Unique or 231 for 380 ACP?

[FritztheCat]

I'm going to load some 380 ACP for a friend. We picked up some brass and bullets at the gun show last Saturday and he's going to buy the dies. I have Titegroup and I would like to try one other powder. I had considered Power Pistol until I read PJ's post on the flash. Anybody have any experience with both of these powders? Ease of metering, consistency, flash, etc.

[papajohn]

231 will meter a lot better than Unique, and in the .380ACP, getting those dinky charges to drop consistently is hard enough! 

[Dragonheart]

I have done a lot of 380 ACP tests using just about every published powder data and bullet combination.  My goal was to find the highest velocity/accuracy load for self defense purposes, as every commercially loaded round I chronographed was under their published performance data.  Test barrel load data is fine, but but does not give real world performance from your particular gun.

To answer your question on your two powders choices, I would forget about Unique all together unless you have the powder and just want to load something to shoot.  Unique is dirty and does not burn completely in the short barreled 380's and will not provide maximum velocity, however it will work.

Winchester 231 would be a much better choice.  It is clean burning and gives the best velocity/accuracy I found in a 380 ACP using an American manufactured powder.  It is excellent with bullets ranging from 80 to 102 grains for general target practice.

For the ultimate velocity/accuracy load for self defense purposes I have found no powder better than VihtaVuori 3N37.

Hope this answered your question.