# Unique and .40 S&W



## Funeralguy (Sep 30, 2014)

Hi Gentlemen (and Ladies) 
Due to the shortage of propellants these days I have about 1lb. Of Alliant Unique. I'm looking for a load for .40 cal pistol. Does anybody have a recipe for that powder with Berry's plated bullet 155 gr. and what would be the proper OAL for the load. Im not looking to set any velocity records, just a middling load for practice. Thanks.


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## TurboHonda (Aug 4, 2012)

Alliant Powder - Home


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## noylj (Dec 8, 2011)

I used to think that new reloaders were NOT reading their manuals. So, I read a couple of new ones and discovered NO mention of how to work up COL and no talk about the importance of case expansion (just talk about flaring the case mouth so the bullet isn't damaged during seating). I think the industry is doing new reloaders a GREAT disservice.
COL is ALWAYS based on your specific bullet's ogive and meplat, your magazine (and when it releases the round), your feed ramp (angle, alignment to magazine, and smoothness), and your chamber—note that only one of those deals with the bullet. The most any one can do is tell what they use, whether that is a "good" COL or not.
I show a COL of 1.128" for Berry's P-RNHB and 1.125" for P-RN by one source, but I would consider those to be where to start if you want to play with COL.
4.7-4.8gn of Unique is accurate in some guns. Start loads for lead bullets (which is what I consider almost all plated bullets to actually be) range from 5.0-6.2gn and MAX loads range from 6.0-6.5gn, looking at four manuals. I started off at 4.7gn and worked up (I have no idea why one manual would use a start load of 6.2gn for a MAX load of 6.5gn, but there you are).


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