225 Gr and Unique, 700X or Trail Boss

[lturn9]

I recently bought a box of 225 gr Bullets (all I could find) for my 45LC hoping I could load it using Unique, 700X or Trail Box but the closest I can find is (from Alliant) "230gr and 8.5 gr, w/Unique. I'm looking for suggestions of the amount of powder (any of the 3 named) to load under 225 gr Flat Nose Cast bullets - will just use for plinking?
TIA -

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Who made the bullets and does the manufacturer provide loading data? The Alliant data is for a different bullet but it’s close enough for a similar bullet. That’s why knowing who made it matters.

 

[Walkalong]

Hodgdon online data has loads for 700X and Trail Boss with 250 Gr bullets, you can use that. Seat them to roll crimp into the crimp groove and that's your OAL.

 

[.38 Special]

Eight and a half grains of Unique is fine. So is eight or nine, depending on what kind of velocity you want.

I've been burning a lot of 700x in the Colt lately. Five grains is a light load. Six is heavy, but not max, with a 225.

With Trail Boss, a max load has the bullet touching the powder. A minimum load is 70% of that.

All of this assumes a cast or plated bullet. If it's jacketed or a copper solid, I would ignore everything I've just written. It might be safe and it might blow up your gun; I haven't tried it.

 

[N555]

Next time I load up a bunch of plinking 44spl I'm going to use CBI. Its about half the price of unique and I would use the same or less charge weight as its faster burning than unique, it's also about half the density, but not quite as fluffy/low density as trailboss.

 

[Bill M.]

No jacketed bullets with Trail Boss for a handgun. Good with lead or plated or coated. You are very lucky if you have any Trail Boss now. They have said they are not going to make any in 2022.

 

[LaneP]

For any given bullet using Trail Boss, Hodgdon puts the following on their site:

1) Find where the base of the bullet to be loaded is located in the case and make a mark on the outside of the case at this location. Then fill the case to that mark with Trail Boss, pour into the scale pan and weigh. This is your maximum load. Pressures will be below the maximum allowed for this cartridge and perfectly safe to use!

2) Take 70% of this powder charge weight (multiply the maximum load from step 1 by .7), and that is your starting load.

3) Start with this beginning load and work up to your maximum charge, all the while searching for the most accurate reduced load. Once found, the fun begins!

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/trail-boss-reduced-loads-2018.pdf

 

[Walkalong]

No jacketed bullets with Trail Boss for a handgun. Good with lead or plated or coated. You are very lucky if you have any Trail Boss now. They have said they are not going to make any in 2022.

I had poor luck with plated, will stick to coated lead, cause I don't do bare lead anymore.

 

[black mamba]

6.0 gr. of 700X makes a nice light load under a deep-seated 225 gr bullet.

 

[cfullgraf]

Generally, my 45 Colt loads are 225-255 grain cast lead bullets (usually SWC bullets) with Unique.

My main load for 45 ACP is 230 cast RN with 700-X

I've been happy with 700-X with 200 grain Wadcutters in 44 Special.

So, 700-X would work fine in the 45 Colt with the appropriate load.

Trail Boss has never lite my fire but some folks like it.

Just a note, for some, 700-X meters difficulty for some and others think it is "dirty". Accurate #5 is a good alternate for those that want a better metering powder that burns cleaner than Unique or 7000-S.

I like powder coated bullets but if I do not have time for the powder coating step, sized and lubricated bullets work just fine for me.