158gr lead wadcutters over 7.5gr of Hodgdon HS-6. These are an outgrowth of a self-defense load developed by a friend, which consisted of a 125gr XTP bullet over 8gr of the same powder.
This was the first group, with the powder charge backed down to err on the side of safety. It was probably not necessary, but anything over 7 grains falls outside Hodgdon’s recommendations, so one has to tread gingerly.
Recoil was mild and controllable, which is expected with a slow-burning powder like this. There was no visible leading in the barrel and cylinder, nor did the casings exhibit any signs of overpressure.
Second group. The flier at 4:00 was called (3rd shot), but the consistency shows a good fit between loading and gun. The next step is to find some 158gr LSWC hollow points and try them out. This could be a nice upgrade to the venerable Chicago Load.
A few words of warning: I shoot these with my gun, at my own peril. If you choose to use this load, I’d love to see the results, but don’t get all Chris Crocker on me if it causes problems for you. I’m using it with a 4″ S&W K-Frame. It could accelerate wear on smaller, lighter pistols, and it will likely kick quite a bit.