This is my first post. Just bought some Trail Boss powder for 44 special . I marked a case where the base of the bullet, (240 gr SWCL), should be. I filled it up to the mark with powder and then weighed the charge. Max charge weighed in at 6.8 grains .
Has anyone obtained similar results- I would like to know

Metalman

The IMR site shows 5.2 grains as the max for 44 Special with a 240 gr bullet.

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/trailboss.php

Thank you Cal 44. My first load using Trail Boss was 5.0 grains. I have read several other posts indicating much larger charges could be used. My current plans are to use 5.6 grains of Trail Boss, with the 240 grain SWCL bullet at 8-10 BHN, crimped to the cannelure with an overall length of 1.560
I am using a mod 24-3 (one of the lew hortons-) that I bought when I was 30 something- Any thoughts?

Well, I'm haven't handloaded in several years, but if I did I'd start at a load well within the range suggested by the manufacturer and then gradually increase it.

Checking for problems with pressure. Flattened primers, cracked cases, etc.

In my case, the only guns I have that shoot 44 special are 44 magnums.

So if I wanted more than the what Special would give within manufacturer guidelines, I'd load 44 Magnum cases.

Trail boss loads in 44 mag cases should produce great low-medium power loads without exceeding IMRs specs.

DO NO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED CHARGE Granted you may not blow up your gun doing this with a 44 special because your suggested charge is likely only at +P or a bit above but it will be harder on your cases and harder on the frame of your revolver. In addition there is a slight risk of producing a pressure spike that can tip the powder over the edge from a controlled burn into Detonation which will blow up a handgun. Note, IMO this risk of Detonation is elevated when using fast burning powders such as Trail Boss. If you want a load with more velocity then you need to purchase a slower burning powder more suitable for higher energy loads.

What is going on here is a factor of the rate of pressure rise and the amount of time at peak pressure. With a fast buring powder the rate of pressure rise is faster and the time spent at peak pressure is rather short. With a slower burning powder you get a slower rate of pressure rise and longer span of time spent at peak pressure. Fast powders are noted for producing light recoiling loads with a relatively clean burn and good accuracy. Your Trail Boss was specifically engineered to meet these goals and as a result it's become a real favorite about the Cowboy Action shooters. Another result is that it's NOT a good powder choice for producing a stronger load or for use with plated or jacketed bullets.

If you want something stouter I would suggest Unique because it's a slower powder and pretty easy to find. Note, one deficit of Unique is that it's a very poor metering powder so you'll probably find you need to hand weigh each charge. Further down the road if you can locate some Accurate #5 I expect you'll find it's nearly ideal for getting the most out of a 44 special. However, per SAAMI specifications the 44 special operates at such a low pressure it won't ever be a "high performance" caliber so bullet velocities in the mid 800 fps range with a 240 grain lead bullet is about the best you can expect.

If you want to load the 44 special to power levels closer to Magnums I would suggest two things. First, don't risk harm to your model 24 and instead purchase a model 29. No point in beating up what may one day be a valuable classic with loads it wasn't designed for, instead get a 44 Magnum. BTW, in my area model 29's aren't very hard to find and 44 specials are nearly unobtanium. Second, get yourself some 44 Magnum brass. Yeah, Elmer Kieth did a lot of his 44 Magnum development with 44 special revolvers and cases but he did it when it was easy and cheap to pick up a 44 special and 44 Magnum cases didn't exist. In addition Elmer was a bit of a knucklehead in some respects and lucky he didn't hurt himself blowing a gun up. I'll bet that he had more than one "bulged" cylinder that never got mentioned in his writings.

I have used TB in my 357 loads (158 gr CJFP projectile) and found that 4.2 gr as the "do not exceed" is still a relatively soft load in my 686-3 with 6 inch barrel. I like TB as it is economical and clean burning and intend to experiment further with a chrono and accurate set of digital scales. The main issue seems to be avoiding a compressed load !

I use 4.5gr. of trail boss in 44 mag. brass for my 29's and 629's.It is a great plinker with lite recoil .

No matter what you hear or read you must always work up your loads with any firearm no matter what the caliber. Even guns from the same manufacturer and in the same caliber can be radically different in the way they digest ammo loads.

So many factors can have an influence with ammo performance. Powder isn't the only issue.. Bullet seating depth, powder charge, crimp, bullet diameter, etc... even shooting temperature can impact load performance.

I love Trail Boss as a plinking powder, especially for my 500. I haven't used it in a .44 or a .41 as I have many other favorite powders for those calibers.

Read all the published info you can, especially that provided by the powders manufacturer. Be cautious about any powder charge info gleaned from the internet as the anonymity really provides little assurance about the providers expertise or knowledge.

Just sayin'

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Terry

Why would you start reloading with a load over the MAXIMUM published by the maker of the powder??? As Scooter stated, TB is a light load powder made for the Cowboy Action shooters for use in cases that originally were designed in the black powder era. It was designed as a powder for light loads that had the bulk to fill the cases so that it could not be double charged in, say a .45 Colt cartridge. Some folks have reported metering issues, but I only shoot minimum charges for Cowboy Action, and have not had any problems yet.

Use a powder for what it was intended for. Unique is good for medium loads and you can use 2400 for maximum or near such loads for the .44 Special. There are many other powders suitable for the .44 Special. Buy a good reloading manual, or better yet, several, because sometimes they do not agree.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Let me thank all of you, and your helpful posts. I went to the range, with the load I originally stated. Brass fell out of the chamber, recoil was moderate, there was no flattening of the primer in the pocket. The brass sealed against the chamber walls, without any discoloration. Accuracy was fine, and the powder burned clean.NO leading in the barrel or forcing cone with the 8-10 BHN bullet. I have been reloading since I was 19, which was 41 years ago.

I will however, due to all the fine help on the posts, proceed with caution. I have a few 44 mag revolvers that I will try next with Trail Boss powder.

This is from memory so I can't guarantee it but:

You did it it right except there is one more step. Take the full load that you measured and drop it 30%. This is the start load. Work up from there.

I've used 4gr trail boss under a 200gr WC in .44 sp. That is an excellent load out of my 29 and 629.

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SWCA #2777

I have used the Max listed load in the 44 Magnum with a 200 gr cast RNFP. 950 fps in a 5 and 1/2 inch revolver and 1100 fps in a 20 inch carbine. Very accurate and no leading. Trail Boss is good stuff.

Yea, 5.2gr of TB is max in the .44Special and 7.3gr in .44Mag.

That's from current charts. Probably want to start below that and work up.

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But then, what do I know?

This is the main issue with Trail Boss. "Detonation" is only found in slow burning rifle powders, but the problem with Trail Boss causes a situation that is similar to what many believe happens during detonation. (Since no one has ever been able to produce detonation at will, the exact cause is still technically unexplained, but the theory sounds plausible.)

Trail Boss is made up of very large "donut" shaped powder grains and this is why it is so popular with cowboy action shooters. It fills the case so much that a double charge is impossible to fit into the case, and double charges of fast burning powders are what causes most handguns to suffer a catastrophic failure. But these large donuts are also a problem in that they are fairly easy to break if compressed. This creates more surface area of powder to burn at ignition which in turn creates a sharp increase in pressure due to changing the powders burn rate.

I've never tried it with Trail Boss, but there are a couple ways I learned to reduce compression of powders in high density rifle loads. One is to pour the powder in the case and gently tap the head to help the powder settle before seating the bullet and the other is a way to pour the powder into a case using a funnel that is too hard to describe in words.

It has been a week............

Did he survive ?? !!

My own Subjective observations using Trail Boss:

others may well have different opinions, these are based on using TB over the last 15 years:

1) my all time favorite recipe is a 45LC 200 RNL cowboy load that is slightly below the published MAX;

2) While I do favor TB at near max published recipes in 44 special, I have always been somehow 'not quite satisfied' with various recipes in 44 MAG. In a pinch, I would use it if necessary.

3) I have never found a recipe in 38/357 with TB that I enjoy either.

4) Same with 45 ACP and 45/70 with TB. Have loaded a host of published recipes & still just haven't developed a taste for the results.

Understand the term 'subjective' pretty much means there's factors that can't quite be quantified or agreed up that identifies that claim.

Such associated factors as recoil qualities, muzzle jump and muzzle flash, amount/type of smoke, odor of same, type and frequency of the sonic aspects of ignition, accuracy, amount/type of fouling, ease of loading/weighing/handling, cost, among others that combine to make each cylinder full more or less productive of the much touted 'harmonious outcome'.

Strictly speaking, all of the above qualities are separate from the obvious 'objective' factors generally quantified in published loading tables. Some may well ignore the subjective factors until later in their reloading careers.

Safe accurate pleasant reliable reloads are well provided by Trail Boss IMHO.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas