IMR Trail Boss charges with Lee powder dippers?

[Levercaster]

Hi, everyone!

I'm limited to using some Lee Dippers for charging cases. Lee does not have a listing for the dippers using IMR Trail Boss powder. Anyone know how many grains of Trail Boss the Lee Dippers throw? The Lees measure in cubic centimeters.

I'm loading some 158 gr lead Cowboy FPs in 38 special and 357 magnum cases for use in a Marlin 1894C. What measure(s) would I use the following charges?

38 Special - 2.7 (min) to 4.2 (max) grains

357 Mag: 3.2 (min) - 4.2 (max) grains

Source - http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/trailboss-feb2005.php

Thanks,

Levercaster

 

[SASS#23149]

ok,here goes.

.5cc dipper=2.0gr TB
......3 dipper TWICE,=2.7gr TB (THIS WOULD SUB AS A .6 DIPPER)
.7dipper=3.2gr TB
1.0dipper=4.4gr TB

Before using my calculations let's have another reader or 2 verity this.
As always I will not be reponsible for asked-inormaiton about loads.I have quadruple checked my data but it is still not to be taken as gospel.


ps. please buy a scale,even the cheap ones are good enough to verify this data,ok?

happy loading.!

 

[apachejack]

Levercaster, I have a set of lee scales you can get from me cheap if you will promise to use them. Please use them.

 

[Levercaster]

Thanks, SASS#23149! A little more research and I found a great article called "Using Volume Measure Density" at castbullets.com. With that info and the VMD (pdf) file from Lee Precision I figured out how to do it. WHEW, what an exercise! Trail Boss looks like it will be perfect for my needs. I'll post some test results after I go to the range next week.

apachejack, that is a very generous offer and all I can say is the world needs more souls like you. Thank you. I have a scale and accessories on the way from Cabelas as I type this but I nominate you for today's THR Good Sam award.

Man I love this site!

Levercaster in SoCal.

 

[Strag]

This is my first post here (great site!), but I wanted to chime in since I was just doing this same thing last night.

I measured 1.0cc in a Lee Dipper on a Lyman digital scale as 5.0gr of Trail Boss.

Hope this helps.

 

[Levercaster]

Cool, Strag. Welcome to the site! Keep me posted about your loads and the performance. I should be working up some loads this weekend.

Levercaster

 

[Strag]

Levercaster, I ended up going with about 4.7 grains of Trail Boss behind a 250 grain LRNFP bullet using a CCI Large Pistol primer. This gave me a nice, easy-shooting load for my Marlin 1894 Cowboy. I shot about 50 of these rounds last weekend at an old propane cylinder (already well ventilated from a few years of plinking ) from about 50 yards away. I could hear a satisfying SMACK right after the round's report. Lots of fun -- this is a great plinking round.

Next up, I'll see how this round shoots from my Ruger ("Old") Vaquero with 5.5" barrel.

 

[Strag]

After comparing a larger sample, I think I've got a more accurate measurement, Levercaster. I'm seeing 1.0cc (Lee Dipper) of Trail Boss as 4.4 grains, which is in agreement with what SASS#23149 found.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Those dippers are always going to be the same volume inside. What's important to realize is that each different powder will fill that volume differently. All you have to do is fill the dipper, level the full dipper carefully with a business card and measure how much powder you have of the type you're using. Once you do this one time with that powder and record it, you're set to go.

Volumetric measure is quite an effective way to measure powder, once you realize each powder fills the volume differently, so to know what you got, you have to weigh it once. After that, it'll always be accurate, because the volume doesn't move.

Regards,

Dave