Ups and downs of HS6 in 44 Magnum Rifle Loads

Greetings Gents,

Made it to the range today with optimism as I was taking on the task of finding a good load with HS6 (which by some is a tricky powder) and a Boolit that is relatively unknown or overlooked as an accuracy producing boolit (NOE 434-280 Keith).

Was searching for a forgiving load with a low charge weight and a ball powder so I could throw the charges. Im always looking for the most forgiving load possible without culling boolits, weighing charges, minimal brass prep and inter-operable components.

Observations:

HS6 burned dirty throughout the charge range (11.5-13 Grains NOE 280 Keith) and WLPP does not light it well. Cases came out clean but there was unburned powder in the barrel.

It was MORE accurate than Unique at the highest charge. Turned out multiple 3 shot groups under an inch at 12.5 and 13.0.

Was accurate with the MP Molds HG503 at 13 grains (photo). This is acceptable to me. I didnt photo the NOE Keith...but I did log it in my book as a proofed load.

Attachment 244032

Attachment 244033
13.0 Grains HS6, MP HG503 Clone Solid Powder Coated, WLPP, Mixed Brass, 100 Yards

Attachment 244034
NOE 434-280 Keith

What are your observations?

I do not have a rifle, all my work with this powder is out of revolvers from 4” to 9 1/2”.

I trim my brass to a uniform length so I can get a good uniform crimp. All my metallic brass gets inside flash holes deburred, 44 Mag is no exception.

My HS6 loads are never real clean but instead acceptly clean and exceptionally good performers.

Three44s

I run HS6 is open (comp’d) pistols. It burns filthy at low to mid published loads. However, if you run it at the top or even slightly above published loads it burns remarkably clean, accurate and with low single digit SD numbers.

In my Smith Mountain gun I get an SD of 7 FPS with 11.8 gr of the powder pushing the RCBS 250K with an estimated pressure in the mid 20k range (according to Hodgdon’s #26 manual) and my chrono reads an average vcelocity of 1066 FPS out of the gun’s 4” barrel.

What my philosophy is that I am matching up loads to cast boolits that where safe create operating pressures around the mid 20k range which is ideal according to Richard Lee’s theory on ultimate lead strength.

I run Unique along the lines that Skeeter Skelton did. I load HS6 in the above fashion and when more ooomph is required, I move up to powders such as Lil’gun, 2400, H110 and WW296. I will play around with 2400 and reduce it somewhat but definitely not 110 or 296.

Three44s

I mainly use HS6 for lighter bullets in .44mag, under 220gr. Just plinking loads in a Redhawk. It does get a bit of soot on the Redhawk but it wipes off pretty easy. I'll deal with some soot if the loads are accurate, which they have been.

My rifle's a .41 and HS6 works well with the group buy Lee 230gr LFN from several years back. A load using 800x is a little slower and maybe more accurate, but HS6 I trust through the powder measure and is accurate enough for silhouettes. 200m Rams have not survived impact yet, I will keep shooting them with it until they do.

I tried some HS-6 yesterday in one of my .45 Colt Ruger Flattops.
Max load, according to Bryan Pierce's Tier II data, is 13.0 grains for 22,000 psi.
Not wanting to push the envelope, I thought 12.0 was as high as I'd go. ( I had started at 9.5 grains).
I had unburnt powder up to 11.0 grains, above that I didn't see any unburnt powder on my light colored shooting table.
Deviation above 11.0 grains was very low, no more than 10 fps in each string. Accuracy was decent, around 2 inches groups at 25 yards.
I also am using WLP primers.