Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester Hunting, Shooting & Reloading

Bert H. on Unique powder

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:12:44 +0000

Chuck said
In P. O. Ackley's book on page 329 he shows a load for a 25-20 WCF with an 86 gr. bullet and 5.5 grs. of Unique for 1,795 fps.
8.5 grs. of 4227 will get 1,400 fps. 10.5 grs. of 4227 he says will get you 1,725 fps. He also shows 2 loads with a 60 gr. bullet but these he uses 2400, 11.5 gr for 2,200 fps. and 4227, 12.5 grs. for 2,150 fps.
Start low and work up....

Due to the significant difference in the case dimensions, what works well in the 25-20 WCF does not work as well in the 25-20 S.S.

Bert

Chuck on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:34:55 +0000

In P. O. Ackley's book on page 329 he shows a load for a 25-20 WCF with an 86 gr. bullet and 5.5 grs. of Unique for 1,795 fps.

8.5 grs. of 4227 will get 1,400 fps. 10.5 grs. of 4227 he says will get you 1,725 fps. He also shows 2 loads with a 60 gr. bullet but these he uses 2400, 11.5 gr for 2,200 fps. and 4227, 12.5 grs. for 2,150 fps.

Start low and work up....

Chuck on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:20:27 +0000

I've used Unique in the 44 WCF. I can't remember the load but is was around 8 grs. ?????? Very fast stuff..

John D. on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:04:05 +0000

I've never used Unique, but do use 2400 under a Speer 75gr Hotpoint with great success at silhouette.

Nevada Paul on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:19:12 +0000

I'd be very wary of Unique in any bottleneck case unless I found published and tested loading data. Even then, I don't think I ever have, or ever will, use any of the really fast powders (Unique, Bullseye, etc.) in any of my original Winchesters out of fear of a double charge.

Paul

Bert H. on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:18:41 +0000

Bill,

I currently load my 25-20 S.S. cartridges with IMR 4198 or Lil'Gun powder. In the past I loaded with A2400 and IMR 4227.

For the Hornady 60-gr JFP bullet, I load with 11.0 grains of IMR 4198 or 8.5 grains of Lil'Gun.

For the Sierra 70-gr JSP bullet, I load with 12.0 grains of IMR 4198 or 9.5 grains of Lil'Gun

I also have some 93-grain GC cast bullets that I have loaded using those same two powders.

For future reference;

Bert

426crown on Unique powder

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:06:32 +0000

Anyone using this powder for 25-20? Want to load Hornady 2510 60 gain jacketed. Normally used 4227 9.6 grains with 85 grain lead--Thanks Bill

King Medallion on Your Thoughts on RL7

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:16:56 +0000

Works great in 45/60 and 45/75.

Zebulon on Your Thoughts on RL7

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:52:50 +0000

RL7 is bulky and serves well for mild velocity loads in the 45-70 case and its derivatives. It has become particularly useful now that 4759 is discontinued and 5744 is unavailable.

TXGunNut on Your Thoughts on RL7

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:49:07 +0000

Bert H. said
I have never used it... still have 3 lbs of IMR 3031.
Bert

I'll always keep some around, seems I have at least one cartridge that doesn't have much use for the new kids on the block.

Mike

Bert H. on Your Thoughts on RL7

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:25:32 +0000

I have never used it... still have 3 lbs of IMR 3031.

Bert

TXGunNut on Your Thoughts on RL7

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:55:23 +0000

Rx7 is a great powder for medium caliber, medium velocity rifle rounds. I discovered it years ago when developing loads for the 35 Remington. It does well in quite a few other rounds. When Hodgdon released the LeverEvolution powder I discovered it is suitable or a bit better for some of the cartridges Rx7 performs well in. Both are good alternatives to IMR3031 but sometimes you just gotta go retro!

Mike

kevindpm61 on Your Thoughts on RL7

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 10:11:17 +0000

I love it for my 45-70

Dave M. on Your Thoughts on RL7

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:32:56 +0000

I think it's become my new favorite powder. As I'm loading several calibers with it, and having good luck.

Including 25-20, 32-20, 38-40, 44-40, 38-55, 375 Win. and 45-90.

450 Fuller on .348 Win. Factory ammo ?

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 12:52:21 +0000

The Winchester FP Silvertip 200 gr bullet is the bullet most frequently seen in new W-W .348 WCF ammunition. The older 150 gr bullet was abandoned by W-W due to a lack of SD and poor performance on game.

The Peters Cartridge Company near Cincinnati, OH. produced a 210 gr "Inner-belted" .348 bullet for their loaded ammunition until the 1950s. It was quite effective and came close to an ideal factory cartridge for the .348 Model 71 Winchester.

Those Model 71 owners who have owned their rifles for decades have learned to "load their own cartridges" to assure themselves of availability regardless of the whims of a fickle ammunition market. Quality bullets by Hawk, Swift, Barnes,Fury and Woodleigh may only be obtained generally in this manner. The older Kodiak- Alaska Bullet Works 250-gr bonded bullets are no longer with us. As also is the effective 200 gr Hornady bullet.

I still retain a box of the ABW Kodiaks, a few boxes of Hornady as well as an old box of the Peters 210 gr ammunition. Older sporting goods stores in Canada and the US may be the last holdouts for quality .348 bullets and ammunition.