How is StaBall 6.5 working out?

[blueprairiedog]

I use it in 6mm creedmoor with 105 hybrid and that's all I use.yes I tried varget,h4350 and a lot of other combinations but nothing shoots like this combo

 

[Josh06]

I use it in 22cm

 

[Ltbullken]

Been using 65 staball in my 65cm. Have a decent 120TTSX load for hunting, MV could be higher but it's consistent and accurate. I also have along range rig in 65CM using 140gr Hornady Match HPBT. Again, velocities could be higher but same - consistent and accurate.

Frankly, I've found that RL17 has been my 65CM fairy dust! MV plus accuracy!

 

[cabelasken]

It is fast, cheap and available!

 

[wardog5]

My experience with the 7/08 has been if you want more velocity, Varget will deliver. Accuracy is very close to h 414 but 100 to 150 ft/sec increase is common.

If you really want to step the 7/08 up just AI it my 7/08 AI velocities are 150 ft/sec + faster than my 7/08 and my 260 rem AI will match the 7/08 with same weight bullets.

So a 7/08 AI should match the velocity of a 280 rem using 140 grain bullets because it can easily exceed 3000 ft/sec with the 140's.

J E CUSTOM

I'd like to learn more about your 708AI as I had one made on a Montana 1999 action with a hart 1-8t 24" fluted as barrel im finding it likes 162 -185 I'm getting 2600-2650 with 6.5stabil I also tried imr 4831 with the 185 rdf noslers they did ok but nothing to write home about … have you tried and heavy bullets in yours yet if so what combinations should I try ? Thanks for your knowledge ..

 

[Grey Goast]

In my 6.5 Creedmoor all i use is Stabell 6.5 it's stable in cold or hot weather. I get great performance in all grain weights such as 123gr sst - 129gr. - 143gr. eldx -147 gr. eldm all have been Hornady bullets, and everything is on target. From the first time i tried Stabell 6.5 I was hooked and happy wouldn't use any other powder in my cm.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Good Post for going on 3 1/2 years. We ended purchasing (8) 1# cans of StaBall a few years ago at a real good price. Have not used any. Basically, used for "Just in Case" if we ran out of powder. I kind a heard some real bad reviews from a few members. Now reading the results some members on this thread make me feel better and glad that we did buy StaBall. Just don't know what to shoot it in. Seems like most use it in medium size cartridges.

 

[Tac-O]

In my 6.5 Creedmoor all i use is Stabell 6.5 it's stable in cold or hot weather. I get great performance in all grain weights such as 123gr sst - 129gr. - 143gr. eldx -147 gr. eldm all have been Hornady bullets, and everything is on target. From the first time i tried Stabell 6.5 I was hooked and happy wouldn't use any other powder in my cm.

For cold weather, how cold? Do you use regular or magnum primers?

I've wanted to make staball a mainstay in my powder inventory, but don't want to have to source magnum LRPs and worry about ignition in cold weather, like below freezing

 

[Hudge76]

I will be the first to say, my experience with StaBALL 6.5 has not lived up to what it was advertised. My velocities have been quite a bit slower than manuals have stated in several cartridges. I had an ok load with .300 WSM and 165 gr TTSX's a few years ago, and hunted with it one moose season. Outside of that, I wrote it off until recently.
I saw a YouTuber that his buddy was raving about it in his .30-06. I decided to try it with 150 gr BT's I had lying around. All I can say is wow! I am finally getting good velocities and great accuracy with it in at least one load. I am also going to try it in my .270 Win with 129 gr. LRX's. As far as my 6.5 CM, it does not like the powder at all. I do use it in my 7-08, but I developed the load before there was published data and I'd say my load is at the starting load for it on Hodgdon's website. I get great accuracy, but velocity needs work. I will work on it this summer more, and it may get used for a caribou hunt this fall.

 

[Rosebud]

Well I'm gonna have to eat some Crow, In my search for speed out of my 25-06AI with the 90g Absolute Hammer's I was at a standstill, I tried everything I knew to do and it shot the same as the 92g Hammer Hunters so I studied on for a week or so and then I saw the Staball can, I had enough to load 6 rounds as I had been starting fires with it, I couldn't believe the results, there it was, 3900's, i almost made it to 4000fps but it was getting sketchy, needless to say I frantically went on the search for some more and lucked up and found some local, Sending them downrange at 3923fps, It's hard on brass but anyone that knows me knows that I don't care


For what its worth, Crow on the spit over hickory with some Sweet Baby Ray's is really good

Haven't tried it that way, but I've had to eat it on occasions. I'll remember that cooking method.

 

[Hudge76]

I have not used LR magnum primers with it, and had no issues in cold weather. I usually run LR magnum primers in ball powders, but for some reason have not with StaBALL 6.5.

 

[synfinatic]

Used it in my 6.5CM when H4350 was unobtainium. Bought 2x8# jugs at the same time. Interestingly one jug seems about 0.8gr faster than the other (44.0 vs 44.8gr under a 147ELDM) so some questions about consistency. Can't complain about accuracy as I've been able to reliably hit 1mi plate with it after finding the right bullets. Only downside is I've seen >80fps variance due to temps, but getting single digit SD's for 10+shots isn't a problem.

 

[Texis]

Works very well in 708, likes magnum primers. Meters great. Building a 280AI and curious to see how it does in that caliber.

 

[JAYgs8163]

Works very well in 708, likes magnum primers. Meters great. Building a 280AI and curious to see how it does in that caliber.

This what I'm planning on using it in. New Hodgdon load manual showing good load data for 7-08 and also some of the WSM calibers.