Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Hodgdon HS-6

I got a pound of Hodgdon HS-6 from a friend this evening. He said it works good, but burns very dirty. He suggested I use it in revolvers only because of this. Hodgdon's website suggests that it should give good results in .38 Spl, .44 Mag, and .45 Colt. I mostly use coated lead SWCs - 158 gr, 240 gr, and 250 gr. Anyone have any experience with it? I would also like to try it in .44 Russian and Spl, but so far have not found any load data for those. All the .44s will be shot in a modern .44 Mag, so not that worried about pressure within reason for the Russians and Specials.

I use it a lot in 45 Colt. Also in 44 spcl and 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaugh.

Is it a bit dirtier than some other powders? Yes, but so what. All powders are dirty to one extent or another. I expect you are going to clean your guns at some point anyway. Right? And before you have shot so many thousands of rounds that your gun locks up. Right? HS6s benefits outweigh it being a little dirty.

Look up Brian Pearce in Handloader and John Linebaughs site to get some recommendations for HS6

Byron

HS-6 is my preferred powder for 44 spl up to moderate 44 magnum and it's not any more dirty than any other in that application.

It's on the slower end of the burn rates for pistol powder, so short barrel 357 may leave some unburnt powder, I prefer unique here. But 4" barrel and longer should not have a problem.

Checkout this link and you should find some comparisons between powders including HS-6 across a number of cartridges. It’s for comparison purposes though, don’t just use this as your load data source. Check published sources.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...ks-pistol-reloading-results#Post14920285

Mark in GA

It's dynamite stuff for 115 JHPs in 9mm, I used to use an awful lot of it in that application. I agree that it's not really a dirty powder compared to the old Unique. I don' t know how many rounds of 115s I loaded with the stuff, but I shot the crap out of it (it's the same thing as Winchester 540). I've also used it quite a bit in .45 auto, with a 200gr. RNFP. (NEI mould .45-205N). You can do a lot with it, it's good stuff.

I remember when Mark posted that data last year--that is an impressive (and time-consuming) effort! (Thanks again, Mark).

I too enjoy HS-6. I use it mainly for stiffer .45 Colt loads. I got turned on to it by John Linebaugh's article on using it for stiff 45 Colt loads.

It's also a very accurate powder for 9mm. HS-6 was the overall most accurate 9mm powder from this site's testing: http://www.natoreloading.com/9mmsummary/.

A gun trading buddy of mine sold me a pound of HS-6 for $5.00, a deal I couldn't refuse. I had been using Unique with 115gr. bullets but for the last few hundred I've loaded now use HS-6. I find it to be a good powder no dirtier than Unique and accuracy is great. When it comes time restock the powder supply I'll be buying some HS-6.

Thanks for all the replies. I've been away from the internet for a couple of days and did not want anyone to think I ignored the response. Oh, and yes, I do try to clean mine after a shooting session. I was taught that if you shoot it, you clean it.

I prefer HS-6. It is NOT a dirty powder. Load for 9/38/357/40/44/45 acp - excellent accuracy and at/near top of the speed for bullet weight.

At this house, loading ONE powder for all makes life a LOT easier.

Copy that for me and add that HS-6 runs “like mercury “ through my Redding and Dillon powder measures with impressive consistency (Same for Tite Group, H110, and other Ball Powders).

HS6 is very flashy, otherwise a very good mid-range powder.

It's been a long while, but I used it in 10MM, 44 Special and 44 Magnum; don't recall it being overly dirty.

I load the 44 Magnum about like a 45 ACP +P and HS6 is great for that.


Okie John

Like you, I came into a quantity of HS-6 and have been wondering on how to use the powder. This week, I decided to run the table testing as wide of a variety as I could with what I own. I shot at an indoor range so have not yet chronographed my loads, but accuracy-wise HS-6 performed well enough in all cases. Here are the details of the initial testing.

Scenario:

- All were loaded with recipes straight from Hodgden's website.
- All where standing and off-hand. I'm not a great handgun shooter...yet.
- I wear progressive glasses and really can't see my front sights for $chit

Results:

- 45 Colt with a 255gr LSWC: This is a hunting load and protection against Bigfoot or anything else while hiking the woods. The best 5-shot group measured 2 1/4" at about 15 yards. This is with a max load of HS-6. Maybe not great, but it bests my previous tests with Unique, Universal and 2400.

- 38 Special with a 158gr LSWC: This is a snub-nosed revolver used for personal protection, and is carried on my hip while rifle hunting. Best 5 shots at 7 yards measured 1.4". This is with a slightly less than max charge of powder. Recoil out of the snubby was quite acceptable.

- Glock 43 9mm: This is used for what pocket 9mm's are used for. I forgot my extented mag so used the little flush-mount mag with my little finger hanging off the grip. With both 115gr FMJs and 124gr HPs at 7 yards, the little Glock had no issues keeping everything within a tennis ball group. I am not near as accurate with my Glock 9mm's as I was with my Ruger 9mm's, but I'm working on it.

I hope to get to my local outdoor range soon to chrony the loads and shoot them off of a rest. I may try some reading glasses instead of my progressives to see if that helps matters.

Thanks for the report! I too wear progressive lenses and find that with mine if I tip my head back slightly my sights clear right up. I might say too that your accuracy isn't that bad. I've seen people that have been shooting for years not do as good.

Byron

HS-6 started life years ago as Win 540. Hodgon bought out Win powder. Win 540 no longer available, now called HS-6. Same powder, different label. Win 540 was originally a shot shell powder.

Yeah it is a great powder for 1 1/4 oz 12 ga. Field loads. Alot of shotshell powders also work well in handgun cartridges. I really pays these days to look at your part cans of powder as an asset by comparing on burn rate charts and load data you can make use somewhere that 1/2 empty can of powder
Mb

I just recently "scored" a pound of HS-6 from Powder Valley (cost an arm and part of a leg with HazMat for only a pound,but that's all they had). Main use will be a 45 Colt load trying for 900-950 fps. with a 255 SWC. May also try it in 44 Special, 45 Auto Rim, and 9mm.

I also wear progressive lens but I have a pair of bifocals for shooting (and computer work) where I had my eye doc make the focal length of my shooting eye the distance to the front sight. Great for a range day as I can see the front sight clearly.

I started with Unique for light loads in the 41 mag, sub 800 fps. Unique left the cylinder face and muzzle caked with carbon.

Went to Blue Dot instead. Manufacturer said no Blue Dot in the 41. (I don't believe light loads like mine were ever an issue.)

Adopted SR 4756 for light loads. Manufacturer discontinued it.

Switched to HS 6. It works well for me all the way to 12 gr with a 210 in the 41. But that is not sub 800 fps. I typically use Tite Group or Universal in the ultra light loads these days.

I have an 8 pound keg of Winchester 540. I use it in heavy 20 ga loads and handicap trap loads.