Trail Boss Powder
- Thread starter Russ5924
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
I posted a similar message a few days ago, and didn't get much response. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be that widely distributed yet.
I'm going to look for some at the next couple gunshows I'm at. Hopefully I'll be able to latch onto some soon, as I'm just not really all that happy with the powders I've been using up to this point in .44 Special.
231 just doesn't have enough charge density and I'm getting very erratic results.
I'm going to look for some at the next couple gunshows I'm at. Hopefully I'll be able to latch onto some soon, as I'm just not really all that happy with the powders I've been using up to this point in .44 Special.
231 just doesn't have enough charge density and I'm getting very erratic results.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Griz says he bought some.
Supposedly it's been out for almost a year, so it should be hitting the bricks pretty damned soon.
Supposedly it's been out for almost a year, so it should be hitting the bricks pretty damned soon.
road.warrior
New member
I got some at Hoffman's in Newington, CT a month ago. I loaded
some 38spl for a friend, but he hasn't gone to the range yet.
I will be loading some 357 soon. It meters well, takes up more space
in the case as advertised and looks like baby Cheerios..
some 38spl for a friend, but he hasn't gone to the range yet.
I will be loading some 357 soon. It meters well, takes up more space
in the case as advertised and looks like baby Cheerios..
Slip Shooter
New member
Trail Boss has not been available in my area at all. Seems like shops around here make annual powder purchases (shipping costs you know) and do so early in the year. Hence, no Trail Boss. However, I was able to purchased 2 9 ounce jars at the Shreveport, La. gun show over the 4th of July weekend.
The Gun Show vendor I purchased mine from was from south Louisiana and had with him 12 jars plus a couple of the 5 pound jugs. Realizing it may be a while before seeing more, I purchased the two.
While checking the powder out and running it through my powder measure and also, Little Dandy measure rotors, it became apparent that one must use the large powder drop tube to prevent the powder from ganging up and short charging the case. I was getting too much variation in my charges with the small drop tube that is normally use with pistol powders. Trail Boss measures quite well, within +/- 1/2 of 1 grain.
For now I will be loading 38 Specials and find that the maximum recommended load of 4.2 grains (13,700 CUP), using a seating depth of .300 inches, fills the case nicely to the base of a 158 grain bullet.
Double charges should be a thing of the past with this powder. Trail Boss is about 2.4 times more bulky than Winchester 231, and fast burning, some where in the Bullseye or a slightly slower range.
The Gun Show vendor I purchased mine from was from south Louisiana and had with him 12 jars plus a couple of the 5 pound jugs. Realizing it may be a while before seeing more, I purchased the two.
While checking the powder out and running it through my powder measure and also, Little Dandy measure rotors, it became apparent that one must use the large powder drop tube to prevent the powder from ganging up and short charging the case. I was getting too much variation in my charges with the small drop tube that is normally use with pistol powders. Trail Boss measures quite well, within +/- 1/2 of 1 grain.
For now I will be loading 38 Specials and find that the maximum recommended load of 4.2 grains (13,700 CUP), using a seating depth of .300 inches, fills the case nicely to the base of a 158 grain bullet.
Double charges should be a thing of the past with this powder. Trail Boss is about 2.4 times more bulky than Winchester 231, and fast burning, some where in the Bullseye or a slightly slower range.
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Trail Boss Report
I tried some in 38 special. For those that haven't heard of it, it's a very high volume for weight powder, and looks like tiny washers or silver donuts. A case full of it (not to the base of the bullet, but to the top of the case) only weighs 7.0 grains. The same case full of Titegroup weighs 17.8 grains. So it takes up about 2 and a half times the space conpared to a similar speed powder.
It did fine in an RCBS Uniflow measure. Which makes sense because it would take over twice the error in volume to get a comprable variance in weight. Once or twice I could feel the measure cutting a grain, but it felt "softer" than cutting grains on a stick rifle powder. Maybe that's because the powder is "fluffier" or maybe it was my imagination.
IMR lists 3.0 grains as the minimum under a 125 grain bullet, and I tried that. They said 753 FPS out of a 7.7 inch barrel, I got 648 out of a well worn 6.5" Blackhawk and 622 out of a 4" S&W.
I tried the same load but held the muzzle down prior to shooting each shot. The Blackhawk averaged 441 FPS, which surprized me since the powder space is more than half full even at the minimum load.
I tried 3.9 grains and got 808 FPS from the 6.5" and 750 from the 4". Shooting with the powder forward was much closer to typical for a light loaded 125 grain bullet, which seems to be a worse case scenario for powder position sensitivity.
That's not much information but I've haven't had enough spare time. I still want to try heavier bullets and what will be a first for me, a slow, low pressure, 125 grain bullet with a compressed charge! Sounds weird but that's what the data shows. It's certainly a safe powder for progressives. You would have to almost try to double charge a case since it would overflow.
I tried some in 38 special. For those that haven't heard of it, it's a very high volume for weight powder, and looks like tiny washers or silver donuts. A case full of it (not to the base of the bullet, but to the top of the case) only weighs 7.0 grains. The same case full of Titegroup weighs 17.8 grains. So it takes up about 2 and a half times the space conpared to a similar speed powder.
It did fine in an RCBS Uniflow measure. Which makes sense because it would take over twice the error in volume to get a comprable variance in weight. Once or twice I could feel the measure cutting a grain, but it felt "softer" than cutting grains on a stick rifle powder. Maybe that's because the powder is "fluffier" or maybe it was my imagination.
IMR lists 3.0 grains as the minimum under a 125 grain bullet, and I tried that. They said 753 FPS out of a 7.7 inch barrel, I got 648 out of a well worn 6.5" Blackhawk and 622 out of a 4" S&W.
I tried the same load but held the muzzle down prior to shooting each shot. The Blackhawk averaged 441 FPS, which surprized me since the powder space is more than half full even at the minimum load.
I tried 3.9 grains and got 808 FPS from the 6.5" and 750 from the 4". Shooting with the powder forward was much closer to typical for a light loaded 125 grain bullet, which seems to be a worse case scenario for powder position sensitivity.
That's not much information but I've haven't had enough spare time. I still want to try heavier bullets and what will be a first for me, a slow, low pressure, 125 grain bullet with a compressed charge! Sounds weird but that's what the data shows. It's certainly a safe powder for progressives. You would have to almost try to double charge a case since it would overflow.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Thanks for the recap, Griz. Theres a gunshow coming up in my area next weekend. I'm going to try to go, or get someone I know who's going to pick me up some if it's available.
Picked up a can Sunday and loaded a 2 mags worth as a trial this morning for my 1911. Started with 4.0 gr behind a 200gr lead bullet. It cycled the slide real well. Recoil was very soft and "pushy". It filled the 45acp case to withing 0.330 (give or take a few) from the top. Haven't had time to experiment further. I can tell you tho, a can with 9oz of powder ain't gonna go very far and at about $13 a can, I may have to rethink this one. Been using 231 and Bullseye and still have plenty on hand. Got another box loaded when I get the time to try them for accuracy.