I have my first jug of trail boss on the way

[foxtrapper]

I have been reading too long here members using trail boss for reduced big bore loads ,having good accuracy and extended range time I am jumping in! Do I have this right? Always fill case to bottom of seated bullet, no air space in case and no compression . Gonna use it for 45/70,50ak rifles and the 50cal revolvers. Standard primers or mags?

[Ray Newman]

Trail Boss is primarily a pistol powder designed for low velocity lead bullets that has some rifle applications.

I load it for my .45 Colt and .38-40 pistols mainly because the reloader can not double charge the case without the powder spilling over. Once saw a .45 Colt SAA that was destroyed form a double charge and it left a lasting impression on me.

Never reloaded it in my .45 - 70’s as with the bullets I shoot (500 + grains), the velocity at the muzzle is very anemic. I will not load it for my or my .45-2.4” and .45-2 7/8” as there is just too much air space in the case. Even though IMR claims that Trail Boss can be loaded in large cases, I really don’t like filling up such large case with pistol powder.

Check the IMR on-line reloading manual for what you want to do and can do: http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Reduced loads:
http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

Foxtrapper: check your private messages.

[Borregos]

I have used it with success in the following:
45-70 with 405gr cast
44-40 with 205gr cast
357Mag with 158gr cast
444 with 240gr cast and 205gr cast
44Mag with 240gr cast

[Chuck 100 yd]

Filled to the base of the seated bullet (no compression ) is the
MAX load! Hogdens suggests a starting load of 70% of that.

I find a 70% load as being just great with super accuracy in every rifle cartridge I have shot it in.
.45-70 , .444 , .50-95 , .30-30 , .308MX , .35 Rem. , .32 WS
All using cast bullets of normal weight.

Have fun, be safe!!

[El Chivo]

a starting load of 70% of that

I went slightly above the 70% and was near the book maximum for 30-30, and there was still some air space.

Good accuracy and feel but I had problems with it clumping in the funnel. Some loads were short because of a clump and the next one runneth over.

Plus it stuck to everything. You can have it.

[Chuck 100 yd]

El Chivo , It flows just great for me. I have loaded thousands of rounds for CAS and several hundred for rifle without a single clump or jam of the powder measure.
The grains (flakes ) are rather large. Is your funnel tiny???
Static electricity???

[Ray Newman]

Trail Boss meters very smoothly and uniformly in my Dillon as well as my Belding and Mull.

However, I did need to open up the plastic powder funnel with successively larger diameter drill bits so it would not hang up in the funnel.