Unique Powder - 38 Spl Chronograph Data

[38SPL HV]

Unique is outperforming in my revolvers recently:

#1 (15 Shot string)
Revolver: S&W Heavy Duty 4 inch
Starline cases - 38 Spl +P
Charge: 4.8 grs Unique
Bullet: Lyman 358311 158 gr (Lyman #2 alloy) 1.510” oal
Primer: Winchester small pistol
Avg 949 fps ES 37 SD 12

#2 (12 Shot string)
Revolver: Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8 inch
Starline cases - 38 Spl +P
Charge: 5.3 grs Unique
Bullet: Missouri Cast 158 gr SWC (12 bhn) 1.460” aol
Primer: Winchester small pistol
Avg 1,026 fps ES 48 SD 14

#3 (12 Shot string)
Revolver: Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8 inch
Starline cases - 38 Spl +P
Charge: 4.8 grs Unique
Bullet: Lyman 358429 170 gr SWC (12 bhn)
Primer: CCI-500
Avg 926 fps ES 55 SD 13

…I did a tribute load for our departed brother ArchAngel (RIP), great man, we miss him:

357 Magnum - Ruger BH 4 5/8 inch
Bullet: 158 gr cast SWC (12 bhn)
Charge: 9.0 grs HS-6 (his favorite powder)
Primer: Remington 5 1/2
Avg 1,215 fps ES 35 SD 11

 

[Skeet 028]

With a 158 gr SWC...5 gr Unique S&W SPP in one of my 27-2 5 inch guns 970 FPS avg of 5. The other takes about 5.2 get to get to 970. I am pretty much loading 231 these days with Unique so hard to get....although I bought 2 pounds of Unique today. My, it has gotten expensive

 

[stansdds]

Unique is definitely an aptly named smokeless powder. It is a highly versatile powder and capable of producing very accurate ammo.

 

[Yendor357]

Well done 38! I really appreciate when guys take the time to post chrono numbers.

Three things count to me, they are as follows:

*Bullet weight and diameter
*Velocity
*(Optional) Group size, but must include distance.

Without chrono data, you really don’t know what’s going on.

I’d use Unique if I could find any. Accurate No. 5 is currently my Unique substitute.

 

[biku324]

Thank you for the data - my standard 38 Special load forever has been 4.5 grains Unique with any 158 grain bullet; 5.5 grains of Longshot nearly duplicates it.

 

[WR Moore]

I'm not sure the rest of us are going to see some of those velocities. Or, I guess I've got a couple of slow guns....to go along with the old coot carrying them.

 

[elpac3]

Well done 38! I really appreciate when guys take the time to post chrono numbers.

Three things count to me, they are as follows:

*Bullet weight and diameter
*Velocity
*(Optional) Group size, but must include distance.

Without chrono data, you really don’t know what’s going on.

I’d use Unique if I could find any. Accurate No. 5 is currently my Unique substitute.

Check out BE 86 as a unique substitute. Loads pretty much grain for grain and has been doing Weill in my .44 loads

 

[cowboy4evr]

My usual 38 spl load was 5.0 hrs of Unique with any 158 gr and including EK's 173 gr sec . Unique not to be found , I switched to Red Dot . 4.0 grs. with the same bullets has been a very good replacement . Now the problem is to find more Red Dot powder .

 

[BrBa]

+1 for BE-86. I absolutely love it in 9mm. Can load it up or down, and it even works well suppressed. It works fine in .38 and .357, but HS-6 runs right by it velocity wise in those cartridges. Also, a mag. primer works best for HS-6.

 

[alwslate]

I'm not sure the rest of us are going to see some of those velocities. Or, I guess I've got a couple of slow guns....to go along with the old coot carrying them.

I agree. My chronographed loads with Unique and 158 gr cast SWCs are well below the velocities listed above. I no longer use Unique.

 

[38SPL HV]

I'm not sure the rest of us are going to see some of those velocities. Or, I guess I've got a couple of slow guns....to go along with the old coot carrying them.

…may I suggest that you do some chronograph tests yourself with Unique and report your results. I’ve seen others get disparities with Unique batches. There’s so much to this chronograph business. I’m surprised also, that’s why I caveated my introduction. Maybe 4500 ft above sea level plays a factor..I know it does with my high power loads.

 

[38SPL HV]

I'm not sure the rest of us are going to see some of those velocities. Or, I guess I've got a couple of slow guns....to go along with the old coot carrying them.

…I forgot, John Taffin, you heard of him right? got statistically similar velocities to mine using Unique…his 5.0 gr Unique loads in 38 Spl yielded the following from a 4 inch S&W Combat Masterpiece using the following bullets, like mine (358311):

Lyman 358477 975 fps
Lyman 358311 962 fps

Link:

PERSONIFICATION OF THE PERFECT PACKIN’ PISTOL THE .38 SPECIAL WRITTEN BY JOHN TAFFIN - You Will Shoot Your Eye Out

 

[zodraz]

For "less than magnum" loads, I've switched to 231(HP 38). It's been around for ages, tons of data available, and meters better than Unique.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't know what the problem could be....

...with Unique. If I don't get the velocity I want I just put more powder in.

I don't have any 'bad' powders. 231, Acc #7, Red Dot.....

Heck, Unique even works in reduced rifle loads.

Does anybody know if Hodgdons Universal compares to Unique in versatility? It's right next to it on the Burn Chart.

 

[Skeet 028]

I used bullets I cast out of a Lyman 358-477 mold. I only have a few left but weighed 3 they averaged 155.2 gr lubed.. The Unique powder I used was the older Unique from a square metal yellow can...they had a later blue can..I used weighed charges...When I was loading using an old Lyman 55 measure dedicated to the 38 Unique load...I am sure there were some disparities in powder charges...as many here know how Unique is. My accurate load for the most part was a 358-429 HP bullet out of a mold By Mihec on CBs with Pins it weighs slightly more than 159 gr. Penta point HPs...with nominal 5 gr U..shoots pretty good out of both S&Ws but great out of my wife's 4 5/8 in Ruger BH. I shot just under a coyote at a bit over 100 yards. Just had to try.. I should try it out of the 3 1/2 in 27 Neve chronoed that load. Scrounged up all the Unique I have here. With the 2 new cans I have 7 1/2 pounds. Mostly older powder...good to go for a while

 

[mtgianni]

IMO, that 358477 150 gr Lyman bullet is one of the best out there for 38 special. It really shows up at ranges over 25 yards.

 

[WR Moore]

…I forgot, John Taffin, you heard of him right? got statistically similar velocities to mine using Unique…his 5.0 gr Unique loads in 38 Spl yielded the following from a 4 inch S&W Combat Masterpiece using the following bullets, like mine (358311):

Lyman 358477 975 fps
Lyman 358311 962 fps

I forgot to note in my earlier post that most of us probably aren't using hard cast bullets. And, in my experience, that can make a difference.

 

[Skeet 028]

I had 3000 38s given to me by a fellow. Loaded by his brother...who passed away. I got the Lyman 358 477 4 cavity mold from him too. . I sold almost the whole batch to someone else as components...all loaded with those bullets. I kept 4 boxes

 

[38SPL HV]

I forgot to note in my earlier post that most of us probably aren't using hard cast bullets. And, in my experience, that can make a difference.

Yes sir, cast bullets do, in our experience, register faster with everything else being equal. I don’t use jacketed bullets in fear of Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton throwing down bolts of lightning…

 

[Kinman]

Incapable of chrono info, all I have on using 148gr. HBWC while running my Model 52 is 3.0gr. of Titegroup, best groups and functions the pistol flawlessly, drops the brass right at my feet. Those are the best duplicate I have developed and surpass the accuracy I used to get off the factory 148gr. Winchester loads. I moved away from light Red Dot and Unique loads to Titegroup and for the life of me can't remember why, I have plenty of all three. Another guy I shoot with that has a 52 had better quality groups with Red Dot, I think it runs dirtier than Titegroup and in a semi auto pistol dirt is not your friend.