"My" never leave the local gun store empty-handed rule ...

How do you like that Winchester 6.5 ball powder? That is one of the powders I can find pretty regularly in my area but have never loaded with it.
I've used with a bit of StaBALL 6.5 in my 300WM. I'm shooting 151 absolute hammers at 3,460 fps. Ran as high as as 3503, but groups opened up. Settled on 79.5 grains running .4-.5 mo.
 
I've used with a bit of StaBALL 6.5 in my 300WM. I'm shooting 151 absolute hammers at 3,460 fps. Ran as high as as 3503, but groups opened up. Settled on 79.5 grains running .4-.5 mo.
Thanks for the response. Any thoughts on loading heavier 300WM loads with it? I'm in the middle of working up several 300 loads, and may end up getting some to experiment with if it is suitable for heavier pills.
 
On the way to the dentist, stopped at an old shop that has always been closed when I drove by.
It was a curio gun shop with serious hardware. K-Bars from WWII, Mauser rifles in astoundingly beautiful custom stocks, XP100 pistols, oodles of old reloading components.
Walked out with two functional Belding and Mull powder drops and a Wilson case gauge for 338 Win Mag. $65 all in.
I'll be going back for a Winchester 88 in 284 Win when I have time to go again. Hopefully it'll still be there.

Shops in my area open and close within a couple years. When 1 opens thats owned by good guys I really do my best to keep em open. Even if I don't need anything, just go in to bs or look for a deal on the used rack I leave with something.
If you're in the Salem area, I've been going to Guncrafters for > 20 years, Coat of Arms and Tick Licker for > 5 years.
There was the guy by Salem Ale Works who was open for a little while.

Well my "never leave empty handed" cost me today.
Picked up 2 pounds of Varget but to the tune of a 100$ bill.

I was raped today and it didn't feel good.......
Wait 5 months. You'll think you got a great deal.
 
Feenix, what're you doing with that 4000-MR ? I bought some for my Edge because (supposedly) it was slower than RL25. I'd put the stuff closer to RL22. What say you?
Not sure yet, maybe on my .30 Gibbs. (117) 4000-MR is between (116) N540 and (118) W760 burn rate. (141) RL 22 and (147) RL25 are a lot slower. See the chart below.

2019 Hodgdon relative burn rate chart.jpg
 
Vihtavuori on huippu! (I had the chance to learn a bit of finnish when I worked in Helsinki). Good selection.
 
Vihtavuori on huippu! (I had the chance to learn a bit of finnish when I worked in Helsinki). Good selection.
A visit/vacation to Finland is on my bucket list. I have a Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) and SAKO. A tour to the SAKO facility and where the KBDs roam, or perhaps a hunt.
 
Thanks for the response. Any thoughts on loading heavier 300WM loads with it? I'm in the middle of working up several 300 loads, and may end up getting some to experiment with if it is suitable for heavier pills.
I tested from 73 to 79 grains of Staball with the 178 absolute hammer. I settled on 78 grains (Best 1/4 moa with ES of 9) at 3251 fps. I believe this is what I'll end up with for my hunting load.
 
A visit/vacation to Finland is on my bucket list. I have a Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) and SAKO. A tour to the SAKO facility and where the KBDs roam, or perhaps a hunt.

Oh man, what a plan. It is rather easy to hunt in Finland vs many of the other European countries. If you get up there I hope you get a chance to see Sweden or Norway as well. The overnight cruise from HKI to Stockholm is also a trip to be had. They are great people to come to know.

I use N-110 for my 357 and 44mag loads and it's hard to beat.
 
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