Hodgdon
Hodgdon HS-6
A dual-purpose powder covering higher-performance handgun loads and heavy shotshell field loads across several gauges.
A medium-burn ball powder that covers the upper end of 9mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super and 10mm Auto, plus heavy shotshell field loads across several gauges — Hodgdon says it is the same propellant as the discontinued Winchester 540. In a big auto case it takes up real volume, which is a genuine practical advantage over the fast target powders for double-charge visibility. It wants pressure: loaded soft it burns dirty and leaves unburned granules, and muzzle flash is noticeable. No temperature-stability claim, so treat a competition load as season-specific.
- full-power 10mm Auto
- 38 Super
- heavy 12 gauge field loads
- upper-range 9mm loads
Who has Hodgdon HS-6 today
Checked October 10In stock at 3 stores — lowest in hand $45.18/lb (8 lb at Lohman Arms)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 8 lb | $330.02 | $45.18 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 8 lb | $341.99 | $47.43 | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 8 lb | $360.99 | $49.05 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 1 lb | $44.99 | $76.43 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 1 lb | $50.99 | $82.43 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $46.99 | $84.44 | In stock ↗ |
“In hand” is the shelf price plus that store’s hazmat fee and shipping, spread over one container. Stock is checked once a day — confirm on the store’s page before ordering. Compare all powders →
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Hodgdon |
|---|---|
| Product family | Hodgdon |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | pistol, shotshell |
| Grain form | spherical |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.0712 cc per grain · 0.91 g/cc |
| Composition | double-base |
| Temperature stable | Not marketed as temperature-stable |
| Burn-rate position | 47 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 9mm Luger, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, 10 gauge |
Grain shape
Fine spherical grains, degressive and free-flowing — they meter exactly through a progressive or a shotshell bushing. Being slower than the flake powders, the same energy takes up more case volume, which is the practical safety benefit in a large auto case.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Fine spherical granules, so metering is very consistent. Hodgdon states it is the same propellant as Winchester's discontinued 540.
Burn rate
Medium pistol, between Accurate No. 5 and Winchester AutoComp.
Chart agreement: consistent across charts - listed in the same relative neighbourhood by every publisher that carries it Ranked by: Hodgdon, Vihtavuori, Shooters World, Wolfe/LoadData.
Powders charted near it — neighbours on the chart are not substitutes, and adjacency tells you nothing about what charge either one takes:
- Vihtavuori N340 (position 44)
- Alliant BE-86 (position 45)
- Accurate No. 5 (position 46)
- Winchester AutoComp (position 48)
- Hodgdon CFE Pistol (position 49)
- Ramshot True Blue (position 50)
Sources
The specifications above come from Hodgdon's own published documentation, linked below. The two “RCM's read” sections are ours, not theirs — our assessment of what this powder is like to load, drawn from its published characteristics and from what handloaders consistently report. No manufacturer endorses them and no source below backs them. If you think we have one wrong, tell us — we would rather fix it.