That Magical Number
I want to concentrate on the versatility of one charge of Unique that has so many applications — 5 grains. Interestingly enough, one rifle I use this 5-gr. charge with is the .32-20, especially in a pre-WWI Winchester Model 92. The Speer 100 GDHP over 5 grains of Unique gives me a very mild shooting 1,242 fps with three shots in 3/4" at 50 yards. In a Bowen Custom Colt Single Action .32-20 with an 81/2" barrel, an NEI 100-gr. hard cast SWC bullet sized to .312" has a muzzle velocity of 1,215 fps with five shots in 11/2" at 20 yards.
Using theDan Wesson 8" HB .32 Magnum, the 100-gr. hard cast SWC bullet and the same 5 grains of Unique, clocks out at 1,290 fps, while in the Ruger Single-Six 91/2" .32 Magnum, the muzzle velocity is at 1,130 fps — both loads are right at one inch for five shots at 20 yards. The Ruger Single-Seven .327 Federal with a 71/2" barrel likes the 100-gr. Speer Gold Dot Hollowpoint at 1,225 fps, for an easy shooting and very accurate load of one inch for six shots at 20 yards.
Five grains Unique has been a standard load for the .38 Special with both the Military and Police .38 and Unique powder arriving right about the same time. With the Lyman #358477 SWC hard cast bullet in a pre-War S&W 4" M&P muzzle velocity is right at 950 fps with groups just over 1". The same load works the same wonders in the .357 also.