ColtPythonElite
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I recently loaded 20 gr of 2400 and 240 gr XTP's. They shot well, but were not exactly what I would call plinking rounds.
44 mag mid range target loads unique vs blue dot
- Thread starter JO JO
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LUCKYDAWG13
Member
Next time try 19 gr vary accurate and mild at least in my RSBH
tightgroup tiger
Member
Have you ever used Blue Dot?
Charlie98
Member
I use Unique in everything I load... including .44SPC and .41MAG (I don't have a .44MAG, but the idea is the same.) I'm not a light load kind of guy, so I can't help there, but it works very well in medium and up. Back when I was younger and didn't have any money, I just loaded Unique to maximums in lieu of getting something like 2400 or W296, and it worked well enough.
I have tried BlueDot in the .41, before the warnings were issued, I didn't care for it much but I realized later that I was using it incorrectly for lighter loads.
I recently fetched a can of BE-86, primarily for .45ACP and 9mm, but I plan on working it through every cartridge I have that they issue data for, just to see. I've got about 11#'s of Unique to use up, first, but you never know!
I have tried BlueDot in the .41, before the warnings were issued, I didn't care for it much but I realized later that I was using it incorrectly for lighter loads.
I recently fetched a can of BE-86, primarily for .45ACP and 9mm, but I plan on working it through every cartridge I have that they issue data for, just to see. I've got about 11#'s of Unique to use up, first, but you never know!
Charlie98
Member
True that. I've not found Alliant's flake powders to be the best metering powders evarrr, but in a seasoned drop I don't have any issues, either. I guess it's how picky you want to be.
Unique doesn’t meter perfectly, but when you’re talking loads of, say, 8.5 grains in a big revolver case, it doesn’t seem to make a heck of a lot of difference. If you’re trying to work close to max...well, you’d probably want a slower, true magnum powder then anyway.
RealGun
Member
It also causes leading for me when pushing lead a little too fast... hard, soft, doesn't matter, the bullets get cooked. AA#7 or A2400 are much better for me and my guns. Same for 357 and 41 magnums. AA#7 is meant to be a mid range magnum.
I agree with ATLDave, Unique hits the sweet spot for me with medium revolver loads. I use Blue dot for full magnum loads in .44, specially for lighter bullets but I find it gets a little dirty if you back off a bit. By dirty I mean unburned flakes, with Unique it leaves the muzzle and frame a bit sooty which I don't mind.
I use 7.8-8.0 gr Unique and 240 gr SWC bullets in my 44 Magnum loads. I get just shy of 900 fps in my Model 69. A bit higher in my 6" Model 629.
I've used Blue Dot in various cartridges in the past but that was before I owned a 44 Magnum. I'd use it again if it was about all that I could find. There are other powders than Blue Dot that I prefer these days. I do have an unopened pound of Blue Dot in my powder locker at this moment.
I've used Blue Dot in various cartridges in the past but that was before I owned a 44 Magnum. I'd use it again if it was about all that I could find. There are other powders than Blue Dot that I prefer these days. I do have an unopened pound of Blue Dot in my powder locker at this moment.
Charlie98
Member
I used to be super paranoid about powder charge weights... until I did the math. Variances less than 2%...? Nothing to get excited about. Granted, when I'm loading to max (not so much, anymore...) I weigh each charge.
FROGO207
Member
I have found that Blue Dot works it's best with stout loads at or near max. Loading it down it gets dirty quite fast. So for the thumper 44 MAG loads I do use it. For light loads I run Trail Boss or Unique depending on what is accurate in that particular revolver. YMMV
Shot some .45 Colt loads at the range today. One was 8.0 Grs of BE-86 in .45 Colt using the MBC "Cowboy #9 - Hi-Tek 255 Gr SWC and a WLP primer.
12 shots, 6 Powder Back & 6 Powder Forward. Looks promising.
Powder Back
Hi=814
Lo=792
Avg=801
ES=22
SD=7
Powder Forward
Hi=763
Lo=700
Avg=724
ES=63
SD=25
I'll likely bump this .45 Colt load up a hair and try again.
There is definitely a lot more room pressure wise for more in .44 Mag cases.
I see no reason why a little more BE-86 in .44 Mag cases would not do well for midrange loads.
Toprudder
Member
Can't speak for Unique or Blue Dot in 44mag, but BE86 has worked very well for me in both 357mag and 44mag, mid velocity revolver loads. They are about 100-150fps less than full tilt magnum loads, but consistent and fairly accurate. The only place it did not work for me was in a semi-auto Desert Eagle 44mag, just not quite enough to cycle the action at max charge.
Sorry, soon, soon.
And those are better than average numbers for powder forward. Some powders are horrible in big cases. One reason I suggested BE-86 for less than full power loads in .44 Mag cases.
WST and Competition are also very good in that area as well. They are very close performance wise. Competition has more Nitro content.
Assuming reasonable pressure at least, really low pressure gives bad PF numbers in big cases period.
Charlie98
Member
I've not found Unique to be terribly position sensitive, but I don't really load it light, either. I guess the biggest case I load a smaller charge in is the .45Colt...
Better than many, not great in the applications I have tested. Shoots great either way though.
It doesn't matter much unless you like to shoot long shots with handguns or are shooting downhill, and that (decades ago) was when I noticed a performance drop and wildly varied bullet drop from shot to shot at long range. I started testing powder position and was surprised at how bad some were. And how bad the ES was on some even powder back all the time.
You'll never see it on target up close.
Kp321
Member
Unique gets a bad rap on metering but no worse than Blue Dot in my experience. Even so, I have made some very accurate ammunition with metered charges of Unique.
You are right, it doesn't meter particularly well in some powder measures. But, 44mag uses 10gr-12gr so a couple tenths isn't that much, relatively speaking. Unique also seems to be a bit forgiving of small load variations.
Toprudder
Member
800X gets my vote for the worst metering powder.
sparkyv
Member
Make sense, good to know. Thanks for shedding some light on this, GaryL.
So I've heard. I'll just stick with what I'm using and not venture in the 800X direction! No more Unique for me after I use up the last of it, either.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Put me in the Unique camp. I like Trail Boss for plinking, Unique for mid-power, and 2400 for magnum loads in both my .44s and .357s.
Arkansas Paul
Member
I like 10 grains of Unique and a 245 grain Keith bullet for middle of the road magnum loads.
I've never chronographed it. I shoot it out of a 4 5/8" barrel.
It will let you know its there, but it's nothing like heavy loads.
I've never chronographed it. I shoot it out of a 4 5/8" barrel.
It will let you know its there, but it's nothing like heavy loads.
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