Henry Rifle Forums

Going to load 357mag cast 158gr bullet with 9.2gr of HS-6 powder. What primer should I be using?

thanks

Hodgdon website says Small Pistol Magnum. So does other sources I have checked. I have used CCI550 primers with HS-6, with good success.

I find magnum too hot for cast bullet without gas checks and normally cause leading in bore . I even use non-magnum pistol primers in cast rifle shooters .

I would agree with the use of a standard primer for HS-6. Magnum primers are used to light larger charges of H-110 and 296. I dont even use a mag primer when I load 2400. I dont think its necessary. Al

I've used magnum primers in place of regular primers for .357 magnum when I couldn't find the regular ones. Never noticed any difference.

I read with slower burning powders and cold weather, a magnum primer is recommended.

Is HS-6 a fast or slow burning powder?

Looking at the burn rate chart, HS6 is slower than Universal, but faster than CFE pisol, which is faster than H110. I would consider it a medium speed powder.

I always use the primer that the loading data specifies. I'm not hung up on it, but it simplifies things. I have no problem getting both SP and SPM primers and keep both on hand. Having said that, I accidentally loaded a .357 magnum for my Henry using a SP primer yesterday. I was using Universal powder. I will not bother to break it down, but just shoot it instead. If it were loaded with 4227, or H110, I would pull it. I would be amazed if I could tell a difference between the SP and SPM using Universal, or other medium speed powders.

Quite cold here in Norway during the winter, and seldom it gets over 20c / 68f in the summer, so I use Small Pistol Magnum primers as per the loading tables I use .