TrailBoss Powder...

[nitesite]

... just amazes me for how it consistently throws an exact charge over and over. For all the talk about how Unique throws wavering charges and that Unique is difficult to get consistent weights, somehow the "fluffier" TrailBoss manages to throw exactly the same charge to the tenth of a grain.

How does TB accomplish this when it looks like ...

When I use Unique, I'm perfectly happy if my target weight goes under or over by a tenth. But TB never deviates from being "on the nutz".

I have used TB every now and then for the past two years. Tonight I was loading some practice .38 LSWCs for my FIL's Model 60 and again the consistency thing really stood out. First I checked every tenth charge from my Lyman 55, then I started checking every fifth just to be absolutely sure. Finally, I checked ten in a row on an electronic digital scale and damn if each and erry one wasn't perfect.

I wish it could produce velocities faster than Cowboy loads from a .38-Special, being lead-friendly and all.

Trailboss ain't my favorite powder (I like hotter rounds) but it really does amaze me.

That is all.

 

[Rolando]

Love that photo.
I also like trailboss. As a new reloader I like how you can easily see it due to its light color and fluffiness. The way it fills up a case a double charge would be easy to notice. I like a lighter loads and use lead so it works for me.

 

[Steve C]

I wish it could produce velocities faster than Cowboy loads from a .38-Special, being lead-friendly and all.

Trail Boss is very bulky so an extra flake or two doesn't change the weight that much. You don't need to use a pistol insert in the powder measure for small amounts in fact you often can't get enough TB using the pistol insert to load a proper charge.

For all the volume of powder you use very low charge weights with TB. Its actually a very fast powder, the volume amount can fool you. Its burn rate is right next to Green Dot on the Hodgdon burn rate chart, at number 14 much faster then HP38 and W231 which are at 22 and 23 on the list. This is the reason you can't get much velocity out of it beyond what you able to typically get from those types of fast powder. I understand it also doesn't take being compressed well.

 

[Erich]

Steve more artfully said what I was going to say.

 

[TSQUARED]

Trail Boss has becopme my one and onl;y powder for loading cast and plated bullets in the straight walled pistol cartridges. In addition to it's superb metering qualities I appreciate the perceived lower recoil than with some other fast burning powders - it might be my imagination.

 

[bubbajoe45]

It's more designed for the older blackpowder cartridges where case capacity is a issue. It's not intended for super stout loads, but I get a good working load in .44 Special - I don't have a chrono, but they have to be close to 900 fps from a 4" bbl. I haven't tried it in .38 Spl; maybe I will.

 

[Erich]

I do have a chrono - I doubt anything with Trail Boss in .44 Spl. will crack 900 fps from a 4" barrel. That's why no one is perceiving recoil:

TB is fun to use because it's so safe, but you'll not get much performance.

 

[Skip Sackett]

What weight bullet, bubba?

Unless you have THE MAGIC CAN OF TRAIL BOSS I can almost guarantee you aren't getting that velocity. That is unless you are shooting a 165gr bullet or so.

The "normal" bullet for the 44Spl is at least over 200gr though and the Hodgdon data page has no data for bullets 200gr and over that delivers near 900fps. I called them yesterday and they stated that most of their tests are done in 8" barrels too!

So, without a chronograph, you are quite right, you are guessing and doing it rather high!

 

[bluetopper]

I've thought a lot about trying Trail Boss but the relative high expense as compared to other powders and the rather limited applications it is religated to keeps me from it.
I guess I'll stick with the tried and trusted, versatile and consistent Bullseye.

 

[mtb1bkr]

Parasite,
You can put TB in pretty much any revolver cartridge and it will work. As stated, you are not going to see real great velocites out of it. One of the great things is, you can't really get a double charge in most cases as the powder is so bulky that a double charge would overflow. I think you can even go so far as to nearly fill the case, seat a bullet and fire the sucker and still not have to worry about excessive pressure. It's a rather expensive powder, but for the purpose it serves, it does a good job and it's great for bunny fart loads for the kids and new shooters as well.

Bill

 

[Skip Sackett]

Bill,

I haven't said this lately but, thanks for your service, we are proud of you!

Just one caution with Trail Boss, and this is only hearsay, it doesn't like to be compressed.

I was told by the Hodgdon technician though that the way to load the 500S&W Magnum with it was to mark where the bullet base would end up being if seated in the case and filler 'er up to there!

I think it ended up being like 13.5gr or so, I did measure it, and gave me about 1300fps out of a Handi-Rifle I had a while back!

Hope this helps!

 

[mtb1bkr]

Skip,
Thanks for the kind words. I'm just treading along in the tracks you and others before both of us made in this great organization.

I think I heard somewhere before where they had nearly filled the case of a 500 as well, but I'm not sure where. I left my 500 in KY because I thought I would have to register it in CA and didn't want that. Now that I know different, I will be bringing it and the rest of the collection next time I drive home.

Bill

 

[LazarusLong]

Couldn't stand Trail Boss, but that's just me. Can't use enough of the stuff to get any decent velocities in a .44. Bullseye is cheaper and more consistent

 

[bubbajoe45]

I do have a chrono - I doubt anything with Trail Boss in .44 Spl. will crack 900 fps from a 4" barrel. That's why no one is perceiving recoil:

TB is fun to use because it's so safe, but you'll not get much performance.

OK, so maybe I'm thinking my load's faster than it is. It's shown there in the picture - 5.5 gr under a 240 gr LSWFP. What do you reckon it is running? 800? It is a little more than the published data recommends; I am pretty sure I'm not compressing it, but I'll measure that possibilty more closely now that you mention it.

 

[bnitch]

I just shot some loads I made up with TB and to my joy the 357 mag. was just how I was trying to make it, light with less recoil than a 38. But still got good groups at 25yds or so. I wasn't trying for distance just the fact that you can load down 357 and still have a nice day shooting. Gives me something else to play with, I guess thats what Cowboy shooting is like. Now I will have to load up the scale and see when it stops being gentle.

 

[Erich]

Magnum primers will make it stand up a bit, but it'll still be pretty gentle.

 

[bluetopper]

Bill,
I was told by the Hodgdon technician though that the way to load the 500S&W Magnum with it was to mark where the bullet base would end up being if seated in the case and filler 'er up to there!

I think it ended up being like 13.5gr or so, I did measure it, and gave me about 1300fps out of a Handi-Rifle I had a while back!

Hope this helps!

Black Powder in a full case will do just about the same thing in 500S&W Mag.

 

[Beans]

Bill,
I was told by the Hodgdon technician though that the way to load the 500S&W Magnum with it was to mark where the bullet base would end up being if seated in the case and filler 'er up to there! /QUOTE]

I was told the same by a Hodgdon technician, concerning loading 32-40 rifle cases with Trailboss. Never tried it though. It didn't seem to me like a good idea.