Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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I snagged a bottle of Unique about a year ago. Am currently only using it for my 44 mag though, Titegroup for my 9mm/380 loads since I managed to get an 8lb jug of it. Every once in awhile I see Unique pop up on gunbot, but not worth paying the hazmat for a 1lb bottle. I also haven't been looking too hard since I have a decent stash of stuff to load with at the moment.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
- Maya Angelou

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Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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And really, this is the main reason I've not started reloading - There's enough to think about if I were just able to go down to the store and get all the things I need to get going, but I'm just not up for the prospect of treasure hunts. (Well, that and finding a decent place to do it. Not being able to keep a workspace dedicated is failure of mine that won't sit well with this, I think).
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.22LR - .380ACP - 9mm - .38Spl/.357Mag - .45ACP - 5.56NATO - .308Win - .45-70Gov - 12Ga
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Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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Some of the shotshell powder may work, such as Longshot, 700x, 800x, Steel and others. Not sure what you're loading for.
I LOVE IMR 4227.
I just ordered 12 lbs of Power Pistol from Gamaliel. Both them and third generation had great prices and cheap or free shipping.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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It's almost impossible to predict...I found a bunch of Unique at Bass Pro Shops, bought 8lbs a few months ago, and had it shipped free to a place 90 miles away. Paid too much but now at least I have powder. I have never seen times like these. We just have to keep looking and snag what we find, if we find it.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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Bearlaker wrote:Rifle powder is always around here, no handgun for about a year.
Why is this happening?
Or, I should have wrote, why is this going on for so long?
Lot's of speculation as to why it is happening and why it has gone on so long...the general consensus is that there are *so* many new gunners the last few years that powder (ammunition production in general) is simply snapped up as fast as it can be made or being hoarded.

The there are the conspiracy theories.

Truth is we have to be pro active and really pay attention. Most of the online places I used to get powder (handgun) are very spotty and most rarely have much of what I need long enough to score any. I did find at the Bass Pro Shop 90 miles away about everything I needed on the shelves. With 8 lbs of powder and being able to load about 1500 9mm rounds per pound I am set for a couple years.

Search, search, search and buy it where you find it is my only advice.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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I don't load a lot of jacketed pistol ammo, so shortages of the likes of 231, and others has not affected me all that much. I really need 2400, Clays and a few others. I was able to score some Titegroup recently. About two months ago, I was lucky enough to be walking past the powder shelves in the Dundee Mi. Cabela's just as the clerk was putting Unique one pounders up. They let me have two only.
I began casting my own bullets about six years ago, and shotgun powders like Clays, 700X, have a wide usage in cast bullet loads. Now that I can get some powders to load with though, the ranges are all banning cast bullets. (It's a con-spiracy I tells ya!) Plenty of Trail Boss here, works well in big straight wall cartridges. Would not rely on it to cycle autoloaders though.
There are companies selling polymer coated, range friendly cast bullet now too. They use the cast load data. If they fit your groove diameter tightly, no leading at proper load pressures. Nice low cost alternative to copper jackets.
Bud.

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure"---- Dan Quayle, 1990.

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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Walked into Cabelas 3 week ago, and there sat 3N37, 1lb for $32. Out it went with me, my first trial with Vihtavuori. They had 3N38 as well, which is closer to 2400 territory, but 3N37 is more versatile, loads the majority of calibers I reload. Tried 10.6gr behind 125gr JHP in .357. 1505ft/sec and 628ft/lbs out of a 6" 686+. Not Bad. Fairly clean, easy recoil so slow enough.
When only cops have guns, it's called a police state.
I carry due to toxic masculinity.......just other people's.

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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Power Pistol, which appears to be more readily available than Unique, is a dandy powder. Burn rate charts indicate that it is slightly slowing burning powder than Unique, and anecdotal evidence notes that it burns more cleanly.

Being the sort of midrange powder that it is, it does a lot of things well. I use it mostly for my indoor range-friendly 44 mags, er, specials (range prohibits magnums .41 and above.). Does very well also in my .357/.38s.

Honestly, I believe that Unique is overrated. Not bad, just not that super-fantastic, either. My experience with it strengthened my preference for Power Pistol.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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I use PP as well, as Unique, there isn't a lot of difference except when you get to a certain level of pressure PP becomes much cleaner. So in a lot of auto cases and mag loads it's cleaner. Lower pressure loads like .38 and .380 it's as dirty as Unique.
When only cops have guns, it's called a police state.
I carry due to toxic masculinity.......just other people's.

Re: Absolutely No Handgun Powder Available

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The biggest thing going for me and Unique is that I have books full of load options and pages worth of accumulated load data using it.....I tried some other powders during the shortage and ended up working up pet loads from scratch and, in the end, in the calibers I shoot I didn't find anything that really worked all that much better than Unique. In 9mm and .380, .38 Special and my hot .32 the new Unique is very clean and thrifty at the higher pressure loads using plated bullets.

I'm a dyed in the wool Unique guy and have enough of it now that I doubt I'll ever need anything else now for the calibers I reload for.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

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