16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Texas

Finally got some Unique this past weekend and was planning on dusting off the PW375. I have 5000 RGL and an equal amount of the Remington 1 oz wads from the bulk buy 'several' years back. I checked the on line manual and Unique is no longer listed for 16 ga use........so, has it been re-formulated and is now not acceptable for the 16ga? Seemed like my old recipe was 18g or in that general range.

Help!

Joined: 12 Feb 2015 Posts: 100 Location: Oregon

I can't remember Unique ever being on the Alliant website for 16 gauge. I got my recipes from here. I use the Claybuster 1 oz wads in RGL hulls, with 19-20 grains of Unique, and a medium primer, usually Winchester 209s. I have also loaded with Universal, Green Dot, and Herco.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 348

Unique is still the exact same powder burn wise. At some point they reformulated it to be a bit cleaner, but no loading changes.

They just got incredibly lazy on their reloading online website... in fact, it doesn't even match correctly the 2016 published reloading manual from Alliant! There are several loads in each that are not in the other. For this reason it's worth having all the old manuals, they often have dropped loads just because they didn't think folks had access to the components anymore-- but a lot of guys still do have wads and hull stashes for old recipes.

There are still 3 Unique 16ga loads... but you'll notice how terrible the Alliant data is now, it only gives 1-1/8 oz for Fiocchi and Rem hulls, and 1-1/8 plus 1-1/4 oz for Federal hulls... no mention now of Win hulls, NOR any 1oz loads, the heart of 16ga loading!

The 1992 Hercules book gives 36 loadings for Unique! And all of the pressures are 7900 to 10,000 psi range, nice and low by anyone's standards-- absolutely no reason to not load them. In 2008 Alliant dropped to 14 total loads in their 16ga reload section, with just a single load in Rem hulls.

All the old Rem loads use Rem209P primers, which I wouldn't ever buy or use... so I'd be interpolating a viable load for Rem from other data; and you also didn't say what payload you wanted, nor what speed-- so I'm not going to give you an answer as to what I'd use, too many variables you left out. However, I'll show you where to look it all up and decide on your own answer. I will say that 19-20gr Unique is correct, depending on your load and components.

HERE is a spot to download all the old manuals for free. I would start with the 2003 Alliant manual because it's easily readable; then you can crosscheck the 2005, the last time the loads were published, if you want... but I've done it, and they're the same, and you can barely read the scan for the 2005 book.

http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/default.html

Good luck!

Unique powder has been the gold standard choice for 16 ga one ounce loads ever since it was first introduced back in the late 1890's. As others have advised you, consult existing published data from years past to find what you need. Ther's a whole bunch out there, so not to worry. It's still excellent powder for your one ounce loads and probably always will be.

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

I load 18gr in the RGL hull and r16 wad 1oz ., its a great load .

Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Texas

Yes, that was my go to load for the past 20 years.....18g Unique, Win or Cheddite primer, 1 oz and the Remington R16 wad. Just getting a sanity check!! I was afraid I was asleep at the switch while we were having such a drought and I stopped re-loading....love those Herter's 16 ga from Cabela's. Thanks to all!!

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Right---Unique is my goto for the 16.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 962 Location: Minnesota

Guest

I'm loading 19 gr. Unique in a RGL/SP-16/W209 and getting 1225 fps and nice patterns.

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

Lyman still shows Unique data for 16 gauge, 20 grains with the RGL hull and SP16 wad being 10,400 psi so you guys loading 19 and 18 grains are good to go.
Lot of manuals are showing fewer and fewer 16 ga recipes so hold on to your old data and manuals.

much as I like Alliant powders , they in particular show/talk no interest in 16ga anything . They would/have tested in the past , and my load showed up in the data books for a while , then disappeared . Hodgdon is only some better . I LOVE the old books !!

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

Yup. I had the same excellent experience w/ the Hercules/Alliant lab back when a fellow named Dick(?)--my memory is a bit faulty here-- Quesenberry ran it. He was kind enough to test my 28 ga. 1 oz., 1200 FPS load using 2400 powder for me.

My load tested out to be just a tad over 1200 FPS average velocity w/ a very consistent 9500 PSI peak pressure average. He couldn't publish it due to corporate guidelines (the length of the 28 ga. Pattern Control plastic wad had to be shortened by removing the cushion section), but he documented the recipe for his own use. I've always been grateful for his kindness.

PS, I also remember talking w/ a very helpful fellow named Ben about reloading. Probably the same fellow.

Ben Ammonetti (sp) . he is still with them but at another factory than the one I talked to last . At the time I was ragging on them about 16ga development !! I was about to tell them to flip off and he sez , why not send me some and I'll run ballistics !! Why didn't you say that to begin with !!?? I wanted a load with the newer clean burn techno . He couldn't wait to call and tell the data .