I just joined this forum.
I also just got some of this Staball 6.5 powder at a Virginia gunshow yesterday.
The powder is supposed to have a burn rate of similar to IMR4350. It’s rate seems to vary from IMR4451 powder to as slow as IMR4831.
So it may be a perfect powder for 6.5mm for most medium capacity cartridges. Hence the name “6.5”
I’m trying it today in one of my 6.5x55mm rifles today. I usually use one of my favorite powders RL22 with 120gr. Ballistic Tips.
In my 6.5 Swedes, RL22 has been GREAT powder and has proved to me to be very “temperature tolerant”! Virginia’s temperatures generally vary between 25 to 95+ Degrees Fahrenheit during our hunting seasons. (summer ground hogs to late season deer hunting).
I guess the “Winchester/Hodgdon” people wanted a “ball” powder with the popular slower burn rate like the 4350 powders, that was CLEAN, more Temperature insensitive, that would fill a small capacity Creedmore case. (looking for that ultimate powder for a small bore, smaller capacity case..... but STILL have a useful burn rate range, enabling it to be used in a wide variety of other cartridges.
So I expect it to be good for anything from a .243 Winchester, on up to and including a 30-06.....
(not to forget some of the medium capacity Magnum cartridge cases too.... like a 338 or 358 belted magnums, for instance...)
Anything that IMR4350 could be used for, I guess.
It’s biggest competitor could be IMR4451.
(which has also worked well for me in a variety of cartridges for me).
For those interested, I’ll report on my testing of this new Staball 6.5 powder. (of course, that will be in several cartridges, over the next six months.... when the Luray, Virginia temperatures start approaching the 90 degree PLUS mark)
Joe
