StaBALL 6.5 loads and 2021 Hodgdon Annual

[ButterBean]

Gotcha. So faster powder or slower powder would be your preference with the 131 and 6.5PRC? If you had your choice of powders what would your go to?

I have no experience with 6.5 anything but I would think it would be in the same burn rate, H100V- H4350

 

[cohunt]

Slight revival for stability thread

Just wondering what cartridges/bullets people have settled on for this powder.

I heard some good stuff about 6.5cm, 270w, 308w, 30-06, and 300wsm

But it seems it's pretty hit or miss info.

I saw a few guys trying it with HH and AHH bullets but not sure of final findings. I've got an unopened 8 pounder and wasn't sure if it's worth while playing with or better off to just sell it locally, or keep it for a backup in these weird component times.

 

[ButterBean]

Slight revival for stability thread

Just wondering what cartridges/bullets people have settled on for this powder.

I heard some good stuff about 6.5cm, 270w, 308w, 30-06, and 300wsm

But it seems it's pretty hit or miss info.

I saw a few guys trying it with HH and AHH bullets but not sure of final findings. I've got an unopened 8 pounder and wasn't sure if it's worth while playing with or better off to just sell it locally, or keep it for a backup in these weird component times.

I'm still using it to start campfires

 

[Coldfinger]

Good day,
After reading the 2021 Hodgdon and learning the capabilities of StaBALL 6.5 ball powder I am wanting to try it in a few cartridges. Its velocity performance is outstanding. And I mean really outstanding! What I can find on the internet so far confirms that it is accurate as well. Here are some of the cartridges tested velocities.

StaBALL 6.5 Hogdons 2021 Annual

17 Rem 30 gr, 3904 fps, 65 fps fastest
6mm Creed 115 gr, 3026 fps, 82 fps fastest
6.5 Swede 140 gr, 2722 fps, 22 fps fastest
270 Win 140 gr, 3033 fps, 56 fps fastest
7mm08 160 gr, 2871 fps, 127 fps fastest
280 AI 160 gr, 2924 fps, 52 fps fastest
30-06 180 gr, 2857 fps, 13 fps fastest
300 WSM 180 gr, 3019 fps, 56 fps fastest
338 Mag 200 gr, 2951 fps, 28 fps slower
375 H&H 300 gr, 2570 fps, 23 fps fastest

So it seems to be working in a very wide range as the data speaks for itself. I plan to use this powder in my 6.5 Swede and then my 6.5 PRC. Anybody willing to talk about their experience with this newer powder that has very little data yet?

Very accurate in my 22creeds with 85.5 Berger's. Pretty dirty and has violent pressure moods at max charges. Just my observations. I'm keeping what I got but don't plan on using it anymore.

 

[ButterBean]

Very accurate in my 22creeds with 85.5 Berger's. Pretty dirty and has violent pressure moods at max charges. Just my observations. I'm keeping what I got but don't plan on using it anymore.

Shonuff

 

[Brian421]

Does good in my 6.5 with 110 hh

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I picked up quite a bite of 6.5 StaBall in the beginning of 2021. I heard some good things and since it was available i picked it up in case there were friends/shooters in my area that could use it. As of today not any takers for it so i have it in stock long with an assortment of other powders that we all could not get for several years. If I can't use it (sure could use in something but have not tried) We can always trade or give to someone in need!
Len & Jill

 

[CMP70306]

I ended up buying a whole bunch of it since it was all that I could find last year and I could use it in most cartridges that I own. After testing it more thoroughly I did notice that it definitely seems pretty dirty as I started getting carbon rings in my PRC's and Creedmoors after using it. Still undecided if I will buy more after I burn up what I got.

I plan on loading it in the 30-06 as a less temp sensitive alternative to Superformance in our hunting loads which are only shot a few times a year however I haven't started on this yet and do not know how well it will work.

 

[bgremill]

How far from max do you have to stay without dealing with the weird pressure spikes? I bought a couple pounds to try in the 6.5cm; but, I'll stick with other powders if I need to back off so much I can't get the speed benefit.

 

[cape cove]

I found that I got good speed with it in my 7/08 when I used it with 140/145 gr bullets. It's just that, in my, case 50 grs became my max load with no pressure signs what so ever. Tried 51 grs and got big pressure signs. I felt that it spiked real fast in comparison to the other powders I was using with the same components. JME

 

[Tac-O]

I tried a pound of it in my Tikka '06. Only with 150gr Sierra PH, no appropriately heavy bullets.

BUT, I got very good accuracy and speed and no pressure signs. About 3175fps. Can't remember the charge weight, but it was in the 61gr neighborhood I think.

 

[Longtine88]

Pushes 108 elites out of a 6mm creed at 3,186' avg and .2 moa. I love it in this caliber for sure.

 

[Coldfinger]

How far from max do you have to stay without dealing with the weird pressure spikes? I bought a couple pounds to try in the 6.5cm; but, I'll stick with other powders if I need to back off so much I can't get the speed benefit.

I never figured it out I just quit using it. It was both .22 calibers I run it in that I had issues. It ran fine in 6 creed. But I never tried to find pressure ceiling.

 

[Hugnot]

During the present component emergency, I managed to buy 3 pounds of 6.5 StaBall at 2 LGS'. Prelim testing in my 7.7 twist .22-.250 with 37.0 grains StaBall, 75 Hornady hpbt, Fiocchi LRP, PPU brass gave me about .5, 5 shot, at 100. Conditions were snowing w 7-10 mph winds at 10 - 11 o'clock. No chrony yet but with a 200 yard zero, 1.25 MOA up, to hit at 300. My guess is just under 3,200 fps. StaBall is denser than 4000MR, another powder I use in the .22-.250. So far, really happy. Pressures seemed to be mild and will go out next week with .3 grain increments. The H .224 75 hpbt is a good cheap bullet. Staball appears to be quite like PP4000MR in burn rate but is denser and I don't plan to use it in bigger cases like 6.5-06 or 6mm-06.