Trail Boss Powder

Russ5924 · July 19, 2005, 08:49 AM

Has anyone used the new powder Trail Boss yet or isn't out yet.Would be great never to have to worry about a double charge.They say will fill to 80-100%of case??????

**Mike Irwin** · July 19, 2005, 09:19 AM

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.

mtnbkr · July 19, 2005, 09:28 AM

I looked for it at a gunshow this weekend and didn't see it. A shop in the same town that carries a decent selection of reloading components didn't have it either. Has it actually hit the market yet?

Chris

**Mike Irwin** · July 19, 2005, 04:42 PM

Griz says he bought some.

Supposedly it's been out for almost a year, so it should be hitting the bricks pretty damned soon.

Russ5924 · July 19, 2005, 05:38 PM

The advertisement I saw said coming out this summer and is summer?????

road.warrior · July 20, 2005, 02:32 PM

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..

caz223 · July 20, 2005, 02:44 PM

Powder valley has had it listed for a long time, don't know if they actually have it though.
I'll call 'em up next week sometime.

Slip Shooter · July 20, 2005, 10:12 PM

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.

griz · July 24, 2005, 10:06 AM

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** · July 24, 2005, 10:33 AM

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.

ulflyer · July 25, 2005, 01:46 PM

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.

July 19, 2005, 08:49 AM	#1
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	Trail Boss Powder Has anyone used the new powder Trail Boss yet or isn't out yet.Would be great never to have to worry about a double charge.They say will fill to 80-100%of case?????? __________________ Russ5924

July 19, 2005, 05:38 PM	#5
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	The advertisement I saw said coming out this summer and is summer????? __________________ Russ5924

July 20, 2005, 02:44 PM	#7
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	Powder valley has had it listed for a long time, don't know if they actually have it though. I'll call 'em up next week sometime. __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)

July 20, 2005, 10:12 PM	#8
Slip Shooter Member Join Date: February 4, 2005 Location: NW Louisiana Posts: 85	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. __________________ My wooden nickel's worth. Laissez les bon temps rouler. NRA Benefactor Member. Last edited by Slip Shooter; July 20, 2005 at 10:57 PM.

July 24, 2005, 10:06 AM	#9
griz Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2000 Location: Middle Peninsula, VA Posts: 1,588	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.

July 19, 2005, 09:19 AM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	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.

July 19, 2005, 09:28 AM	#3
mtnbkr Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2000 Location: Manassas, Virginia Posts: 914	I looked for it at a gunshow this weekend and didn't see it. A shop in the same town that carries a decent selection of reloading components didn't have it either. Has it actually hit the market yet? Chris

July 19, 2005, 04:42 PM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Griz says he bought some. Supposedly it's been out for almost a year, so it should be hitting the bricks pretty damned soon.

July 20, 2005, 02:32 PM	#6
road.warrior Member Join Date: October 22, 2004 Location: Wallyworld, CT Posts: 26	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..

July 24, 2005, 10:33 AM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	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.

July 25, 2005, 01:46 PM	#11
ulflyer Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2004 Posts: 154	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.