OT: A single powder

[MikeS.]

Is there a single powder I could use to load 9mm Luger, .38 special, .357 and .44 magnum?

I'm hoping to find one to use just in case. Something I can stock up on.

Thanks guys,

[Sixgun]

Unique.--Its good for 600-1200-----------------Sixgun

[J Miller]

Unique +1.

However, if you pick up some reloading manuals you'll find lots of other powders that will do the job too.

We just like Unique.

Joe

[MikeS.]

Thanks guys.

[jengel]

Unique +2

Good stuff, that Unique is.

[Blaine]

Blue Dot is very good, as well.

[tcomer]

Try Ramshot's True Blue. I haven't used it in in 9mm but I have in the 38, 357, and 44 mag. I use Unique in my reduced 30-30 loads and True Blue is a much cleaner powder in my pistol shells. I haven't checked, but it used to be a little cheaper than the other brands. My pistol caliber guns are a lot easier to clean than that 30-30.

[MikeS.]

I hadn't even thought about .30-30 but if Unique will work there too...

[Tony]

I just started to use TiteGroup for 9mm, 38, and 357. So far things are going well. I've heard it is also good for 45 Colt and 44 mag. 6.4grs TiteGroup with Rainier 125gr fp clocks out in the mid 1200's out of my 357 mag Ruger Blackhawk with a 6 1/2 barrel.

Tony

[Tristan]

Another good choice is Winchester 231. I find it to measure better better than Unique, especially in small charges/cases, and has applicability in each of the cartridges listed.

BTW, I love Unique too, wouldn't be without it on the bench.

- Tristan

[Sixgun]

I hadn't even thought about .30-30 but if Unique will work there too...

Mike,
Unique will work in the 30-30 but only with cast bullets with a maximum velocity of around 1500. Just an extra grain or two and you could be eating steel. If I was going to use one powder for the 30-30, it would be IMR 3031----------Sixgun

[Ysabel Kid]

+1 on W231 - that is what I started using when I began reloading at 16...

[tcomer]

The Unique loads I use are very light. Around 9 to 10 grains with a 170gr Laser Cast bullet. Last batch was with 8.8grs, but accuracy wasn't that hot. Some said that was a tad light so I have another batch loaded with 10.1grs, but the weather has been rough and I haven't tried them yet. But it takes a lot of scrubbing to clean that '94. The True Blue cleans up a lot easier out of my Pumas and pistols.

[AJMD429]

I think you have to 'sign up' to get the load data, but I've found http://www.ammoguide.com to be helpful on that sort of thing. My printed out list is downstairs, and my connection too slow to just log on and answer you off their site, but I'll check my list and try to remember to post if I see anything nobody else yet mentioned.

[JB]

I've also used Unique with good success for all the rounds mentioned.

[Nath]

I thourght they stopped making Unique.......!

[LeverBar]

Titegroup is amazing. Easily metered, accurate shooting, not position sensitive, and a pound will load a gazillion cartridges.

We use it in .32-20, 32H&Rmag, .380auto, 9mm, .38-40, 10mm, 44mag.

I'm leaving the house in a few minutes to pick up a .357mag. We'll load that one with Titegroup also.

[Swampman]

For pistols it would be Unique

For rifle cartridges it would be Varget

[ScottT]

Unique, just bought another 8lb jug.

[canonsix]

Not to hijack the thread, but I am down to three powders,Unique,LiLGun and RL 15.It took me a while to change my mind about what I REALLY needed for my reloading.These three work for me HTH Doug

[J Miller]

I thourght they stopped making Unique.......!

Not hardly.

Joe

[Swampman]

What about the New Unique? Has anyone tried it?

[runfiverun]

just got a big jug of the new unique but havnt tried it yet mostly use it for cast in rifle
mostly use tightgroup in my pistols with cast
and look for [specialty] powders when i want to go magnum
and usually just go with 2400

[MikeS.]

Unique for 10mm and .45acp too?

[MikeS.]

OK, I've got some brass from collecting for several years. I can buy Unique for my handgun loads.

What size primers for .38/357, 9mm, 10mm, .44mag and .45acp large or small pistol or magnum?

Yep I'm totally new, will be going to a friends house Saturday to start learning.

There is a big gunshow coming up in a couple weeks in Dulles, Va that I can probably get a good deal on for this stuff.

Thanks,

[LeverBar]

You would be wise to get a reloading manual prior to arriving at your friend's house.

If you are asking about primer sizes, there is much more you should know. Over All Length of your cartridge. What kind of crimp to use for individual cartridges/guns. Maximum and minimum loads.

If you can't find a book before then, you might want to research a bit on these sites and more like them.

http://www.accuratearms.com/reloading.htm
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/index.aspx
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
http://www.reloadammo.com/

[Griff]

There is a big gunshow coming up in a couple weeks in Dulles, Va that I can probably get a good deal on for this stuff.

Not always so. I don't know about that particular show, but... many of those sellers travel around the country making their livin' off newbs and folks that don't comparative shop.

As LeverBar said, get a reloading manual, but I add: "or 5". And, I'm serious about the 5 number! I probably have twice that. Go to the bullet manufacturer's websites and look for the latest edition of their reloading manual; they all have one. Then do a search on Amazon.com for reloading manuals. Take a few notes on prices for new and used manuals along with you to the gun show. Then, and only then will you recognize a good deal or a rip-off when you see one. Same with components and equipment. E-Bay is a good source (sometimes) for used and new reloading equipment. But, even there, it pays to know what something sells for in other places. I don't like buying used equipment unless I can see, touch and make my own determination of its usefulness.

I even keep my 1st ones from the 70's I bought, for sometimes data for certain cartridges change, disappears, or ? Back before Al Gore invented the internet, that was the ONLY way to get reliable data. Plus, and here's the real clincher for me, they have slightly different ways of describing certain aspects of the reloading process. Sometimes, something that was difficult to grasp, is now easy to understand. Where one may describe the process for trimming brass, it may ignore reasoning for doing it. Another may describe in infinite detail the methods benchrest shooters use for removing variables from their loads. While I'm not a benchrest shooter, I've found some of their info useful for my hunting and serious target loads.

And lastly, NEVER, EVER think you have this reloading thing mastered. I've been reloading for about 35 years, and I'm still learning new things. Either I'm a very slow learner, or there's new stuff coming out all the time. I'm not a huge experimenter when it comes to reloading, but some folks are, and sometimes they come up with a new way to approach something, that WORKS! Anyone who sez they know ALL about reloading is only fooling themselves and those that know nothing about. I honestly feel that the more you know about reloading, the more you realize you don't know it all.

There are plenty of folks that do know all they WANT to know about it!

[MikeS.]

Thanks guys for sharing all that information. I'll do as you recommend.

[afish4570]

Forty years ago I began reloading. First cal. was 3006, 4350 was the powder. I chose to load 100 gr. Plinkers, 125,130(norma),150,180 spire pt,180grMatchkings and a few 220. I soon discovered the muzzle blast at 4pm on a Nov. day would blind you and light a candle 3 ft. from the muzzle with the light bullets and large powder charges. Trade offs ,noisey muzzle blast,flash and lots of powder soon made me realize that I best select a favorite load (150 gr.)for all my deer/chuck hunting and a cast bullet load for target and plinking. By matching the bullet wt. to the optimum powder I got good accuracy, normal muzzle blast and decent accuracy. Buy always tinkering with my 30 cal. bullets I never knew where the gun was shooting unless I taped the label on the stock with which load it was sighted in for.
You can keep it simple if you have a few selections of powder that you can live with. Unique for the 9mm,38spec. and moderate performance in the 357 and 44......To get magnum performance a slower powder,2400,296 or 110. Other wise the magnum loads will be on the light side to maintain safe pressure levels. The basic rule of selecting a powder that gives you the performance you want at the lowest pressure still apply. With powder cost being what they are today, using large charges of powder just because you are trying not to buy and stock another powder may not be cost effective. afish4570

[MikeS.]

Thanks afish4570

[Lefty Dude]

Unique is an excellent powder and I still use it some.

I like Alliant American Select, it is much cleaner burning than Unique. I load the following with American Select: 32HR, 38, .357, .40S&W, 44 spec., 44 mag., 44-40, 45LC, 45ACP, and 12 gauge SG.

Alliant American Select is now my go-to powder, for years I have been looking for a clean burning do-all powder and this is the one.

You use less than Unique and get better performance.

For high Power loads I use Alliant Power Pistol.

[stretch]

I like Winchester 231 for pistol calibers. 9mm, 38 Special,
10mm, 45ACP, 44 Special and light loads in 41 Mag.

Exceptions are the magnums, where 2400 seems
to work well for me.

Lotsa folks swear by Unique, and I don't think you'd go
amiss with that.

[MikeS.]

I wound up buying a lb each of bullseye and 231. I meant to buy Unique but grabbed the Bullseye instead.

I've loaded up 200 of .357 magnum already with the Bullseye.

[Scott Young]

i love unique. i just found 5-1lb cans unopened from hercules. i love it. i opened the first can and oh the smell takes me back

[Scott Young]

i love unique. i just found 5-1lb cans unopened from hercules. i love it. i opened the first can and oh the smell takes me back

[txpete]

its funny I guess but sometimes I buy different powders to try for reloading my pistols & levers.it seems I always come back and use more unique than anything else in 357/44/45colt with cast bullet loads.
hunting loads well AA9 and 2400 does that just fine.
pete

[Cherokee]

If I had to have only one pistol powder, it would be Win 231. Works fine in every pistol round I load, 25ACP to 45 Colt. Others may work also, but 231 is my choice based on my long term experience.

[DerekR]

Since I only have one powder dispenser for my Dillon 550 I decided to settle on one powder for pistol. I bought an 8lb jub of Unique and use it in .38 Special, .357, .45ACP and .45 Colt. I go from as low as 4 grain in the .38 special to 9 grains in the .45 Colt. All I have to do is change out my tool heads, adjust my powder and maybe change my primer tubes.