School me on spherical/ ball powder. Ramshot magnum in particular.

[MagnumManiac]

If I didn't have a great supply of Win 760, my 375 Weatherby wouldn't be fed!
If I still had my 416 RM, I would be using 760 like nobodies business.
Some cartridges perform their best with ball powders, no matter what is toted on the interweb.
Those that come to mind:
Any 17 centrefire.
222, 222 Mag and all 223 based cartridges.
22 Hornet.
308.
Big bores and medium bores with straight walls or almost straight walls.
Belted mags respond well to very slow ball powders and show less throat erosion. Would really like to see 780 make a new appearance.

Cheers.

 

[FEENIX]

I think everyone who has tried StaBall agrees great velocity but holy cow does it ramp up FAST! IMO this is not a powder to ladder jump by a grain. Extra Caution is necessary with it.

LL! Brother @ButterBean found another use for it.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Generally speaking I get better accuracy from stick powders but this is certainly not an absolute statement. I get excellent accuracy from some ball powders but their band of accuracy seems to be narrower than stick powders if that makes sense. If I'm loading 3000 rounds to sit over a prairie dog town you better believe I'm using a easy metering ball powder.

 

[Tac-O]

I've got some Ramshot hunter to try out. Always wanted to try it out but was stuck on the temp sensitivity thing and have always had h4350 in my stock.

The temp sensitivity number for hunter doesn't look too bad though

 

[Tac-O]

What about node window size on these powders? I think I had read somewhere awhile ago about the accuracy node being smaller on ball than extruded

 

[QuietTexan]

The temp sensitivity number for hunter doesn't look too bad though

I don't think it's bad, I built a hot weather load for 6.5 CM with Hunter - 140gn Barner Match Burner, 43.4gn Ramshot Hunter, 2850 FPS, 100* temps, about half the brass would show mild ejectors. 10-shot SD of 9.9. There wasn't a great velocity node on the chronograph, but the barrel harmonic seemed to be correct on target. Took it out to 1200 yards, drops were very close to the AB custom drag model for the bullet.

Shot eight five-shot groups around my final charge/seating setting- the best SD/ES was 3/6, worst was 13/34.

 

[ButterBean]

LL! Brother @ButterBean found another use for it.

The best use I have found for it is It makes an great campfire stater, a bit expensive for that use but most excellent results

 

[DJ Fergus]

I think everyone who has tried StaBall agrees great velocity but holy cow does it ramp up FAST! IMO this is not a powder to ladder jump by a grain. Extra Caution is necessary with it.

The one aspect of ball powder is the ability to manage case capacity or load density especially with Hammers.

Great loads with 4000MR but not quite as good as RL26 but dang close.

You are dead on about staball ramping up fast. I've never worked with any other powder that ramps up so quickly.

 

[Muddyboots]

I prefer to use 0.3 gr load increments with Staball just to be cautious

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Way way way to temperature sensitive for me....even 5 degree differences in air temp caused point of impact changes. The ones I messed with all fired great groups no matter the distance but drove me crazy with the poi changes...now a days I just steer clear ..

 

[Stetson05]

I use a large pan under my charge master as well. The ball powders bounce around a bit as they start to measure out. The pan helps contain the mess. I've used ramshot magnum in 300wm and didn't have any problems. I've got hunter for 30-06 and Big game for 7-08. Those ball powders have been working great for me for several years. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Meters, like Water,..
I LOVE,.."throwing" charges of, StaBall, in my, .243 Win, 6 XC and NOW for, my 6.5 Creedmoor !
"Shoots" real well, in those 3 Cart's and my son gets, TOP Velocity and Accuracy from his, 7mm-08 with, 168 Bergers !
Thankfully, I "loaded up" on this Powder, as soon as I saw that it,.. WAS,.."Good" !
Shoots BEST "accuracy",.. USUALLY at or, near Max, charges ! Tread carefully, in no more than 3 Tenths of, a grain at a time, when "working up", loads !
I AVOID shooting IF, Temp's are OVER,..100 Degree's so, NO big deal to me,.. 2 to 3 Weeks out of, the Year !