USING TRAILBOSS WITH A DILLON PRESS

jsalas2

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Hi, I wold like to know if anyone using Trailboss powder with a Dillon Square Deal press is having metering problems due to the donut shape of the powder. I was going to use this powder with my newly purchased Dillon Square Deal press in 38 special,when I came across posts that said it didn't work well with this press. I know I could just switch powders, but would like to use this one as I have only heard good things about it. If feedback not good any comments on what meters well for 38 special in this press. Thanks
 
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I have loaded 1000's of 38 special cowboy loads using a Dillon 550B. I use 4 grs of trailboss and a lead 130 gr bullet. It throws the same charge every time. I don't think you'll have any problems.
 
I've used in my 550 and it doesn't meter well for me. I was using 4.5 gr but over ten attempts is varied +/- 0.2 grain. I am not terribly optimistic about consistent performance with that much variation. Maybe there is some trick I don't know about.
 
jsalas2

You, that are using Trailboss, are you using the small powder bar or the large. One poster on another forum said that he used the Dillon large powder bar and that solved his problem. It sounds like it has worked for you that answered, so I guess the only way to know is to try it. Thanks for your answers. Jesse.
 
I can't speak about a square deal but I have loaded a lot of .45 Colt and .45 Schofield rounds on a 650 and 550b without any problems. I beleive that the powder measuring system is the same on all the units.
 
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I was thinking of using Trailboss on my 550 but was wondering too about metering issues and if I could use if on plated bullets.
 
I don’t know why Win 231 “flattened ball” measures out so much better than most actual flake powders. I don’t know why I’m always the loudest at making noise about Unique not measuring out no matter what insert I use in the Uniflow. And I don’t know how anyone can say those stupid flat donuts measure out well out of anything when that is the single most bridging squib inducing whatever you want to describe it as besides Trail Boss. I love the loads you can make in TB and I adore casting .30-30 bullets and plinking with them but that stuff is all either measured out by hand directly into the scale or from the Hornady Autocharge. And it’s still slow from the Autocharge even on its fastest setting. And it likes to dump a big clot at the last second adding too much and setting off the alarm which is the same thing Unique does. I’m happy and high five to all the people you can use all the flake powders but I hate the stuff. I do like the polishing job on the metal in that link provided and I might have to see about that in all of my powder measures. That’s kind of a duh upgrade that should have been done in the first place…
 
So Bob for Christmas you want Unique or Trail Boss??:D

I have no idea how Trail Boss meters in a Dillon, but I find no use for the powder in anything, Besides the expense. It smells funny too,:p
 
Man I must be lucky. Unique meters like a champ in my 650. No variance to speak of. Maybe, maybe a tenth of a grain difference now and then but no more than that.
I picked up a tip somewhere that says to keep the hopper full so the powder has some weight on it. Maybe that's why?

And Bob my Man, you do have a way with words!:D
 
Fellas, stop and think about this for a moment. Your powder measure manufacturer will state that your powder measure is accurate to +/- .1 grain. Your scale manufacturer says +/- .1 grain. Now talk to some bench rest shooters and they will tell you that +/- .2 grains means nothing on the target. These are the accuracy fanatics to whom 1/8 inch is a disaster and can mean winning or losing a match. I would say that .2 grains is not that big a deal even though I strive for .1. I use a Dillon 550B and get consistent +/- .1 grain loads from Trail Boss and do recommend using the large charge bar. There ain't no way I can get 4 or 5 grain charges out of the smaller bar. Also all Dillon presses use the same powder measure.
 
I have used Trail Boss powder in a Dillon SDB and a Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure with no issues. Some powders may meter better (231) but, slight variations make no difference with target/plinking loads.
 
When all else fails, read the manual.
Hogdson, IMR, Winchester manual has this to say about Dillons.

Many people wonder how a powder so fluffy with such unusually shaped granules can flow well
through a powder measure. Well, flow was an absolute must with this product during
development. Powder drop to powder drop consistency with Trail Boss is at least as good as
other flake powders. Due to the volume occupied by Trail Boss charges, users of Dillon
measures will want to change from their pistol powder charge bar to their rifle powder charge
bar for any charge over 5.0 grs. of Trail Boss.
 
When I was trying to use Trail Boss in any of my powder measures I tried both the small and large inserts. Well, the Lyman has the small slide and large slide but I tried using only the small, both the large and small at the same time, and mostly the large with the small having a bit of opening to try and fine tune the drop. When I say Trail Boss and Unique don't measure well for me I don't mean that I get a variation of + or - .1, .2, or even .3 which of course I do... I mean they would sometimes drop all of maybe six flakes. I would stop, check the case, tap the powder measure, flip my finger against the powder measure thump my finger on it a few times and then bloomp a big blop of powder would fall out the thing usually spilling everywhere. I would flip the clacker knocker as hard as I could flip it on the Lyman and that would usually work the best from out of my selection of measures. Now unless it's teeny tiny flakes like Power Pistol or Universal I won't mess with it unless it's that seemingly magical "flattened ball" that looks the same but measures out so much better. But I don't see how the Dilon with its adjustable slide bar that chews and binds on stick powders when I tried IMR 3031 in one would work any better than the Lee Adjustable Charge Bar in the Pro Auto other than it will adjust I think a bit bigger. I can't help but look at Unique as something our great grand pappy had to put up with because it was either that 2400 or Bullseye unless he wanted to revert back to black powder. So here we introduce Trail Boss which once again I'm amazed at the loads you can make with it but I'm shocked we would come up with what has to be the largest flake with a hole punched in each one. Genius, pure genius... Design a powder that is the size of the paper punches from your three hole punch next and you will have the next new fabulous powder design that may even clean the gun for you each time you pull the trigger but darn if you will be able to easily measure it out in anything already on your bench.
 
It just occurred to me:

Bob, are you in a high humidity area (Florida? - NAH!).

Maybe large flake powder like Unique or Trail Boss is more susceptible to it?

At any rate, I feel for you. It sounds like nothing but a headache and I'm glad I'm not having similar issues. This is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
 

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