Trail Boss propellant in semiautos?

[Dingoboyx]

I was just interested in you guy's opinion (or knowledge) as to whether trailboss is a suitable propellant for a Glock 34, 9mm x 19, shooting 124gr lead round nose projectiles (thru an aftermarket stainless rifled barrel)
I'm only asking coz I shoot CAS and have lots of trailboss and it shoots extremely well in my wheel guns, but cant find any indication from googling as to if it is suitable and safe for use in SA's. I dont want to try it without some imput from you guys first. Dont want to be a pioneer and blow up my Glock (or myself)

Muzza

 

[Unclenick]

Trail Boss is strictly for lead bullets, as unexpected pressure spikes with jacketed bullets are claimed for it by IMR. It has saltpeter added to it that helps oxidize the carbon other powders tend to leave behind. That makes it very clean. It also makes it a combination of chemicals not previously used in smokeless cartridges, so I would take IMR at their word for that.

In a high pressure gun like the glock there is a good chance you won't be able to fit enough in the case to get it to cycle the gun reliably. Only one way to find out for sure.

 

[Dingoboyx]

Unclenick

As you can see in my orighinal post, I would use 124gr lead roundnose in an after market barrel. I guess you are saying it might be worth trying, but more likely to be underpowered rather than (what was my worry) blowing up a good gun. I will wait for a few more responses and if it is seeming to be safe to try, I will load up 10 or so and see what happens.

thanks for your imput so far

Muzza

 

[Dingoboyx]

Awwwww

C'mon guys, you dont have to type much.....

Just yes or no will do ( y or n even)

This is actually a serious question (even tho it sounds really, really...... really stoopid)

Please gimme your impoot...er....inpart.....er thortz

Muzza

 

[SL1]

I don't have any experience with Trail Boss, so I can't discuss safety for you.

But, I am curious about the residue issue. I know it is supposed to be clean, but is anything in its residue worse on gun parts (eg, corrosive or abrasive) than the residue from regular smokeless propellants? If so, then it might not be such a good idea in a semiauto. But, if not, I don't see any reason not to try it with lead bullets.

Just remember that Trail Boss is intended to fill relatively large cases while producing relatively low velocity. So, as Unclenick said, it might not cycle the semiauto slide with a nearly full case if the case is small, like a 9mm or 40 S&W. And, those cartridges are designed for high pressures, well beyond rounds like the .38 Special and older .45s. So, the case may not seal and the results may be dirty.

Also, I don't know how Trail Boss behaves with compressed loads, so trying to force enough powder into the small cases to cycle the slide might not be safe if this powder can become "spikey".

Anyway, please tell us how it works for you.

SL1

 

[RidgwayCO]

I use Trail Boss in .38 and .44 Special lead bullet loads. And I'm certain it will work well in .357 and .44 Magnum lead bullet loads.

But I'm not sure there's enough room in the 9mm Luger case to create a useful load. The case capacity is just too small. It would be like trying to load black powder in the 9mm (and I've never heard of ANYONE trying that).

The dangerous part in trying to cram enough Trail Boss into the 9mm Luger case would happen when you try to compress the powder to "get just a little more in there." Now you're going to break the doughnuts. Very bad! Trail Boss's physical geometry must be part of its burning equation, because breaking the doughnuts significantly increases its burning speed, increasing pressure dramatically. Don't compress Trail Boss (don't break the doughnuts).

 

[Sam06]

Dingo, I will play! I looked around and the general consensus is it will not work properly. To get the 9mm to function you would have to put so much powder in the case it would compress it and that is a no-no with TB. I have not personally used TB in a 9mm but I don't think I would. I would stick to some other powder like N320, AA#2, Unique, 700X. I like N320 in the 9mm.

I like TB in a 30-30. If you have not tried it with cast bullets its a blast. 8.5gr under a 165gr cast bullet is very fun. As you live in OZ there should be some great plinker loads for the 303 and TB. I think a MK IV enfield with maybe 9gr of TB under a 170gr cast bullet would be a great plinker/ Platypus round


Edit: Can you eat Platypus?

 

[Dingoboyx]

Thanx guys

I havent found TB to leave any residue at all. I shoot it all the time in my 44 mag & 44-40 Vaquaro's and Marlin 44 mag levergun, but as you say, they are the large cases it is designed for. I am pretty confident that (unless trying to cram half a cup into a 9mm case) it would be an under pressure situation, rather than an atomic explosion, So I will load up 10 and just see if it will cycle, just for a hoot. I'm guessing it would shoot relatively normal (mediocre) but not be able to cycle. As it stands now, I dont think it will be a dangerous experiment, but I am not confident of dramatic success (cycling) I am sure that the manufacturer would have tried it in everything at hand, if it had worked in a SA, they wouldnt be just pushing it as the brilliant big bore revolver propellant for CAS type shootin' that it is +1 for TB in big cases

Dont you luv it when someone answers their own thread

Just if someone said "dont do it, I did it and blew off my hand!" or "donBsoGoddamStoopidUmoron" I wouldnt even have thought of attempting it. Dont know when I get to try, but will post results for sure... fantastic or flop :barf:

Muzza
PS Not too late to add your comments as to whether I am the next Albert Einstein, or just the "idiot king from afar" You know what I mean "a far king idiot"

 

[Sam06]

Good one dude! Be careful with the TB in 9mm...................Looking around everyone I see says no...Don't compress the powder or you may be getting fitted for a hook or you will be able to wear a sock as a glove.

Watch those Platypus I hear they have poison splines on them......LOL

Sam

 

[Jim Watson]

TB has been tried in .45 ACP at maybe 40% less pressure. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I doubt it would do much in 9mm P.

As R. Buckminster Fuller said: "Simplify as much as possible, but no more!" I think trying to use powder in what the medicos call "off label" applications just because you have it on hand is poor economy.

 

[Dingoboyx]

Hi Jim

Thanks for your imput, appreciate it. Perhaps I might have worded it wrong, I am not saying "I have shootloads of TB, I want to use it in my Glock and I wont buy anything else coz I have so much TB" TB is awesome in the guns it was designed for..... brilliant, I am just thinking to myself "I wonder if it would also work in 9mm?" It would be great if it worked well in it, but I wont loose any sleep if it doesnt. After the earlier posts, I firmly believe it would shoot ok, but not have the grunt to cycle the slide. Since no one has said "No, dont do it, you might blow your hand off and turn the gun to schrappnel" I will stick as much TB in 10 or so cases as I can without breaking the donuts and give it a pop, purely out of interest, expecting no more than the result I just outlined.
I will probably try with a couple of cases 3/4 full first (I always start with smaller charges and work up) and will check the bullet made it out of the barrel after each shot, for safety..... not going to go "gung ho"

Thanks again
Muzza

 

[Dingoboyx]

Update

I put TB into an empty 9mm case to see how much it would contain, and found it could only take one third of the charge of TB I use in 44 mag (with a 200gr projectile) so I have deemed this would be hopelessly inadequate to fire a 124gr projectile out of a 9mm (and cycle it) So, in effect, I wont be bothering persuing this experiment. If I had got half the amount of a 44 charge in, it might have been worth trying, but alas, not to be

Was just a thort

Muzza

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

I've used it in 45 ACP with 230 gr LRN bullets just fine; the Hodgdon online reloading data center lists other 45 acp loads for it too. But that is a much lower pressure cartridge than 9mm.

So, TB works fine with lead projectiles in some semi-autos, but perhaps not 9mm.

Andy