Shooting range last week. Cold! I was shooting my 257 Roberts with cast 100gr gas check bullets, 12gr Unique, CCI standard primers. All was going well, when pull...click! SAY WHAT?

I waited to be sure I didn't have a hangfire, then opened the bolt. The brass was sooted back to the shoulder/neck junction, but the primer and/or load had enough oomph to kick the bullet out of the barrel.

All the rest of my loads shot without a hitch, so it was probably my mistake, and not powder contamination.

I did check the powder level in each case before seating the bullet, but I may have missed one with that small a charge in the big bottleneck case.

Any suggestions, other than going to a bulkier powder like 4895, as well as rechecking again and again and...?

Other than that, it was a good day!

Do you like the performance of Unique? (I don't) But if you do...Just double check a little better. It happens....

I really don't what happened, but that is, one might say, a unique load. Would this be considered a reduced velocity load. This is the first time I've ever heard of using Unique in a larger caliber like the Bob. I was actually shooting my Bob today in pretty cold temps. I've had very good results using H4831SC in mine. Interestin.

Unique is a recommended load for a lot of cartridges - even the 30-06.
I much prefer using 4895 for reduced loads with jacketed bullets but I don't use lead bullets so I have never used Unique in any of my rifle cartridges. Hodgdon says that you can load down to 60% of maximum without losing accuracy with 4895 and I have seen very light loads (not 60%) give excellent results. I don't see any reason to use Unique with "soft" loads like the reduced 4895 loads.
With so little powder in a Roberts case it wouldn't take much to contaminate it or to miss a light load.
Just chalk it up to experience and move on.

moose2 wrote:

Would this be considered a reduced velocity load. This is the first time I've ever heard of using Unique in a larger caliber like the Bob. I've had very good results using H4831SC in mine. Interestin.

Moose: This was a mid-range load taken from about 3 sources (Max. is 13.5gr Unique) for cast bullets, and is used for cast bullet loads in many large rifle cases. It was termed "The Universal Make Any Gun Go Bang" load in an article from a gunzine guru years ago.

H4895 seems to produce better groups, and does fill the case better, as well as shooting like a house afire with 87-90 gr bullets @~ 3000-3100 fps. I am gooing to try some of the Hodgdon recommended 60% reduced loads for my "walking around" ammo.

Bushy: Yes, I like Unique for my 357 Magnum. It has been my main powder for years. I don't like Universal, and I am just now trying 2400.

H4831SC is my go-to powder for the Roberts and heavy bullets. I have 2 loads that will go an inch at 100 yards, with two bullets..I guess that would be 4 loads, wouldn't it? The supposed favorite, H4350 hasn't even come close yet.

Sniper...Maybe you should work a little more with H4831SC. It's giving me 1 5/8" three shot spread at 200 yards in my .30-06 and a 165 grain Sierra HPBT...

Sound like what I did a few months ago on my Whisper load..
But at the time I use RedDot instead of unique.

I definitely trickle charged each case (but somehow one slip through)..

Oh well, we are only hooman

Yes...But I'm Special...

I'm sure you are Bushy
You are unique - just like everybody else

Is that SPECIAL, or THPETHIAL mate?

Cheers, Vince

Vince wrote:

Is that SPECIAL, or THPETHIAL mate? Cheers, Vince

VINTH, Thtop It!

sniper wrote:

Vince wrote: Is that SPECIAL, or THPETHIAL mate? Cheers, Vince VINTH, Thtop It!

thorrwy



Cheers, Vince

PaulS wrote:

I much prefer using 4895 for reduced loads with jacketed bullets but I don't use lead bullets so I have never used Unique in any of my rifle cartridges. Hodgdon says that you can load down to 60% of maximum without losing accuracy with 4895 and I have seen very light loads (not 60%) give excellent results. I don't see any reason to use Unique with "soft" loads like the reduced 4895 loads.

Excellent advice, but do be sure that you are using Hodgdon 4895 and not IMR when doing this. They do not have the same burning rates. Though Hodgdon owns both lines (IMR and Hodgdon 4894) they are very definite about not using the IMR for reduced loads.

Vince wrote:

Is that SPECIAL, or THPETHIAL mate? Cheers, Vince

You forgot SB Special...

Bushmaster wrote:

Yes...But I'm Special...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh You think so eh?????????