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Trail Boss and .45 acp?

M

MoAmmoPlease

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I've got a few pounds of Trail Boss that I grabbed because I had "read" it's a soft shooting high volume powder that works well for loading .45 acp. Now that I have it I'm having trouble finding any decent load data.
Has anyone here loaded Trail Boss and .45 acp or can anyone point me in the right direction for finding load info? Can't even find min/max info at this point. I know it's a cowboy powder but there must be some info relating to .45 acp around somewhere but where is the big question.
THANKS..
 
Thanks for the link jntf. I had already checked those out but was looking for more. I guess I don't need much more info than that for 230g LRN but I'm pretty new at this. I sure don't see "tons" of data when I search but I will keep looking.
Beltfed... could you point me toward a few pounds of the tons of data out there? I would appreciate it. Thanks and have a nice day.
 
MoAmmoPlease said:
Thanks for the link jntf. I had already checked those out but was looking for more. I guess I don't need much more info than that for 230g LRN but I'm pretty new at this. I sure don't see "tons" of data when I search but I will keep looking.
Beltfed... could you point me toward a few pounds of the tons of data out there? I would appreciate it. Thanks and have a nice day.
Click to expand...

Nope, its all there, keep digging you'll appreciate your own efforts more than mine.
 
Thanks Beltfed but your wrong. I appreciate information handed to me as much as I do info I have to dig for. Toss a guy a bone and share some of the tons of data that's out there on .45 acp and Trailboss. I just can't find it.
That's good info Mac. I think it was on the 1911 forum that I read that compressing Trailboss was particularly problematic but I've yet to find anything to back that up. I believe I can safely wing it with Trailboss by just knowing IMR's start of 3.5 and max of 4.5 with 230g LRN. I tend to load mouse farts anyway.
As a newbie I need as much data as possible and this forum as well as others have served me well so far. The key is separating the wheat from the chaff especially when there are "tons" of info to sort through. Thanks for the guidance and its greatly appreciated. Now if I could only dredge up some first hand experience I would be even.
 
MoAmmoPlease said:
compressing Trailboss was particularly problematic but I've yet to find anything to back that up
Click to expand...

Read this (the top part, not the data at the bottom). It will tell you how to safely use Trailboss to work up your own load:

http://hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail Boss Reduced Loads R&P.pdf

Before they published this, I got the same information when I called Hodgdon. The guy on the phone made it clear to me that you should never compress Trailboss under any circumstances. The burn rate changes when the little Cheerio-shaped granules are crushed, which is what happens when you compress the load. No good can come of it.

I'm not sure where you read that Trailboss is an ideal powder for .45 ACP, because it really isn't. It's a great powder for .45 Colt or other cartridges where you have a large internal case volume and want a light-ish load that's not position-sensitive. I like to use it for light revolver cartridges, especially with lead bullets. It wouldn't be among my first choices for loading semi-auto pistol rounds of any kind.
 
Last edited:
MoAmmoPlease said:
Thanks Beltfed but your wrong. I appreciate information handed to me as much as I do info I have to dig for. Toss a guy a bone and share some of the tons of data that's out there on .45 acp and Trailboss. I just can't find it.
That's good info Mac. I think it was on the 1911 forum that I read that compressing Trailboss was particularly problematic but I've yet to find anything to back that up. I believe I can safely wing it with Trailboss by just knowing IMR's start of 3.5 and max of 4.5 with 230g LRN. I tend to load mouse farts anyway.
As a newbie I need as much data as possible and this forum as well as others have served me well so far. The key is separating the wheat from the chaff especially when there are "tons" of info to sort through. Thanks for the guidance and its greatly appreciated. Now if I could only dredge up some first hand experience I would be even.
Click to expand...

If you follow the instructions on the link I or eddiecoyle provided you "do not compress the powder at all.
You first determine your bullet seating depth. Mark the case at the point of the bottom of the bullet. You will fill the case to where the bottom of the bullet when seated. NOT COMPRESSING the powder. This is your Max load. Weigh it. The starting load will be 70% of Max load.
I don't have experience with 45acp. I load revolver loads and use it for cast loads in my surplus rifles.
Now since I have trail boss on the shelf playing with a 303 Brit load. I will load a few 45acp and see how they function in my sw 1911. See you in a few days.
 
Just in case you might not have noticed. Trailboss comes in the "1lb container" but it is only 9oz total. So effectively its really not a economical powder.
When I bought mine it was 14$/9oz vs 17$/1lb of clays which I really like in my 1911. Soft recoil, small charge weight and cheaper in 8lb jugs.
I'm also sure you will find good info over on castboolits... those guys load everything under the sun when it comes to cast bullets and powders
 
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I load my .45 with 4 gr of clays.

7000/4 = 1750 rounds per lb.

8 lbs runs $150ish.

150 / (1750 x 8) = 1.07 cents per round

Don

p.s. you can also use Clays for reduced rifle loads. I read somewhere about using 10gr over a 168 gr Sierra MK producing great accuracy at 25 yards and about 1000 fps. Obviously, consult a reloading manual. I think the Sierra manual has this load.
 
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dcmdon said:
I load my .45 with 4 gr of clays.

7000/4 = 1750 rounds per lb.

8 lbs runs $150ish.

150 / (1750 x 8) = 1.07 cents per round

Don

p.s. you can also use Clays for reduced rifle loads. I read somewhere about using 10gr over a 168 gr Sierra MK producing great accuracy at 25 yards and about 1000 fps. Obviously, consult a reloading manual. I think the Sierra manual has this load.
Click to expand...

Yes there are several pistol powders that are good for cast bullets in rifles.
I prefer 2400 and H4895. Trail boss shows axlot of promise.
 
EddieCoyle said:
Read this (the top part, not the data at the bottom). It will tell you how to safely use Trailboss to work up your own load:

http://hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail Boss Reduced Loads R&P.pdf

Before they published this, I got the same information when I called Hodgdon. The guy on the phone made it clear to me that you should never compress Trailboss under any circumstances. The burn rate changes when the little Cheerio-shaped granules are crushed, which is what happens when you compress the load. No good can come of it.

I'm not sure where you read that Trailboss is an ideal powder for .45 ACP, because it really isn't. It's a great powder for .45 Colt or other cartridges where you have a large internal case volume and want a light-ish load that's not position-sensitive. I like to use it for light revolver cartridges, especially with lead bullets. It wouldn't be among my first choices for loading semi-auto pistol rounds of any kind.
Click to expand...

I concur with this wholeheartedly. I absolutely love Trailboss for easy shooting loads from 38 special to 41 magnum. I also use it for the 444 Marlin. Sure, you can use it for autoloading calibers but for me, it would only be a last resort to do so.
 
dcmdon said:
p.s. you can also use Clays for reduced rifle loads. I read somewhere about using 10gr over a 168 gr Sierra MK producing great accuracy at 25 yards and about 1000 fps. Obviously, consult a reloading manual. I think the Sierra manual has this load.
Click to expand...

Right out of the Hodgdon website... Sierra 168gr HPBT
Hodgdon Clays .308" 2.800" No minimum data max.:8.0 1,060 26,800 CUP
 

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