Who's got the Unique?

[WVfishguy]

I've recently got back into reloading after a 20-year hiatus.

I used Unique for .38 cal. reloads for years, but now I can't find it anywhere locally. Which one of you guys is hoarding it?

If I can't find any, what's the next best thing for heavy loads in .38 Special? (I'm going to stick with 2400 for .357 mag.)

I'm also going to start loading that new-fangled .40 S&W. What's a good powder for that?

 

[jal5]

My local WM had some when I was there earlier this week, but the supplies go off the shelves very fast. What about Titegroup or Bullseye for 38? I haven't tried them yet but several friends only use those for target/midrange loads.

 

[BIGR]

I have most of it, bought 10,000 pounds of it.
















Just kidding of course. I have not had any trouble getting it at one of my gun shops but it is hard to find on the net.

 

[Cfish]

Powder Valley

 

[Gazzmann]

Found Unique and Bullseye at Bass Pro and Gander Mtn. 1 & 8 pound cans.

 

[Sevens]

I currently have 13 pounds of powder, give or take some partial cans.
Of those 13 cans, ONE of them is Unique.

That will last me the rest of my life, I'll bet. I don't care for it, it doesn't seem to do anything well (at least, anything I need) and it doesn't meter well and it's dirty.

If I were you and I didn't have any Unique and I hadn't used it in a long time, I'd scrap the idea and find something else to use. There's so many choices that it'll make your head spin. Bullseye, Power Pistol, Titegroup, 231, International, #2 or #5, and that's just the beginning.

Unique still seems to be popular with folks who had used it years ago... but there are so many other choices, I wouldn't recommend Unique to anyone. Not that it's horrible, it's just so far behind all the others.

 

[salvadore]

My son got me some in Boise cabelas

 

[Huntergirl]

Universal Clays in a pinch if ya can't find Unique. I still got a small hoard of it, but have since stopped reloading for CASS shooting .38's.

 

[ThomasT]

My heavy 38 load is 8.4grs of Blue Dot with a LEAD 158gr SWC. Univeral is a replacement for Unique. Just don't use data for unique to load universal.

We just bought a 4lb can of Unique from Natchez. Four pounders were all they had left.

I like Winchester 231 for doing the same thing as Unique. Plus it is cleaner burning.

 

[WVfishguy]

I like Winchester 231 for doing the same thing as Unique. Plus it is cleaner burning.

By golly, there's something to that.

I forgot how damn dirty Unique is. Filthy, actually, although it may also just be the lube on the lead bullets I'm using.

I'm going to try some other powders. Hell, I may even stop using 2400.

Skeeter's a'spinnin in his grave....

 

[TEDDY]

loading

I use 700X in 38 and 45 acp,but I am not into heavy loads I am into target.
2,8 in 38 and 3.5 in 45 acp.I dont load any thing heavy.I dont see the need my 30/06 with 13 gr RED DOT at 1600 fts will kill a deer.44/40s did and so did 25/20 and 32/20.my deer come to the fence across from my house.the last 2 were shot 75 yd out of the front door.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I forgot how damn dirty Unique is. Filthy, actually, although it may also just be the lube on the lead bullets I'm using.

Unique is produced by Alliant now. (Not Hercules) The new Alliant formulation of Unique is actually very clean burning. The powder cannot be loaded with old data, but performs just as well... without the filth.

Unique is my prefered powder for 9mm, some .380 Auto loads, and I'm starting to get my brothers to like it for .38s / .357s.

 

[ThomasT]

Yes the "New" unique does burn cleaner. Its not as clean as some of the newer powders. And does that bother me? I should say not. I just split a 4lb jug with a buddy on thursday. I never expected my gun to be squeaky clean when I got through shooting it anyway.

In my earlier post I listed an 8.4gr load and only wrote "Blue" for the powder. I have corrected the ealier post to read Blue Dot. That is the correct powder. It just goes to show that contrary to popular opinion I am not perfect.