Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 44

Thread: Replacement for Unique?

  1. #1
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    South Louisiana

    Replacement for Unique?

    I've finally finished off my stash of old powder - I've got about 200 rounds worth of Solo 1250 to load in .40 S&W and that's it, I'll be completely out of pistol powder. I want to order an eight-pound jug of a medium-speed powder and want to try something new, or at least new to me.

    What I'm looking for is a powder that will work well in several calibers that is not Unique:

    9x19 +P with 124 FMJs
    .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum with 158 coated lead
    .40 S&W with 180 coated lead
    .41 Magnum with 210 coated lead
    .44 Special and Magnum with 240 coated lead
    .45 ACP with 230 coated lead

    I want to approximate factory loads in the defensive calibers (9x19, .38 Special, .40 S&W, 45 ACP) and hit midrange velocities (1000-1100 fps) in the Magnums. My main beef with Unique is how it meters, so I want something that meters well in a Dillon RL550. Other qualities I'm looking for are clean burning, relatively cool burning - doing Bill Drills with a revolver with ammo loaded with Titegroup made this a requirement - and relatively low flash.

    Perusing the powder manufacturer's websites shows the following powders to be possibilities based on published data:

    BE-86
    W244
    W572
    CFE Pistol
    Silhouette
    AA#5

    I'd appreciate experience-based recommendations. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Member olstyn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Minnesota
    CFE Pistol is what I was going to suggest before I even read your list of possibilities. I found that in 9mm, it required slightly heavier charge weights than Unique, but metered much better in my Hornady powder measure. The reason I haven't gone through the pound of it that I bought to try is that I tried VV N320 at the same time and got hooked on that one's soft recoil impulse for USPSA loads.

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Behind the Photonic Curtain
    Quote Originally Posted by revchuck38 View Post
    What I'm looking for is Unique-like powder that is not unique to one caliber, that is not Unique:
    I think I FIFY Other than torturing grammar, I tried to use just two handgun powders for a while (TiteGroup and H110) at in the end it wasn't 100%. I didn't find any .44 mag data for AA5 on their site so maybe that's a no-go.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  4. #4
    I have loaded all those (except .41 which I do not own) with W231/HP38 and done OK.
    I believe W244 to be the Designated Successor to 231, more environmental/less expensive process, similar application but not a grain for grain replacement.

    I just loaded up and started shooting up the pound of W572 that came in my IDPA match goodie bag. I was at the maximum for 147gr 9mm before the velocity evened out, anything less gave wide velocity variation. I did not try it in other calibers, I did not plan on buying more, so why do more workup?

    I think Ball powders are less flexible than flake or extruded. I have READ a lot in favor of BE86. Universal (clays) is said to be a Unique equivalent.
    Code Name: JET STREAM

  5. #5
    Site Supporter MGW's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Kansas
    A friend of mine has just started experimenting with CFE in 9mm. It is much less blasty than Titegroup, burns really clean, and feels very consistent. I have settled on Bullseye because it works for every pistol caliber I load (38, 9, and 45) and is cheap. I really like the way 231 feels but it’s just kind of a dirty burning powder compared to other stuff.

    I think I might explore CFE when I finally burn up all the Bullseye I have put back.

  6. #6
    I almost ran out of powder during the Great Ammo Panic. CFE Pistol was one of the few powders available at the time so I ordered several pounds. I've run it through .38 Special and 10mm loads and have been quite happy with it. It meters well and I get very low extreme spreads and and standard deviations with my hand loads, which have been more than acceptably accurate.
    I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Lester Polfus View Post
    I almost ran out of powder during the Great Ammo Panic. CFE Pistol was one of the few powders available at the time so I ordered several pounds. .
    A friend had the same experience. Came to prefer CFE-P over the 231 he had been using but could not get.
    Code Name: JET STREAM

  8. #8
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    I suggest that the op consult a burning rate chart to see powders having similar burning rates to Unique. He may be asking a great deal for one powder to perform really well across the board when at the same time requiring it to excel at metering accurately. I suggest considering a fast powder like Bullseye or 231 and then a slower powder like HS-6. Either will meter accurately. The choices will give wider burn rate range which permits greater versatility. In the event of powder shortage, either will work for the calibers listed although HS-6 is not an ideal powder for .45 acp.
    Last edited by willie; 11-23-2018 at 07:11 PM.

  9. #9
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Central Virginia
    I load all the calibers and weights you list except .41. I use BE-86 for all but .44 mag.
    Produces service round velocities with the three service auto rounds and .38 special with acceptable consistency and accuracy. I suspect .44 mag would be easily loaded with it but I have two pounds of WST to use up and seven grains behind a 240 grain cast bullet yields 850 FPS from a 3” M29.

  10. #10
    Last edited by andre3k; 11-23-2018 at 09:10 PM.

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •