Any other "fluffy" high bulk pistols powders like Trail Boss?

[Tallbald]

Thanks everyone. All pistol powders are in short supply where I am it seems (Southern KY). Right now I have feelers out at two dealers for any TB I can get. I have 8 ounces left, and an old jug of Universal, a whole different animal I'm told. I'm taking notes here and appreciate all the answers folks. Don.

[Whiterabbit]

Goex!

Online, seems that subs like 777 are the cheapest propellent money can buy. cheaper than any (any) smokeless.

[Tallbald]

Just to follow up here. Two dealers told me earlier this month that their random powder shipments arrive this this week of the month. I called routinely, but in the shipments there was not a bit of Trail Boss. Thanks everyone. I'll have to keep looking. Don

[Whiterabbit]

you can keep tabs on when your LGS gets their powder by watching powder valley. When they start listing a ton of powder in stock all at once, you know they got a shipment in. You can expect the same powders to be available at your LGS within a week or two.

Watched it happen with H4895, H4350, SR4759, IMR4350 and H4198. Waiting on IMR4198.

[sojerguy]

Some one was griping to me about the high cost of TrailBoss powder and how 'they' were cheating by only selling it in 9oz cans. Had to explain that was the max amount that would fit in a 'standard' 1lb can ...

That got me to thinking (a somewhat dangerous state of affairs), and I decided to do a bit of math.

Using max loads for a 44 magnum (generic) 240 gr J-word bullet, (Richard Lee's book 2nd edition). Here are the loads.

Trail Boss 7.3 gr (from the hodgdon web page).
Lil gun 11.5
296 24.0
I-4227 24.5
HS6 15.1
#9 9.8
231 11.0
4756 13.3

Then I went to a powder selling website and got some current prices. All are listed in US$

Trail Boss 15.99/9oz
All other per 1 lb
Lil gun 24.00
296 20.89
I-4227 24.50
HS6 24.00
#9 21.71 (calc'd from an 8 lb keg).
231 21.29
4756 24.99

Dividing the cost by 7000 (5250 in the case of Trail Boss), got me a cost per grain. Long strings of numbers. Multiplying each by the max load got me cost per load something like.


Trail Boss 2.22 cents per load
Lil gun 8.4
296 7.16
I-4227 8.4
HS6 5.17
#9 3.41
231 3.34
4756 4.75

Now this does show TB as quite economical to shoot with its max loads, as compared to other powders. No not all powders in the books chart were sampled, just some I am familiar with. Only one powder supplying website was used to cost variables in line.

Any thoughts?

[wlc]

Another fairly bulky powder is American Select. Its primarily a shotgun powder with uses in handguns as well.

[Whiterabbit]

Any thoughts?

My first thought is "duh!" But, I can understand the need to display the math. I too have heard folks suggest that trailboss was not a good value powder, not realizing so little is used per round. Of course you are right.

[jmort]

Tin Star

[WALLNUTT]

Clays looks almost identical to TB,very fluffy stuff. Some of the flakes are even perforated like Cherrios(TB).