Trail Boss smokin'

[Jack Stanley]

Since I've never used Trail Boss before , I have no experience to draw from . I used the loads listed on the Hogdon web sight and right up to the max charge the cases are smoked . With any other powder I'd increase the charge a bit but like I said , I'm new to Trail Boss .

I used two hundred fifty-five grain Lee bullets with five point eight grains .

Also used two hundred and thirty grain flat nose bullets with six point five .

The smoke on the cases is a real bear to clean up . I'm trying a citrus solvent and then the polisher again to see if they will clean up .

Thanks for any help . Jack

[Hang Fire]

I have the same thing with 45 LC in my Kirst conversion cyl for 58 Remmie. Smoked cases from 255 grainer, 200, 185 and round ball. I dasn't load them hot enough to effect a good pressure seal with the mild steel framed 58, so keep all loads on the low end. I haven't read anything about over powder filler for Trail Boss, so leery of trying it until I get some practical data.

[Jack Stanley]

OK then , thanks . Perhaps I bought the wrong powder for the job . I don't need to be concerned about old guns and to much pressure because the gun is modern . I'm thinking I can get low velocity with 700-X , Red Dot or a similar powder and have less of a clean up problem .

I only bought the small can to try it out .

Jack

[Throwback]

If your bullet wieght and velocity are too low with any of the fast burners you will regrettably get smoked cases.

[Harry O]

Like any other powder, you can go higher than the factory suggestions, provided you have the right gun for it. I tried Trail Boss in my 32-20's. The maximum load suggested is 2.8gr. That fills the case just a little over half full. It is perfect for old, weak, or light guns -- just like my 1931 Colt Police Positive Special.

However, I also have a new S&W K-frame in 32-20 ( a rechambered Model 16). It is new, strong, and heavy. I decided to go upward from 2.8gr with it. I eventually went to 4.5gr. At that point, the case was full to the base of the bullet. I did not chrono it, but it was about the same felt recoil as my standard load for that gun -- 6.0gr of SR4756 with a 100 gr bullet. The accuracy with Trail Boss (at 4.5gr) was not as good as the SR4756 powder and it cost more so I decided not to use it any more. If it had looked promising, I would have checked the velocity against what I was getting with the SR4756.

Anyway, I have read some suggestions that the Trail Boss works in strange ways -- such as having pressure spikes if you go over the recommended loads. I don't think (from my experiment) that this is true. It is just like any other powder.

[cajun shooter]

I will say be careful with your thinking Harry O. I tried using Trail Boss with 45 Colt, 45 Schofield and 44 spl. It does as intended in that it fills the case and prevents dbl chg of cases with light loads. I was shooting some with 5.8 to 6.0 grains of powder and had flattened primers and heavy recoil. This was listed as a normal load. I decided then to quit using it. I then read the stories that came out and felt like there were too many other powders to take a chance on something that was giving me these results. I still am going to put them to the chrno one day as I was shooting at a indoor range and did not have the infra red set up to use.

[leftiye]

As always - different guns shoot a given load - differently? What is safe in one gun is life threatening in another. Plus all of the things not mentioned - especially varying reloading methods, and setups of the load, plus boolit alloy, hardness, and size. Did I mention different guns? P.S. - and HOW YOU HOLD YER MOUTH!

[Harry O]

cajun: Thanks for the warning. I was careful and worked up in 0.1gr increments. Every case was checked before moving up. There were no signs of excess pressure of any kind clear up to 4.5gr. I am not saying that pressure spikes are impossible. It just did not happen to me with the gun and load I detailed.

I have also used Trail Boss in my 38-40 CAS loads. The max shown for the 38-40 is 5.5gr. I ended up using 5.0gr of Trail Boss with a soft cast 401452 as having the best accuracy in my handguns. Unfortunately, that bullet will not feed in a Uberti 1873 clone.

So, I ended up with 6.0gr with hard-cast Cheyenne 180gr bullets as having the best accuracy in my rifle. The lighter loads were definitely less accurate. Since the price of Cheyenne bullets went way up, I am now experimenting with an NEI bullet that I cast myself. Don't know what I will end up with, but the 6.0gr worked at least as good as the Cheyenne bullets with my first try. Again, no pressure signs of any kind.

[Jack Stanley]

These loads were right at maximum for whatever the manufacturer is suggesting them for . I have other powders I can use , I had a can of trail Boss I wanted to try out when I had opportunity . Well the chance has come and I think I'll close the door behind it and send it on it's way before I increase it to try and make it work .

I know I can get good results with 700-X and Universal Clays with great accuracy and without having to spend so much time cleaning cases . I think that spraying the cases with a citrus solvent then running several hours in the polisher is working OK for cleanup . But then , other powders aren't such a problem .

Jack

[NHlever]

I've wiped the smoky cases with a squirt of lighter fluid on a paper towel before sizing them, and when I follow with tumbling they come out pretty clean.

[Irascible]

Try sprinkling about 3 tablespoons of Mineral Spirits around the tumbling media and run it for a few minutes before you dump in the cases.

[shotman]

Sounds like you may have a lube issue. Tumble lube? I found that if I left the TL on the base heavy, it did smoke them and I started setting them up to dry and it went away

[Jack Stanley]

Sounds like you may have a lube issue. Tumble lube? I found that if I left the TL on the base heavy, it did smoke them and I started setting them up to dry and it went away

Nah ....this was a batch that had LBT blue on it . They fit the throat well and I still have some left that uses Unique for fuel that don't smoke like this stuff does .


I ran out of the heavy bullets I was using and dipped into a box of H&G 130 bullets . Lubed them with Javalina and loaded over six and six point four of 700X . No problem with smoke but it did leave just a touch of lube at the mouth of the case . I'm thinking about trying six point five with this bullet and see if things clean up a bit more . Accuracy was much better with the six point four grain load . Now if I can get the point of impact to come up and over just a bit the load will match where the heavy bullets hit .

Jack