• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

Winchester Staball HD Load Data

Thanks for your hard work.It helps everyone!
Everyone is looking for that magic load and with the help from all on this forum you will find it.
I just had surgery so I can't get out right now so reading your experiences excites me.I'll be better one day and I will get to contribute as well.
I enjoy doing it. May as well share the info with everybody. It may help someone. At least give you somewhere to start.

Here's to hoping for you a speedy recovery. Get well soon so you can get back to shooting.
 
So, about that small sample. I loaded 15 with 79.5gr of staballHD with federal 215's, Norma brass, 215 hybrid at 3.650"/2.875"

Average for 15 shots was 2896fps. A little faster than it was at the house. Where I am now I'm about 400' higher in elavation. Not sure that's really enough to matter. Didn't record the da this morning but it's 2800 right now.

Es this morning was 45 !
Sd was 14.1

But, there is a but. I messed up and loaded these with 79.0gr of powder because I had some wires crossed and then I pulled them and reloaded with 75.5. Oops.

All in all I went 5 for 10 at 1061 yards. Missed my first three cause I suck at reading wind. Caught the last two left and high. Let the gun cool off a minute, took 1/4 moa out of the dope and put five more in the mag.

Hit two missed two and hit the last one. All in the orange. That's a 10" circle painted on the target.
View attachment 497998
Thanks, from your data and what I have with H-1000. With my 300, shooting 215 Hybrid. The results are very close to each other. Powder weight and fps. Thanks again. 👍
 
OK, Here's some data shooting light weight 150 grain bullets from .300 WM. Hot off the press using my brand new Garmin Zero C-1 Chronograph.

TC-Encore breech loader single shot, 28 inch bbl.

Powder Staball HD
300 WM
150 grain Sierra Gameking #2125
COAL: 3.461
Federal 215 Primers
Peterson .300 WM long Brass

80 grains - 3074.6 fps
81 grains- 3135.8 fps
82 grains- 3166.2 fps
83 grains- 3180.6 fps
84 grains- 3262.5 fps
85 grains- 3293.6 fps

I studied the burn rates for Retumbo and Staball HD, some Retumbo loads, in QL, and was comfortable working up 1 grain at a time monitoring my velocities as I shot. I never saw anything velocity wise, or primer or extraction wise that gave me any worries. I wouldn't advise doing this a grain at a time without a lot of data and velocity monitoring from a low starting base.

I normally shoot at about 3250 fps in this rifle with other powders and the 150 gr Sierras, so this was as much velocity as I needed to see. Could have probably gone into the 3300's easily.

Don't go shooting the heavy bullets using this much Staball HD. You'll blow up. The 85 grains is approaching a compressed load or 100% fill in the Peterson longs.

What I was really impressed with was the stats for shooting 152 grain hammer hunters using Staball HD

Powder Staball HD--All shot at 82 grains.
300 WM
152 grain Hammer Hunters
COAL: 3.461
Federal 215 Primers
Peterson .300 WM long Brass

82 grains -3225.7 fps
82 grains- 3222.2 fps
82 grains- 3224.7 fps

It was only 3 rounds, but ES was 3.5 and Standard Dev was 1.8
Have to shoot 20-30 rounds and see if this holds.....
 
Veteran that is a great example of propper load work up.
That clearly shows how it's done!
That was a lot of time and work but all of us appreciate your time and expense.Well done!
Yes, maybe the true value of Staball HD is not velocity but consistency and statistically tight results using hammers? I'll try some more.
 
Left a lot on the table.I needed to increase my powder charge but had 3 surgeries and had to stop everything.
Still healing.
Edit to add:I did get some 190 gr bullets to try.Load data started with 190 gr.
 
Last edited:
This was my first load for Staball-HD in 300 WM. 200gr ELD-X. As of a couple days ago I have a load for 208fr ELD-M also.
 

Attachments

  • 20230628_065054.jpg
    20230628_065054.jpg
    138.8 KB · Views: 70
How would this do with 6.5 CM? I ubdrstand its a magnum powder, but just wondering on increased speeds of Staball HD versus the Staball 6.5. Any load data? Any experiences?
 
How would this do with 6.5 CM? I ubdrstand its a magnum powder, but just wondering on increased speeds of Staball HD versus the Staball 6.5. Any load data? Any experiences?
I ran a GRT simulation for a 26" 6.5CM and there is roughly a 20FPS gain in max velocity for Staball HD over Staball 6.5. Also, powder burn rate with the Staball HD is much slower so you would likely not get greater than 90% powder burned before muzzle exit. If you are looking for speed I would not be looking at HD. Its velocity capability is not on par with other powders of similar burn rate.
 
I use Staball HD in my 6.5-06 with 140 grain bullets and it makes me happy.

IMG_2307.JPG

Screenshot (897).pngScreenshot (899).png

Possibly, the nice Federal 215M primer could provide a lower SD. I have 700 of them.

Case fill appears to be about 95% with 57.5 grains & the 140 Barnes Match Burner.

Chopping off the left & right tails of the 95% probability bell shaped curve indicates a mass loading should provide a difference of 38 fps.

I have not loaded 123 H ELDM' yet and 60 or so grains grains might hit 3,000 but other powders do this easily, like the nice SW4350 available at my LGS.

Sg values are more than "comfortable".

This is the first group fired after installing a Timney trigger in my Ruger MKII - set at about 2 pounds. Sightron 4-20X50 STAC mounted with cheap SWFA 30mm low rings & Wiegand 20 MOA PIC base. McGowen 26 inch #5, 8 twist barrel.

Ammo - Norma .270W brass, necks turned to .286 enabling slip fit of bullets into fired cases. Brass trimmed to length using Lyman case trimmer with .25-06 pilot & my Dewalt cordless.

I would not consider SB HD for the 6.5 CM (need more?) case capacity is inadequate for the slow burning SB HD intended for rounds like the 6.5 PRC,
 
Last edited:
Top