Hodgdon HS 6

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boxs

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I scored a pound of HS 6 yesterday. I see it in some of my reloading books, but I sure don't hear much about it. I
reload 9MM, 38 special, 357 Magnum and 45ACP. I'm
going to try it because I'm out of almost everything else.
Just wondered if anyone has thoughts negative and/or positive
on HS 6??
Boxs
 
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I used HS-6 in .45 ACP, during the powder shortage from 2009-2011. At that time, it was the only suitable powder that I could find. I found load data in a Speer manual. The powder did work OK for 230gn plated bullets. Not great... just OK. The powder did not work well at the lower end of the load range. Accuracy was poor. Often had un-burned powder flakes sticking things up. The powder did work at the upper end of the load range. Not max, but closer to the upper end. Accuracy was acceptable. However, at approx. 8gn of powder per load, a pound of powder did not last very long.
 
HS-6 is one of the 3 powders I use most. HS-6 is the same exact powder as the now discontinued W540. It's an older hard to ignite ball powder and it preforms best at the upper end of the pressure range and when set off by a magnum primer.

HS-6 works well in the 9mm. I also like it for middle to middle hot .357 Magnum loads, especially with lead bullets. I also use HS-6 for the 45 Colt.

The .38 Special and 45 Auto are low pressure rounds and HS-6 really isn't a good fit. I do use HS-6 for .38 Special +P loads and for FBI replica loads.

You will not like HS-6 in low pressure ammo and please don't bad-mouth the powder if you don't use a magnum primer and you see a lot of unburnt powder and high SD numbers.
 
For now at least, HS-6 is my standard load for what I will call level II, 357 Magnum, 158 gr lead. My Level III is PowerPro 300-MP with coated bullets. Shot 50 of those this afternoon. I use the powder on other calibers, but the 357 matches your line-up.
 
I've used HS-6 in my hot 9mm loads, 357 mag and just recently for 44 mag. So far it has worked well for me. I have very little left and would buy again if I could find it but on another forum many say to try the new CFE pistol instead. Right now it's all about as common as chicken lips here.
 
HS-6 is my favorite powder.

I use it exclusively in my high-velocity 357SIG loads in my M&P .40 rebarelled to 357SIG (and use other, left-over powders, currently Longshot, in 357SIG practice rounds.)

Also use HS-6 in .45 Auto with loooooong 185g. COP HP bullets; 9.5g. in light-weight Starline cases is slightly compressed.

Several years ago I bought the last 2 8-pounders of HS-6 that Bruno had or would be getting in the foreseeable future and still have about 10 pounds left.

I use Hodgdon Universal in .45 practice loads and--lucky me--have about 8 pounds of that. Double-'lucky' me--I have about 50K of Winchester and CCI small and large primers, the result of buying more than I 'need' when I see them available.

Interestingly, this winter/spring, I tried to sell both my M&P .45s and lots of bullets and LP primers, pricing all below replacement costs. Even after broadcasting that to my local 400-odd-person shooting club, NOTHING sold, and this stuff sat around for months. This fall, I reactivated my .45 compact and have been enjoying using those components to blow up plastic waterjugs.
.
.
:D
 
I just bought 4 lbs myself. Never used it before. I had the chance to get an 8 lb jug but turned it down. :(
I loaded some 158 gr plated with 8.7 gr and was surprised how hot these were in a 357 case. I also made some with 9 gr and can't wait to chrono them next outdoor session. Mag primers used.
My plan was to use this with some 140 gr Hy-Tek coated .357 BHN 18 bullets I ordered but couldn't wait.
 
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I tried the HS-6 a while back in 9mm and could not get good consistent groups. Now that I am reading this thread I see why. I didn't use magnum primers and I tend to load at the lower end. HS-6 has a wide range from low to high and I didn't push the high end which would explain my less than stellar results. Now it just sits in my cabinet with my W231, 2400 and Titegroup.
 
I don't know about that w540 or HS-6 being a bad powder for a 38 special ?

Way back when I used a powder even slower than that with pretty darn good results,
just to see what it could do.......... ( 12 shots)

I was surprised at the group size but the powder amount was a little hard on the wallet.

I would think your "Faster Powder" should do just as good, maybe better.

210m787.jpg
 
Times being what they are , you got to use what you can get.
Older Speer manuals show a good many loads with it. Described as " very good for heavy handgun loads".
In the 38 special section Speer shows , for their 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter , HS6 powder, a starting load of 5.4 grains for 828 fps and a max load of 5.8 grains for 899 fps.
So it is useable in 38 special even with lead bullets. And there are more loads with jacketed bullets.
Data for HS6 is shown for 9mm, 38 spcl. , 357 mag. , and 45 acp.
This is Speer #9 Manual .
My latest Hornady manual also shows data for HS6 in these rounds. While not heard about daily, it looks like HS6 can work for all. You got powder and data is in the manuals so you did good!
Gary
 
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Hodgdon.com has load data for the HS 6 using small pistol primers for 38 Special and 9MM Luger. I have never used HS 6 so I am of no help from personal experience.
 
I hope to not highjack this thread but I was about to post something very similar and it should go inline with the OP request.

I bought a bottle of HS6 sometime ago and looking for a good duplicate ball load for 9 mm in 115 and 124/125 FMJ for practice Glock and 1911.

I am assuming magnum primers will be needed for good ignition.

Any recommended recipes to include OAL would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
 
Loads from 7th Edition Hornady Manual using HS6 powder in 9mm

115 FMJ RN-COL 1.10 Start 5.7-max6.4
124 FMJ RN-COL 1.150 Start 5.1-max 5.9
 
I use HS-6 in 9's with 147 gr. and 45 acp with 230 gr bullets.
Loaded near the top end of the manuals.
Quite happy with it..
 
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I've used it before in 45 ACP, don't remember any problems with it. If I come across any I will probably buy it so I can save my 231 and Bullseye for 9mm and 38 spcl. Who knows when I'll be able to buy those again.
 
I use a lot of HS-6 but only in my .40Sw loads. I tried it in 9mm and 45 but didn't care for it. Like any powder there are better choices for caliber specific. But as was mentioned in these times where pistol powder is hard to come by you have to use what yocant get.
 
I was using HS -6 in my 44-40 Win. and 45-70 Gov with good success

Uberti 1873 Rifle , 200 grs FP RCBS Bullet, 8,5 - 9,0 grs HS-6
Pedersoli RB Rifle, 300 grs FP Lyman Bullet, 12 grs HS-6

cheers Klaus
 
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