HS-6, an underrated powder

[Muskrat]

Just bought another 8 pounds of HS-6, mostly because it was a decent price and I'm stocking up on powder. There's not a lot of love for HS-6, probably because it doesn't reach peak velocities with any bullet weight in 10mm...or perhaps any other pistol cartridge. But I find it to be a very good powder for what I shoot 90% of the time...economical loads that are 15~20% below book max, concentrating on accuracy rather than velocity, and with a desire to reuse the brass a few more times.

I use it to make major power factor with .40 S&W 165 grain bullets for competition, and it has provided amazing accuracy with 10mm 180 grain LaserCast bullets out of my Banshee: 9.1 grains of HS-6 under a 180 grain LaserCast gives me 1284 fps and nickel-sized groups at 25 yards without a magnified optic, which is the limit of what my eyes can do. 1284 fps is pretty mellow from a 8" barrel, but the brass doesn't bulge, and as they say, while velocity is fine, accuracy is final.

I think it's interesting that HS-6 is pretty much ignored and/or disparaged by handgun shooters. I've found it to be a versatile, relatively economic powder that meters like water and doesn't have any real drawbacks so long as you're not chasing maximum obtainable velocity. Some folks say it's dirty, though that hasn't been my experience. I guess I never got the whole "dirty powder" stigma to begin with. I clean my guns after I shoot, and I've never found a powder that was so dirty that it would be an issue in a 500~700 round day.

[bigboredad]

Thanks for the write up. I love hs-6 in the 45 colt,480 Ruger and the 475 Linebaugh but never Thought of trying it in the 10mm I'll give it try

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[sqlbullet]

I have nothing against HS-6, and if a jug ended up in my powder cabinet I would be glad to shoot it.

But....

When I am buying powder I don't see it doing anything that BE-86 or Unique doesn't do as well for less money.  Here is an example:

1 lb of powder price at powder valley:  HS-6 is 23.75 where BE-86 is 21.13 and Unique is 21.75.  That is 10% more right up front.

Looking at load data, BE-86 gets a 180 grain to 1250 fps with 8.2 grains of powder.  HS-6 maxes out at 9.4 grains for 1125 fps.  That's another 14% tax for a max load, and even more if I load a less than max load.

Stack that together and HS-6 is a whopping 28% more expensive per charge.

So, nothing wrong with HS-6, but it would be on my list to buy when on sale or when I am desperate. 

[Muskrat]

Yes, in that situation HS-6 doesn't make a lot of sense. But in my local area, HS-6, available in 8lb jugs, is the cheapest powder on the shelf, as everything else is in 1lb cans.

Other powders give more velocity, but HS-6 often gives me better accuracy...I'll take that swap any day of the week. BE-86 is non-existent around here...never even seen a can of it in person.

If cost is the driving force, I'll just use Titegroup...accurate, inexpensive, and widely supported in a variety of cartridges and bullet weights.

[sqlbullet]

I burn a lot of Win 231 in 9mm and 45 ACP just for it's ability to be very economical.  I skip it in 10mm cause a double charge won't overflow the case.

If it was cheap here, it would be a regular burner in my guns.  And I agree that accuracy is more interesting than velocity, though velocity is a close second:-)