Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters StaBall 6.5

I didn't notice anyone mentioning this new powder before. I picked up the 2020 Hodgdon Reloading magazine today and it featured this new powder. The label on the bottle says "Ideal For: 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 Winchester, 7mm-08 and many more". That includes the 6mm Creedmoor, too. Hodgdon claims the new powder gives over 100 fps more velocity with 140 grain bullets in the 6.5 CM. I'm already dreaming of using it in the 250 Savage and 257 Roberts.

Did the paper copy have any load data for .243 Win? Curiously, the Hodgdon website shows load data with StaBall 6.5 for everything from .223 Rem thru .375H&H, including 6 CM. But no load data for .243 Win ???

Given that the 6 CM and .243 Win are very close in case capacity (slight edge maybe to .243?), I would expect that if StaBall was good for 6 CM, that it would also be good for .243... What am I missing ?

The new Hodgdon paperback manual didn't give any data for the 243 Winchester. I guess that will come in time. I'm sure it would work fine in the 243.

No doubt it is. What you're missing is the time it takes to test new powders in a bunch of cartridges. There are already a bunch of good powders for the .243, so I suspect they got what data they could for newer cartridges, before the deadline for the Annual Manual.

The article inside (page 8) is titled "Winchester's New StaBall 6.5 - Who says you can't have everything?" They compare it to two other powders in the same burn range - H4350 and IMR 4451 - which are commonly used in the 6.5 Creedmoor. The bullet used for comparison is the Hornady 135 grain A-Tip. Max load with StaBall 6.5 is 45.0 grains for 2,870 fps. Using H4350, it's 43.2 grains for 2,807 fps. Using IMR 4451, it's 42.8 grains for 2,775 fps.

Sounds like fertile ground for articles by gunwriters like Mule Deer, hint, hint!

I have some ordered to try with the 110 Hammer Hunter in my Creedmoor. I may try it in the .270 later.

I tried it in my Creed and .260. It is just OK and another option among many. It is not a game changer, unless it is real important to have powder that meters easily. I got good results with, or without mag primers.

StaBALL load date just about tracks H-4350 in rounds where data for both powders are available.

I'd like to try it in my 338-06 with heavier bullets. Am thinking about using H-4350 starting loads, watching the chrono.

Any opinions, positive or negative, on doing such?

StaBALL reportedly has lower pressures at the same velocities, compared to H-4350. I'm assuming the same with the 338-06,

DF

My 2020 Annual is due Thursday. We shall see if there's something there for Ol' Pappy or not.

Looks like there's some velocity increases available for my 6mm Creed, plus the copper cutter and temperature stability. Worth a try.

Does it matter what primer, standard or magnum?