My opinion Unique is the “Go To” powder for gallery distance & sub sonic cast bullet loads. I think the Ed Harris article was reprinted in other NRA publications. Sharpes “Complete guide to Handloading” probably has the largest collection of Unique rife load data.

Not at home now will look in my shelves later. Other members may have it available sooner.

Boats

Found. NRA “Cast Bullets” by Col Harrison also have NRA “Handloading” several Ed Harris articles but all are cartridge specific not powder specific many articles mention Unique. Powder specific best publication is Propellant profiles, collection of articles that appeared in Handloader magazine. Unique well covered. 

What I have always done light loads is select my cartridge & cast bullet. Then refer to multiple sources bullet & powder and make a lightest to heaviest charge list, with notes on pressure and velocity. Have at least a half dozen published sources more all th3 better. Then at  the range with primed cases charge with a light load seat the bullet with a Lee nut cracker tool & shoot a couple. Increase charge up to the load that seems to work best . Chronograph or more often listen for the supersonic “crack” then drop charge a bit until subsonic  is obvious. On the light side wipe the bore with a poiled patch. Put a match to it, unburned powder will “fizz” load up until the patch burns clean, smoke no fizz .

Then with the likely candidate test it further. Standard test for me is shoot targets under expected match conditions. Then shoot another target with a similar .22 Rimfire and compare scores. CF squib scored to leaded edge ought to score a bit higher than a .22 Partially filled cases will shoot different depending on how the rifle is handled due powder position. Best choice made under match conditions, exactly  the same every shot essential 

Finish with couple cautions, use a drop gauge every case before seating the bullet checking for double charges.  Bottlenecks loaded light often set the shoulder back on firing. Strong firing pin spring and little pressure to expand the case. Keep light load cases separate. Not necessary with rimmed cases.

Boats   

If pressed to pick one powder for all the various firearms I would pick Unique....that includes handguns, shotguns and rifles. Certainly not the best individually but the best for the nest.

Dacron filler is not needed. Unique is not extremely position sensitive and for the reduced plinking loads and accuracy  It's not worth the extra work.
I am not so scientific about working up loads with unique. I just  try to go  about 1200 -1300 fps velocity and let it go.
I couldn't even count how many reloads i've done with 12-13g Unique in 45-70. All I know is I burned a lot of Unique in the last forty years.

And boats is correct  in shoulder setback. My ruger #1 30-06  I have to really watch it and it does not take that many shots for missfires to occur  with lower pressure loads. I breach seat my #1 30-06  and use one case at the bench .if I occasionally lube  the case it will let it slide back against the breach and I get more firings.

Premod70 wrote on Dec 14^th, 2023 at 5:36pm:


It's just the firing pin driving the case   forward pushing the shoulder forward and   the pressure's not enough to push it back on the breech.
I drilled out some of my 30-06 cases flasholes on my #1 and it didn't resolve.

Good catch I meant Oiled , Balistol is what I use. Most of what I know about squibs learned from Pennsylvania gallery shooters & the various old publications.

Lot of the old manuals mention different fillers. Current opinion don’t use them. It’s true powders can be position sensitive however mount the rifle same way every time they shoot same point of impact every time. Some powders you can shoot two groups same load one muzzle down raising to the target, 2nd group muzzle high lowering to target. How far apart ? I don’t know but it’s noticeable on paper. I think Hatchers Notebook has a piece on 30/06 tested high and low mount.

On the difference in cartridge filler advice in propellent profiles. It’s a collection of articles by different authors, different opinions my guess. Long ago Charlie Dell told us he could ring a chamber  on demand with fillers.  I believe him and never used them again.


Last on Unique, agree it’s as good as any better than most. When I shot Trapdoors in Ram Bash matches, 200 yards offhand, winning load was mostly 330 gr cast with W231. Today no W231 available plenty of Unique. 8 lb jug loads a lot of squibs. 

Boats

Here is some good discussion from Cast Bullet forum I book marked
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