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New Winchester Staball 6.5 ball powder

padom

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  • Mar 13, 2013
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    Southeastern, Pennsylvania

    For 6.5cm and similar calibers. Powder Valley is calling it the greatest invention since Varget. Those are big shoes to fill. We will see if it lives up to the hype


    Increased velocity
    Temperature Instability
    Reduced Copper Fouling
    Precise Metering
     
    That’s pretty interesting.
    I’m a big fan of WST, WSF and W748.
    I may try a pound of it in my 260.

    there’s a lot of great powders now for that class of cartridges.
     
    I hope there are some beta testers that will post on here with some real results. Hodgdon's reloading page has a bunch of cartridges with load data already for this powder. It is cool they already got that data out to us. They even included 6 Dasher load data.
     
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    Reactions: D_TROS
    Very interested to see how this works with Dashers and similar running the heavies for cal bullets
     
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    Reactions: mmlook
    for the 6.5cm their published speeds seem a little slow.

    max powder is 43.5g producing 2772 fps. I guess that is out of a 24: barrel but I'm getting 2800 fps out of my 26" with 41.8 grs of r16.
     
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    for the 6.5cm their published speeds seem a little slow.

    max powder is 43.5g producing 2772 fps. I guess that is out of a 24: barrel but I'm getting 2800 fps out of my 26" with 41.8 grs of r16.

    low published speeds are nothing new.
    go look at H4350 data.

    I was a couple of grains more than book charge and faster and that load was 100% safe even in desert heat.

    I’m getting 2800 with 147’s in my 260 with R16.
    I’m confident that’s faster than book as well.
     
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    I'm getting 2850fps with a 136gr out of my 260 with only a 40.7 gr of h4350.

    Really want to try this new powder. Looks like same FPS with lower amounts of powder.
     
    Has it actually been released yet or is Powder Valley just sold out? I like testing new things, so I was hoping to run it through its paces like I did RL16 when it was first released
     
    This is exciting. Until recently, I've reloaded for only three rifles, .223 (using Western TAC), 30-30 (CFE223) and 45-70 (TrailBoss). Recently I've picked up a 6.5CM and defaulted to H-4350. Great powder as far as performance for the 100 rounds I've loaded and shot so far. Crappy powder for dropping in my RCBS Uniflow being a stick powder. If this new Win StaBall 6.5 meters anything like my TAC powder, I will make the switch. Interested to hear peoples initial experiences.
     
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    I know jackcrap about picking powders for cartridges. I just go with tried and true and stick with it. (have only loaded for two calibers, just started a year ago)

    i've seen data for dasher, and a guy trying it in a BRA.


    would this be worth trying in a straight BR w/112g bullets? i'm using H4895 now.
     
    I know jackcrap about picking powders for cartridges. I just go with tried and true and stick with it. (have only loaded for two calibers, just started a year ago)

    i've seen data for dasher, and a guy trying it in a BRA.


    would this be worth trying in a straight BR w/112g bullets? i'm using H4895 now.

    I'll be testing it in a 6BR once I get my hands on some
     
    Just pulled the trigger on 8#’s to see how it is. On back order but shouldn’t be long before more on the shelf...
    Here we go again with load prepping and determining what’s best. Have a real good load for my to different 6.5 CM platforms..
    oh well more excuses to shoot more...
     
    I'm going to give it a try in a Dasher as soon as I can get my paws on some. Looks interesting. Initial reports are that it meters like water, as a ball powder should.
     
    Just pulled the trigger on 8#’s to see how it is. On back order but shouldn’t be long before more on the shelf...
    Here we go again with load prepping and determining what’s best. Have a real good load for my to different 6.5 CM platforms..
    oh well more excuses to shoot more...

    Did you talk to Powder Valley and ask how long it would be? I’m gonna be doing a new load work up on my gun anyways since I just got my suppressor and wouldn’t mind trying this, just don’t wanna have to wait a few months.
     
    It won’t be long, spoke to Luke at Hodgdon and will being shipping anytime and be on the shelf’s. The trade show this week is slowing things down some but not too bad...
     
    It’s definitely a small spherical ball powder, nothing different here.
     

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    For 6.5cm and similar calibers. Powder Valley is calling it the greatest invention since Varget. Those are big shoes to fill. We will see if it lives up to the hype

    I'm waiting for you to get me some numbers for the Valkyrie and .220 Thunderbolt, please!
     
    I’d like to give it a try in .224 Valkyrie. Got a origin 26” barreled action on its way.
     
    I’d like to give it a try in .224 Valkyrie. Got a origin 26” barreled action on its way.
    There's some info here ? for the 224V
     
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    Reactions: Joeydias3
    I just placed an order at PV for 2lbs along with some Federal match small rifle primers for my 7SAW build, @ the time of the order they had 214 1lb cannisters minus my 2lbs!
     
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    Reactions: Joeydias3
    I got 2lbs supposed to be delivered tomorrow that I’m going to try in my 25 Creed. Hopefully puts me at the 2950 node I’d like to hit with less pressure!
     
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    Reactions: vigildom7
    I snagged an 8 #. itll be here Wednesday. also got some 115 dtacs coming and 105 hybrids to try out with it. 24inch barrel unfortunately
     
    Ordered 8lbs. This powder looks amazing for my 7mm-08 Ackley. Previously, the highest published 7mm-08 data for a 162gr bullet was a smidge over 2700 with XBR. They're publishing 2824 with this powder. I could possibly push into low 7RM territory with this powder. Looking forward to trying this out.
     
    I ran an impromptu velocity ladder just to get to see how this stuff performs.
    temp 35 *
    6 dasher 26” 7.5t Brux, Norma Dasher brass, 105 hybrids, cci 450

    37.0 gr 2917 fps
    37.5 gr 2953
    38.0 gr 2983
    38.5 gr 3050
    39.0 gr no data, my mistake.
    39.5 gr 3136 sticky/stiff bolt - stopped test.
     
    Last edited:
    I ran an impromptu velocity ladder just to get to see how this stuff performs.
    temp 35 *
    6 dasher 26” 7.5t Brux, Norma Dasher brass, 105 hybrids, cci 450

    37.0 gr 2917 fps
    37.5 gr 2953
    38.0 gr 2983
    38.5 gr 3050
    39.0 gr no data, my mistake.
    39.5 gr 3136 stick bolt - stopped test.
    What was case fill at 38gr, was it compressed?