Lee AutoDisk VMD's Trail Boss Powder

D. Manley · May 12, 2009, 09:22 PM

Trail Boss is not covered in the provided Lee VMD list so for anyone using Trail Boss, it's either trial & error or get out the calculator time. For my own use making up a few CAS-style .38 & .44 Special loads, I put the VMD's into a spreadsheet...provided below in .PDF format for anyone who wants it. Note that I have NOT checked these by actual weights, I simply did the math using the .VMD for 1 grain. I can confirm that the .88 Disk throws precisely 4 grains on my equipment which, was my first and only run using it.

floydster · May 13, 2009, 06:53 PM

I use Trail Boss for my .45 ACP and the .88 disc throws a 3.7 gr. charge and
it is an excellent load, my scale is a Redding beam scale that is on the nuts.
The 3.7 charge pushing a 230 gr. cast RN will group 1/1/2" at 50' consistently.
Floyd

D. Manley · May 13, 2009, 10:18 PM

Entirely possible, PM throws are not static in weight and can vary for different reasons. Before starting to weigh mine I thorougly settled the powder (and, even moreso with TB since it's so "fluffy") and they were precisely 4.0 on my electronic confirmed with 10-throw composites on the beam.

JFN · May 14, 2009, 05:49 AM

I have a Lee disk capacity sheet that shows Trail Boss. In typical fashion the charges dropped tend to be a little lighter than what the chart shows.

Not to take anything away from D. Manley's work and effort, I'm sure some forum members are not into spreadsheets, so here is the info from Lee that you can paste into Notepad or something and print out a simple reference list.

IMR - TRAIL BOSS

VMD = .2172
.30 = 1.4
.32 = 1.5
.34 = 1.6
.37 = 1.7
.40 = 1.8
.43 = 2.0
.46 = 2.1
.49 = 2.3
.53 = 2.4
.57 = 2.6
.61 = 2.8
.66 = 3.0
.71 = 3.3
.76 = 3.5
.82 = 3.8
.88 = 4.1
.95 = 4.4
1.02 = 4.7
1.09 = 5.0
1.18 = 5.4
1.26 = 5.8
1.36 = 6.3
1.46 = 6.7
1.57 = 7.2

For charges over 7.2gr you will of course have to 'double disk' it.

Dingoboyx · May 14, 2009, 06:21 AM

I just fill the case less projectile depth....works fine in my 44 mag Vaquaro's & Marlin levergun

I would suggest you try the same, important you dont crush the do-nuts (Trail Boss) evidently when you break the little 'o' rings that is TB, it changes their charactoristics and can be dangerous.... so just fill the case to where the bottom of the projectile will end up.

D. Manley · May 14, 2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Not to take anything away from D. Manley's work and effort, I'm sure some forum members are not into spreadsheets, so here is the info from Lee that you can paste into Notepad or something and print out a simple reference list.

Thank you, very nice...this must be a later version of the Lee list. I know Lee rounds off the VMD's so I feel better knowing my home-brewed version was pretty close.

May 13, 2009, 10:18 PM	#3
D. Manley Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 2008 Posts: 299	Entirely possible, PM throws are not static in weight and can vary for different reasons. Before starting to weigh mine I thorougly settled the powder (and, even moreso with TB since it's so "fluffy") and they were precisely 4.0 on my electronic confirmed with 10-throw composites on the beam. __________________ *"Old School" ain't all bad...*

May 14, 2009, 06:21 AM	#5
Dingoboyx Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: South East Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,513	I use Trail Boss in 44mag I just fill the case less projectile depth....works fine in my 44 mag Vaquaro's & Marlin levergun I would suggest you try the same, important you dont crush the do-nuts (Trail Boss) evidently when you break the little 'o' rings that is TB, it changes their charactoristics and can be dangerous.... so just fill the case to where the bottom of the projectile will end up. __________________ Muzza If you cant blind them with brilliance, Baffle them with BS Be alert...... there is a shortage of LERTs

May 13, 2009, 06:53 PM	#2
floydster Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2008 Posts: 472	I use Trail Boss for my .45 ACP and the .88 disc throws a 3.7 gr. charge and it is an excellent load, my scale is a Redding beam scale that is on the nuts. The 3.7 charge pushing a 230 gr. cast RN will group 1/1/2" at 50' consistently. Floyd

May 14, 2009, 05:49 AM	#4
JFN Member Join Date: July 4, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 45	I have a Lee disk capacity sheet that shows Trail Boss. In typical fashion the charges dropped tend to be a little lighter than what the chart shows. Not to take anything away from D. Manley's work and effort, I'm sure some forum members are not into spreadsheets, so here is the info from Lee that you can paste into Notepad or something and print out a simple reference list. IMR - TRAIL BOSS VMD = .2172 .30 = 1.4 .32 = 1.5 .34 = 1.6 .37 = 1.7 .40 = 1.8 .43 = 2.0 .46 = 2.1 .49 = 2.3 .53 = 2.4 .57 = 2.6 .61 = 2.8 .66 = 3.0 .71 = 3.3 .76 = 3.5 .82 = 3.8 .88 = 4.1 .95 = 4.4 1.02 = 4.7 1.09 = 5.0 1.18 = 5.4 1.26 = 5.8 1.36 = 6.3 1.46 = 6.7 1.57 = 7.2 For charges over 7.2gr you will of course have to 'double disk' it.