Trailboss Powder

[Hemlock Mike]

I got a "pound" of Trailboss at a gun show today.  Anyone got a good load for it in 45 Colt with a 255 gr slug ??  Posted loads of 707 Fps don't seem real wart hog.  I'm gonna' start at 5.8 gr as recommended but others shooting this load look like mouse pharts.

Mike

OOPS -- It's two words !!  Trail Boss.  Sorry for the confusion 

[Throckmorton]

I haven't been able to find any to try yet,but saw a pard shooting it and it defiately rang the steel.Sorry,don't know his load,but he's farily conservative so guessing it's 'by the book.'
  but you're right,it ain't Warthog.

[Hemlock Mike]

Throckmorton --

Thanks for the reply - I was beginin' to think something was wrong.

I loaded 5.8 gr of Trail Boss in the 45.  It shoots about as strong as my 7.5 gr load of Unique.
I'll have to take my chrony to the range for a test.  My shooting today had clean cases from both powders !!!
I bought my Trail Boss at a gun show for $9.90 for 9 oz.  I get Unique 8# at a time so if I can't find an advantage with TB,  I'll probably stick with my 30 year friend, Unique 

Mike

[Jubel]

Glad I read your post on Trail Boss. I was under the impression that Trail Boss was a BP sub glad I hadn't tried it already Hee Hee      ! Did the powder come with any load suggestions? I've not seen it in any of my loading manuals?

[Lars]

Check Capt. George Baylor's personal webbsite. He has some personal results for Trail Boss and other powders, including chrono and group size data.

In case the information has not gotten to you, Trail Boss was developed by IMR to provide midrange velocity loads at sub-SAAMI chamber pressures in large old BP cases, such as 45 Colt, while still filling the cases to about 1/2 or more. Very consistant metering was also an objective that seems to have been achieved by IMR

I have not seen any Trail Boss in the stores where I buy powder, ditto for Pinnacle.

Some of us acheive the same velocity and chamber pressure and % fill of case objectives of Trail Boss by using slower powders, such as Green Dot, and deep seating the bullets. These loads work fine in revolvers where the reduction in recoil is their main advantage. For rifles we stick with high-end SAAMI loads because of their superior performance (case obturation, little or no leading, small and consistant groups).

Lars

[Hemlock Mike]

I used the IMR MAX recommended load.  Seems a little light but OK.  Now I need a load for 38-40    The powder is a bit pricey and I'll probably stay with unique but its fun to experiment.

Mike

[Dakota Widowmaker]

I am a convert.

I use Trailboss now for all my CAS loads. Period.

Why? Its actually VERY light on both recoil and case deformation.

I like to use once fired brass for BP loads, since it is more likely to prevent blow back.

But, I dont want the case deformed.

So. for match 44-40 loads, I use previously fired loads with TB.


Now, as far as handgun, I have some loads in 45lc that I am going to try. I also have some Win cowboy and black hills loads I plan to compare to. (200gr, anyhow)

In 38spl and 357mag, the loads are VERY mild and still fill 1/2 the case. (at least)

[I still use Unique for 38spl+P defense loads, 2400 for magnum 357 loads, Bullseye for 45acp and PowerPistol for 9mm]

But, my goal is to keep my SAA guns around as long as possible...the softer and more reliable the ammo, the better.

Is it more expensive? Yes, but, you use less of it. 5lb containers are the same price as 8lb ones of other powders.

I guess I just don't load enough ammo that the extra $25 over the length of a year is not that big of a deal.

Cheap powder is not something I concern myself with...

[Hell-Er High Water]

I finally got some here on the west coast and plan to try it in the 45 Colt to see how it works.  If you go to the IMR website, imrpowder.com, they have loading data available for calibers from the 32 S&W Long through the 45 Colt.  This would be the place to start as they have Starting Loads and Maximum Loads listed for each caliber and bullet weight.

HHW

[Hemlock Mike]

HHW --

I'm gonna try some of that  -------- when it's warmer here 
We got a storm commin' in north IA.

Mike

[Dakota Widowmaker]

In my "new" Uberti 45lc six guns, one of them at least, the min load for 200gr bullets is at 5.5gr.

This is a solid performer and very mangable recoil...about half the recoil of Winchester "Cowboy" 250gr ammo.

cleanup was a snap. I do roll crimp and use WLP primers.

[Dakota Widowmaker]

Here is the official loading data for Trailboss from IMR/Hodgdon

Here it is for pistol loads...
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/trailboss-feb2005.php

Here it is for Rifle loads...
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/rifle/trailboss-oct2005.php

I have found that I can go as high as 9.2gr on the 38-55...but, that is using MY rifle and MY loads. (I seat the bullet farther out of the case)
Stay with what they show...

And guess what? 9gr of TB has about the same results as 7gr of Unique.
(1195fps with TB, 1200fps with Unique

FYI: For reference, here is the 30-30 Cowboy load data for Unique
http://recipes.alliantpowder.com/rg.taf?_function=cowboy&step=3&cartridgeID=1007&bulletID=6&powderID=3

[Big John Denny]

Hemlock, what Lars said.

If you use a Dillon, you'll have to use your rifle powder bar to get consistent loads because the powder is so bulky. That was it's main point. The extra bulk allows more of the case to be filled then with normal smokeless powders, thus helping to eliminate the dreaded double charge in a case.

I was given a sample at Mule Camp Shootout. I loaded a box of 45 Colt with it and a box with my normal load of Win 231. Took em both to the range and shot them through my rifle and both revolvers. I did notice a very slight advantage in the Trail Boss rifle group, but no real difference in the revolver groups.

Because of that, and the price of the Trail Boss compared to my standard load, I decided it wasn't worth my while to go with the Trail Boss.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I won (doorprize) a container full of Trail Boss at the NCOWS Eastern Regional.  Since I have only shot NCOWS mostly, I haven't had the opportunity to try it at a SASS match.  I did put in a recommended load in an empty case and sure liked the way it filled more of the case than my loads using Hodgdon Clays, Win. 231, and a few others.