end too. Make some up increasing gradually to 10 gr and see if the loads are any cleaner.10 gr became my standard load,but it’s been so long I don’t remember if it was any cleaner than 7 or 8 grains.

Nevada Ed · Jun 28, 2022

Unique powder has been called the flaming dirt powder and yes it and other
powders from this company can add a "Film" on the revolvers, mostly with lead bullets.

However it is still used, because it does offer good fps and good accuracy
in a lot of guns that many of us shoot.

I find that the powder smudges are long gone, way before I can get the lead fowling off of the face of my shiny stainless M49 or my 686 cylinders.

I think that is why someone invented, Flitz ?

AlHunt · Jun 28, 2022

That's always been the 411 on Unique and my experience as well. Heavier charges burned cleaner for me but sill left soot (for lack of a better word) on my revolvers.

pantannojack · Jun 28, 2022

Iv'e been shooting some of the cardboard can Hercules Unique in 357 MG, 6-6.5g 158g LSWC GC with fed standard SMP, and not getting dirty film. But on a blue steel 586. Might show up on a stainless.

Greyman50 · Jun 28, 2022

Been shooting unique since mid 70’s in 45 ACP, no issues for me as I clean after shooting. IIRC an 201grn cast Keith over 6.1 grns of unique, very accurate.
In 38 Spl and 367 Mag also use unique under 150 grn K.T cast, don’t remember the grns but accurate and also clean after shooting.

jc2721 · Jun 28, 2022

Unique does leave a lot of soot and unburned powder behind in my guns but it is very versatile, it gives good velocities and accuracy (at least in my guns) and most importantly, I was able to accumulate 10+ pounds of it in the past 2-3 years at very good prices.

I use it for my .45 auto, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum and .38 Special loads, all lead SWCs. For .38 WC and .45 "target" loads I use Bullseye for pretty much the same reason--I was able to lay in a good supply cheap.

The only disadvantage of Unique's sooty nature is if you shoot/plink a lot then holster your pistol--I would not want to grind all of that residue into the leather. Since the public range here does not allow holstered pistols on the range, it's a moot point for me.

Mbrgr1 · Jun 28, 2022

Thanks all....

What is your experience with say Vihtavuori N320?, noticeably cleaner?

Thanks

Imissedagain · Jun 28, 2022

Pour a bit of N320 along with a few other powders on a board and light them up.
The N320 almost disappears compared to BE, Unique and others.

Mbrgr1 · Jun 28, 2022

Imissedagain said:
Pour a bit of N320 along with a few other powders on a board and light them up.
The N320 almost disappears compared to BE, Unique and others.

I'll take that as a "flaming" endorsement.

Drm50 · Jun 28, 2022

I would normally use Unique for target loads in 44 with lead bullets. I used Blue Dot once for 200gr bullets. I don’t think it was a light load. It was for a Ruger SBH. Now still using 2400 and JHPs in it for over 50yrs.

biku324 · Jun 28, 2022

I swapped 2400 for Lil Gun just as I swapped Unique for Longshot. Same reasons - cleaner, as accurate, less pressure for similar velocities.

And yes, I've heard about Lil Gun being the devil's blowtorch, destroying steel in just a few rounds. I'm on my third 8-lb jug with the same 357, 41, and 44 mags, and have had exactly zero throat erosion and topstrap cutting.

Rpg · Jun 28, 2022

I’ve been shooting Unique in my 45 acp’s since 1980 to the exclusion of other powders.

My “everything “ load is the H&G 68 at about 1,000 fps.

I’ve never found it to be too dirty.

max503 · Jun 29, 2022

Even since I started powder coating my boolits, I learned that most of the smoke from Unique loads actually comes from the lube.

Mbrgr1 · Jun 29, 2022

max503 said:
Even since I started powder coating my boolits, I learned that most of the smoke from Unique loads actually comes from the lube.

These bullets do seem heavily lubed, the one on the left is the 240gr I had, compared to the 288gr that I pulled.

The lube has to go somewhere and that would explain why my 32 long loads with unique are not particularly dirty.

Thanks for that insight!

Mike SC Hunter · Jun 29, 2022

I love Unique!!! I use it in 12 ga-20 ga-44 spl-45 LC. And can use it in numerous other cartridges if needed. Unique is over 100 years old. I don't need to swap it out for anything else.

boatbum101 · Jun 29, 2022

Unique is an extremely flexible powder . Like 4895 is to rifles , so is Unique to handguns . 7grs is light for 44mag . Unique like all the other Alliant flake powders will not burn clean until it reaches it's preferred pressure level . Most double based powders are the same . Vihtavouri N 320 does burn clean treat it like W231 .

mikld · Jun 29, 2022

I used a lot of Unique until the obumma reign when I couldn't find any and switched to Universal. I found that Unique will burn clean in the upper, higher pressure loads. But I wasn't concerned mainly because I cleaned my guns after each range trip, and I didn't wear my white kid gloves or my white tux when shooting...

ajgunner · Jun 29, 2022

You might also try a bit heavier crimp allowing the powder to burn a bit more inside the case.

"Flaming dirt" ?? Unique......

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