HS-6: what is it good for?

[rintinglen]

During the recent bad old days, I bought what powders I could find, and have ended up with several pounds of powder that are outside my mainstream. I am trying to down size and use up some of these. One of these is HS-6. I tried it in 45Auto-rim, where it stank. Where’s a good place to use it? (Handgun-wise)

[tazman]

I have used it in 38 special, 9mm, and 40S&W with good results.
Particularly with 9mm. That is where I burn most of mine.
I had excellent 38 special +P tests with it as well.
Not certain what type of performance you are looking for. My standards for good performance may be different than yours

[USSR]

Hands down the best .38 Special 158gr lead SWCHP +P load commonly known as The FBI Load.

Don

[Minerat]

I've use it in 45acp, 44 mag, 357, 38 special, and 9mm with good results. No chrono data and mostly light loads in the magnums.

[osteodoc08]

Great mid level big bore powder. My fav use of HS-6 is in the 45 Colt with 45-270-SAA

[Carrier]

I use a lot of HS-6 in 38/357. Using a magnum primer is a must. When I did load 9mm it worked very well but had to keep it over 6 grains with a 124 grain jacketed bullet and used a Winchester primer or Federal magnum. I think 6.3 grains was the most accurate load.

[USSR]

Using a magnum primer is a must.

Yep!

Don

[Wheelguns 1961]

I like it in 480 ruger. I use 14.0 with a 477-640 cast hollowpoint that weighs 386gns, and a wlp.

[Jniedbalski]

It worked great in my high point carbine in 40 S&w . I used 175 tc cast lee mold and some rainers copper plated. They where the most accurate with hs-6. I did find out they liked to be loaded hot. I started low worked my way up. The higher I went with the charge the group got smaller. I stoped .2 gr lower than max in lee loading manual. I got a ragged one hole at 25 yards in the carbine off the bench. It also worked good for 38 special loads 125 gr Hornady xtp hollow points at max regular load . Got real good groups and I didint use magnum primers.

[Iwsbull]

A healthy dose in my 44 mag under a 265 grain swc is my go to. When the pressure gets up it gives a complete burn and great accuracy. I am getting about 1265 for mv.
As a matter of fact I am about to go load up about 100 or so in the next few minutes.

[RU shooter]

Along with AA5 it was my favorite powder for +p loads in the 45 acp back when I thought that extra bit of velocity was needed

[ddixie884]

Archangel will be along soon. He thinks it is the best thing since sliced bread. He may be right................

[lotech]

I've tried HS-6 with cast bullets in all the popular handgun cartridges. While good, accurate loads can be worked up with HS-6, it seems to work best in a small niche at the higher end of pressure and velocity. It's not a very versatile powder and probably wasn't intended to be. Another powder that shares similar characteristics (though somewhat faster burning) is Power Pistol.

It's often recommended that magnum primers be used with HS-6 loads. I've tried loads with both magnum primers and standard primers. I'd have to review old notes to be sure, but I don't remember any significant difference in accuracy, unburnt powder, or anything else when doing a primer comparison using HS-6.

[Three44s]

357,41 and 44 Mag upper mid range field loads. A moderate load with HS6 beats upping the juice with Unique on those cartridges. The 480 Ruger responds well to HS6 as well.

I run the RCBS 250k at 8.5 gr of Unique with a standard large pistol primer but step up to HS6 and a Mag primer charged with 11.8 gr (12 is fine) and run a 24,000 psi pressure .... just right for WW cast plain base slugs in 44mag brass.

All my metallic loads get treated with an inside flash hole debur, no exceptions.

I have used HS6 in 9 mil but probably burned more Win WSF there.

Three44s

[fa38]

I use it in my Ballard 25-20 with a 100 grain Doc Brewer bullet. 6 grains

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I'm in the same boat I picked up a few pounds of it too but have not tried it as of yet Would this be a good powder to load
38 special loads IN 357 brass looking for a quiet load the crack of a 357 magnum just sets my Tinnitus off

[DHDeal]

It is my "go to" powder for medium loads in all of my revolvers (357, 44, and 45 Colt). I haven't found it to be hard to find a very accurate load with either. Now with the above being true for me, understand I hardly ever shoot any light loads in my revolvers and HS6 probably would not be a good choice for a light load. For me it likes to be run warm. If too little is used, I noticed unburned granules and sooty cases. I tend to use Magnum primers in revolvers anyway so that isn't a concern for me regardless of whether HS6 likes them or not.

Pick a heavy cast bullet and a book charge of HS6 and I bet you'll like it. I'll never be without HS6 or H110!

I first noted it's use reading a blog/article on Linebaugh's website. He used it for his "light" loads. He mentioned it would work for just about everything a revolver would be used for anyway. I seem to remember it was for 45 Colt and that was what I was shooting mostly then anyway. He was right in that it was a good accurate load from the start. Most would not consider it to be a light load...

[Misery-Whip]

I use it in 38s with good accuracy.

[444ttd]

i use it in 44 spl, 44 mag and 500 linebaugh.

[rintinglen]

So plus P 38s and hot Unique-range loads, sounds like 18000- 23,000 psi area for best results. Thanks, folks. I’ll give it a go in some 357 middle loads, maybe some 44 light mags and see what it does.

[hpdrifter]

357,41 and 44 Mag upper mid range field loads. A moderate load with HS6 beats upping the juice with Unique on those cartridges. The 480 Ruger responds well to HS6 as well.

I run the RCBS 250k at 8.5 gr of Unique with a standard large pistol primer but step up to HS6 and a Mag primer charged with 11.8 gr (12 is fine) and run a 24,000 psi pressure .... just right for WW cast plain base slugs in 44mag brass.

All my metallic loads get treated with an inside flash hole debur, no exceptions.

I have used HS6 in 9 mil but probably burned more Win WSF there.

Three44s


It is my "go to" powder for medium loads in all of my revolvers (357, 44, and 45 Colt). I haven't found it to be hard to find a very accurate load with either. Now with the above being true for me, understand I hardly ever shoot any light loads in my revolvers and HS6 probably would not be a good choice for a light load. For me it likes to be run warm. If too little is used, I noticed unburned granules and sooty cases. I tend to use Magnum primers in revolvers anyway so that isn't a concern for me regardless of whether HS6 likes them or not.

Pick a heavy cast bullet and a book charge of HS6 and I bet you'll like it. I'll never be without HS6 or H110!

I first noted it's use reading a blog/article on Linebaugh's website. He used it for his "light" loads. He mentioned it would work for just about everything a revolver would be used for anyway. I seem to remember it was for 45 Colt and that was what I was shooting mostly then anyway. He was right in that it was a good accurate load from the start. Most would not consider it to be a light load...

would a target velocity of 1000fps w/255 gn lead swc be considered "light" for 45 Colt for this discussion?

[Baja_Traveler]

HS-6 was my go-to powder for levergun silhouette using my Rossi .357 in the pistol cartridge matches (before I fell in love with a 32-20 and married it...)

[DHDeal]

would a target velocity of 1000fps w/255 gn lead swc be considered "light" for 45 Colt for this discussion?

My light bullets are 280 grains in 45 and I use 12.5 grains of HS6. They and the 300 grain bullets are doing a bit more than 1000fps. However, you can try 10.5 - 11 grains of HS6 and it should be somewhere near your target velocity with your 255 grain bullets.

What revolver are you using? I would not use a stout load (my medium loads) in any of the less strong revolvers. The smallest 45 Colt I have is a large frame Bisquero and my largest is a Freedom Arms 83. I tend to not worry about how heavy my loads are due to this.

In my experience, HS6 will let you know if it isn't running where it wants to with unburned granules and sooty cases. It is a clean burning and efficient powder in it's element.

[hpdrifter]

Thanks.

Ruger Blackhawk and Redhawk.

[DHDeal]

No worries for you then as that'll be a mild load for them. It should be very comfortable to shoot.

[hpdrifter]

No worries for you then as that'll be a mild load for them. It should be very comfortable to shoot.

I was asking in regards to HS6 not performing well with "light loads". Curious if the responders that concurred thought that 1000fps is considered light or medium and maybe doable with HS6.

I know the pistols I have will handle to loads, just not too sure about me!:-P

[1006]

I have found HS-6 to be best suited for high pressure loads right up at the top of the loading data. It burns clean at high pressures, but dirty at low pressures. So, I only use it with jacketed or plated bullets. I do not think it would be much good with plain cast bullets.

I use it in the 9mm and 40S&W for hot loads, and in a 300BLK bolt action for medium loads. While these 300 BLK loads are medium velocity (1350fps/150grain) for the caliber, they are producing flat primers. So, I think they are fairly high pressure.

I have used it in most popular pistol powders and I feel like it’s performance is lack luster, unless you load for max pressure/velocity.

I do not think it will good/clean burning results in the 45 Colt, unless you intend to load like a 44mag.

[USSR]

I was asking in regards to HS6 not performing well with "light loads". Curious if the responders that concurred thought that 1000fps is considered light or medium and maybe doable with HS6.

I know the pistols I have will handle to loads, just not too sure about me!:-P

hpdrifter,

I would not consider 1,000fps in a .45 Colt with a 255gr lead bullet "light". A well known and respected load is John Linebaugh's 13.0gr HS-6 load which will generate those velocities.

Don

[hpdrifter]

hpdrifter,

I would not consider 1,000fps in a .45 Colt with a 255gr lead bullet "light". A well known and respected load is John Linebaugh's 13.0gr HS-6 load which will generate those velocities.

Don

Thanks. I know I consider it a lower "mid" load but I am no expert or at least seasoned veteran of the reloading order.
I also know some on here and in general shoot loudenboomin loads.
When some of these guys say "light load", I just need some reference to their scale.

Thanks again.

[mart]

When I bought my 500 Linebaugh I called John at the recommendation of some other 500 aficionados. He was great to talk to and very generous with his time and information. He spoke very highly of 16 grains of HS6 under a 440 grain SWC lit by be a Winchester LP primer. He was right. Imagine that. I liked the load so well I started trying it in some of my other revolvers, most recently a mountain gun 41 magnum. It loves 11 grains and a 410459. Next up is my 480 and 45 Colt for HS6 testing.

[Wag]

I used it way back when I first started loading 20 years ago. It was in 9mm and 38spl and it was pretty messy. Lots of unburned powder sprayed onto the bench in front of me. I still have a quarter pound of it and have no real plans to attempt to use it but if I did, it would be with magnum primers in the hope that it would more completely ignite the powder.

If memory serves, it seems like I read somewhere that it's more suited for shotgun but I could be mistaken.

--Wag--

[rking22]

Best 28 ga powder I have ever found, W540 now HS6.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use it in the 41 44 mags the 45 colt and 500 Linebaugh. But where it really shines is in reduced loads in the 475.

[sandog]

Great mid level big bore powder. My fav use of HS-6 is in the 45 Colt with 45-270-SAA
That is what I use it for. I load 8.4 grains of Universal behind a 250 grainer for range use, but when I was looking for a closer to max load for field and camping I tried some HS-6.
My current .45 sixgun is a Ruger Flattop, so it is limited to the 21,000 ( some say 23,000 ) mid lever Tier II loads.
Bryan Pearce listed 13.0 of HS-6 as max in the Tier II Flattop/New Vaquero. I got good accuracy at 12.0 grains so stopped there.
I did note, as lotech said earlier, that HS-6 does best at full power loads. As I worked up to my 12.0 gr. load, I was getting large velocity spreads using less than 10.5 grains.
Velocity with a 250 grain boolit is 1025 out of my 5 1/2" Flattop, and 1250 out of the 16 inch barrel Rossi R92.

[izzyjoe]

Many moons ago, a good friend loaded me some 12 ga 2.75 mag heavy field loads. As I recall they shot great, but the recoil was terrible! He used them as turkey loads back in the 70's.