Just tried it in one of my 6.5X55s.... this one is a Model 70 Featherweight, 22” barrel.
So far it’s outstanding powder as far as accuracy.
On a cold 37 degree day, a 43grs. and a 44grs. charges with a Hornady 129grs. SST, proved to be vary accurate at 50 yards. 4 shot groups with either charge punch big ragged holes measuring 1/4” to 3/8” in size. For me that’s good!
It seemed to compare burn rate/pressure wise to IMR4831.
IMR4350 (44grs.) gave me max pressure signs (in this Model 70 Rifle), and 3/4” Groups.
But 44grs. of STABALL gave me considerably tighter groups and “normal” high pressure signs (no cratering, and reasonable case web expansion).
The best part is that the POIs (Point Of Impact) were all the same!
With the same bullet with IMR4831 powder (46grs. charge), the POI was the same at 50 yards as the other loads tried with IMR 4350 and STABLL powder.
But that 46grs. charge of IMR4831 powder proved to me to be a maximum charge in my Model 70.
The big surprise that day (other than the great accuracy and assumed velocities and reasonable pressures with this STABALL 6.5 powder), was the bad performance with a can of IMR4955 powder.
My research of that powder and also using the burn rate charts made that powder appear to me to be comparable to H4831 powder.
But the experiments the other day suggested that powder is also comparable to IMR4831.
So unless I have a bad lot of that stuff, that is too fast.... I’m going to treat it more like IMR4831 powder and NOT the slower H4831 powder.
So to date....
I suggest to all... BE CAREFUL using the IMR4955 powder in the 6.5X55mm! It seems to be faster than what the burn rate charts and the Hodgdon load data suggest.
Tomorrow I plan on doing more testing with the IMR4955, and STABALL 6.5 powders.
Both STABALL and IMR4955 show good accuracies.
But without a doubt.... so far the STABALL powder seems to be everything they say it is!
It almost seems too good to be true in my 6.5X55 Model 70.
I look forward to trying it in my other 6.5X55 rifles, in addition to a bunch of other rifles of mine.
AND I will report back about my experience with this great (so far), powder.
Joe
So,what did your chronograph say?
