"Tin Star" powder . . . huh?? fill me in please . . .

[bedbugbilly]

I load 38s/357/45 Colt & 8mm Mauser - cast only. Today, when I stopped in to a LGS to get some primers and powder - I usually use RD, BE, Unique, etc. - I spotted several containers of "Tin Star" powder on the shelf. I have tried to find a container of "Trail Boss" just to try it as I read so much about it. "Tin Star" I'm not familiar with at all. Evidently what Trail Boss they do get in doesn't last long.

So I asked to see a container of the Tin Star . . . just out of curiosity . . . I believe it was a 1 pound container. Saw that is was used for CAS, etc. When I looked at the price sticker, I was shocked. $42.00 and some change a pound???

I will state that I bought a 8 pound jug of Red Dot for $149.99. The price on their 1 lb containers of RD, BE, etc. has been raised to $24.99 / pound. But $42.00 for a pound of powder?

So just out of curiosity . . . why the high price? I'm assuming that it probably wouldn't last any longer than a pound of Red Dot, etc. if used for say, 45 Colt. Does it normally run that much or is the store "out of line" on their price? Not planning on getting any . . just curious.

Thanks!

[dragon813gt]

It's made by Vihtavuori, hence the high cost. It's very hard to find powders that burn cleaner than VV. All of their powders are expensive. They are an import so this is part of the reason.

[C. Latch]

It's very bulky, VERY clean burning and very consistent in my experience with it. Shot some earlier today, actually.

[bedbugbilly]

Thank you fellas - appreciate the info. That would explain the cost! I was just kind of taken aback when I saw the price sticker as for most folks, that would be a "stopper" as far as buying it. But with the characteristics of the powder as you describe, if a person can afford it . . . then more power to them!

Next question I have . . is if it is such good powder (which obviously it is and has a market) . . . why haven't the other powder manufacturers made something like it and under cut the market on it? I hear a lot about Trail Boss . . . is the Tin Star very similar to that powder? I have looked and looked for Trail Boss just to get a container to try out but the LGSs where I am, never seem to have it on the shelf. They say they get it in but it doesn't last long. It would seem that if it sold so well for them that they would order it in larger quantities but perhaps they are limited in the quantity they can order or are allotted?

Thanks for the information - greatly appreciated and nice to learn "new things"!

[dragon813gt]

Tin Star is VV's version of Trail Boss. Both are very bulky powders designed to fill high volume cases for CAS. I'm surprised Alliant hasn't come out w/ an equivalent. I'm assuming it's for financial reasons. I have no reason to use either powder. I don't load for anemic performance.

[bedbugbilly]

Thanks dragon - appreciate the info. I shoot a lot of 38 (38 Colt Short/Long and Special) and recently got in to 45 Colt - don't know why I waited sooooo many years to do that as I'm really enjoying my 7 1/2" Uberti Cattleman. Most of my shooting is plinking - I haven't hunted in years - dampness, etc. just too hard on the old body! I'm only casting and shooting cast - 200 grain and 250 grain and have had good luck with my Unique and Red Dot loads in the 45. Also load with Goex - have shot BP for 50 + years.

The problem is that a person reads about powders, etc. then sort of gets a hankering to try them. I might try Trail Boss just of the fun of it if i ever run across a container of it but really, if I'm having good luck with what I'm doing now - kind of foolish to try another powder. I'm using 6.0 grains of Red Dot or 8.0 grains of Unique under my two boolit weights and they work very well. With the 8 pound jug of Red Dot I picked up added to my other several pounds of Red Dot that I already have . . . it will take me a loooong time to go through that! LOL

Thanks again - greatly appreciate the information and I can now say that I learned something new today! Thanks!

[Larry Gibson]

I've done an extensive test of VV N32C Tin Star for CAS Shooting of most of the pistol cartridges used and the 45-70. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Larry Gibson

154938

[MT Chambers]

There's more to it in the case of Trail Boss and it's advantage over Red Dot, etc.......it is so bulky that you can not throw a double charge or the case will easily overflow.

[bedbugbilly]

Thanks Larry - appreciate it!

Mt Chambers - I've read a lot of folks like the Trail Boss and "fluffy" powders due to the case fill. I use a lot of Bulls Eye, Red Dot, Unique and sometimes others. When I load my 45 Colt, I use two loading blocks. One with empties. I have made up dippers for my Red Dot and Unique loads. I dip, dump in the casing and it immediately goes to the other loading block. I've been loading my 45 Colt on my RCBS Jr3 single stage so as I get a casing from the loading block of charged casings, I double check inside and then seat the boolit - then it goes back in the other now empty loading block. When that's full, then I crimp.

Normally, my other cartridges are loaded on my Lee 4 hole classic turret. I have a Lee Perfect Powder Measure counted on my powder though/expander die. As soon as the casing goes up in the die, I drop a charge and then index to seat then crimp. Above all . . . I always double check and if in doubt, dump and start over.

As a side note . . . my Lee PPM does an excellent job of dropping accurate charges with the Bulls Eye. When loading, I randomly check - usually about every 8 to 10 casings - by dumping the charge in my RCBS 505.

I load a few 38 Colt Short - usually with either 1.8 gr. of Bulls Eye or 2.0 gr of Red Dot. For Red Dot, I had always used a dipper I made. I decided to try the Red Dot in the Lee PPM just to see how well it would meter. After adjusting, I dropped probably 40 loads in a row individually in the scale pan and weighed them out . . . I was pleasantly surprise to find all of them right on at 2.0 grains. I know every powder type will drop differently but for an inexpensive powder measure, I've been happy with the Lee.

And I will add . . . I just "plink" so I never am pushing the limit on any of my cartridges that I reload. But I do understand those who like the Trail Boss due to the case fill and the tendency to not being able to double charge. That's one of the advantages of using BP . . . with a compressed load you don't have to worry about that! :-)

[John C]

Larry;

I saw on another thread where you mentioned load recommendations for N32c in .45 acp for 230 and 200 gr boolits. Do you have any recommendations for 185 gr boolits?

Also, you don't mention any work with this powder in bottle necked rifle cartridges, but do you have any recommendations for starting charge weights in .30-06, .308 or others?


Thanks,

John