I'm using a Lee Pro 1000 with the auto disk and it's just not giving me the correct charge with Unique Powders. I'm trying to get 5.6gr of unique for a 45acp load and it seems to vary with my Lee safety scale. I get at the most 5.2-5.3gr and sometimes I'm getting as low as 4.8gr's.

I even switched the disk to measure 6gr, then I tapped the powder measure to see if I can fill the disk up and the most that came out was 5.4gr. From browsing around the google it seems that this is an issue with Unique powders because of the larger flakes. At first I thought my scale was off and I have no other way to measure the grains. But after reading about the large flakes I'm not really sure WTF is going on. Anyone else have issues with this as well?

I tried increasing the charge because my 1911 seemed to get very dirty after less than 100rds and I read that Unique doesn't burn very well with low pressures. Before I started changing the OAL I tried to increase the charge first but now see that it's very inconsistent. My original loads were 5.2gr Unique with 230gr LRN with OAL of 1.24". (I'm guessing the powder disk was actually giving me less than 5gr)

Unique needs some compression to burn clean.



With the Auto-Disk you can double tap the reservoir, but like most flake powders, they do not measure as well as ball powders.



If at all possible, I use ball powders with my Pro-1000.



 

I wish I know this before I bought a 4lbs jug I'm just afraid to seat the bullets deeper knowing that it's not measuring correctly.

I've found the measurements they give your for unique are way off. You usually have to go up about 2 hole sizes to get what you want. I have a turret press and I've also noticed that the charge weight goes up if you go through a cycle, going through the depriming, priming cycle packs more powder in there, so I always measure my charge after going through a cycle. I couldn't get that stupid balance scale to work worth a shit, I bought a digital scale.

These are powders i have found meter exactly to the auto disk spec

WST
WSF
700x
Bullseye
Solo 1k

WST/WSF are great powders for 45.  See if you can sell or trade the unique

unique/ AA2/5/7 Clays and universal Clays do not throw as listed in my experience.

I use Unique in my autodisk. Previous posters nailed it.  Takes a larger aperture than spec.  And its never going to be as precise as a ball powder.  I "drum" on the powder reservoir for a half sec. before I drop the charge, and that makes it a little more uniform.

Even though the charges don't weigh as uniform as ball powders,  I have never had a problem with accuracy.  I just stay away from max charges, so the variation doesn't cause any pressure issues.

I'll try this "5.6gr" loads tomorrow and try the "6gr" also and see if it works out. They both measure on my scale under the Max so I think I'll be ok. I think I might switch to another powder after I burn this 4lbs up.

What he said. Unique works really well in my 45, but I ignore the volume numbers published by Lee. Weigh the charge that it's dispensing and make your own volume/weight data. Also, I've found their pistol load data to be crap. Both Alliant and Hornady list significantly higher maximum loads for 45 with Unique than the Lee manual does.

The only accuracy problems I have with my 45 are between the trigger and the ground

The auto disk VMD's can be off by 15%, or more, depending upon lot consistency, temperature, and humidity.



 

for unique, which is the only pistol powder i use other than h110, i use the adjustable charge bar and always calculate my own VMD using Lees method. with the adj charge bar it meters and charges very well.

Adj charge bar