Winchester is claiming some fast numbers in the 7mm-08. I just ordered some from powder valley. I’ll be trying it with 120, 140, & 150 grain bullets. I’ll report back with results when I have time to load and shoot.

Keep us posted. I hope it isn't as watery as Ramshot B.G.

Holy cow! The load data on the winchester site for 7mm08 is crazy fast! 2825fps and a 160 is a whole new level of performance from the 7/08.

A gentleman by the name of George seemed to think it was OK in a Powder Valley Facebook post.

This will be interesting to watch. The velocities for the Creed were about what they are for a moderate load of Re 26. In the .270 it looks good, too, and it should meter well.

From Hodgdon data, it looks like a bigger performance jump with the 7-08 than the 6.5 Creed.

DF

It sounds like just another powder company marketing trick aimed at those suffering from "Creedmoor derangement syndrome" I've seen these claims made about many other new powders.

Reckon he knows a thing or two about rifle powders...?

Maybe rifles, too...?



DF

I wish you'd hurry up and get your order. Inquiring minds want to know.

Curious as well, but I’ve mostly been disappointed with “wonder powders” giving incredible speed, but crap accuracy.

As always, in the “we’ll see” camp

Came in today. If I wasn’t headed to the deer camp, would work up some loads. One of these days

One poster was concerned it would be “watery” like BG. It looks like Win 760/H-414, Ball C, typical Winchester ball powder appearance. Probably from St. Marks in FL if I was to guess. It should meter well.

DF

If you're not careful you are gonna win the curmudgeon trophy away from me.........

Contrary to your experience for example, RL 26 produced less accuracy in a 243, about the same accuracy in two other 243's and a 270, and noticeably better accuracy in one 270.

It has a different appearance, not the very tiny balls like BG. I like the way BG meters, no problem thru my RCBS Uniflow.

DF

Out of a Tikka T3 Lite stainless using Big Game:

120 NBT 3126 FPS
140 Partition 2890 FPS
150 eldx 2790 FPS

StaBall has slightly higher velocities posted, but not enough to be interesting.




P

I'll give it a try in the 6.5 Creedmoor.


Wonder what it will do with the heavier 110-120 grain bullets in the .250 Savage and 257 Roberts ?

Would like the answer to that question as well. The H-4831sc I have been loading is heavily compressed...but accurate and deadly.

So far H-100V is the velocity champ in the Roberts. StaBALL will for sure beat H-100V in the temp sensitivity business. Velocity will be interesting, have yet to see data.

DF

I did some shooting today with StaBALL 6.5 in the 7mm-08. I loaded 120 TTSX, 120 ballistic tip, 140 fusion and 150 AccuBond. All loads were with Hornady brass, and wlr primer. The rifle was a stainless ruger American 22” barrel. I did the usual treatment with working up loads and worked up to max looking for signs of pressure and looking for accuracy. I’ll say that this rifle is a bit picky with what it likes. I have a ruger American compact that shoots everything well but the one I shot today is a different animal.
Listed max with a 120gr bullet is 53gr
120 ballistic tip 2.80 col. 53gr got 3,037 FPS with no sign of pressure. Best accuracy at 52gr @ 2,934 3 shots at .27”! Need to look further into that load.
120 TTSX 2.78 col. 53gr got 3,052 FPS. With no pressure sign. Best accuracy was at 53gr. 5 shots @ .98”
Max for 140 is 48.5 but max for 139 is 51 and 145 is also 51. So I chose to try loading up to 51gr
140 fusion 2.8 col. 51 gr got 2,843 FPS. With no signs of pressure. Best accuracy was at 51gr @ .64” 5 shot group! Need to look further into this load.
Max for 150 bullets is lasted at 49.2 for 150 ttsx and 48.5 for 150 SIE HPBT. I tried loading up to 48.5 for a 150 AccuBond.
150 Accubond 2.80 col. I started seeing signs of pressure early and at 47.5gr @ 2,713 I was getting ejector marks and a stiff bolt lift so I didn’t go any further. Accuracy was terrible across all loads.

I know I used different components and had a 22” barrel but I came up pretty short of Winchester’s velocities. Although the velocity was less than expected some of the loads showed promising accuracy. I’ll have to reshoot the 120 ballistic tip and 140 fusion. Those are really good groups for this rifle. The 120 ttsx at .98” is also good but the ttsx is the one bullet that almost always shoots well in this rifle so .98 is pretty normal.

Thanks for the update

Thanks, obie458 for that info. Makes ya wonder how much hype is in that Hodgdon data. They showing way too much difference just from their 24" to your 22" barrel.

Those speeds you got are not that exceptional, several powders will match or beat those numbers. You did find some really accurate loads, so who knows where it's going.

I have two pounds of StaBALL. When hunting season winds down some, I hope to check it out in my Creed and 7-08, maybe my 257R, although it would be hard to beat H-100V performance in that one, temp stability notwithstanding.

DF

Good info. Thanks!

Thanks for the update Obie, I had the same experience with RL-16 when it first came out. Velocities in a 22.5" 7-08 and a 24" 7-08AI were way below those listed by Alliant. Maybe it's just marketing hype. Will probably try some once deer season is over.

Staball 6.5 did not work well in my Winchester M70 Stainless Classic 270 Winchester with 24" barrel. Load components were Win brass (sorted within .3 grain) fresh anneal before resizing, GM210M primers, 140 Accubond bullets seated at 3.38". Velocity measured with Labradar. All powder charges were weighed and contained 5 rounds fired at each weight of 6.5 Staball;
54.2 grains = avg 2911 fps, 49 fps ES, 27.2 SD
54.7 grains = avg 2923 fps, 61 fps Es, 35 SD
55 grains = avg 2940 fps, 85 ES, 42.7 SD

Immediately after trying the Staball loaded ammo I fired 3 rounds with my favorite load in this rifle containing same components and length except loaded with 58.8 grains of H4831 and shot a .251" group at 200 yards, avg velocity 3005 fps, ES 13 fps, SD 6 fps. This is the best 3 round group ever fired with this rifle at 200 yards, normally I get .8 - 1 inch groups. This load has worked very well in this rifle from 90 degree - 30 degree temps, with no signs of high pressure.

It appears that Staball is best used in the short 308 dimension type calibers, and will give it a try in my 7-08 single shot pistol sometime in the future.

With a 7-08 with 21" barrel shooting the 150 eldx I got slight ejector marks and stiffer bolt lift at 47.5 gr @ 2772 fps. I shot 48.0 gr which went 2807 fps with a heavier ejector mark and noticeably harder to cam bolt and stopped at that point.

Well duh, that's a 6.5 powder and everybody knows the 270 is gay.




I'm joking, welcome to the forum.

Seriously though - it does seem that a 140gr 270 Win load is best with a little slower burn rate (like your H4831 load), while Staball 6.5 seems to be targeted to rounds using a slightly faster burn rate for best performance.

I have yet to try it for myself, but will be satisfied if it gives similar velocity and accuracy to Rl16/17 but with ball powder metering and good temp stability.

It does seem that some new powders tend to get over-hyped in the load data velocity claims at first, then settle down with more realistic numbers after a year or two.

They're showing the 7-08 pushing a 120 at 3,200 fps. I've not had a chance to try that, but one contributor said he saw presssure issues WAY before he got there. So it could well be over hyped.

From what I've read, burn rate is in the 4350 range, which isn't far from RL-16, RL-17, 4451, etc. Time will tell.

DF

I have been working up loads using the StaBall powder and 175gr Grand Slams in my 280 Ackley. I had to establish my own data. What a head scratcher. I had two loads side by side. Both had 54gr of StaBall and Winchester primers. One standard and one magnum. I chonographed 2707 and 2744. Now I believe I have established a baseline.
I shoot a 54.5 standard primer load, blow the primer, and get a 2844.
I then load five 280 rem cases with 54,54.1,54.2,54.3, and 54.4. I used Winchester mag primers. I use 175gr Hornady interlock for the bullets. I averaged 2736 with a peak of 2758 and a low of2715.
I believe the improved shoulder and bullet length creates too much pressure.

It's no surprise that you're having issues when you're loading one round at a time and jumping around with different components. Stick to one set of components (bullets, brass, and primer), and load at least 3-5 rounds of each powder charge as you work up. If you want to change bullets or primers, start over and work up again.

A velocity reading on a single round is by no means a "baseline", and don't expect different bullets of the same weight to give you the same results.

I get 3126 with 120 NBT and Big Game out of a Tikka, 22 7/16” barrel.




P

I run some Re-15 yesterday with 120 BT's from 40 grains - 44 grains.. No load was over MOA and some were .250 MOA with 44 grains producing an impressive group of .5 moa. As much as I like Big Game with 150's , I never could get it to produce small groups with 120's. Re-15 seems like the best powder I've tried with 120's.especially for max loads.

Thanks. I have been spoiled with the powders I normally work with. Hodgdens 4831, 4350, and 4895

Anyone else try Staball 6.5 in the 7MM-08?
It look like most people are coming up pretty slow compared to what the reloading data suggests.

Tag.