I've looked at the StaBall 6.5 load data more then once and all it left me was confused and intrigued, and here is why...
For 139 grain bullets, they list a max charge of 51 grains with a velocity of over 3050 FPS, and yet they list a max of 48.5 grains for a 140 grain bullet and 2975 FPS. Now from my experience, there are not many powders that will break 2900 FPS with the 140 grain bullets in the 7mm-08, nevermind 3000 FPS......
A couple of years ago I saw Federal Fusion bullets for reloading, and with enough luck I managed to find 3 boxes of 100 in stock a couple weeks ago, so I sought out some StaBall 6.5 powder and brand new Winchester brass, so why Winchester?? well because I have always had good luck with it, and it has always seemed to have more internal case capacity then any other brand of case, and when playing with such a slow powder, it might be what is needed.
I did a primer test, shot 3 round groups with 47.0 grains of StaBall with different primers, speeds were close, far from advertised but between remington, federal, winchester and CCI primers what stood out at that test would later be contradicted, so the matter of importance here is that CCI 250 primers won during round 3 testing.
So let's back up a bit, the federal fusion 140 grain bullet makes contact with the rifling in my stainless T3 rifle at a COAL of 2.930, that's awesome, except the magazine limits me to 2.840 but feeds with no issues at a max COAL of 2.828, so 28 thou over the book COAL of 2.800, could this be the reason my speed was so much slower then that listed on hogdgons website?? A max load of 51.0 grains of powder had me just breaking 2900 FPS, okay my barrel is about an inch and a half shorter then their test barrel, my math says I should lose about 90 FPS due to barrel length, but I am almost double that, with no pressure signs......so I am moving to the dark side, straying from the book and relying on experience and the fact I still own 8 fingers and 2 thumbs, proceed with caution as this is my rifle, my data, and my loading skills, I do not endorse anyone follow in my footsteps unless qualified or confident to do so......
We're going about the suggested, starting at 50.6 grains of powder I loaded up 2 tenths of a grain until I got to 51.8 grains and shot a ladder test at 100 yards, meant to do it at 200 but there was other testing going on with the same rifle. I wrote the numbers down from the Labradar following every shot, and numbered them on the target where they landed
#1 50.6 grains..2882 fps
#2 50.8 grains..2903 fps
#3 51.0 grains..2910 fps
#4 51.2 grains..2939 fps
#5 51.4 grains..2930 fps
#6 51.6 grains..2956 fps
#7 51.8 grains..2990 fps
the brass and primer of the 51.8 grain charge.......
no flattening of the primer, no hard bolt lift, no weird sounding retort when I fired it.....it appears it could take more pressure safely, at 51.0 grains I had to start using a 3 inch drop tube but the powder is down halfway up the shoulder, so there is room for more without heavy compression
I want to see the first number a 30XX so I am going to work up slowly from this point again, starting at 31.4 to confirm earlier findings of both speed and the apparent accuracy node I am walking into at this speed node......
so......did winchester just take the 7mm-08 into 284 win and 280 rem territory???
For 139 grain bullets, they list a max charge of 51 grains with a velocity of over 3050 FPS, and yet they list a max of 48.5 grains for a 140 grain bullet and 2975 FPS. Now from my experience, there are not many powders that will break 2900 FPS with the 140 grain bullets in the 7mm-08, nevermind 3000 FPS......
A couple of years ago I saw Federal Fusion bullets for reloading, and with enough luck I managed to find 3 boxes of 100 in stock a couple weeks ago, so I sought out some StaBall 6.5 powder and brand new Winchester brass, so why Winchester?? well because I have always had good luck with it, and it has always seemed to have more internal case capacity then any other brand of case, and when playing with such a slow powder, it might be what is needed.
I did a primer test, shot 3 round groups with 47.0 grains of StaBall with different primers, speeds were close, far from advertised but between remington, federal, winchester and CCI primers what stood out at that test would later be contradicted, so the matter of importance here is that CCI 250 primers won during round 3 testing.
So let's back up a bit, the federal fusion 140 grain bullet makes contact with the rifling in my stainless T3 rifle at a COAL of 2.930, that's awesome, except the magazine limits me to 2.840 but feeds with no issues at a max COAL of 2.828, so 28 thou over the book COAL of 2.800, could this be the reason my speed was so much slower then that listed on hogdgons website?? A max load of 51.0 grains of powder had me just breaking 2900 FPS, okay my barrel is about an inch and a half shorter then their test barrel, my math says I should lose about 90 FPS due to barrel length, but I am almost double that, with no pressure signs......so I am moving to the dark side, straying from the book and relying on experience and the fact I still own 8 fingers and 2 thumbs, proceed with caution as this is my rifle, my data, and my loading skills, I do not endorse anyone follow in my footsteps unless qualified or confident to do so......
We're going about the suggested, starting at 50.6 grains of powder I loaded up 2 tenths of a grain until I got to 51.8 grains and shot a ladder test at 100 yards, meant to do it at 200 but there was other testing going on with the same rifle. I wrote the numbers down from the Labradar following every shot, and numbered them on the target where they landed
#1 50.6 grains..2882 fps
#2 50.8 grains..2903 fps
#3 51.0 grains..2910 fps
#4 51.2 grains..2939 fps
#5 51.4 grains..2930 fps
#6 51.6 grains..2956 fps
#7 51.8 grains..2990 fps
the brass and primer of the 51.8 grain charge.......
no flattening of the primer, no hard bolt lift, no weird sounding retort when I fired it.....it appears it could take more pressure safely, at 51.0 grains I had to start using a 3 inch drop tube but the powder is down halfway up the shoulder, so there is room for more without heavy compression
I want to see the first number a 30XX so I am going to work up slowly from this point again, starting at 31.4 to confirm earlier findings of both speed and the apparent accuracy node I am walking into at this speed node......
so......did winchester just take the 7mm-08 into 284 win and 280 rem territory???
