Unique and the Model 29

[eb07]

I have been reloading for many years. I have many powders in my closet, Power Pistol, 2400, W-231, H-110 to name a few related to the Model 29.

I have found that unique does everything I want it to do for my Model 29. Pictured below with a snubbyfan holster




8-11 grains of Unique under a 240-250 does my target (8.5) to hunting (10.5) duties

10 grains under a 225 as well for my target rounds
(I have boxes upon boxes of the old speer half jacket 225 gr bullets)

and of course that same load of 10gr under a 200gr speer gold dot for self defense rounds




Anyone else have a do all powder for one revolver? If I had only unique I could load for the whole smith family pictured below:



But it really does everything I need in my Model 29

Love Unique in my revolvers

 

[robertrwalsh]

Unique is I believe the most VERSATILE pistol powder out there. I isn't the easiest to meter, and it is a tad dirty depending on who you ask, but you can make a usable load with virtually any caliber and bullet combination with Unique.

 

[29aholic]

I use 700X almost exclusively. It does what I want and I dont have to use as much as I do Unique.

 

[SLT223]

It sure does work, tried and true. However, I'm unsure how long my remaining 7.5lbs will be in inventory now that I have CFE-Pistol. It's a little slower, and runs like water through the measure.

 

[Dieseltech56]

I use 12 grains under a 210 grain gold dot for my 69 load. I also like 10 grains behind a 240-250gr cast bullet.

 

[OKFC05]

"Anyone else have a do all powder for one revolver?"


I only use HP38 in my Model 66, which is my competition revolver for IDPA and ICORE. But, like most single powder uses, it is more a matter of limiting my needs to what this powder does. Using Unique for power factor 120 .38 would be needlessly dirty and erratic.


When I make hunting loads for my 8" 686, I use W296 in .357 cases. Using HP38 would not achieve the power I want.


I used to use only Unique in 20ga skeet......but then I tried Universal.
Just don't see the point in any searches for "using only one powder" unless one suits all your needs.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I must confess that I've been unfaithful to Unique in my 629.I was looking for a little more of this for a little less of that.But I must admit that Unique does a lot of things nicely.It is not what I use for full steam loads but for anything between 44Spl to 80% Magnum full power loads,it is the powder I now go to.I'm done fooling around with others!
Qc

 

[Bruce C]

I use it for some loads in my 29 & all of my loads for my model 25 and 3 screw Blackhawk in 45 Colt.

 

[BruceM]

I have found that unique does everything I want it to do for my Model 29.

Better you than me.

I have found that Unique is a jack of all trades but master of none propellant. Many people love Unique for that but I'm not one of them.

Bruce

 

[6string]

Unique and a S&W 29 go together like peanut butter and jelly.

I only use cast bullets, from 180 to 250 gr for 44 cal. The 8 to 8.8 gr range of Unique is almost a sure bet.

My choice to go lighter is Bullseye.

Best Regards,
Jim

 

[BigMuddy]

When out feeding horses I try to shoot at least a few rounds from a handgun every day. Today it was a 4" M-29, 250 gr. 429421, and 9.0 Unique. Perfect combination.

It meters terrible but I think Unique is the powder I hate to love.

Dan

 

[DWalt]

For the type of shooting I do, Bullseye and Unique cover the full range of my needs for every caliber gun I own.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Unique is a great powder, I have used it since about 1975 or so. But I like 2400 in .41's and 44's for heavier loads. If I still shot them I would probably use Unique in lighter loads. It's a great powder for .38's and .357's and is what I use most of the time. I also like Bullseye in .38's.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Bosquebass]

Don't forget about .45 auto. Unique is my go-to in .45 and has been for a long time.

 

[edprof]

"Jack of all trades and master of none" is a good description. It like it best for a 9mm 115 Hornady XTP load. Red Dot works better for me for a .380 90 grain load XTP. I have used Blue Dot for the 158 grain "highway patrolman" .357 load.

 

[Warren Sear]

Unique is a great powder for a lot of different applications. I do not understand the "meters poorly" and "burns dirty" comments. I have used it for 40 years and this has not been my experience at all.

 

[rwsmith]

For many years...

For many years Unique and Bullseye did everything I needed. I was an experimenter, so I liked having a choice, but I could have gotten by with just Unique. When I got a .357 I added 2400. That worked until the shortages, then I bought any powder I could find so now I have a real hodge podge.

I have two rifle powders that I'm happy with. 4895 for normal and SR4759 for reduced loads. I can also use Unique for 30-06 loads around 1500 fps.

 

[Peak53]

Here is about all you need

In a 29, I especially like 10 g. unique behind 240 g. SWC. It's enough to believe you've got a magnum in your hand, but not punishing like 110/296.

Between the 3 powders shown, you can do pretty much what is needed.

 

[Gamecock]

Unique is I believe the most VERSATILE pistol powder out there. I isn't the easiest to meter, and it is a tad dirty depending on who you ask, but you can make a usable load with virtually any caliber and bullet combination with Unique.

I started using it 40+ years ago as a SHOTGUN powder.

 

[bulletslap]

My general purpose 44 mag load is a 240 lswc gc with 9.5 grains of unique.

 

[27 Man]

Peak53 has it pretty well assessed.

 

[Benchrest1]

240 SWC and 8.5 grains of Unique has always been a good load for me.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Unique meters get from my RCBS Charge Master 1500.

It's a good general purpose powder that fills large cases nicely.

Works for me.

.

69 Combat Magnum - Nosler-Unique target

(-01b)

.

She was blinded by the light...

 

[fredj338]

I still like & shoot unique on my reos but the're several powders that are pretty good all arounders. WSF, very close to unique, just meters better. Universal, be86, aa#5, ramshot sil, all are very good all arounders, but unique does do a good job.

 

[stansdds]

Unique is a unique powder. Jack of all trades, master of none? Perhaps. It does not work well for really light target loads. Download it too much, the operating pressure drops and it will leave a lot of residue. Nor is it suitable for magnum loads as you will reach maximum pressure before achieving those Magnum velocities.

Dirty? The old formula was much dirtier than many other powders, but the current formula does burn cleaner.

Meters poorly? My experience has been that charges of less than 6 grains does result in charge weight variation, but over 6 grains and charge weights are far more uniform. This was through both a Lyman #55 and an RCBS Uniflow measure.

For me, Unique works well when I want a mid-range 357 or 44 Magnum load and for 45 ACP hardball loads.

 

[twodog max]

I wish Speer still offered the half jacket bullets. I always liked them.

 

[old&slow]

I quit using Unique many years ago when I was shooting bowling pins. I few unburnt flakes got under the ejector star and jammed up the firearm.
About a year ago I purchased a pound of Unique and started using it again in some 38 and 45 acp rounds. A pretty good powder but, still not my favorite. ( doesn't meter that great )

But, like a previous poster stated, with Bullseye, Unique, & 2400 you can cover a lot of bases.

My favoite powders are Bullseye, W231, HS6, & 2400 for handguns and H4350 & Varget for rifle.

 

[cowboy4evr]

My " all around powder " is WSF . 9.5 grs with the " real " Keith 245 gr swc is a great upper mid range load in my 29's . I have backed it down to 8.7 sometimes for just a nice everyday carry load . I have started using IMR 700X and really like that as well for those 850-900 fps loads in 44 spl / magnum etc . I just ordered more WSF and 700X yesterday . Brownells had a " one day only " sale . No hazmat fee and a one cent shipping charge on orders over $150 . It was the kind of sale I had been waiting for .

 

[29aholic]

7gr of 700X and a 240 LSWC will get you ~985fps out of a 6-6 1/2" barrel. It also gets you right at 1000rds per pound.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Mike Ventorino had an article in Handloader magazine a few issues back on 700X . He felt that 6.0 grs in a 44 spl case , 7.0 in 44 mag , both using 240 gr swc and same in 45 colt / 255 gr swc was optimum loads .
I tried them all and had to agree , so I bought another lb of 700X yesterday .