DODO BIRD POWDER

[Mike SC Hunter]

Mike,

You list HP38/296 like they are the same, unless I am misunderstanding? (They are not)

I find Accurate #9 to be similar to 2400 for my magnum loads. Hodgdon Longshot can cover most of what I do with Unique.

H110/296 are the same powder and are excellent for magnum loads, though usually recommended to use magnum primers.

Dan

I meant H110 but typed in HP38.......My error.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I've used 4227 in place of 2400. Very similar characteristics though you will use a few more grains of powder. Like 2400 it's best used for full house magnum loads.
Unique is in a class by itself. I used it mostly for reduced smokeless loads in my black powder rifle loads, as in 45-70, 50-70. A little bit of Unique nearly duplicates the original velocities plus it is not position sensitive which lets me forgo the use of over powder wads.

John

Unique makes great 20 ga & 12 ga loads

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Don't overlook Red Dot for sub - 1000 fps cast bullet loads in the .357 & .44 magnums, and target level cast loads with the .45 acp. It is a go to powder for me for such loads, particularly in the .44 mag.

I have a fair number of .44 mag revolvers, and have found while 6 to 6.5 grains of red dot in a .44 mag case under a cast 240 swc may not be the most accurate load in each individual revolver, it seems one of the most consistent, providing very good accuracy across the group. About 900 to 950 fps.

Back in the 70's I used a lot of Unique in my mid range loads, then couldn't find any one day. But I did have a lot of Red Dot for shotshell reloading, and seen it was also recommended for handgun loads, so I tried it. A close second for these kinds of loads is Win 231 / HP38.

Larry

RED DOT is gone too as it is an Alliant powder.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Most all Alliant powder is gone...........I guess I need to find a new shotgun powder.......Hodgden Clays is too out stock.

 

[tops]

RED DOT is gone too as it is an Alliant powder.

In a past life I used PB for 12 ga. and when it left I went to Red Dot and now it's gone. My 2 favorite pistol powders 2400 and Unique are gone. Is IMR4350 or IMR4895 still available? Larry

 

[Forrest r]

another vote for aa#9 replacing 2400

BE-86 mirrored my unique loads in the 38spl's and 45acps.

 

[minconrevo]

Powders come and go; has been that way for decades. Many shotgun powders will also work for handgun. They are the first that I consider when a preferred powder is discontinued or unavailable. Some of the shotgun powders are not suited for handgun use, typically in that they will peak before they are truly useful in a handgun. Others burn incompletely in handgun loadings. Only a few full power load rifle powders will also work well in handguns.

First place to look for good handgun loads are in the respective powder makers data. I avoid non-official data, as it may be just to much on the edge. If a powder maker does not list a particular shotgun powder as suitable for handguns, there is likely a reason.

 

[mtgianni]

I'm also in the "can't get 2400" camp. I finally got a pound of Accurate #9 and plan to start the workup program in .357 Magnum. I plan to ladder loads with both std and mag primers. We'll see how it works out. A search on the Google gave me the impression most who load #9 for .357 find that a mag primer is not necessary.

I have found the need to stick to heavy bullets and stout crimps with AA9 for good ignition. In 357 that means 158+. 44 Mag 250 + and 45 Ruger 250 +.

Where 2400 was marketed as a rifle powder, there are few applications for AA9 there.

 

[LostintheOzone]

2400 works well for 30 carbine loads also. I purchased 4 lbs of it about 5 years ago when I was loading .357 and 30 carbine. I never opened it. Wonder how much that could be sold for at a gun show?

 

[Skeet 028]

2400...4227works almost as well...AA-9 also... 4227 is quite often accurate too

Unique...Herco...Universal(clays) BE-86 and AA-5 is close. HS-6 on the slightly slower side

Luckily I just have a fair amount of Unique Herco Red Dot Green Dot and 2400...10 pounds of Hs-5...slightly faster than Unique...and other powders useable in Unique's place...7625 PB and 4756...also DC'd

 

[Fishinfool]

Most all Alliant powder is gone...........I guess I need to find a new shotgun powder.......Hodgden Clays is too out stock.

Mike, I may have missed something here, but is Alliant no longer producing? Kind of out of the loop I guess, since I pretty much stocked up on reloading components years ago. Just last week I was in a local gunshop where I am pretty sure I seen Red Dot on the shelf, and I know he had Unique, because I was considering getting a can.

Fortunately, I have about 6 or 7 lbs of Red Dot stashed away, and it lasts a long time at about 5 or 6 grains per shot.

Larry

 

[twodog max]

I have read that Alliant is switching over to production of powder for artillery ammo and that canister powders will no longer be in production. Maybe they know something we do not about the need for that much artillery ammo.
I hope it is not forever but at 71 years old I may not be around long enough to see Alliant canister powders again.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

With Unique and 2400 gone(the way of the dodo bird) what is the equivalent available substitutes?

I am using BE-86 and it meters very well too.

 

[oldman10mm]

I stopped in at Fin Feather Fur Middleburg Heights store today, they have Alliant 2400 8 lb containers @ $342. No 1lb containers. They didn't have any Unique at all. They did have a good selection of the other Alliant powders in 1lb containers.
I would assume the other five Fin Feather Fur stores in Ohio would have a similar stock.

 

[Skeet 028]

I recently put an 8 pound container of Green Dot on a local online auction. It had 4 pounds plus a couple ounces in it. It sold for 140 dollars. I was kinda flabbergasted. I have plenty of other GD and just thought I would let it go. I used to load 20 ga loads with it...

 

[taz666]

I stopped in at Fin Feather Fur Middleburg Heights store today, they have Alliant 2400 8 lb containers @ $342. No 1lb containers. They didn't have any Unique at all. They did have a good selection of the other Alliant powders in 1lb containers.
I would assume the other five Fin Feather Fur stores in Ohio would have a similar stock.

Remember when shops would crack one of those open and sell off a pound or two to a customer?

 

[BigMuddy]

This thread got me thinking …I have a fairly good supply of Unique, and generally just use it for some of my 45 Colt loads. So what do I do when that supply is gone? I decided to see what might get me the same results with powder that is currently available. I found two that did very well and will work fine when my Unique is gone. Those two are both Hodgdon powders; HS6 and Longshot. Worked up loads that equal the velocity and accuracy of my current 9.0 gr. Unique with a 250 gr. Bullet. I have and can get both of the Hodgdon powders and will continue to “stock up” more.

Dan

 

[imakmst]

I find w231 very useful in my 45 Colt loads

 

[rockquarry]

This thread got me thinking …I have a fairly good supply of Unique, and generally just use it for some of my 45 Colt loads. So what do I do when that supply is gone? I decided to see what might get me the same results with powder that is currently available. I found two that did very well and will work fine when my Unique is gone. Those two are both Hodgdon powders; HS6 and Longshot. Worked up loads that equal the velocity and accuracy of my current 9.0 gr. Unique with a 250 gr. Bullet. I have and can get both of the Hodgdon powders and will continue to “stock up” more.

Dan

After forty years of using Unique in the .45 Colt (with cast bullets), I switched to HS-6 and realized slightly better accuracy. I finally lost all interest in the cartridge, preferring the .44 Special.

With the availability of powders we have today, I've yet to find one that can't be satisfactorily replaced. By that, I mean accuracy as the main priority with velocity a close second. However, it takes some load development work and fine tuning. If you're willing to do that, you'll have no problem finding replacement powders.

 

[Skeet 028]

Went through the powder in the garage today. found 5 metal cans of Hercules powder and another 11 partial cans 3 full 2400s 2 full Unique a pound of Blue Dot a partial unique Red Dot and a bunch of others. I've never had any Hercules powder ever go bad