Winchester WSF vs Hodgdon HS6

[LiveLife]

Continuing to narrow down my powder choices (got too many 8# jugs of powder).

So far, I am happy with faster burning Bullseye for short barreled subcompact loads and W231 for "general purpose" medium burn pistol powder (9/40/45).

Although I have used Bullseye/W231 for 45 loads, I like the HS6 and WSF for 1911 loads that give more of a "push" than a "snap" (I must be getting old).

Thinking about narrowing my powder choice down to one between HS6 and WSF and having some difficulty deciding.

If the price and availability were same, which powder would you go with and why?

 

[Walkalong]

If I had to make a choice today, I would lean towards WSF, but I do not have a lot of experience yet with either powder.

WSF seems to be more tolerant of lower pressure than HS-6 as far as burning well. It seems to be a little more versatile to me. Plenty of HS-6 fans out there, so it must be pretty good stuff. HS-6 works very well in 9MM, but so does WSF, and it will do it with less powder. WSF works great for full load .45 ACP jacketed stuff. WSF is trying to edge out an old time favorite of mine, AA #5. I like it, but it is still to soon to make a call.

I would have to do some more testing to ditch one over the other.

 

[The Bushmaster]

WSF...I use it in my Kimber UCC II. WSF pushes 185 grain HP/XTPs at 850 fps from a 3" (actually 2 1/4") barrel and still not at maximum powder charge...AND WSF burns clean...

Never have liked AA #5...In fact if I ran across Walkalong I'd give him all my AA #7 too...

 

[LiveLife]

I haven't tried AA #5, but I see it in many recipes. Tempted to buy a pound of #5 to do some comparison.

Bushmaster, what was it that you didn't like about #5? Was it accuracy/cleanliness of burn? Maybe you can send me that can of #5 so I can do some testing?

Maybe I need to expand my question to what power should I select in the burn range of HS6/WSF. I am not interested in max power/velocity, just to narrow my pistol powder down to say 3 - Bullseye/W231 and one more slower powder.

 

[JimKirk]

Anybody used WSF in the 357 SIG?

Jimmy K

 

[broham]

I havn't used AA#5 in 45 but I have used it in 357 and 40. It meters real nice. I would defineately buy it again.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use AA#5 to replicate Speer's 135gr .38 Special +P Short Barrel ammo and it works extremely well in that application. If I didn't like W231 so much I could live with AA#5 even though it's a little slower powder. I've also used it in some .45 Auto ammo. BTW, AA#5 was specifically designed for the 45 Auto so it should work. Although I use W231 99% of the time in the .45 Auto I do use AA#5 with JHP bullets when I want a little more velocity.

In reality I kinda like all the Accurate Arms powders and they cost less than Hodgdon/ Winchester/ IMR powders too. If I wanted to throw away all the years of load development I would think about using AA powders.

 

[The Bushmaster]

dbs...When I lived in the Lodi/Stockton area (95+ degree day) I found that AA #5 was quite heat senitive. The hotter my cylinder got the faster and harder the handgun kicked to the point that the last two cases had to be forced out. Primers (not a gauge for pressure but still) started out well rounded and on the final shot were flattened and forced into the firing pin hole.

 

[Walkalong]

I have shot lots of AA #5 in .45 ACP & 9MM in 95 to 100+ degree heat with no apparent problems. Around here I always check loads during the heat of the summer to make sure they are safe for any temp.

I have not done so in revolver rounds, simply because I have not tried AA #5 in full load .38's until recently. Maybe it makes a difference. It will be interesting to see.

Another thing is AA #5 (all Accurate powders) are made all over the world. Whoever gets the bid this time or that. Could make a difference.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Found this looking for WSF data.
1. I've researched muzzleflash; I believe that LOW MF is esential in PD cartridges.
http://jeffreybehr.zenfolio.com/p548446203
and
http://jeffreybehr.zenfolio.com/p626353596

I will never use A5 (or 800-X or LongShot, and BlueDot's rep is so bad I never bought a can to test it) in a PD load.

2. I have some WSF data in the 357SIG that I'll share with anyone who e-mails me at jeffreybehr(at)cox(dot)net.

I'm still investigating powder for the long Barnes 125g. TAC-XP bullet...


Seems lots of otherwise-excellent-for-the-357SIG powders are too bulky for the Barnes.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks for the muzzle flash pics.

To give you an update, so much for powder reduction plan!

For the past year, I have done more load development and range testing, especially comparison tests with same bullet for accuracy. For SD/HD loads, I have been using bulk Golden Saber/Gold Dot and Montana Gold bullets for practice in 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP.

For full power loads, I have picked up Unique, Universal, Power Pistol to compare with WSF. I am thinking about AutoComp, which I believe is essentially WSF with flash suppressant, to help decrease muzzle flash.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Did you pick a powder yet? I'm curious...

 

[LiveLife]

I have been happily distracted load developing for .223 and .308 over the summer. I think I finally have the right excuse to tell my wife why I need the Hornady AP LNL ... to reload rifle cases progressively (although I prefer to use single stage ... just don't tell my wife ).

As to slower pistol powder selection for full power loads, I decided to add AutoComp to the comparison and I will be picking it up along with some other powders (like N330/N340) at the next gun show.