is there a difference in Uniques?

[stoney1666]

have both Alliant and Hercules, same load for both? 9mm

 

[.38 Special]

Alliant is newer and is a bit cleaner burning than the older "flaming dirt" from Hercules. They technically are interchangeable, but it seems to me that Alliant is slightly faster. Unless you are really pushing the envelope - which is, in my opinion, a pretty bad idea with Unique - you can treat them exactly the same.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I found them to be interchangeable. Only within the last year did I crack open my Alliant Unique, so I worked up a load for it. Turned out to be the same load as I had before.

my 9mm Luger load is pretty zippy, so it didn’t even seem any cleaner to me either.

 

[Charlie98]

I have both... they seem pretty much identical.

Unless you are really pushing the envelope - which is, in my opinion, a pretty bad idea with Unique

Actually, I've found Unique to be incredibly forgiving. In my younger days, I really pushed the envelope with it in .41MAG and the .45ACP, and it always behaved itself... even when I wasn't.

 

[milsurpguy]

I have used both.
If you have the flaming dirt unique, don't light load it.

 

[.38 Special]

Actually, I've found Unique to be incredibly forgiving. In my younger days, I really pushed the envelope with it in .41MAG and the .45ACP, and it always behaved itself... even when I wasn't.

My experience is just the opposite. I have found that once you get near the top Unique loads, pressures increase in an amusingly non-linear fashion. It is probably my favorite powder, but I have scared myself with it enough that I always make sure to keep some 2400 around!

 

[entropy]

Flaming Dirt! Never heard that one before. The scene; a gun shop, about 1980. "Well I loaded up some ACP (back then there was no doubt as to which ACP) with Flaming dirt and flying ashtrays.."

.38 Spl is right as to the pressure curve on Unique, Herc or Alliant. I flattened many a primer with it; .38., .357, .45 ACP, and some 209 primers too, went a little hot on some Handicap loads and for my troubles the primers would back halfway out, and the hull when it ejected from my 1100 was still shooting flame out! They also sailed right through my shell catcher like it wasn't there.

 

[Charlie98]

My experience is just the opposite. I have found that once you get near the top Unique loads, pressures increase in an amusingly non-linear fashion. It is probably my favorite powder, but I have scared myself with it enough that I always make sure to keep some 2400 around!

Yes, this was before I understood there were other powders that could do the job better...

 

[rg1]

Loaded and chronographed the last of my 1984 Hercules Unique alongside of newer 2004 Alliant Unique. Same bullets, primers, and cases. Velocity was within 5 fps from both which is practically identical and with a 20 year difference in age.

 

[cfullgraf]

Unique is one of my favorite powders, I use it in a variety of handgun cartridges as well as 20 and 28 gauge shotsell loads.

I do not remember making any special changes moving from Hercules to Alliant production.

I am not buying Alliant’s claim that the new formulation of Unique is cleaner than the old powder. But, I never thought the old powder was “dirty”. Regardless, you shoot a gun, it needs to be cleaned.

 

[Pat Riot]

I found the only difference to be the newer Unique burned cleaner. No difference I could tell other than that.

 

[Speer4447s]

It's been my understanding that Alliant bought-out Hercules. Since Unique has been a leading powder for over 100 years, I would think it foolish to change the product. I have used both Alliant and Hercules Unique and see little difference ... I did see a difference, but it was slight ... probably no more than normal lot-to-lot variation.

Separate comment: I have had a devil of a time finding Unique, but Universal powder seems very similar to Unique, just develop your load carefully ... start low, weigh each charge and work up in 0.2 gr increments. Load data for Universal is available on-line. Once you've found the right charge, rely on the accuracy of a quality powder measure ... I like my Dillon and Lee Deluxe Perfect powder measures.