Trail Boss Alternative for subs in 308 win family?

[jdgabbard]

Its out of production, apparently forever. Supply & demand. I have a 5lb jug I used maybe 200 grains out of, otherwise it would be on gunbroker right now

You can probably find someone local who is interested in it without all of the hassle of going through Gunbroker.... Talk to other reloaders in your area, somebody will be more than happy to take it off your hands.

[Kestrel4k]

With regards to Trail Boss:

In that most of the powders we do get are derived from military applications, my suspicion is that the CBI surplus powder offered as recently as last year:
https://www.cdvs.us/product/cbi-pist...lbs-of-powder/

and discussed in this CB thread here:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-pistol-powder

was very related to Trail Boss; similar appearance, almost exactly the same burning rate, and at least approached the bulkiness of Trail Boss.

Having a rather high confidence in it being a good fit to my applications, I picked up 32 lbs of it last May ($12.44/lb) - so my Red Dot reserve is quite safe for the moment. :-/

[Iron369]

Its out of production, apparently forever. Supply & demand. I have a 5lb jug I used maybe 200 grains out of, otherwise it would be on gunbroker right now

I looked it up on gunbroker. Geez!!! It’s really that expensive?

[Iron369]

You can probably find someone local who is interested in it without all of the hassle of going through Gunbroker.... Talk to other reloaders in your area, somebody will be more than happy to take it off your hands.

I hardly talk to people here and talk to even less people in person. I only know 2 people personally that reload but have sold a tons of lead to people that cast.

[ulav8r]

Its out of production, apparently forever. Supply & demand. I have a 5lb jug I used maybe 200 grains out of, otherwise it would be on gunbroker right now

At the prices it is bringing, someone will want it even though it has been opened. I would not have it even it was unopened and priced under $40 total.

[Hick]

On one of the SASS sites there has been talk of using Clay Dot as a substitute for Trail Boss, as it fills a case pretty good-- although not as good as Trail Boss. Trouble is, last I looked, Alliant is not ready to endorse it for metallic cartridge reloading, and the load data is scarce.

[john.k]

For big old blackpowder military cases ,there is no alternative for TB....except blackpowder...............I have wondered if I could mix an inert filler with a denser powder ,for the same effect.........but havent tried it,as I still have 2lb of TB.

[Longranger44]

Well looks like I'll need to keep an eye out for red dot. If there's anyone in Iowa with some trail boss they don't need I'd be glad to buy it from you or trade, I've got lots of once fired brass and loaded ammo I could part with.

[gwpercle]

My powder of choice for the 7mm-08 with reduced loads and cast boolit loads would be Accurate 5744 ... this powder is now owned by Hodgdon ...
Loading data is available at the Hodgdon Load Data Center , Accurate Arms / Western Powder Reloadin manual and Guides 6.0 and 7.0 and Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition .
Lyman #4 indicates 5744 to be the most accurate powder with the 160 gr. cast #287641 ...and Hodgdon describes it as a fast powder and an excellant choice for reduced loads . Lots of proven data available .

If not ... there is always good old Unique . I don't have a problem loading 10 to 12 grs. Unique into a rifle case ... I just use a dipper and pay attention .
I don't consider powders like Red Dot and Unique
" a safety problem" .
Gary

[Longranger44]

My powder of choice for the 7mm-08 with reduced loads and cast boolit loads would be Accurate 5744 ... this powder is now owned by Hodgdon ...
Loading data is available at the Hodgdon Load Data Center , Accurate Arms / Western Powder Reloadin manual and Guides 6.0 and 7.0 and Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition .
Lyman #4 indicates 5744 to be the most accurate powder with the 160 gr. cast #287641 ...and Hodgdon describes it as a fast powder and an excellant choice for reduced loads . Lots of proven data available .

If not ... there is always good old Unique . I don't have a problem loading 10 to 12 grs. Unique into a rifle case ... I just use a dipper and pay attention .
I don't consider powders like Red Dot and Unique
" a safety problem" .
Gary

OK great info thanks! To be honest I've never experimented with these bunny fart loads before because I've used a Hammond game getter for years in my main hunting rifle. Cool little device that takes a 22lr blank and fires a swaged buckshot pellet. Works good in a bolt gun but not great in a semi I'd imagine. The other downside is it's harder to tune for accuracy having a limited number of different power blanks to choose from, as well as shooting a much lighter projectile with a lower sectional density. So I'm thinking just loading subs with a bulky powder will be a better option for the 7mm-08 and maybe some of my other rifles.

[racepres]

... there is always good old Unique . I don't have a problem loading 10 to 12 grs. Unique into a rifle case ... I just use a dipper and pay attention .
I don't consider powders like Red Dot and Unique
" a safety problem" .
Gary

^^ This
And Note: not always "bunny farts"... can easily get to handgun velocities...Plus!! Make a 22RF look very anemic indeed...

[MarkP]

I used Red Dot and Alliant E3 for reduced loads in my 7-08. Mold is from a NOE group buy 7 mm Thor..... I don't recall the Lyman number IIRC it is a Lyman with the RN lopped off. It's about 135 to 140 gr I have both PB and GC cavities. I seemed to have misplaced my load notes at the moment I recall testing down to about 700 fps in cold weather (5 to 15 F) I think 4 to 4.5 gr of Red Dot was around 1,000 fps. 18" Rem M Seven FS.

[junkbug]

Why not research IMR-4198. It is bulky, and usually still available

[Gamsek]

Those have same purpose and bulkiness, I tried them all and are comparable. RS14 was developed to a duplicate of TrailBoss, shape of RS14 little “T” s, TrailBoss little doughnuts, N32C, little kennels

[Tripplebeards]

I looked it up on gunbroker. Geez!!! It’s really that expensive?

If it is, I’ll sell my 3 one pound containers! Bought mine for $19 each two years ago from the LGS. I’ve never got good groups using it in anything I’ve tried, except for my new Vaquero in 45 Colt so I bought a few containers for my Cast bullet loads.

[Longranger44]

Those have same purpose and bulkiness, I tried them all and are comparable. RS14 was developed to a duplicate of TrailBoss, shape of RS14 little “T” s, TrailBoss little doughnuts, N32C, little kennels

Interesting, never heard of those I'll check them out

[Longranger44]

I used Red Dot and Alliant E3 for reduced loads in my 7-08. Mold is from a NOE group buy 7 mm Thor..... I don't recall the Lyman number IIRC it is a Lyman with the RN lopped off. It's about 135 to 140 gr I have both PB and GC cavities. I seemed to have misplaced my load notes at the moment I recall testing down to about 700 fps in cold weather (5 to 15 F) I think 4 to 4.5 gr of Red Dot was around 1,000 fps. 18" Rem M Seven FS.

My concern with red dot isn't so much safety but lack of bulk and shot to shot velocity variations based on how the powder happens to be laying in each case

[Gone_rabid]

Interesting, never heard of those I'll check them out

The VV n32c AKA tin star has been discontinued.

[steve urquell]

My concern with red dot isn't so much safety but lack of bulk and shot to shot velocity variations based on how the powder happens to be laying in each case

It's not a concern with these fast powders. Take a good look at the extensive amt of low velocity data here. You can use the 30-30 or 30-06 data for your .308. I've been using the 32-20 data for my .300BLK for years.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[Baltimoreed]

Tried trail boss but didn’t like it so I tried tin star=N32C and found it worked great with cast loads in my Krags and Springfields. But sadly I'm down to 2 cans. I do have red dot and clays though. Never heard of RS14.