Ruger Forum banner

700X or Unique dirty powders

3K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  ngashooter 
#1 ·
I'll take a match or candle and soot up the cavity of my boolit molds prior to casting so the boolit will easily release from the mold. That's got me thinking that the use of Unique or 700X might have the same effect on the bore when shooting lead boolits. Sure the velocities are down with unique, but I'm not really seeing any leading. Thoughts?
 
#4 ·
Sparkplug, 700X and Unique burn very clean when they are loaded properly. All powders like a minimum of 15k psi chamber pressure to get a good burn. When cartridges are loaded too light, chamber pressure is too low and you get a dirty burn.

Unique is probably the most abused powder of any on the market. People try to make it universal from light target loads to near magnum loads when the best use for Unique is mid-range loads. It's pretty hard to beat Unique in a 45 ACP with full power loads .... burns nice and clean and provides just the right amount of residual pressure to blow the slide back. When loaded in 38 Specials, Unique typically burn way too dirty .... all because chamber pressure is too low. Another bad side affect with Unique is "position sensitivity". When there is too much empty volume in a case, Unique doesn't get a consistent burn so velocities can vary a lot. In a 9mm or 45 ACP case, the internal volume is just right for Unique so it is not position sensitive and produces consistent velocities.

Take a look in the Forum Library and download a document named "Lead Bullets and Revolvers". It explains how you match chamber pressure to bullet hardness to get optimum accuracy with minimal fouling. Here's a link: http://rugerforum.net/library/19869-lead-bullets-revolvers.html
 
#5 ·
Iowegan is dead on with Unique likely being used in way too many situations that it's not really appropriate for. I am one of the abusers, but I have found alternatives for some round loadings that don't rely on Unique. Some of these I found by accident when it got hard to find Unique and I started using TiteGroup and Bullseye. Others I just couldn't get what I wanted while using Unique.

I wish there was a truly universal powder, but even Universal isn't.

Jeff
 
#8 ·
When I started reloading many years ago, I tried Unique in light .38 Special loads. It was like shooting a sand blaster, unburned(?) powder and residue spewed outta the barrel. Same "filthy" powder in my .357 Magnum mid loads was "clean as a whistle". I have in recent years used a lot of Unique with 124 gr. jacketed and 125 gr. lead bullets in 9mm. Not "dirty" in my 3, 9mms...;)
 
#7 ·
dogknott, Access to the Forum Library requires a minimum of 10 posts and a rank of PFC.

Medium burn rate powders such as Unique, work exceptionally well and burn nice and clean in semi-auto cartridges.
 
#9 ·
Instead of relief from leading about all you would end up getting is that bullet forcing that soot into the micro pores of the barrel. Not a problem solvent won't cure, but why go through it? I used to use unique quite a bit but lately my go to general purpose powder for my pistols is Titgroup. If you're getting leading make sure your bullets are sized .001" over bore size and keep velocities below max listed and you shouldn't have any real issues with lead. ie. If shooting a 38spl/.357 use .358" cast bullets.
 
#11 ·
Good Ol' Unique

I have used Unique since I began reloading in the early 1980's. It is one of my favorites for mid-range loads in .38 and .357magnum. I think it has gotten the rep as a "dirty' powder due to the low pressures generated by the starting loads listed in many manuals. That's where I have witnessed unburned powder remaining in the cylinder and barrel. When I started increasing the load I not only saw increased velocity, but reduced extreme spreads and standards of deviation. When you get to a good load density you will see it in three areas. Reduced position sensitivity allows for more uniform velocities, better accuracy, and a cleaner burn. I never use Unique if top velocity is a goal, but if you let the target and chronograph tell you when the load is right you can get excellent results with it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top