DODO BIRD POWDER

[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

 

[Spur]

I switched from Unique to BE-86 for 9, 40, and 45 when it I last ran out of Unique and could no longer find it.......though I do still have some Salute which was surplus powder and billed as Russian Unique by Jeff Barlett's Reloading back in the day.

I switched to W231/HP38 when I last ran out of Bullseye, and think I am about to change from W231/HP38 to W244 for .38 and 380, just bought some to try but the word is it's a little denser and cleaner, more available, and a little cheaper.

Ironically I just happened to be sitting at my computer last month when an email from American Reloading rolled in where they had MP155 (like Unique) and MP290 (like 2400) available. I ordered some before it went of stock (which was quick). I haven't used any of either yet so don't know how "close" they are to their namesakes but a couple of years ago ordered some MP165 (like BE-86) and started using it a couple of months ago when I finally used the last of my 8lb jug of real BE-86 and have been very happy with it, it's exactly BE-86 from what I can tell.

Not sure what ammo American Reloading would be pulling down that would have been reloaded with something "like unique" and "like 2400" but will be interested to see how it compares.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I'm using AA5 for a lot of light today mid-range loads, also some Titegroup. AA9 and 4227 in place of 2400, though i still have a few #s of 2400.

 

[Markpixs]

Won't check all the boxes but I've been lucky finding Longshot and HS-6. Worth a look, mostly shotgun powder for me but both work for some pistol loads.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Darn! All of my reloading manuals are over 20 years old (some closer to 50) so now I have to learn all over again.

Unique has always been a top choice for me. Not always at the top of the performance range but always a good solid performer in a broad range of cartridges. I'm down to my last canister, maybe a half-pound remaining.

 

[oldman10mm]

Went to the Medina Ohio show today, the powder vendor had 1 container of Unique which I bought, $50.