Stabal 6.5

[track]

I tried 6.5 Staball in my 7x57 and it loves it. Have a few of .50", three shot groups and many others under one inch. The bullet was the Hornady 139 grain SP Interlock Flatbase. The only downfall to the powder is: it's very dirty.

 

[bearhunter]

Yup, I purchased a pound of Stalball 6.5 yesterday, on the way home from the gun club. I'm going to try it in my 7x57 Mauser, so far, IMR-4064 is appearing promising.

47.0 grains of H414 or W760 under 140 grain bullets will give you 2700+fps out of a 29in barreled M95 Mauser at just around 40,000cup, which is well within the safe limits of this action and in every 7x57 I've used this load in, it shoots better than I can hold. Sub moa groups can be expected

This is they LYMAN tested load and in most manuals, is listed as the most accurate.

I'm not a fan of 6.5 Stabal

I bought a pound of it a couple of years ago at Canadian Tire and find the hype over rated. There are other powders that perform much better, in a larger variety of cartridges IMHO.

That doesn't mean it isn't a good choice for your rifle. Just didn't work well for me in any of my 6.5 cartridges, such as 6.5CM/6.5x55/6.5x57/6.5Carcano/6.5x53 or 260Rem

 

[track]

47.0 grains of H414 or W760 under 140 grain bullets will give you 2700+fps out of a 29in barreled M95 Mauser at just around 40,000cup, which is well within the safe limits of this action and in every 7x57 I've used this load in, it shoots better than I can hold. Sub moa groups can be expected

This is they LYMAN tested load and in most manuals, is listed as the most accurate.

I'm not a fan of 6.5 Stabal

I bought a pound of it a couple of years ago at Canadian Tire and find the hype over rated. There are other powders that perform much better, in a larger variety of cartridges IMHO.

That doesn't mean it isn't a good choice for your rifle. Just didn't work well for me in any of my 6.5 cartridges, such as 6.5CM/6.5x55/6.5x57/6.5Carcano/6.5x53 or 260Rem

This is the very first time that ball powder was successful in my reloading; I never came close to accuracy and fast velocity from ball powder. I tried Win. 760 to no avail in the 7x57, well, 1 to 1.25 inch groups is what the rifle achieved. The 6.5 Staball was ment for the small standard cartidges and it proved itself quite well, probably just lucky for me.

 

[todbartell]

I bought a pound of it a couple of years ago and find the hype over rated. There are other powders that perform much better, in a larger variety of cartridges IMHO.

That doesn't mean it isn't a good choice for your rifle. Just didn't work well for me in any of my 6.5 cartridges, such as 6.5CM/6.5x55/6.5x57/6.5Carcano/6.5x53 or 260Rem

You found it produced poor velocity? poor accuracy? Both?

 

[wallz]

I have recently tried it for the 1st time in a 6.5 CM and 7mm-08. While the CM was better with H4350 the 7-08 increased velocity to hit a great node at 2980 fps with 145 gr barnes lrx.

While I don't have a chrony to verify the exact speed, my testing out to 500 M to verify dope pretty much pins it there. I know that this is not scientific in any shape or form to specifically verify that my speed is up compared to what it could be with RL16, but I know it is obtanium right now. My other rifle that is liking RL16 will continue to shoot that, and this one will get 6.5 stabal going forward.

 

[cbh560]

I've use 6.5 stab all in a 7-08AI and 7-08 Rem. I found that to get the advertised velocities it had to be run at higher pressures. I also found that once the pressure starts increasing, it increases quickly and you can quickly find yourself with a hot load. However, it was decent accurate with 120 and 140 Nosler BT and 139 Hornady SST.

 

[bearhunter]

You found it produced poor velocity? poor accuracy? Both?

Both, the rifles just didn't want to settle down and when I ran out, I couldn't find anymore to continue developing loads.

Usually a powder will show promice in at least one of those rifles. Not this time.

I will usually try to get something acceptable. I just lost interest in this powder after that first and only pound

 

[Lead hammer]

Works well in my 270 win so far.

 

[todbartell]

Here's some of my favorite StaBALL 6.5 loads

6.5 Creedmoor
Tikka T3x CTR 20" brl
140gr Barnes Matchburner @ 2.81" OAL (.170" off lands)
Alpha brass
Russian LR primer
43.5grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 2695 fps / 0.8moa 5 shot group 200y (4/5 in 0.5moa)

To compare velocity, Hornady 140gr American Gunner BTHP ammo does 2540 fps avg.

6.5 Creedmoor
Tikka T3x Lite 22.4" brl
147gr Hornady ELDm @ 2.95" OAL (.042 off lands)
Lapua brass
F210M primer
42.12grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 2530 fps / 0.58moa average of 5 groups @ 200m

22-250 Rem
Nosler 48 / 24" 1:9 twist
55gr Hornady Vmax @ 2.44" OAL (.030 off lands)
Hornady brass
F210M primer
42.60grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 3885 fps / 0.7moa 5 shot 220y


6mm GT
Defiance / Benchmark 26" brl
105gr Barnes Match Burner @ 2.54" OAL (.030 off lands)
Alpha brass
CCI BR4 primer
39.74grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 2980 fps / 0.37moa 5 shot 200m


6mm Creedmoor
Stiller Predator / Proof Sendero Light 24" brl
105gr Nosler RDF @ 2.74" OAL (.100" off lands)
Hornady brass
CCI200 primer
43.02grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 3033 fps / often puts most shots into just over half moa


7mm-08
Custom Defiance / 20" Benchmark brl
139gr Barnes LRX @ 2.87" OAL (.050 off lands)
Lapua brass
F210M primer
47.50grs StaBALL 6.5 / 2790 fps

280 Ackley
custom Defiance / 22.5" Benchmark brl)
150gr Hornady ELDx @ 3.42" OAL (.030 off lands)
Norma brass (280 fire formed)
F210M primer
56.50grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 2932 fps / 0.6moa 4 shot 327Y

375 Ruger
Ruger m77 Guide / 19.6" brl
300gr Nosler Accubond @ 3.4" OAL (.150 off lands)
Hornady brass
F215 primer
79.06grs StaBALL 6.5 ~ 2520 fps / 0.6moa 3 shot 100m

 

[bearhunter]

Those are pretty impressive load results. Now you've got my curious node going again and I will have to pick up a couple of pounds.