I’m having trouble with inconsistent metering of Unique.
Dillon RL550B with Dillon powder measure. Small powder bar.
.38 special.
I had excellent consistency when using CFE Pistol.
Does the Dillon powder measure just not work well with the larger granules of Unique?
Is there anything I can do to increase consistency?
I’d really appreciate any suggestions, as I’m sitting on 4 pounds of this stuff I bought on a whim when I couldn’t find CFE.
Thanks
Unique has a reputation of not metering well.
Nothing is wrong with your Dillon. I had the same issue with Unique. I switched to W231.
Unique has never metered well for me or lots of other folks.
Was playing with my Lee .7cc dipper and Unique. I found it would scoop around 5.4 grains +/- 0.2 or so. Was pressing scoop into powder bottom first, allowing gravity to fill it then tapping the side of scoop a couple times to knock off excess.
According to my Hornady book that was around a mid-range load for 230 grain 45 ACP. Loaded up 30 and shot over a chrono. Don’t remember exact velocities but majority were around 800 FPS. Do recall having a couple 750’s and one 850 though.
They shot decent enough so I loaded up my first ever batch of blaster ammo. Not hand weighing every charge made 450 rounds a breeze on my single stage!
This is how I’ll use up my Unique that I picked up during the last scare. It is good to know that I can have a decent enough, quick blaster load from it for when all I can find is Unique again in 2016.
Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.
I guess I’ll just resign myself to using it up with low expectations.
Sorry if this was a question about a commonly known problem. I searched this sub forum for threads on Unique and didn’t come across this info.
What is “inconsistent?” How much variability are you seeing?
One or two tenths on each side of my target weight when setting up the dispenser. But I’ve had some very light loads that I discovered while shooting. Not sure how light, they just felt very light based on noise and recoil.
I doubt you will be able to tell the difference in 1 or 2 tenths difference. I dont know what factory variation tolerance is, but I’d guess youre in the same range.
I’ve probably shot more Unique in handgun loads than anything else, by a huge margin. I dont see noticable verticle stringing when shooting out to 300 or more yards when using measure thrown Unique charges in 38, 44 spl and mag (med loads) or 45 Colt. I use an RCBS measure, check weight of a couple charges, throw a reloading block worth of charges, check again, if on, they get loaded. I rarely find a difference worth noting, I’m only checking to be sure the measure lock nut didnt come loose.
Your light loads may be powder hanging up in the Dillon measure, but thats just a guess. In the RCBS measure, I found the charges to be most consistent when the measure was about 2/3 full, and I always throw a few and dump them back in to settle the powder in the measure before checking charge weights again.
It’s the ‘very light loads’ that make me wonder just how much variation is happening in the middle of my loading (after set-up, or testing the powder drop). Some were so light I checked for a squib.
Thanks for your insight.
That is a bit disturbing, if there were some so light you suspected a squib.
I wish I could offer more regarding using Unique in the Dillon. I have a Dillon, but sort of inherited several pounds of Clays Universal with it, so I havent used much Unique in it that I recall. I’m neurotic about checking charges, and wanted to rig a light on the side of the press so I could see every charge dropped with the Dillon expand/bell/charging station. Using the single stage press and loading block, any serious variation in charges will be noticable right off. Its not as easy to see the charges with the Dillon.
I dont mind using Unique, but I’m not going to say there arent better powders for progressives. I’d swap you some powder if we were closer, but maybe you can find someone local that would trade something finer grained and that meters smoother.
Yeah, I’m just gonna shoot it up and never look back. Thank you for the sentiment regarding a swap. Maybe someone local to me and is reading this wants to?
Not getting my hopes up though.
Unique is the worst metering powder there is. Worst than rifle stick powders.
Amen. That shit is best left for gray haired lunatics who cast their own bullets.
Hey! I resemble that remark!
You may try “graphite seasoning” your powder measure. A friend recommended it to me and my powder measure usually drops +/- a 10th grain instead of several 10ths. Buy a cheap tube of powder graphite from a hardware store and run it through your measure a few times.
I get good results with a range of rifle and pistol powders but haven’t used Unique.
That’s cool; never heard of that. I need to try something on my Hornady Auto Charge. It’s been pissing me off lately & the straw trick isn’t working.
Yep, PorkChop recommended it to me probably over a year ago. You should’ve said something. 
Did he tell you that here & I missed it or was it in one of our offline tweets to the both of us & I ignored it?
I believe I created the thread and he chimed in. You must have not been monitoring the m4c feed that day.
Good one, Mark!
Is it weird fanboyism that I look forward to you chiming in with something like this? Am I the only one?
So what pistol powder do yall recommend? I’m using unique for a .40. Just bought 8lbs after developing load for practice so I’m committed for now, but will probably switch down the road. I haven’t seen more than .2gn difference and it’s acceptable for now.