Who has tried Winchester StaBall 6.5 Powder?

[Dave Hoback]

I’d like to give it a try. It sits in an interesting position on the burn rate chart; slower than H4350 and R17. But I’m wondering what the characteristics are like. I would like to see if it might work well with the 260AI I’ll be long loading. (2.900”+ COAL)

Wondering opinions of any who have used it?

[Fuj']

It's dandy for heavy bullets you have to seat deep because it gives a very good case fill
as do all ball powders. Note that this ball powder is flattened, so easier to clean up when
spilled. It's a dirty burning powder. it's meant to be loaded in the upper ranges. With light
bullets and reduced charges in my SA284, for fire forming, it was some nasty black soot.
For my 400 yard shoots and 180gr bullets, good velocity's and a bit high then Reloder-16
and H4350, with R-16 getting the nod, and Stabal not so good for my needs but would do
well for the hunters.....One note that gave me problems, and that was static electricity.
Kernels would stick to the pan when dumping into a case, and the inside of the powder
dispenser......I sold it off to a guy that was short on powder for his 260 Remington. I guess
it worked for him and the 140gr bullets. That was last year. I'll ask him how that project
went since he's a hater for anything other then H4350.

[charlie b]

I had to chuckle a bit at that one. I have had a bad time with ball powders as well. Like Fuj, unless loaded 'heavy' they were dirty. Probably the only time I 'accepted' them were in heavy/high pressure pistol loads, like .357mag. The do meter well, but, the static thing is a PITA. I had to wash everything in detergent almost every session to keep from making a mess. Great for the progressive using a measure.

[wbm]

Have not used it in 260 Dave but it does really in all my 6.5CM's with 140gr Barnes Match Burners.

[CFJunkie]

Can't say I was impressed with my results.
Tried StaBALL 6.5 in one of my 6.5mm CMs with 140 gr Nosler RDFs and it performed so bad that I thought my scope was loose or my barrel had finally worn out.
I checked the scope, and it was tight as when I mounted it, so at the next session, I switched to H4350 powder with the same bullets and the rifle shot great, just like it always does.
The two loads were just about the velocity and exit time.

I agree that StaBALL 6.5 was dirtier than H4350 and that ball powders are a mess to load, but it meters great as long as you don't mind stray powder balls bouncing out of the powder pan when the powder dispenses.

[Ernest T]

I used it in my 6.5 CM and its okay, but nothing to write home about. I found some loads that shot slightly worse than RL-16 or H4350 with Hornady ELD-M 140 grain bullets.