Midrange powder: HS 6 Vs CFE Pistol

[6.5X284ever]

For 44 Spl, 45 Colt, 44 mag Tier 2 "midrange" loads. Upon taking inventory, I have ample faster powders, and ample "magnum" powders, but not so much in the middle range. Thinking about picking up an 8-pounder in case of hard times. I see that in the burn speed I'm looking for, HS 6 and CFE Pistol are currently in stock. Looking at load data available, probably not much difference. Most of the data available for 45 Colt and 44 SPL are standard pressure, though. Do you have any experience using one over the other in the "Tier 2" range ? I have used a little HS 6 in the past, but not CFE. Looking at 250gr bullets in 950-1050 range. I'd be happy to just buy more Unique, but it doesn't look like that will be available any time soon. Down to my last #2

[Sandspider500]

I've used cfe pistol in 45 colt a little. It's all gone now, but I tried a load with a 260gr bullet. It was a little over hodgdons load. They tested a 250gr with 9.2gr of cfe pistol for 1014fps at 13000psi from a 7.25" barrel. I loaded a 260gr bullet with 9.5gr and 6 shots went 905, 916, 916, 911, 919, 919 from a 4 5/8" barrel. I also loaded a 310gr lee bullet out long to the 2nd crimp groove with 9.5gr of cfe pistol from the same 4 5/8" barrel and got 885, 853, 858, 881, 858, and 859. I figured with 3 more inches of barrel length it would have added around 90fps to both loads, but I'm not positive. I never loaded anything hotter than that, but that powder seems capable of some stout loads.

I have used hs6 loads for 45 colt also. In my opinion its able to squeeze about the same velocity out of a short barrel(4 5/8") as 2400 at the same pressure, and to expand on that list with 800x, longshot, and aa5.

All of em are capable of tier 2 loads cfe pistol, 800x, longshot, aa5, and hs6.