Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles StaBALL in 25/06

I’ve got an 8 pounder of staball6.5 and just got a pound of staballHD. Anyone tried these in 25/06 with 117-135 grain bullets?

Following. I have 8# jugs of both. HD might be a good one...

What I found in the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center

Bullet: 117 GR. HDY SPBT Diameter: 0.257" Case: Remington Primer: Remington 9 1/2, Large Rifle
Starting Load Maximum Load
Manufacturer Powder C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure
Winchester StaBALL HD 3.165" 53.3 2,889 49,600 PSI 58.3 3,152 60,900 PSI



Bullet: 120 GR. SFT SP Diameter: 0.257" Case: Remington Primer: Remington 9 1/2, Large Rifle
Starting Load Maximum Load
Manufacturer Powder C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure
Winchester StaBALL HD 3.150" 53.8 2,862 51,700 PSI 57.9 3,067 61,300 PSI

Life’s kept me busy. I’m out of town for work but hope to get a little testing/loading done when I get back. On paper they look good. Hopefully the rifle likes them. I’ll post what I find out first hand.

Shot the 25/06 today with staball and 117 sierras. Started out at 46.0 and went up in .5 gr increments. Groups were nothing to write home about. 1.25-1.5” or so. At 47.5 groups tightened up considerably to .5-.6” range. 48gr went right back to about 1.3”. I loaded several more w47.5 and started dialing up to shoot 200, 300 and 400 yard gongs. I didn’t chrony the load but my dope is indicating about 2950fps. I may add more powder to see if I can get another sweet spot before running into pressure or I might not. I’m getting almost identical velocity w URP and 117 sierras but the URP load is averaging slightly better accuracy. That load incidentally is also 1 grain under book max. W URP I was using RP brass and CCI large rifle match primers. Today’s loads were new WW brass and LR STD primers. Rifle is a 700 w 1-8” pac nor barrel at 24”.

Three shots at 400 went about 1.75” with the 47.5 gr staball load. All loads were .010” off the lands. I originally built the gun for 133-135 gr bullets but I’m saving those for now for a fast twist 25x47 that should be here any week. More tests to follow.