HS-6 issues.

[x101airborne]

I loaded up some 41 magnum rounds with HS-6 at book max for use in Smith 57, Smith 58, and three Blackhawks. I had tried lesser charges before and always had unburned powder, soot and a lot of black smoke returned to my face. Even at book max, still lots of soot in the barrel and lots of smoke in the face. One Blackhawk (4 5/8ths) loved the load, the other revolvers scattered rounds to the wind. I was in fact using magnum primers in an attempt to solve this issue. Clip on wheel weights plus 2% tin, air cooled and powder coated. 
I am really loosing my patience with this powder. 

[boatswainsmate]

The only thing I might add is a firm crimp. I love HS-6 for medium loads in 357, 41, 44 and 45 Colt. What type of bullet are you using?

[ddixie884]

Firm crimp and mag primers...........

[cmillard]

I used to use hs-6 in 9mm, and although the load I had was extremely accurate, it was such an unbelievably dirty powder, I switched to longshot

[dougader]

Yeah, I tried 1 lb. of HS-6 in the late 80's and never bought another. Same trouble.

[bradshaw]

Jul 1, 2020 17:21:50 GMT -5 x101airborne said:

I loaded up some 41 magnum rounds with HS-6 at book max for use in Smith 57, Smith 58, and three Blackhawks. I had tried lesser charges before and always had unburned powder, soot and a lot of black smoke returned to my face. Even at book max, still lots of soot in the barrel and lots of smoke in the face. One Blackhawk (4 5/8ths) loved the load, the other revolvers scattered rounds to the wind. I was in fact using magnum primers in an attempt to solve this issue. Clip on wheel weights plus 2% tin, air cooled and powder coated. 
I am really loosing my patience with this powder. 

*****

Tainted meat? You paint an alien picture. First, it doesn’t hurt to fully identify your bullet. Second, in four decades with Hodgdon HS-6, I’ve never experienced the tableau you describe. Loaded in a magnum revolver case, HS-6 is a MEDIUM burn ball powder with excellent accuracy characteristics. Does your powder show signs of atmospheric contamination, such as yellowing? Are there any lumps?

Doesn’t sound like a primer problem, although that should be verified.

If your bullet is of known accuracy, and seeing as how it is cast, I would drop to starting load and DEEP SEAT.
David Bradshaw

[taffin]

I also have never had a problem with HS6. Something else is going on here.

[sixshot]

Do you have good bullet tension when you seat? You might add 20% lead to your alloy but what you are shooting with HS6 should shoot already.

Dick

[zeus]

HS6 I’ve found to shoot pretty clean and extremely accurate. Haven’t ever seen any of the issues you mention

[webber]

Just throwing this out here and it may or may not be worth anything to anyone at all.
Has anyone considered that one man's "clean" may not be another man's "clean" and another man's "dirty" may not be another mans "dirty"?
Some people are very OCD on cleaning their guns and some will just give then a swipe or two and put them in the case and move on to something else.
I am not OCD. I swipe mine and make sure I don't "run" a "dry" gun and have at it. Rarely clean a barrel.
Others do what they do and that is okay too.
Just remember OCD verses a "lick and a promise" type person. Some like sparkly clean shiny brass with no trace of anything on them and like their gun then same way.
Just like some talk about leading like it is lurking around every corner and that their barrel is in awful shape, but is it really?
Just think about it. Dirty verses DIRTY.

[x101airborne]

To answer some questions...
1. The bullet is the NOE 412-220 SWC with the large pins installed for hollow points weighing 212 grains sized to .412 after powder coating.
2. New Starline brass.
3. Oh trust me, these are crimped. Had a revolver round jump crimp on a hunt. Never again. RJM has seen my crimps.
4. I dont mind a little soot but I dont want my barrel looking like a John Deere exhaust pipe after 12 rounds.
5. This is the (roughly) 12th time I have tried HS-6, always with the same results (different calibers though).

I will try the deep seat method suggested. I dont have anything to loose. But if I dont get it sorted out right quick with this powder, my wifes roses are going to get three pounds of fertilizer dumped on them.

[Rimfire69]

I use it with great success in all the rimmed revolver cartridges from .32s to the .500 with standard CCI primers and as much crimp as I can get, seems clean enough, velocity variations and accuracy are top notch. Also use it in the autos, we have a 9mm load we run in the pistols and the PC carbine with equally good results.

[kgb]

11.0 of HS-6 has made the most accurate loading with a 230gr Lee LRN group buy bullet in my Marlin, this is the one gun/load I do not regularly clean the barrel and it's my cowboy silhouette combination. 9.0 of 800X makes up for a very close second, but does not meter as well. Haven't yet found a charge of BE-86 to match but would like to as it works in other 41s very well and I'd like to reduce the number of powders. If staying with HS-6 though, at least it's always on the shelves where I shop.

[squigz]

I bought a pound of it to use with 480 Ruger and never looked back on any other powder. I haven't tried it with any other calibers at this point though.

I do know I ran into issues (not really, just dirty as you're claiming prior to me learning/understanding the need to resize new brass) with brand new brass, and as you mentioned in a later comment that the brass is new. Did you re-size prior to loading?

[pleadthe2nd]

I do like hs6 in the 41, but also found it to be a dirty powder, always leaving unburned powder or ash in the barrel, I switched to AA#9, in the 41 & 44 mag, running full charges in both with hard cast, very clean, no flash and excellent accuracy, haven't looked back, you might give it a try.