HS-6 for pistol

[Ballisticrat]

Anyone here use HS-6 powder for handgun loads? Just curious, saw it on Hodgon's site and they said it was a good powder for some pistol loads.

[Unclenick]

I've used it in .45 Auto in the past. Dirty, but gave good velocity. Can require a magnum primer for best ignition consistency. Power Pistol works better for me, but HS-6 has been around a long time and is still preferred by some for specific bullets and chamberings.

[tangolima]

It is my favorite powder for pistols. What do you want to know?

-TL

[Hammerhead]

Love it in .357 mag for 'magnum-lite' loads.

[evtSmtx]

I haven't used it yet but I'm fixing to try it in .44mag. The velocity #s on hodgdon's website look like it's worth a try.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

[Nick_C_S]

I have used it extensively for years. Still do. I have lots of data.

To describe it overarching: It prefers to be loaded up pretty good in order for it to run clean. It's less of a problem with small cases like 9mm and 40 S&W.

But it's a very pronounced problem with your spacious revolver cases 38/357, 44 Spl/Mag, 45 Colt.

45 ACP is a bit of a wild card (what else is new ). It's kind of in-between; but runs real well stoked up good n hot.

[Metal god]

I'll let you know I'll be testing it for the first time with both 45acp 230gr LRN & 9mm 115gr Rainier plated RN on Monday . Stay tuned

If I may add a question , How does it handle heat . The temp should be in the mid 90's on monday and I was wondering how much high temperatures effect pistol loads ?

If I test it in the mid 90's and find something I like . Then shoot that load in the mid 70's like it usually is here . Will there be a big difference in performance ?

[243winxb]

38 Special- Ash left from firing 5 rounds of HS-6 at 6.3 gr with 158 gr cast lswc. WSPM used. At 50 yards, firing 5 shot groups- 7 1/4" 6 3/4" and 4 3/4" using 2 hands. May work better with jacketed +P loadings??

[Nick_C_S]

243winxb's results are typical.

I stopped loading HS-6 with both 38 and 44 Special. There just isn't enough pressure there.

I suppose if you went with a jacketed 158 and pumped it up real hot (maybe beyond +P??), it would eventually clean up. I won't bother.

HS-6 is a low-energy propellant that needs to develop significant pressure in order to run good, clean, and consistent.

On the good side, once you find the sweet spot, it's a very consistent running powder. And that "sweet spot" is easiest to find when it's pushing heavy bullets.

[5whiskey]

I use it for very warm 357 loads. I'm also working up a 9mm load with it, where I understand it does a little better without having to hot-rod it.

[Tony C]

I use HS-6 for my USPSA loads in 9mm. It gives me a good minor power factor with 135 gr. RN bullets. I don't have any issues with unturned powder.

[Hammerhead]

Burns clean for me in .357 with jacketed bullets, a firm crimp and magnum primers.

[Mike / Tx]

I use it mainly for my revolvers in 357, 41, 44, and 45 Colt with medium to heavy for caliber cast bullets. Years ago I used a ton of it for loading heavy field loads for my 12 guage.

To say it is the cleanest burning powder would be misleading, but even with a touch of residue I have no issues with it at all. This is a pick of the barrel of my 45 Colt after a hundred plus rounds of cast bullets ranging form 250 thru 290grs, it gets the majority of what I load with this powder,


I gave up on trying to find loads which left everything pristine years ago. I load for performance and accuracy and will clean as necessary if needed.

(if you saw what my revolvers look like after a couple of hours riding with me on the tractor, you wouldn't bother worrying about the powder residue anyway.)

[Hunter Customs]

I'm shooting 12 grs of HS6 with a 270 gr WFN bullet in 45 Colt and love it.
It's a very accurate load moving right at 1100 fps from a 5 1/2 inch barrel Ruger Bisley revolver, it cleaned up when I seated the bullets deeper.

[flashhole]

HS-6 works well in my 40 S&W with 175 grain bullets. I don't notice it being more or less dirty than any of the other powders I use in the 40.

[wiiawiwb]

I was using Unique for my .45 Colt and switched to HS-6 because that was all I could get my hands on locally. I love it.

It burns cleanly and has a quicker snap to it than when I was using Unique. I'm a fan.

[black mamba]

I have several great loads for both 44 mag and 45 Colt using HS6 and CCI-350 mag primers. Keep the pressures near the top and use mag primers and you get great accuracy with clean burning, and you use 30-40% less powder than the real slow burners, but still keep about 90% of the top velocity. Good stuff!

[Steve in PA]

I've been using HS6 for my 9mm reloads for over 20 years.

[Ballisticrat]

Thanks guys, great input.

[hartcreek]

I am using HS6 for everything from .32 S&W up to and including .40 cal with no problems.

[RC20]

I have used it in 9mm with cast bullets

As noted its a bit dirty but not a serious issue.

It was recommended for the cast, not sure I saw any better than other powders though.

And for what its worth, its not me, its the reloads (though that could be me).

Its rare item but the factory RP Golden Sabre is very accurate, its an odd bullet in its a bore rider (barley touches lands on front and a drive band in back)

Hand loads, not in anything let alone the GS bullet, but nothing I do hand loads does HS-6 or not so accepted I can't load 9mm like factory.

Ok with that, I am not target shooting but also my limitation in 9mm is its not tack driver in 9mm (41 magnum yes)

[Mauser69]

I have only recently been testing HS6, and so far I have found absolutely nothing that I think it does well. Mid-level loads in .38 or .357 and not particular accurate and have a lot of variation on the the chronograph.

Loaded at MAX published weight in one .357 magnum load behind a 125g JHP it seemed decent, but certainly not great. I still haven't tried it in my .40 S&W loads, but at this point I doubt I will ever waste my time with another pound of the stuff. WAY too many good powders out there. I can't understand why Hodgdon discontinued HS7 and kept this junk - should have been the other way around.

[Nick_C_S]

so far I have found absolutely nothing that I think it does well.

HS-6 shines brightest in 9x19 and 40 S&W. It rarely yields the most velocity among its contemporaries (Unique, AA5, Power Pistol, BE-86, Silhouette, etc.). So it's no velocity champ. It's not as energetic as the above-mentioned. But that gives it some advantages. It can be loaded hot with less concern of a pressure spike that is more likely to occur with other powders (Power Pistol by contrast, is highly energetic). And that's good for both the novice loader, and the loader who wants hot ammo, but is loading small cases (9mm, 40) where margins of error are equally small. There's something to be said for the attribute of forgiveness.

What it does well, is deliver good consistent running ammo, that one can shoot with a great deal of confidence.

[TfflHndn]

I've used HS-6 in .44 special and magnum, .38 and .357 target loads and find that I really like it in the .44s. It is very consistent and so what if it leaves some residue. It works well enough for me that I bought an 8-pounder to last me a good long time.

[TheGriz]

HS-6 is one of my go to powders 380 through 45ACP. W231/HP-38 is also another across the board go to. H-110 for the 44Mag.

HS-6 also meters very smoothly and consistently out of my RCBS Uniflow powder measure.

Regarding being dirty, maybe a little. But as previously stated, I really don't see any significant difference to the other powders. BTW...no comparison to soot left by Unique.

Lastly HS-6 is very versatile. Nearly all load manuals have lots of recipes for HS-6.