Gun Zone Deals

What do you think about HS-6

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Texas

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Rusty Gun

    brass picker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 23, 2010
    110
    11
    Gulf coast
    a question for the reloading brain trust here.

    Do any of you use HS-6? I searched around for a powder that would work in multiple calibers, burn fairly clean and shoot accurately if I do my part.
    I kind of settled on HS-6 for my 9mm because it seems to fill all the requirements.

    I am loading 6.5 grs under a 115 FMJ RN from Rocky Mountain reloading and have had excellent results.

    2C28973D-989E-482C-8218-A2651E5100A4.jpeg

    I am about to start using it on powder coated 124 gr from summers.
    http://www.summersenterprisesllc.com/default.asp

    Looking at my books it looks like this powder can be used in a pretty wide range of calibers and bullet weights.

    Anyone else used HS-6?
    Military Camp
     

    motorcarman

    Compulsive Collector
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    Feb 13, 2015
    4,731
    96
    Rural Wise County, TX.
    I do have a can of HS-6 and I think I loaded some .455 Webley low power loads.
    I'll have to check with my load records to see what else I might have used it for.

    I like Blue Dot too. It has a burn rate close to HS-6.

    bob
     

    Chips n Salsa

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jun 4, 2017
    135
    11
    Plano
    Hey, yes, I have been reloading 9 mm since 2010 and HS-6 has evolved into my favorite powder. I have the best luck with the 124’s and 147’s (have never tried the 135’s). I load HS-6 to a longer COAL and, combined with the heavier bullets, it is clean-burning, low recoiling and extremely accurate. I landed on HS-6 when I was trying to develop bunny loads / minor PF loads. The faster burning powders (like TiteGroup) don’t stay accurate when you start to load down. HS-6 stayed accurate for me loading a 147 gr bullet into the low 5’s.

    My favorite all around 9 mm plinking round now is 5.9 gr HS-6 with that Bayou Bullet 124 gr at 1.152 OAL. I shoot that in an XD 5”, M&P 5”, and a P320 4.7” (all with 15 lb recoil springs). HS-6 is extremely accurate for me.
     

    Rusty Gun

    brass picker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 23, 2010
    110
    11
    Gulf coast
    I just cranked out a test batch of summers enterprises 125 gr RN with the hi-tec coating with 6.2 gr of HS-6 this morning. My book shows low end load at something like 5.8 and max load at 6.6 I used 1.125 for OAL. I use the lead bullet data just to be safe. I am going to the range after lunch to see if the first 25 will hit paper.

    This reloading is kind of an addiction. I have more bullets and empty cases than I can find places to store them.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    I reloaded some .357 Mag loads with HS-6, from a friend's supply. It gave high velocities, good groups, and generally worked well, though it seems I had to push things quite hard to get it to burn cleanly.
    I kinda grew up reloading with Allliant Unique for everything, and Alliant Herco when Unique wasn't available. I didn't reload any 9mm back then, but I can see how someone would gravitate to HS-6 for 9mm, .38 Super or .357 Magnum. These days, I'D probably allocate HERCO for the 3 calibers I just mentioned, and use UNIQUE for just about everything else.

    That 5.8-6.2/HS-6/125L load sounds very very close to what I load for 9mm practice, except that I use HERCO in place of HS-6. I "GUESStimate" that I'm getting 1100 + 25 f/s from the muzzle. SOME flash is detected, but it's not "incandescent" like other slower-burning propellants seem to be.
     

    Charley

    Active Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Aug 7, 2008
    744
    76
    San Antonio
    HS-6 works well for the 9x19 and 38 Super, and several other cartridges. I still have a couple pounds of WW 540, which is the same powder.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    Without wanting to sound like a detractor of HS-6, can someone comment on how it meters? I have no clear memory in my short use of it, how the powder measures (which USUALLY means it probably metered perfectly well for for me. Since Unique has a (somewhat undeserved) reputation for metering poorly, people are quick to assume that EVERYthing meters better than IT does. I've found exceptions, but admittedly few.

    I still have a couple pounds of WW 540, which is the same powder.
    I recall reading what you just, once upon a time. I also remember that Win570 and HS-7 were supposed to be the same or similar. I guess the new Winchester 572 propellant is supposed to be a close approximation?

    Did HS-5 have a Winchester analog?
     

    Blanco

    Conspiracy Theorist and Custom foil hat builder
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 2, 2017
    74
    26
    North Richland Hills, Tx.
    HS-6 is one of my most versatile powders. I use it in 9mm 115-124 at around 6 grains and it is very accurate. I also use it in .40 S&W and 38/357
     

    Rusty Gun

    brass picker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 23, 2010
    110
    11
    Gulf coast
    Kosh,

    I like HS-6 as I posted early in this thread. I use a old style Dillon powder hopper and linkage and have had great results
     

    Dragonheart

    New Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 22, 2010
    27
    11
    Katy
    HS-6 is a good choice, but HP-38 is a better choice for a one size fits all. HS-6 is second only to Power Pistol for the highest velocity withe best accuracy in 45 ACP.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    I think as long as you don't contemplate its use in low-pressure loads, HS-6 should work perfectly well. I'D prefer Unique, with the understanding that I might lose some top-end velocity, but gain some lower-end versatility. Certainly, no pistol powder can deliver excellent performance in ALL applications, but Unique gets as close to that as I've ever seen.
     

    TxStetson

    Opinionated and Irritable
    TGT Supporter
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 9, 2013
    10,056
    96
    The Big Country
    I think as long as you don't contemplate its use in low-pressure loads, HS-6 should work perfectly well. I'D prefer Unique, with the understanding that I might lose some top-end velocity, but gain some lower-end versatility. Certainly, no pistol powder can deliver excellent performance in ALL applications, but Unique gets as close to that as I've ever seen.
    I’ll say it again, I use Unique in all the pistol cartridges I reload, and Varget in all the rifle cartridges I reload. They may not be the best at each load but they’re by far the most versatile.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    I could get by very well on those two powders, alone. I'd probably include one or two others along the way, though.
     

    TxStetson

    Opinionated and Irritable
    TGT Supporter
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 9, 2013
    10,056
    96
    The Big Country
    I could get by very well on those two powders, alone. I'd probably include one or two others along the way, though.
    I do use other powders sometimes, like Blue Dot in 44 Mag when I’m trying to see how cheap I can make it. But I’m scared to do that on a progressive press. Too easy to overcharge when you’re using 6 grains.
     

    TheMailMan

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 3, 2015
    3,428
    96
    North of Kaufman
    I do use other powders sometimes, like Blue Dot in 44 Mag when I’m trying to see how cheap I can make it. But I’m scared to do that on a progressive press. Too easy to overcharge when you’re using 6 grains.

    What about the progressive scares you? The powder measure is accurate. You can use a RCBS Lock-Out die to catch the human induced errors. I've loaded thousands of rounds on a progressive without a problem.
     

    TxStetson

    Opinionated and Irritable
    TGT Supporter
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 9, 2013
    10,056
    96
    The Big Country
    What about the progressive scares you? The powder measure is accurate. You can use a RCBS Lock-Out die to catch the human induced errors. I've loaded thousands of rounds on a progressive without a problem.
    I load lots of things on the progressive, but when using blue dot in the 44 Mag, you can barely see any powder in the case at all. So I usually weigh the primed case, use the RCBS uniflow powder measure, reweigh the charged case, then immediately place the projectile on top. It just makes me feel better that way. I have experimented and it’s possible to get almost 5 full charges of blue dot in a 44 mag case.
     

    TheMailMan

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 3, 2015
    3,428
    96
    North of Kaufman
    I load lots of things on the progressive, but when using blue dot in the 44 Mag, you can barely see any powder in the case at all. So I usually weigh the primed case, use the RCBS uniflow powder measure, reweigh the charged case, then immediately place the projectile on top. It just makes me feel better that way. I have experimented and it’s possible to get almost 5 full charges of blue dot in a 44 mag case.

    No different than using Bullseye in a .38 SPL case. 2.8 grs isn't much in that big old case.
     

    Dawico

    Uncoiled
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Oct 15, 2009
    38,007
    96
    Lampasas, Texas
    I load lots of things on the progressive, but when using blue dot in the 44 Mag, you can barely see any powder in the case at all. So I usually weigh the primed case, use the RCBS uniflow powder measure, reweigh the charged case, then immediately place the projectile on top. It just makes me feel better that way. I have experimented and it’s possible to get almost 5 full charges of blue dot in a 44 mag case.
    I have loaded max charges on my progressive press.

    When doing so I remove the powder drop and weigh each charge but let the press do the rest of the work.

    This is usually big Magnum rounds like 44 or bigger. Works well and saves me from handling each case multiple times.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    These last few posts have a lot to do with why I haven't gone to a progressive and why I stick to Unique or Herco for large(ish)-capacity pistol and revolver rounds. It's not JUST about their versatility, it's also about their BULK. At charge weights where these 2 powders will burn (relatively) cleanly, double-charge will overflow the cases, even the .45 Colt.
     

    TexMex247

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    May 11, 2009
    3,369
    96
    Leander(NW Austin)
    I guess I'm the odd man out here. I never did have any real luck getting hs-6 to work for me in my nines.

    From what I've read here, there's a good chance that I was just loading it too light.

    As it happens, my go to in it's place is titegroup. Anything large bore and I'm leaning towards unique or blue dot.

    Since I only have a pound or so of hs-6 left I may give it a second chance with some 38 loads or maybe 9mm super.
     
    Top Bottom