Having read this .pdf file several times, the use of Trail Boss for reduced loads really has me thinking...





Has anyone else here played with Trail Boss for reduced loads? I'm thinking of trying it with .41 caliber pistol bullets in .450-400 NE.






 

I've used 12grs with a 198 FMJ in my K-98.  That's a powder puff load.  6.5grs and a 200gr LFP for my levergun.  That tamed the recoil down to where my shoulder isn't bruised from that steel butt plate.

I shoot 11gr Trailboss and a 170 grain Lee cast bullet in my 30-06 doing around 1210fps.  Shooting free hand in the military matches I shoot in, it's more accurate as I am at 100 yards.  On the bench, 10 shots will group around 4" from my 1903a1 with iron sights.

Yes, I use it .308, .223 and 7.62x39.   Really cool stuff for plinking around in the back yard.

Yep,

Use it in 30-06, makes the 03 a pleasure to shoot all day.

Picked up a jug of Trail Boss yesterday, and a box of 210 grain Speer bullets.







This stuff is really bulky. The jug is filled to the top, but only has 9 ounces of powder.







I would have used Hornady bullets, but they're impossible to find. I measured the Speer bullets, and they are .669" long. From the base of the bullet to the beginning of the cannelure is .344"



.669" - .344" = .325"



So, with a 3" case, I should have .325" of bullet sticking out, for a COL of 3.325". I set up the seating die, and seated a bullet. The case mouth doesn't go all the way to the cannelure on my dummy cartridge, because the brass is trimmed to the trim to length.







It chambers fine in my Ruger No. 1.







Using IMR's recommendations, I marked the case where the base of the bullet is, and marked a second case.









I filled it to the line with Trail Boss.







Threw that in the pan, and got 33.8 grains. This is my max charge.









Now, 33.8 grains X .7 = 23.66 grains, which would be my minimum. I'll just round that up to 23.7.



Another gentleman on Accurate Reloading found that his brass held 28 grains of Trial Boss, and used that as his plinking load. I think he was using virgin brass. With my once fired brass, the shoulder is moved forward quite a bit, and the walls are much steeper than the virgin brass was.



http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9421043/m/8631066931



I need to order a couple boxes of brass from Grafs. The 210 grain pistol bullets should be a great plinking load. Might be useful for pigs and deer too. I'll have to find out.

I use Trailboss for my subsonic .223 and .308 rounds.  It smells more like ammonia than any other powder I use.  Kinda like when you shoot com-bloc stuff like Wolf or Brown Bear.  If I leave a round in the chamber of a rifle that last shot the TB for very long it totally greens up all the copper like an old statue.





Not sure what chemical reaction (besides oxidation) is going on there, but I just figure I run a boresnake through with a little break-free on it and then she's good to go after shooting Trailboss.
cheers, Benji
eta: I have a hard time not picking up a 9oz. jug whenever I pass by one on the shelf cause: they're so cheap and according to IMR's "PDF" file, it can be used in just about any cartridge.  I figure I'll use it slowly now, but it could come in handy someday if commercial powder became unavailable to us consumers.

Went to the range to try out the Trail Boss loads. Closed. Damnit.

Think I'll try this with some 350gr. plated 45/70 loads!

I split the difference between the minimum and maximum and loaded them with 28 grains. Shot about a 5 inch group at 30 yards at the local indoor range. That's about the best I can do with the iron sights on a Ruger No. 1. No pressure signs. Smelled like ammonia though.










 

How was the recoil, doubleARon?

Very mild. Normally, I'd be throwing 400 grains of bullet and 77 grains of powder down the muzzle at 1950 fps or so. This time, I was throwing 28 grains of powder and 210 grains of bullet down about 1700.