unique powder

[snert]

Snert, help us all out U wrote..."Now I don't do it anymore. I would explore trailboss for reduced loads. Running Unique for speed is a fast way to lose your eyeballs." Is the stuff still safe in reduced loads??..Has the formulation changed ?? Now you have me nervous..TIA, Mike

Well, too many guys talked about sudden unexplained high pressures. I stopped using it in 220 swift because it was a tiny amount of powder in a big case (even though I was getting tiny 1 hole 35 yard groups and it smashed tree squirrels). It required puf-lon or a dacron and I got tired of cleaning that out of my barrel.
In the 222 i stopped because I later read a white paper by a reloading manufacturer that talked about these mysterious blow-ups with light powder charges and big cases. I do not recall exactly what it said, but basically it meant sometimes it all goes boom at once instead of progressively. That was enough for me to just buy a good rimfire and a 17 HMR.
Now, could I be convinced to do it again in a 222....maybe. Groups were just awesome and squirrels died to 60 yards, POA/POI. It will smoke a gray or fox squirrel.

As far as I know Unique has not changed. it is an old, useful, dirty pistol powder that used to be CHEAP. i still have 1/4 pound and I started with only 3/4 in 1977. it don't take much to run a duece at 1700FPS.

 

[snert]

BTW...reduced loads only is what I am referencing. i also used IMR 4227 in a Swift to make a K-hornet. It worked great too. Then I bought a K-hornet.

 

[mikeinct]

BTW...reduced loads only is what I am referencing. i also used IMR 4227 in a Swift to make a K-hornet. It worked great too. Then I bought a K-hornet.

Thanks Snert, That old Lyman cast bullet book is still good..I'll add IMR 4198 works great for reduced loads in larger cases as well..Lots of fun using up a keg of that.....Last keg of Unique cost me about a hundred & ten bucks out at camp Perry..Mike in Ct

 

[wiuprof]

The current Lyman manual, 50th Ed., 2016 lists two different loads for the .223 Rem with Unique powder. Both are with cast bullets that weigh 55 grains.
These loads most likely would not cycle a "gas gun" but if you are shooting a bolt gun or single shot they would work.
Joe

 

[snert]

The current Lyman manual, 50th Ed., 2016 lists two different loads for the .223 Rem with Unique powder. Both are with cast bullets that weigh 55 grains.
These loads most likely would not cycle a "gas gun" but if you are shooting a bolt gun or single shot they would work.
Joe

There ya go..

 

[TAJ45]

There ya go..

This may/may not add to this discussion. I see where the "fill" was mentioned 1x. A bud has been using BE with tissue wadding to fire form XC brass from 308. The confining of the redux load of fast powder to keep it from flashing over, detonating, is a critical necessity. I am mentioning this only in case a newer reloader may read this thread.

 

[snert]

Handloader did an article (I have been corrected) called SEE "Secondary Explosion Effect". Anyone have the Handloader series can look it up? Maybe if someone does we can get a better synopsis. I do not have it.

 

[jds holler]

Handloader did an article (I have been corrected) called SEE "Secondary Explosion Effect". Anyone have the Handloader series can look it up? Maybe if someone does we can get a better synopsis. I do not have it.

I too would be very interested. Last stuff I read on this said that no one had been able to create this phenomena with the alleged causes. jd

 

[SheepDog]

Well I don't have the article but I experienced it once. I had heard all the stories of better accuracy by seating bullets close to the lands and I decided to work up a load that way. I barely seated a 165 grain SpBT in a 3006 case with a starting load of H414/W760 powder. I had loaded up five of these and off to the range I went. The first round I fired was a hang fire, pop...bang! I didn't pay attention and loaded the second round. When I touched it off, the primer went "POP" an then I heard a sizzle for at least a full second and then nothing. I kept the muzzle pointed down range and held the rifle on target and it went KA-BOOM!!!
I had to force the bolt open, the case looked like a very large, rimmed, cartridge from an African safari. I convinced the range master that I was OK and took the gun and the cartridge to my gunsmith. I told him exactly how I did everything and that I could not have fit a double charge and he explained to me what had happened. He then checked the gun out and said it was fine. I let him keep the brass and never worried about getting bullets close to the lands again.

 

[tommeboy]

NO SUCH THING AS A SEE! I have talked to every powder manufacturer in the US. No such thing as a SEE. A SEE is what happens in a CANNON or a Navel Gun. What the powder manufactures call it is a high pressure excursion. As the powder does NOT explode or detonate. It burns at a high rate.

What happens is the bullet is pushed out of the case by the primer and a partial burn of the powder. The PSI drops and the bullet STOPS. Now the bullet is a bore obstruction. The powder is not starting to burn and since the bullet is stuck, the powder starts to burn at an accelerated pace and continues to increase in burning speed. Now that load that was SAFE???? can create over 100K PSI and blow up the rifle or blow the head off the case.

Hodgdon says the 243win is the worst cart. for this as it has a large volume case and a small bore. Neck tension can also play a BIG role on this if your throat is wore and extended. They said they can make it happen around 1 time out of 6 times to make it happen.

 

[snert]

NO SUCH THING AS A SEE! I have talked to every powder manufacturer in the US. No such thing as a SEE. A SEE is what happens in a CANNON or a Navel Gun. What the powder manufactures call it is a high pressure excursion. As the powder does NOT explode or detonate. It burns at a high rate.

What happens is the bullet is pushed out of the case by the primer and a partial burn of the powder. The PSI drops and the bullet STOPS. Now the bullet is a bore obstruction. The powder is not starting to burn and since the bullet is stuck, the powder starts to burn at an accelerated pace and continues to increase in burning speed. Now that load that was SAFE???? can create over 100K PSI and blow up the rifle or blow the head off the case.

Hodgdon says the 243win is the worst cart. for this as it has a large volume case and a small bore. Neck tension can also play a BIG role on this if your throat is wore and extended. They said they can make it happen around 1 time out of 6 times to make it happen.

Interesting. I think it is this difference of opinion (See or No See) that made me get antsy and just stop doing the reduced load thing with unique. It was hard to give up, cause they shot so stinking well, but as I got older, I had money to buy a gun that did what I was handloading down to do. Thhanks for the input Tommeboy

 

[mcookoc]

thank you for the information from don't be a fool to this is how i have done it.
it is all helpful.
mike