loading 9mm and 40 sw

[JO JO]

want to try a new powder, narrowed down to these hs6 or aa#7 ? which would you prefer ?
I have used 231,power pistol,unique, all ok but looking for a low flash type the meters well
and can use for plated 124gr plinking and be loaded up for defense stock/practice with gold dots.

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[Greenbug]

I prefer Power Pistol for my 9's, but I am using Tite Group right now. Tite Group works pretty good for me, but dosen't have the velocity of Power Pistol IMHO. I hear good stuff about HS-6 in the 9mm.

 

[bmgm37]

I was in the same boat a year ago and after a lot of reading and what was readily available in my area I settled on HS-6. Many will tell you it is dirty, but that is only if you are trying to go with light loads, but if you are loading fairly warm loads, it burns clean. For 9mm I am loading 7.0gr with a Montana Gold 115gr CMJ and chronys at 1195 average out of my Beretta 92 and 1132 average out of a Glock 26. Check the manuals and start low and work up, use at your own risk

 

[ron]

I have loaded several thousand rounds of 9mm Rem. Golden Sabers. I have tried 231 but never was as accurate as other loads. I have been using Blue Dot for several years because it groups the best. I developed my 9mm loads years ago before Tite Group powder was available. I guess I should try Tite Group and get out of the stone age.

 

[Abiqua]

VV N320 is low flash, meters well and burns clean.

 

[Silver02ex]

For target practice I use W231 and on the high velocity I go with HS-6

 

[Phrank]

Since this rapidly went to "My favorite"... WSF for all weights and velocities on 9mm. I personally prefer 4.3gr behind 147gr berry's plated or xTreme plated.

 

[MarkAd]

Where is Camas?
I have a big batch if 40 loaded with HS-6 if you are close too me.

 

[Abiqua]

Camas is just east of Vancouver.

 

[86k5krawler]

I load 9mm and 40s&w as well. i started out with hs6 wich i found to be great in the 9mm in the upper level charge. as for 40 it seemed to perform in the mid charge level.
im now playing around with universal clays, and both the 9 and the 40 eat it up with excellent results.

 

[deadshot2]

For these calibers there are two powders I really like. Power Pistol and Vihtavouri 3n37. Both give good performance and burn clean.
The Power Pistol is less expensive and more readily available than the VV 3N37 but the VV has an edge for speed.

As for flash, Power Pistol can be quite a spectacle when shot in a compact, short barreled firearm. From my CZ SP-01 it's not an issue.

For practice ammo I use jugs of Power Pistol. I load my SD carry rounds with 3N37 using GDHP's.

Just my preferences for these calibers.

 

[AMProducts]

I have loaded W231/HP-38, Titegroup in 9mm and 40 in the past, however using the plated bullets towards the hot end with titegroup I started having accuracy issues. My guess is I was getting stripping of the bullet (the bullet would simply tear past the rifling), so I've been experimenting with HS-6, so far it looks like it has most of the characteristics I want. However I havn't had a chance to evaluate it for flash (taking some test loads to the range tomorrow for more testing on this front).

Just an FYI, HS-6 is more of a semi-magnum pistol powder, so it's slower burning than W231 or titegroup. I'm not sure where power pistol falls on the burn rate chart, but I from what I can tell it's very similar to HS-6. Most of these powders shoot cleaner with hotter loads. Titegroup, clays and the like are fast powders and tend to burn cleanly under most circumstances, but will tend to have higher pressures for a given velocity.

 

[Mikej]

As it was described to me by a longtime hand loader......HS6 would be good for my CZ75 .40 due to the long barrel allowing a mid range charge of (slower than titegroup/231) powder to fully burn. That would tell me that HS6 may not work as well in a shorter barrel 9mm/.40. as a SR9c. The gentleman was correct, HS6 works very well in the CZ. I haven't even tried it in the SR9c or other shorter 9mms, 231 works well in those and meters better than Titegroup in the uni-flow.

You didn't ask but, HS6 was not so good in the (lower pressure) .45acp, seemed to be a lot more smoke and confetti? Unburnt powder?

I don't care to have 4-8-10 different powders on the shelf. I've settled on two, 231 for .38, 9mm and .45acp, and HS6 for .40 and .44 special when I start loading that.

This stuff is fun isn't it?

Mike

 

[deadshot2]

As it was described to me by a longtime hand loader......HS6 would be good for my CZ75 .40 due to the long barrel allowing a mid range charge of (slower than titegroup/231) powder to fully burn. That would tell me that HS6 may not work as well in a shorter barrel 9mm/.40. as a SR9c. The gentleman was correct, HS6 works very well in the CZ. I haven't even tried it in the SR9c or other shorter 9mms, 231 works well in those and meters better than Titegroup in the uni-flow.

You didn't ask but, HS6 was not so good in the (lower pressure) .45acp, seemed to be a lot more smoke and confetti? Unburnt powder?

I don't care to have 4-8-10 different powders on the shelf. I've settled on two, 231 for .38, 9mm and .45acp, and HS6 for .40 and .44 special when I start loading that.

This stuff is fun isn't it?

Mike

I've got both a shorter barreled Sig P220 and a longer barreled CZ75 SP-01. Power pistol works great and burns clean in both. HS-6 was a nightmare in both.

 

[Mikej]

I've got both a shorter barreled Sig P220 and a longer barreled CZ75 SP-01. Power pistol works great and burns clean in both. HS-6 was a nightmare in both.

Deadshot, I'm curious what the nightmare was with the HS6 in the CZ, 9mm? Shouldn't there be little difference in a 9 and .40 as far as a powder goes?

Mike

 

[deadshot2]

Deadshot, I'm curious what the nightmare was with the HS6 in the CZ, 9mm? Shouldn't there be little difference in a 9 and .40 as far as a powder goes?

Mike

For some reason the HS-6 left the hardest carbon deposits I've ever experienced behind. Actually had to use metal dental pics to clean the buildup out of the end of the chamber. That was even after 30 minute soaks in SLIP 2000 Carbon Cleaner.

Switched to Power Pistol and end of problem.

Had similar issues with H335 in my AR's. It seems that either these powders don't like me or my guns. More than a few have complained about Hodgdon powders although I love both H-4895 and Varget.

 

[JO JO]

well I think aa#7 is out for me looks like alliant has changed there load data ? now all my current reloading books will have incorrect aa#7
data, maybe alliant changed the aa#7 powder ? max charge is greatly reduced ? maybe universal clays also should be a consideration for me
looking for good volume,low flash and meters good, that can be load mid range for plinking and dialed up for SD ammo/practice with gold dots
in both 9mm and 40 s&w. hs6 looks like a good option so far ?
sure do appreciate all advice and opinions

 

[AMProducts]

For some reason the HS-6 left the hardest carbon deposits I've ever experienced behind. Actually had to use metal dental pics to clean the buildup out of the end of the chamber. That was even after 30 minute soaks in SLIP 2000 Carbon Cleaner.

Switched to Power Pistol and end of problem.

Had similar issues with H335 in my AR's. It seems that either these powders don't like me or my guns. More than a few have complained about Hodgdon powders although I love both H-4895 and Varget.

All powder is not milled equally, there are only three powder mills that regularly produce powder for the north american market and only two are located here... SMP in florida produces Titegroup (OBP-242), H335 (?), HP-38 (WC231), Lil'Gun (OBP-516), HS-6 (WC-840), General Dynamics Canada (Expro) makes most of the IMR type powders on the market, including IMR3031 (GS3130000). ADI in australia produces many of the others including Varget, IMR4198, etc. This was part of the reason Varget and some of the other IMR type powders were in such short supply a few years ago when australia was having the water crisis.

As to the original poster's question, I did some test loads the other day with HS6 behind a 124gr the load was 6.5gr. Havn't had a chance to run all the velocity numbers, but it cycled great and shot well in my FNX-9. Delivering a 30rd group size just over 3" at 25yards (I blame only myself for the group being that large).

 

[deadshot2]

(I blame only myself for the group being that large).

Not me. I always blame the ammo When that doesn't work then there's the Gun, Sights, Wind, Rain, Guys shooting next to me, or the alignment of the Planets.

 

[AMProducts]

I tried that for a while, first blaming my sights (one gun has adjustables), then blaming myself, however the ammo ended up being the culprit after I finished assembling an accuracy gun (barrel in a fixture, with a breech block) and found out that the ammo was the problem. As a consequence, I'm excessively anal about making sure to figure out where the problem exists.

I've shot all kinds of competition over the years, smallbore rifle, bullseye pistol, high power rifle, and palma. As a result I have an insanely high standard of accuracy, and tend to blame myself if I can't find any obvious problems with the other parts, however sometimes you need to shake the tree a little harder and see exactly where the problem is.