Unique

[ONE HOLE 4570]

I have been using Unique for years in 10 gr 255 swc in 45 colt, black hawk. Got this load out of the Lyman manual No45 I think. I picked up a new Lyman manual #47 & they reduced the load to 8gr.as max. There is no pressure. I recently got a 45 ssa clone & a vaquero (sm frame). I was going to use this load because it was used in the ssa's back in the day. I am now rethinking that due to the reduced load in the Lyman manual.
Does anyone have any data in there manuals stating pressure for a 10gr unique load in 45 colt with a 255 swc lead bullet. I have looked in a the others I have & cannot find that load. From what I can remember the hodgdon manual was also 8 or 8.?? of unique with 255 lead & cup of 16000 or so.

Just kind of curious if the powder has become stronger?? or are the publishers more cautious
Any thoughts

[LHitchcox]

Maybe a combination of both. New data is tested better than older data was. I would definitely follow the latest data.

Leon

[stimpylu32]

one hole 4570

When in doubt start low and work up , the new guns are probably going to be a little less stout than the old Black Hawk so the 8 gr would be a good idea .

stimpy

[ONE HOLE 4570]

Stimpy
That's what I did for the vaquero & clone but the 10 gr works so well in the black hawk I am leaving it alone. There was no mention of pressure in Lyman's manuals I was just wondering what pressure that load runs at for 10gr & 255 gr 45 colt more for the old noggin info than anything the 8gr runs 16000 according to hodgdon.
!0 gr hasn't bothered the blackhawk in years of shooting I am no to woried about it, I just won't use it in the new ones

[BCB]

ONE HOLE 4570,

In Handloader No. 246 (April 2007) there is an article on the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet.  They weigh-in at around 283 grains when cast from wheel weights.  Brian Pearce lists 10 grains of Unique for handguns that can handle 20000 p.s.i.  He also lists loads that produce 32000 c.u.p. and the Blackhawk is include as being able to deal with this.

I am presently shooting 9 grains of Unique (976 fps) with the 45-270-SAA bullet in my Blackhawk and the fired cases fall from the cylinder as it is rotated.  I would think that 10 grains of Unique wouldn’t hurt a Blackhawk using a 255 grain bullet.  Good-luck…BCB

[Blackhawk44]

Loading for a Blackhawk and loading for New Vaqueros and clones are different issues.  For a Colt framed gun, 10 grains is too much for a steady diet.  I settled on 8.5 grains with a 250/255 grain bullet for a factory duplication load well over 35 years ago, and this is where I would stop with any clone.  I think that with a heavier 270/285 grain bullet in your little Ruger, by the time you get even to nine grains, you'll be having all the fun you want. 

If you're going to keep separate loads for the Blackhawk and the little guns, why not use the SWC as always for the BH then get some RNFP to use in the smaller guns.  If you stick to that policy, you'll never confuse which loads are which.

[njanear]

Here is Alliant's web site:  http://www.alliantpowder.com/     They are the guys that produce Unique (not Hodgdon). 

Under Cowboy loads for a 250gr Lead bullet, they list 7.5 grains as the maximum, for 750 fps (no pressure info given).

Under the regular loads, for a 250gr lead bullet, they list 8 grains (for 850 fps and 11,800 CUP).

So now you know what the powder manufacturer officially states too.

[ONE HOLE 4570]

BCB that was the info I saw could not remember where, thanks

Blackhawk44 That's my game plan to keep the vaquero & clone in the 7-8 gr. Using 2 boolit styles is a very good idea & I think I will do that. If & when I get into casting I may want to settle on a 260-270gr mold


Njanear My hodgdon manual has all the major powder suppliers in it, alliant,winchester,IMR & Hodgdon but you would't know that is what I was refering to, thanks for the info





 

[njanear]

Njanear My hodgdon manual has all the major powder suppliers in it, alliant,winchester,IMR & Hodgdon but you would't know that is what I was refering to, thanks for the info

I definitely didn't realize that their manual had loads for everyone in it.  I had better check that out, as that would be nice to have a consolidated manual.  Thanks for the tip! 

[aflineman]

IIRC didn't Unique change formulas a couple of years ago to be "cleaner" burning? This may be some of the reason for the grain reduction.

[millwright]

 I am shooting a sbh with a 7 1/2 barrel in 44 mag and I use 10 gr of unique under a 240 gr hard cast and also a 250 gr keith cast from wheel weights.  In the sbh this works very well for me.  Minimum recoil, maximum performance.  I use regular large pistol primers and trim every time.  I also use a lee factory crimp die.  Just my 2 cents.

[jd45]

I just referred to M. D. Smith's website..........Reloadammo.com, where he says 14,000psi is max pressure for standard loads in Colt or clone SA's, which, BTW, jives with my Vihtivuori 3rd Edition load manual. He also says he personally doesn't recommend going beyond 8.5grs with 250/255gr bullets, as it is "tough on the guns".
Enjanear.............my youngest brother did 3 tours as a combat engineer in 'Nam. '68 thru '70. I was lucky.......I got to go to Japan. jd45

[Siskiyou]

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

Loading data with pressure.