Lyman says in its handbook #47
452460 200 swc 7.5 unique 980 fps 16,600 C.U.P.
452630 200 swc that looks like mine 7.5 unique 913 fps 17,400 C.U.P

I have tried this a few times over the years and get the same result. Too hot. I now have a chronograph. With the load reduced to 7.0 Unique I am getting AV 1035 fps ESf 55, SD 15. Out of a 5" 45. I get AV 987 fps similar ES and SD oft of a 3" officers model. They are hard to shoot from the officers model.

Has anyone tried this?

David

Just for a picture, the same gun shooting ball at 10 yards offhand.

I've used 7.5 of Unique in the newer 44 Special guns with a 240 cast SWC (It's an old Elmer Keith favorite) and know that in a 45 ACP case it would be too hot.

I have shot Unique in the 45 acp for many years and 7.0 seems to be the max in my guns and 6.0 to 6.5 seems to do much better.

Thanks, it isn't just me. I tried it years ago with a 452460 and same results, way too hot. The primers looked like a glock, it was unlocking way too early.
No chrony then, so I quit trying.

Speer #8 shows a max of 6.0 Unique for 831 fps. 200 LSWC.
They also show 7.7 grains Unique for a 200 grain Speer Soft Point 1,000 Fps.
David

That sounds really hot. I use 5.5 and 6.0gr Unique behind 230gr LRN. Pleasant load to shoot, accurate and does anything I need a 45acp to do.

Jeff

I like my guns too much to shoot that load in my 1911's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Jeff Cooper liked 7.5 of Unique with the 200-grain SWC, writing that the load was akin to a "well trained rhinoceros." It thumped the web of my hand in my 1917 and really elevated the blast in my 1911.

Controllable, but I decided that it was too much wear and tear on my guns for general use.

I settled on 7 gr of Unique or 4.4 gr of Bullseye long ago.

It isn't Unique, but I load 8.5 grains of AA #5 behind my 200-grain H&G 130s without any ill effects. The AA rep I talked to several years ago told me that AA #5 was their answer to Unique, and it was one grain slower than Unique.

I don't know; maybe not all 45s are alike, but my Kimber Ultra Carry loves the load I posted above...

I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT 7'5 GR'S OF UNIQUE WITH 200 GR BULLETS IS WAY TOO HOT.. MAYBE WITH 185 GRAIN LEAD TIPS IT COULD BE LIVEABLE BUT MARGINAL......TIN...

Thanks you all answered my question. Thank you Murdock I liked the Jeff Cooper comment best.

I loaded one box at 7.5, chronographed them and loaded the rest at 7.0.

The next 500 will be Red Dot.

Thanks again
David

When I tried six grains of unique and a 230 fmj the chronograph read.

895 894 901 fps.

Test firearm S&W 745 5" barrel

That was all I needed to find out.

Very consistent and plenty of velocity.

I would never put 7.5 grains in the .45acp with a 230 fmj.

Anybody else notice that Speer lists 6 grains of Unique with the 230 Golddot?

There must be a good reason.

BLM

Back in the early 1960s I loaded 7.0 gr. Unique with the Lyman 452460; later went to the H&G # 68, also a 200 gr. SWC. As I recall they ran about 1000 fps, were very accurate, and yes, hit steel pretty darned hard. I would call it a stiff, but at least in my guns, not an abusive load. In those Pre-High Vel days, it was probably the most effective .45 ACP load around. Even today, I'd consider it a good defense load. I still have some around, and my SA MilSpec likes them.

Most of the time, though, I just load a cast 230 gr. RNL and 6.5 Unique. I suppose there are other powders out there, but after 50+ years I'm happy with Unique.

7.5 grains of Unique sounds like trouble to me.
My data shows:

200gr, SWC
COL: 1.200"

5.8gr. Unique (800 fps Starting Load)
6.1gr. Unique (850fps)
6.5gr. Unique (900fps)
6.9gr. Unique (950fps)
7.2gr. Unique (1,000 fps Max Load)

I had a friend who split a barrel, loading (too much) Unique under cast lead SWCs. He has a new Bar-Sto barrel now, and has dialed back his charges.

That is too hot.

7.5gr of Unique makes nice (44spl-esque) light target loads in the waaay larger 44mag case, though.

It's been my experience that the Lyman data that lists the pressure in CUP are way hot and probably date back to the 1950's. Their loads that list the pressure in PSI are much more conservative and probably date to the 1990's or later. As for why such a difference, different testing methods and the old copper crusher method has been well documented as not being capable of recording rapid spikes in pressure. As a result loads that tested as Safe using the copper crusher were found to be too hot when tested using piezo electric PSI sensors.

The hot tip here is to be VERY CAREFUL with any of Lyman's load data featuring CUP pressures, they tend to be distinctly on the hot side. For example in the 2014 Alliant load guide they specify a max charge of Unique of 5.4 grains at 780 fps for a 200 grain Speer LSWC.

Obviously depends on exact gullet style, oal & individual guns, but that load would be really hot. I've loaded 8gr under a 185gr jhp, plenty hot, with a 200gr LHP, I've gone 7gr, quite warm.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Back around 1962 or so I was just getting started in this handloading business. I didn't have any proper .45 ACP bullets at the moment, so I sized some 250 gr. .45 Colt bullets down to .452 and loaded them over 9.0 gr. Unique. I fired some of them in an old borrowed 1911 which stood them ok, but the recoil was definitely VERY snappy. As in it hurt your wrist to shoot them...

I ran a few more of them through a semiauto Reising and broke the bolt; at which point I stopped using those loads. Took a while to find a replacement bolt, but I did.

The owner of the 1911 kept the unused loads and used to let visitors shoot them to show them what a REAL .45 ACP load could do. God knows what the pressure, energy, and velocity figures were on those loads but it had to be impressive.

Needless to say I never loaded any more of THOSE, nor do I recommend anyone ever, EVER attempt it.

Thus endeth the tale.

I have had this gun for 25 or so years. It was my target gun for bullseye. I don't shoot bullseye any more, so I thought I would see what else i can do with it. I was looking for 950 fps. The first loads I chronographed surprised me. The other indicator was it blew out the shock buff even though I put the original recoil spring back. Its still a sweet shooting gun and still tight. It spent most of its life shooting 3.5 bullseye over a Lyman 452460 200 SWC. I fired many tens of thousands of rounds from this gun. Bullseye matches indoors and out year round plus practice. It has a match grade wilsons barrel in it.

I quit shooting indoors or even out doors on a firing line with a bunch of people shooting 5 rounds in 10 seconds. I quit casting too, so I am using commercial cast bullets. They are not as nice as mine.

Those 7.0 Unique in my Aluminum frame officers model were about all I cared to shoot out of that gun. They are accurate, I was getting 3.5" at 25 yards. I shot 7 clay birds off the 25 yard berm with 11 shots. After a box of 50 at the range in that gun, my wrist hurt.

Thanks for all the personal experiences. I am not crazy, 7.5 is TOO hot.

I never carry the full size 45 and only occasionally carry the officers model for SD.
Thanks Again
David

While I don't simultaneously wear a belt and suspenders, I do verify a new load by checking it against several loading manuals I own, as well as internet sources such as Steve's reloading pages. I've used 8 grains of Unique in a .44 Magnum behind a 240 grain Keith bullet and I find that load clearly in the middle range for recoil.

I would agree with the other posters that stuffing that much Unique into a .45 ACP is way too much.

I haven't used Unique powder for quite a few years.
But I sort of remember 7.0 grs with a 200 gr. Speer JHP ( flying ashtray ) and I thought that was a Hot load.

My Lyman 49th ed. shows a 200 gr JHP Speer gold dot as 6.5 grs Unique as Max.
The Lyman 49th and Lyman 4th ed. cast bullet handbook shows the 200 gr cast #452630 at 7.5 grs. as max . sounds rather warm to me..

FWIW , I've been using the books suggested starting load of HS6 with a LSWC H&G68 type bullet which makes more velocity than the book indicates and makes USPSA major power factor + + out of my 5" 1911's.

The standard GI load (was with FMJ) and a 230gr RN bullet used Bullseye since forever and a day. The velocity was in the 850 fps range (give or take) from a 5" barrel.

With a 200 grain lead you will get some more velocity but why beat the heck out of you gun and hand for exceeding a tried and true load??

Unless you are shooting some really thick paper or something

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Still Running Against the Wind

I agree with a lot of the above posters. I loaded 6.0 gr of Unique behind 200 gr lcswc for years but would not consider 7.5 gr behind the 200 gr .45 acp bullet. Too hot for my guns.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

FWIW , my old Lyman 45th ed. shows 7.2 grs. of Unique as Max. for the 200 gr cast ,, 225 gr cast , and the 230 gr FMJ. With a factory duplication load as, a 230 gr FMJ with 6.5 grs. of Unique @ 877 fps.

My old Speer # 10 manual shows max for the 200 JHP & 225 JHP as 7.2 grs. of Unique.

The newer Speer #12 shows max 7.3gr Unique with a 200 JHP,, 7.2gr with a 225 JHP ,, and 6.5gr with 230 FMJ.

They also have loads for the 200 swag lead SWC but are around 800 FPS or less for target loads.

When I passed the 7.1 grain mark with Unique ....under a 230 gr LRN bullet I noticed a nice clear ringing sound when the slide slamed back on my Colt GM. Bought a Blackhawk convertible to shoot the rest.
That was in the late 70's.
Without perfect pitch I think the ring was an A or maybe a B double flat.
If you think firearms can damage your hearing try a piccolo.

People have been trying to "improve" the ballistics of the 45ACP since about 1905, with predictable results. Battered guns, split barrels, leaded bores, sore wrists, short brass life, yada yada yada.

Apparently The Master knew what he was doing! The grand old 45acp has been sending people off to the promised land (or the other alternative) for 109 years, yet people keep trying to make it "better". I still don't know why. More is NOT always better.

It is a great load for a Blackhawk.

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Front sight and squeeze