Help with some load data...

[Hunter Trav]

Hey all, I picked up some powder to try from the gun show yesterday as the guy selling it spoke quite highly of it and said it would work great, but I can't find any load data for it in the calibre I want to try it in. The powder is Winchester Staball Match, and I was planning to try it in a .280AI with a Barnes TTSX in either 140 or 150gr, or a 145 LRX. The Hodgdons site doesn't list it for that calibre, and there is nothing on Gordons for it either. I was hoping maybe someone who has quick load might have something for it, just looking for a starting point.

Thanks!

[32-40win]

Have a look at a burn rate chart and where Match falls, and where Staball 6.5 falls, then look at where powders like Varget and WW748 are used, versus listed powders for your cartridge, that will probably tell you why you don't see the data in your book, under your cartridge.
And I'm betting that you had your cellphone with you at the time, it would have been a good idea to check the Hodgdon Data Ctr or Barnes website at the time.
Sure someone with Quickload can come up with a load, but, for which bullet, and after reading data on it in QL, do you or don't you really want to use it for that cartridge? Could be Hodgdon and Barnes both have or haven't tested it, and haven't published it, why was that? They may tell you a reason one way or the other if you ask them. I've made that mistake myself, before cellphones existed though.

[Hunter Trav]

Well I'm sorry to have taken a guy on his word about the powder being good for that cartridge and for not getting on my phone to double check him. I'll just use it for something else but thank you for being so helpful!!

[waldedw]

Sorry you were led down the garden path by someone most probably that didn't know or didn't care as he just wanted to sell some powder. Yes you should have checked also to make sure it's compatible with your intended use sometimes crap happens, it's not the end of the world. Hopefully you didn't buy an 8 lb keg.

Staball Match is more suited for smaller capacity cases as it's similar burn rate to varget, BLC-2 and CFE223 which are to fast burning for the 280AI, in the Staball family Staball 6.5 or Staball HD would be powders better suited for the 280AI as they fall into the H4350 - H1000 burn rate.

[Dean2]

As said, match has a burn rate very close to Varget, 2 steps slower and one step faster than BLC2 so it will work great in a ton of cartridges. Might be a tad fast for the 280 but Hodgdon does list Varget and BLC2 loads for 120 all the way to 168 grain bullets in the 280 AI. In the lighter bullets, 120 and 130 grain, BLC2 and Varget provide as good velocity as any of the slower powders. Your Stabil Match should be a great powder if you are using Barnes bullets, which a guy tends to use in lighter weights. Max loads are a couple of hundred FPS slower than slower powders with the heavy end of the bullets, but still very usable.

If you call Barnes or Hodgdon, they will likely be able to give you a starting load to work up from. I have found the guys on the phone at Hodgdon great to work with. Same at Barnes.

https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Hunter Trav

Hey all, I picked up some powder to try from the gun show yesterday as the guy selling it spoke quite highly of it and said it would work great, but I can't find any load data for it in the calibre I want to try it in. The powder is Winchester Staball Match, and I was planning to try it in a .280AI with a Barnes TTSX in either 140 or 150gr, or a 145 LRX. The Hodgdons site doesn't list it for that calibre, and there is nothing on Gordons for it either. I was hoping maybe someone who has quick load might have something for it, just looking for a starting point.

Thanks!

email sent Trav!
Cat

[Hunter Trav]

Originally Posted by waldedw

Sorry you were led down the garden path by someone most probably that didn't know or didn't care as he just wanted to sell some powder. Yes you should have checked also to make sure it's compatible with your intended use sometimes crap happens, it's not the end of the world. Hopefully you didn't buy an 8 lb keg.

Staball Match is more suited for smaller capacity cases as it's similar burn rate to varget, BLC-2 and CFE223 which are to fast burning for the 280AI, in the Staball family Staball 6.5 or Staball HD would be powders better suited for the 280AI as they fall into the H4350 - H1000 burn rate.

It happens. I wasn't really looking for powder, just got talking to the guy about his prices and mentioned I was working on a load for the .280 and he suggested trying the Staball Match. I only bought a lb of it, and I knew if it wasn't gonna work for the .280 I have other options to use it for. He had the Staball HD there as well and I had asked about it but he said it was too slow. Like I said, not a loss and something else to play with...

[Hunter Trav]

Originally Posted by Dean2

As said, match has a burn rate very close to Varget, 2 steps slower and one step faster than BLC2 so it will work great in a ton of cartridges. Might be a tad fast for the 280 but Hodgdon does list Varget and BLC2 loads for 120 all the way to 168 grain bullets in the 280 AI. In the lighter bullets, 120 and 130 grain, BLC2 and Varget provide as good velocity as any of the slower powders. Your Stabil Match should be a great powder if you are using Barnes bullets, which a guy tends to use in lighter weights. Max loads are a couple of hundred FPS slower than slower powders with the heavy end of the bullets, but still very usable.

If you call Barnes or Hodgdon, they will likely be able to give you a starting load to work up from. I have found the guys on the phone at Hodgdon great to work with. Same at Barnes.

https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/

Thanks Dean, I might give them a shout and see what they say. I would be using Barnes bullets so maybe it worth trying in the .280, or maybe I'll just see what in can do in one of my other rifles. Something to new to try and play around with when I get bored if nothing else...lol

[Hunter Trav]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

email sent Trav!
Cat

Got it, thanks Cat!!

[lone wolf]

Another option you may want to consider is calling Barnes directly. They have all kinds of data and info that doesn't make its way into their manuals. Case in point, based on my bullets selection and available powders they were willing and able to share load information to me for my 7x64.

[Hunter Trav]

Originally Posted by lone wolf

Another option you may want to consider is calling Barnes directly. They have all kinds of data and info that doesn't make its way into their manuals. Case in point, based on my bullets selection and available powders they were willing and able to share load information to me for my 7x64.

I will try them as well, thanks!

[Dean2]

Curious how you made out calling Barnes and Hodgdon. Did you get some starting loads to work with?

[Hunter Trav]

I only called Barnes today, they were basically just referencing the data off of Hodgdons site. The guy I spoke to did help me with some starting points for another powder I have that I can try out so definitely worth the call!