Bye Bye Unique

[doc540]

gave up on it this morning and sold all I had

shot great but just too dirty for my use

going to try Win231 tomorrow

240gr LSWC

44 Mag - 629 Classic

loaded up 5 to 7 grains in .5 increments

need to be able to shoot a 5" group offhand at 50yds

and knock down steel silhouettes (240gr will do that)

 

[M16]

Bout gave me a heart attack. By your title I thought it had been discontinued. Love me some good old dirty Unique.

 

[doc540]

Bout gave me a heart attack. By your title I thought it had been discontinued. Love me some good old dirty Unique.

shoots good, don't it

 

[silentflyer]

Shoots good, and you do clean your guns whatever the powder is don't you?

 

[doc540]

Shoots good, and you do clean your guns whatever the powder is don't you?

Why, yes, I do.

But there's a difference between a bore mop and a paint scraper.

 

[WILDPIG]

Unique. My "if I could only have one" powder. I like success and accuracy better than cleanliness.

WILDPIG

 

[dmar]

I love W231 for many handgun calibers, but for me, it's too fast of a powder to use in any 'meaningful' 44 mag loads. I know some folks like it with light .44 mag loads, but at that point why not shoot .44 Spcl, or a lower caliber?

Maybe it's just me, but I shoot .44s because of its power, and capability as a powerful cartridge. I've found that Unique is a good choice for medium power .44 mag loads, if I do want to shoot a bit more milder loads. I go with 2400 and W296 for the hot stuff.

No offense intended, but I really don't get the "too dirty" mentality... I wipe my guns down if they are too dirty, and they all get cleaned, no big. I find Unique is really not very dirty, unless it is loaded really light. YMMV, and different strokes for different folks!

 

[loc n load]

The Trinity

Been handloading and shooting CF Handguns since 72, have loaded and shot about every brand and type of powder that is or was available during that span.....three powders that I always keep a quanity of: Bullseye - Unique - 2400...... with those three I can load anything I shoot in CF handguns. Unique has served me well and I have also shot a lot of 231.

 

[Tupperware]

231 vs Unique behind a jacketed bullet-you will see a big difference between powders regarding cleanliness.
Behind a lead bullet you will not see a huge difference. Much of the mess comes from the lead bullet and lube.

 

[PattonTime]

Bye Bye Unique ????

I also have given up on Unique, but only because I do not like the way it meters.
I have switched to Accurate #5 for everything I used to use Unique for, in revolvers anyway.
The metering is unbeatable, in my RCBS small chambered handgun measure anyway.I rarely see a tenth variance.
I do use Power Pistol a lot in autos where I used to use Unique.

 

[Rule3]

The "old dirty powder syndrome"

Both Unique and HP38/W231 will be "dirty" at low doses. A lot of powder is. I prefer HP38 as it meters better. Unique burns well at the upper end of the load data. Load some real light loads of HP38 and you will call it filthy.

If it burns it will leave a residue plus lead bullet lube tends to collect it all.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm a huge fan of W231/HP-38. I use it in most of the handgun ammo I load and I'm very happy with it. I do most of my loading with W231, W540 and W296 (HP-38, HS-6 and H110) with the bulk of the loading being done with W231.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I don't mind cleaning a few pistols or ten or less rifles
at a sitting..................no matter how dirty, they get.

I was in the Sea Bee's, 3rd Battalion and was low man on the pole in the Gunners department, I got to clean and take care of all the rifles. Just under 400 of the M1 Grand's but it got worse...........we were trading over to the M14, another
400 rifles, packed in cosmo.............

Every time I shoot, I just smile and think how lucky I am
as I grab some patches and go to work.

"You ain't seen dirty" !!

 

[Neumann]

7 grains of anything in a case (.44M) designed to hold 20+ grains isn't going to work well. 6.5 grains of Unique in .45 ACP burns clean and hot. Don't expect better from W231, which is still a fast powder.

If you want cowboy loads, try a less dense, fast powder in a .44 SPL case. For magnums, I prefer about 20 grains of 2400. That works better for knocking steel down too.

 

[NE450No2]

I have been using Unique since @ 1965. At my age now, I will never change, as long as they still sell it.

I did try SR 4756 for a while, but never got the accuracy I got with Unique.

Bullseye, Unique, 2400, and a little H-110 for heavy bulleted 44 Mag and 475L, are all the handgun powders I need/ or want.

 

[Nick B]

I've found Universial Clays to be a good replacement for Unique .

 

[MikeyB]

I like Unique, and I like W231. Eventually I will use W231 for the majority of my pistol loads just to streamline the inventory, and minimize the changeovers in the powder hopper.

Only two more lbs of Unique to go. LOL.

 

[Pisgah]

Folks who whine about Unique being "dirty" are the same ones who buy their first revolver and are horrified that the front of the cylinder turns black when they shoot it.

 

[AzRedleg]

I've found Universial Clays to be a good replacement for Unique .

Universal is an excellent substitue for Unique. Universal may burn a little cleaner. I like them both.

 

[moxie]

Bullseye, Unique, 2400. They do everything, are very consistent over many years, are more readily available, and often a bit less expensive. I tried many others but settled on these 3 many years ago. I don't get the "dirty" thing. I believe in "Never let the sun set on a dirty gun" so clean/lube all my guns every time I shoot them. Never noticed much difference between powders in terms of "dirtyiness" or with factory ammo either.

Firing at an indoor range does, usually, make for dirtier guns, hands, etc.