Trail Boss Powder

[rexherring]

The Cowboy shooters started me on this powder. Very cool powder, fill the case up to the base of the boolit and load. Fluffy, high volume per grain and low pressures. Great for CAS or just plinking. I don't think you can over pressure it unless you compress the heck out of it. A normal one pund jug only weighs 9 ounces so it's priceier than others but very nice to use. My .45 LC only takes about 6.5 to 7 grs to fill the case to the boolit base. Can't even overcharge.

Seems to be the local powder of choice for cast lead shooters.

[joec]

I'm not so sure about filling the case as according to how I use it I make sure on the weight. Now I just loaded up some 45 Colts with 200 gr lead bullets. According to Lyman, Lee it should be a min. of 5.5 gr to 6.5 gr. I loaded to 6 gr exactly on every load. Now I will say this it metered well with the Lee disk however the 1.8 is supposed to drop 5.5 grs, while the 1.36 is supposed to give 6.3. Well I loaded 50 rounds checking every load using the 1.36 and loaded exactly 6.0 gr every time. It is my smokeless choice for CAS shooting but use black powder much more which does pretty much almost fill the case to so the bullet compresses the powder about 1/16" to 1/8" depending on if I'm loading with real BP or Pyrodex RS.

[Rockchucker]

Just looking at the IMR site and it shows trail Boss data for the 45 colt using a 250 grain RNFP at 4.5-5.8 grains. It's a fun powder but it's kinda expensive for 9 oz. I just shot a couple dozen at 5.5 grains and it fills the case up maybe 5/8" from the top of the case. I wouldn't mind buying an 8 lb jug of it , but it would probably fill up a 55 gallon drum. Kidding of course

[oldred]

You are correct for the cartridges you are loading but that "low pressure" statement does not apply to large cases! There seems to be a misconception that TB always yields low pressures, I would assume because of the low velocity, but according to Hodgdon's data that's not always true. When I was looking for a low pressure 45/70 load (and even a BP sub for the 45/90) I checked out the Hodgdon data and was very surprised at how high the pressures can run in these larger cases even at extremely low velocities. While I am sure it is working great for you and is probably the cat's meow for low velocity/pressure pistol rounds the idea some have (I did) that the low velocity equates to low pressures can be very mistaken in some cases.

Just a few of many examples from the Hodgdon site, these are 45/70,

Benchmark trapdoor max load 485 grain- 43.0 gr 1503 FPS 23,400 CUP


Trail Boss trapdoor max load 485 grain- 10.0 gr 804 FPS 23,300 CUP



Almost exactly the same pressures but slightly over 1500 FPS for the Benchmark vs a blistering 804 FPS for Trail boss!

H4198 gave 630 FPS more velocity with nearly 3000 CUP LESS pressure using the same 485 grain bullet! These are just two examples of many but basically Trail Boss yields extremely poor performance in big cases. I point this out because of a discussion I had with a buddy of mine recently, and indeed have seen similar discussions on forums, who thought Trail Boss was a very low pressure bulky powder that could be used to fill most BP cases.



Of course none of this applies to your loadings it's just that every time I see TB mentioned as "low pressure" I can't help but wonder if that misconception could be dangerous in big cases since low velocity with this powder does not necessarily mean low pressure.

[Rockchucker]

I'm not very familiar with TB, it the first bottle I've purchased. I'll probably go back to my other favorite powders soon enough. Looking at that same IMR data it list 5.8 grains @12,700psi and only 727 ft/s.and it's a max load. I'm sure you're correct on the larger cases and thanks for the heads up. I'd like to try some Black powder loads but got some more reading to do, is there any real advantage to say using triple 7 or the other substitutes.

[rexherring]

Just got back from the range. Shot about 100 .45 LC with 190, 200, and 230 gr cast all with 6.5 grs of TB. All shot very good but lots of dirty cases, worse than Unique. Pressures were not enough to seal the case mouth, all fell right out and no flat primers. Light recoil and fun to knock down the steel plates. I have no clue as to velocities (gotta get a chrono).

By the way, I didn't just fill cases without weighing the first charge. Measure where the boolit base is going to be in the case, mark the case, add powder until you reach the line and then weigh it. IMR recommends starting with a 70% charge and working up from there. My cases would have taken 7.5 grs so I backed off to 6.5.

Overall, I like it but don't like the dirty cases so I'll probably use this up and go back to AA#5 or W231 for light loads Seeing how I don't shoot CAS.

[rexherring]

You are correct for the cartridges you are loading but that "low pressure" statement does not apply to large cases! There seems to be a misconception that TB always yields low pressures, I would assume because of the low velocity, but according to Hodgdon's data that's not always true. When I was looking for a low pressure 45/70 load (and even a BP sub for the 45/90) I checked out the Hodgdon data and was very surprised at how high the pressures can run in these larger cases even at extremely low velocities. While I am sure it is working great for you and is probably the cat's meow for low velocity/pressure pistol rounds the idea some have (I did) that the low velocity equates to low pressures can be very mistaken in some cases.

Just a few of many examples from the Hodgdon site, these are 45/70,

Benchmark trapdoor max load 485 grain- 43.0 gr 1503 FPS 23,400 CUP


Trail Boss trapdoor max load 485 grain- 10.0 gr 804 FPS 23,300 CUP



Almost exactly the same pressures but slightly over 1500 FPS for the Benchmark vs a blistering 804 FPS for Trail boss!

H4198 gave 630 FPS more velocity with nearly 3000 CUP LESS pressure using the same 485 grain bullet! These are just two examples of many but basically Trail Boss yields extremely poor performance in big cases. I point this out because of a discussion I had with a buddy of mine recently, and indeed have seen similar discussions on forums, who thought Trail Boss was a very low pressure bulky powder that could be used to fill most BP cases.



Of course none of this applies to your loadings it's just that every time I see TB mentioned as "low pressure" I can't help but wonder if that misconception could be dangerous in big cases since low velocity with this powder does not necessarily mean low pressure.

I see your point. Here the CAS guys only use it in handgun rounds.

[joec]

I'm not very familiar with TB, it the first bottle I've purchased. I'll probably go back to my other favorite powders soon enough. Looking at that same IMR data it list 5.8 grains @12,700psi and only 727 ft/s.and it's a max load. I'm sure you're correct on the larger cases and thanks for the heads up. I'd like to try some Black powder loads but got some more reading to do, is there any real advantage to say using triple 7 or the other substitutes.

Black powder is a lot of fun to shoot however it doesn't load like a conventional powder at all as it based on filling the case and compressing it with the bullet. Now to lighten the load you can use wads though I don't in my 45 colt. I've use Pyrodex RS in both my 45 Colt and 12 ga shotshells. Now I prefer real black powder to the substituent though it loads the same volumes though will differ in weight if weighed. The draw back to Pyrodex is it tends to be a bit more corrosive if not cleaned after shooting. I have GOEX, Swiss, Schuetzen, Kik all which I like with Swiss being my favorite but also the most expensive. You also don't want to clean the gun like you would with smokeless due to the salts left behind. I use a water ballistol solution to clean mine the straight ballistol to lube with. I do this for the substitutes and real BP.

I use Trailboss to shoot at the indoor range I go to practice at. Here is a pdf you can download on using trailboss. http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

[9.3X62AL]

I've played around with Trail Boss in 357 Magnum, 38 Special, and 25-20 WCF cast boolit loads. It has been tractable and fairly accurate in those calibers, but doesn't really offer anything that other powders can't meet or exceed easily. I got 4 nine-oz. flasks for very low dollars a while back, and I doubt that once the existing stocks are used up that I'll replace it.

[Sweetpea]

Almost everything has a use, you just need to find it...

When my 9 year old son bought his .308 Win for hunting, I wanted to find him a light load that he can practice with and not get hurt... I ended up with a 150 gn J-bullet over 10 gn of Trail Boss... approx 1050 fps, basically turned it into a large .22 that I can work up the power level over time for him.

Is it the cheapest powder? NO! But who cares if it is the PERFECT powder for the application?

It is a great powder for what it was intended for, low level loading while filling the case to avoid misfires, hangfires, squibs, or detonations.

[RayinNH]

I wasn't particularly impressed with this powder either. I finally tried it in the .45 Colt to use it up and had very good results accuracy wise, at 5.8 grains with the 454190 boolit. I won't replace it when this is gone though. The stale urine smell when it burns isn't very appealing either...Ray

[Trapdoor]

With all this single action talk, I find it hard to believe nobody is talking Clays. I use it in my 44-40's bothrifle and handgun, as well as my shotgun for CAS. I also use it in my 45acp. Keeps life simple with one universal powder. Light recoil, clean burning, what else could a guy ask for? Am I wrong?

[Longwood]

All of the guys comment on how it stinks when I use Trail Boss.
The women don't say anything, they think I sheet my pants.

[Longwood]

With all this single action talk, I find it hard to believe nobody is talking Clays. I use it in my 44-40's bothrifle and handgun, as well as my shotgun for CAS. I also use it in my 45acp. Keeps life simple with one universal powder. Light recoil, clean burning, what else could a guy ask for? Am I wrong?

I played with some last year in my 45 rifle and kind of like it better than my other favorite which is WW231.
I have over ten pounds of 231 so I had "Better" like it.

[303Guy]

I have both Trail Boss and Clays - need to find a use for them too. Hornet maybe? Both are too fast for light cast 303 Brit loads but they do work. Pressure in the neck is higher than what one would expect and the primer doesn't show it.

[L Ross]

I've found Trail Boss works well in my 32-20 with RCBS 32-90-CM, 25-20 with 25-85-CM, .310 Cadet/32-20 with H&G .322" 90 gr 8m/m Nambu bullet, and in my Rossi carbine .357 with 130 gr RNFP Magma. I determine the charge by almost filling the case to the base of the bullet. What I like about all of these loads is the excellent accuracy. So good that barrel mounted iron sights can't really take advantage of the ammo's ability. I am going to put scope blocks on the 25-20. I hunt squirrels with all of these loads and they shoot like good 22 l.r. ammo.

Duke

[stubshaft]

As a bulky powder for CAS to fill the case it works well. For other applications I don't care for it.

[katch1]

Trail boss is my go to powder for light cast loads. Liked it so well bought a 5lb jug. My guide gun loves it with a 405 gr cast. My. 38-55 also loves it with a 250 gr cast. Have yet to really get into pistol rounds with it yet. Also plan on shooting it out of my. 310 cadet so that 5lb jug may not last too long if i end up shooting it in all my cast loads

[340six]

T_B is great for light cast loads in 45acp. It is as good as clays as far as being clean but is also good for reloaders that are new as no way to double charge a case.

[singleshot]

Don't forget, TB is a very fast burning powder...more like BP than smokeless in it's "fit and finish", i.e. relative burn rate and volume. Although I wouln't really consider 25000 cup to be "high pressure"...