trail boss powder

[ed etheridge]

does trail boss work better in handguns or rifles for cast bullet shooting ?

[Shooter6br]

Tried TB with a 350 cast .Load was 12 g. It keyholed.I increased the load to 15.5 grains. It is a very low velocity powder in the 45-70. So far I am not impressed with the results. Unique seems to work better(no filler)

[billyb]

Tried trail boss in 38 spl. 3.5 %158 swc nice easy recoil good for the grandsons to start with.Tried 4.0 in the 357 marlin 1894 very good load with the 158 swc no recoil to speak of,low noise level. I like it for theese two guns. Bill

[JeffinNZ]

Shame it is so expensive per grain though. Wouldn't buy it especially with the prices we are exposed to down here.

[405]

J in NZ & ed
Too bad it's significantly more expensive there. Just marginally more expensive here. TB is about 24.00 per lb off the shelf while most other powders are about 20.00 per lb. It has its place tho. I've discovered it is excellent in certain applications and marginal in others. It is a very fast burning powder. Folks that say they don't get velocity out of it may be comparing apples and oranges. It is a fast burning powder and by all accounts fast burning powders won't give the highest velocities safely. Ditto for Bullseye, 700X, etc. TB is best used for low velocity type applications.

It seems, based on my experience with it, that it performs best in the cartridges/guns that have the very highest expansion ratios. For example: both the 45 ACP and 45 Colt pistols are 45 cal and more or less same diameter as a 45-70 in a rifle cartridge. BUT, the highest expansion ratio of the three is the 45 ACP, the lowest is the 45-70. OR for example comparing the expansion ratio of the 45 Colt in a pistol vs the expansion ratio of the 45 Colt in a rifle. The same cartridge. The 45 Colt in a pistol has a higher expansion ratio than in a rifle. Trailboss seems to prefer the highest expansion ratio applications. That is probably true of most if not all fast burning powders. I have had only so-so success with it in cartridges/guns like 45-70 rifle, 30-30 carbine, 32 Win Spl rifle, 357 carbine & pistol. I've had excellent results with TB in cartridges/guns like 44-40 rifle, 38-40 rifle, 38-40 pistol, 45 ACP pistol, 38 Spl pistol.

While it's bulk is a plus, for me the very accurate metering out of a measure was an even more postive surprise. Also, it tends to be a clean burning powder.

[94Doug]

I haven't really done the math, but even though Trail Boss is more expensive per pound, I would think when you only use something like 12-16 grains in a 45-70 it works out the same or even less money per round. Am I off here??

Doug

[ed etheridge]

is there a site that lists load for tb thanks for above imfo. Ed

[KCSO]

Other than it's case fillinng abilities i can't see any thing special about TB. I have tried it in 38, 45 Colt, 45 ACP, 44 Special, 30-30, 45-70, 38-55 and 7.65 Argentine. In most cases accuracy is nearly as good as the other powders I was using, but nearly as good compared to the extra cost just doesn't work out for me. Yes with say PB in a 45 Colt i have to carefully check each case for powder level, but I have been doing this for years so i don't find it objectionable. In rifle cases TB is not sauited to hunting loads. In 45-70 for example the max load listed gives 1100 fps with a 405 bullet and that is only good for plinkinng and close range target shoooting, and for close range target shooting I actually get better groups from FFg Black. If I want a non positional powder for mid range loads in rifle cases AA5744 is a better powder and using pistol primers Red Dot is nearly as good as the AA. Where TB really shines is as a safe powder for the newbie reloader who hasn't got his case checking down yet, you can't double charge with it in most cases.

[hs45/70]

I haven't shot Trail boss in any pistols ....but have loaded it in .222...223...243...308..30/06..338 win mag...444 marlin and 416 Rem Mag... mostly useing copper but some cast as well.

Trail Boss works very well in all these calibers and although velocity isn't high... excellent accuracy was found in each caliber tried. For those that like reduced loads for plinking like I do, TrailBoss is so good that after I shot up the first 2 pounds experimenting I ordered another 10 lbs of it. Excellent for some calibers in subsonic also. And at about 700 loads per pound in the smaller calibers it doesnt get much better for punching paper at 1800 fps and getting one inch and sometimes under groups at 100 yds (copper.. not cast)

We are fortunate up here to have a company that buys bulk IMR/Hodgdon powder by the truckload and then repackages it for sale to individuals. When you buy a $25 CDN./ pound of TBoss you actually get a weighed pound and not just the 10-12 oz's that fits into a standard Hodgdon/IMR plastic container.

[405]

is there a site that lists load for tb thanks for above imfo. Ed

ed,
The current Hornady manual has some TB data. And, here's a link to Hodgdon data (Hodgdon owns IMR now so lists IMR data thru their site).

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

[ed etheridge]

thanks for the link

[Tomkitty]

I would like to try Trail Boss in 30-06. Can you give me some advice on loads for Lyman 31141 0r 311284?

[VintageRifle]

Excellent article on trail boss from surplusrifle.com

http://www.surplusrifle.com/articles...kiss/index.asp

Here is my 50 yard 130gr RCBS 7.62mm .309" 9gr of trail boss target from a Swiss K31. I believe it actually will shoot better. I was using a wiggly front rest. I believe this is the case as I had 3 shots in just about the same place. The other two went off a bit.

[johnly]

I would like to try Trail Boss in 30-06. Can you give me some advice on loads for Lyman 31141 0r 311284?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=44726

The loads for the 311291 will work for the 311041 bullet.

John

[sargenv]

I've been using about 8.5 gr of Trail Boss in a Marlin 336 (30-30) with Lasercast bullets for approx 1150 fps. I have yet to start casting my own 30 cal flat points, but I have an ample supply of lead and copper plated stuff that I use for plinking. I have one of the older models that has the right kind of rifling for lead bullets. I haven't really shot groups with it, but with a peep sight I can reliably hit 8" plates at 50 yards off hand. I'm plenty happy so far. I think I'm paying $.021 a round for just the powder. I traded the bullets for some lead 158's I bought several years back, so call them $.04 per bullet, primers are $.03, so I can't complain about $.091 a round all that much.

[1Shirt]

Bottom line, works for both, but need to work up in all cases. Just keep it out of drafts as you load, it is about as lite as feathers.
1Shirt!

[tomiswho]

I bought Trail Boss for one load. I had trouble cleaning the cylinder of my SRH .454 after firing the shorter .45 Colt ammo - so I now load a 250g RNFP over 7g of Trail Boss in a .454 case. I got the Trail Boss because of it's bulk per grain, so even this light load fills up a pretty decent portion of that big .454 case. The chart tells me I should be getting about 900 fps - but whatever it make for a nice target/plinking load.

Tom

[marsofold]

My .454 Casull plinking load uses 9.5 grains of Trail Boss over a 255 grain LSWC for a "guesstimate" of 1100fps.

[Throwback]

It is a special purpose powder and I happen to have a special purpose for it. I have found the .41 Magnum to be really fussy with light loads, whereas the .44 Magnum is not (in my experience). I have a bunch (1,500?) of commercial bevel-based bullets that I inherited and they lead badly at traditional magnum velocities. I figured to use them for a plinking & small-game load at sub-800fps and 6.0gr TB/210-215gr bullets certainly delivers that. It is also very accurate and I expect this will be my load. Actual velocity on 3/14/09 835 fps - sure didn't feel like that much

I still intend to try Titegroup as it is also frequently listed in cowboy loads. But Bullseye and Accurate #2 worked poorly with low charges consistently failing to expand the case enough to seal it and thus prevent smoking the case.

I am utterly mystified that Trailboss works so well in the .41 while other fast-burners do not, even though their use has been proven in other high volume cases. Someone smarter than me may be able to explain it.

[TNsailorman]

Has anyone tried Trail Boss in a .43 Spanish rolling block? I have been thinking about trying it but would like to have some info to start ball rolling if possible. Thanks, James