Univeral powder question

[growr]

As my supply of Unique is all gone, I am considering using Universal in my .38 spl, 44-40 for SASS. Bullets are all cast, 158 for .38 and 200 for 44-40

Load data is almost interchangeable....anyone have success with this powder?

Randy

PS. also for .45 acp with 230 RNL

 

[Joed49]

I left Unique for Universal 15 years ago. No regrets at all. I've found Universal to burn cleaner for one.

 

[Eddietruett]

I left Unique for Universal 15 years ago. No regrets at all. I've found Universal to burn cleaner for one.

Exactly what I was going to post. Universal also meters better in my Dillon 650.

 

[rockquarry]

I couldn't quite get the accuracy with Universal that I got with Unique. I try to avoid Unique because it doesn't go through a measure all that well, but sometimes it's the best choice. Universal is cleaner? It's all dirty; it's gunpowder.

 

[Joed49]

Universal also meters better in my Dillon 650.

I was going to post that but I don't know who has powder measures that have trouble with Unique.

The biggest reason I switched to Universal was I kept getting squibs from my 550 with Unique. Unique does not meter well at all. I was so mad about the squibs that I sold the 550 and moved to a 650 and even added a 1050 a while later. I won't have any progressive press that doesn't allow a powder cop die.

Another powder I had very good luck with was Power Pistol. I use it too.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

When I could not get Unique it was suggested trying BE-86.

BE-86 meters very well and has been very accurate in 38 Special, 357 Magnum and 45 ACP for me.

 

[growr]

The price of the 4lbs of Universal is really right....my brother gave it to me no charge!!

Randy

 

[Nemo288]

I would not directly swap Universal for Unique in any recipe.
My experience with 44's (special and magnum) is that Universal is a little quicker
and takes a little less powder to achieve the same velocities as a Unique load.
It also seems to be most accurate near the top pressure of your cartridge.
Universal is my standard powder for the 44 special now (unless I run out).
I share everyone else's opinion about the metering advantage.
Go ahead and get it while/if you can.
Definitely a worthy powder.
At this point, I know many of us are taking advantage of the fact one can make just about
any shotgun or handgun powder work in revolver cartridges due to the limitations in supply.

You end up not liking Universal, I would consider driving to Montana to take it off your hands.

 

[mikld]

During one "shortage" I could not find Unique but found Universal. I liked it so much I wound up buying 2 more pounds then a few months later, not wanting to get stuck in another shortage I bought a 4 lb. jug. I have been able to get good results in all my handgun handloads (32 ACP to 45 Colt, with a lot of 9mm handloads). Meters great and works well with my cast bullets, PCed cast and jacketed bullets. I use other powders but if limited to one powder, I would use Universal.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

As you see many reloaders feel Universal is a good substitute for Unique. I have no used it be a friend has and he really likes it and is glad he switched.

He loads the .380 ACP, .38 Special, 9mm, 45 ACP and 45 Colt with Universal.

 

[Lonegle57]

Am not 100% sure but there are a number of different Universal powders,
not sure they all burn the same. I have used Universal Clays for a number of years, very similar to Unique, burning a little cleaner using close to the same loads. Be sure and check manuals .

 

[TJm15.38]

I use Hogdon Universal in 9x18 Makarov. I'm sure it will be fine in other pistol calibers given good reloading data as a guide.

 

[BB57]

I was going to post that but I don't know who has powder measures that have trouble with Unique.

The biggest reason I switched to Universal was I kept getting squibs from my 550 with Unique. Unique does not meter well at all. I was so mad about the squibs that I sold the 550 and moved to a 650 and even added a 1050 a while later. I won't have any progressive press that doesn't allow a powder cop die.

Another powder I had very good luck with was Power Pistol. I use it too.

I have loaded literally tens of thousands of rounds on my 550B including thousands of rounds of Unique in both pistol and cast bullet rifle rounds and have never gotten a squib.

The keys to good results with the Dillon measure on a 550 are:

- Solid mounting of the press;
- consistent operation of the press;
- maintaining a consistent height of powder in the press (at least a couple inches above the baffle);
- and use of the smallest charge bar that will work for the volume needed.

—-

Will Unique measure to as tight a tolerance as a fine grained sperhical powder? No, but if you do your part it will measure just fine for the accuracy required in a handgun round.

 

[BB57]

I left Unique for Universal 15 years ago. No regrets at all. I've found Universal to burn cleaner for one.

Unique will burn much cleaner at higher load densities and in loads near the upper pressure limit for a given cartridge.

Other powders are similarly "dirty" in low density loads. However since Unique works so well in high capacity cases with lower load densities it gets hung with the reputation of being "flaming dirt".

That's ironic as the only powder I have ever had problems with due to powder residue has been H110/ Win 296. The large partially burned grains of powder can find their way under the ejector star in a revolver and prevent the cylinder from going back into the frame. Fixing it requires dumping the rounds, holding the ejector star open and brushing away the offending grain(s).

In short, there's "dirt" and then there is "dirt that will get you killed" and Unique isn't going to get you killed.

Unique is also a very common powder for cast bullet loads, where the bullet lube will generate smoke. Many shooters see the smoke, ask the shooter about the powder he's using and then associate the smoke with Unique, rather than with the bullet lube.

——

If I can't get Unique, I'll get BE-86 as it's a better substitute for Unique than Universal.

 

[HarpHack]

The only thing I dislike is the confusion with the naming of the various Universal powders as they evolved, especially if you reference old manuals.

 

[Forrest r]

Like unique universal clays performs at it's best with the heavy/hotter loads. Couldn't even begin to count how many 1000's of 38spl p+ reloads I burned using the universal clays/158gr cast bullets in the 38spl's.

 

[GypsmJim]

I was going to post that but I don't know who has powder measures that have trouble with Unique.

The biggest reason I switched to Universal was I kept getting squibs from my 550 with Unique. Unique does not meter well at all. I was so mad about the squibs that I sold the 550 and moved to a 650 and even added a 1050 a while later. I won't have any progressive press that doesn't allow a powder cop die.

Another powder I had very good luck with was Power Pistol. I use it too.

I use a Lee Autodisc on top of my Flaring die to do 2 jobs at once. Bullseye and W231 and Unique are my main handgun powders. I can't say I have ever had a metering problem with any of these powders. I ran a calibration curve with each one and the 99%+ confidence factor certainly confirms good performance.

 

[Nevada Ed]

It works very well in my 38 and 357 loads that I have used, when I had a pound of it and, used it up.

Just that it did not do well in my 12 Ga. trap loads when compared to my Unique, 1 1/8 oz. loads
so I never bought any more of it, many years ago.

 

[mikld]

I didn't have "trouble" metering with Unique, but the charge to charge variations were greater than many pistol powders, in all my powder measures, and even with that some charges the variations were greater (when measuring small loads the charge to charge variations were mostly .2 gr. to .4 gr. With larger loads, (upwards of 9-10 gr.) the variations were greater, more like .5-.6 gr. My Lee Perfect Powder Measure produced the least variations of my 4 powder measures...

 

[dwh]

I've used universal with great success in 38spl. 38/40 38spl/357mag and 44spl. I'm now to the point where most of my handgun rounds are loaded with 231,2400 or universal. I have plenty of other powers but they are used to show the new guys how to reload, so I can get rid of that powder. I've loaded at least 12lbs of universal and just opened a new 4lb jug.