measuring Trail Boss

[Bill M.]

My experience is that I can not meter it well. I am using a Lee Auto Drum. For my light loads of .357 I want to be around 4.1 grains. I get the occasional drop to 4.3 and some at 4.0. I had the sticky expander and thought maybe the powder measure was the fault. I bought a RCBS uniflow with the small drum and micrometer. Set it up last night, ran a full can of Blue Dot through it as the instructions suggested, followed with a container of Trail Boss. Then I set it for 4.1 grains and tried weight maybe 20 loads. Looks about like what I was getting with the Lee. I guess I am a little disappointed but not surprised. I bought a Redding expander die also so I will try a box with the new expander (which seems to do a nice job) and the Uniflow . I sorta wanted one of those anyway but might not use it regularly if it is no more consistent than the AutoDrum and the sticky extractor.

So my questions are: How do you throw Trail Boss and how accurately can you do it. Am I about right or missing something that will help?

Another question is does .2 grain variation make any appreciable difference with Trail Boss? The grain vs velocity curve is so flat it looks like it might not.

 

[Reeferman]

I found with either one of my Hornadys or the RCBS Uniflow powder measures Trail Boss will vary .1 to .2 grains without a baffle and I keep the measure at least half full. With a baffle it varies much more.
I found with Labradar that .2 does make a slight difference in the numbers but doesn’t make any difference how I shoot. I guess a bullseye shooter would notice the difference but those days are long past me now.

 

[troy fairweather]

I use the Lee dippers for tb.

 

[forty_caliber]

RCBS Chargemaster works well for TB. I've noticed it takes longer to weigh out a charge with the extra time at the end to drop the last bit. I've run it through a Hornady powder measure before and had similar issues.

.40

 

[FROGO207]

I also use dippers for TB but with my Ideal 55 I can get a bit better consistency in my drops but on target a .2 difference does not show.
A guy could measure a bit low and trickle up if charge amounts are that critical to him but cause it is so bulky it seems to work well "in a range".

 

[Typetwelve]

I use the Lee dippers for tb.

Pretty much this right here. Lee dippers will get you close to where you need to be. Thankfully, I'm not looking to load large lots of TB loads or else I'd get pretty darn frustrated using a Lee dipper for 50-100 rounds.

Someone made a really solid suggestion of seating a projectile, marking where the seating depth is on the case, then cutting that case down to the mark...use that as your dipper and fill it up, can't go wrong.

I know the OP didn't ask, but about the only other advice I can give with TB is use a sturdy crimp, I've found that TB loads are more accurate when a solid crimp.

 

[mcb]

My Dillon 650 gets it close enough for plinking/IDPA/USPSA ammo in my 38 Special and 45 ACP. Though it does not meter as consistently as other powders it is also fairly forgiving to slightly larger than normal variations in drops at least a pistol pressures. With some rifle cartridges I have play with it in, I simple weigh each charge. Use a dipper to get me close and trickle to the right weight.

 

[Bill M.]

"With a baffle it varies much more."

Now that is an interesting and useful observation. I had the baffle in my new powder measure when I tried it. I only load 50 at a sitting so I will try without the baffle.

 

[Reeferman]

"With a baffle it varies much more."

Now that is an interesting and useful observation. I had the baffle in my new powder measure when I tried it. I only load 50 at a sitting so I will try without the baffle.

It did in mine yours may vary. I do the same with Unique and Herco.

 

[kidneyboy]

I use the Lee Deluxe Perfect Powder measure or Lee Dippers depending on what load is getting worked on. The Deluxe seems to keep within .1 if operate it slow and deliberate.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

Trail Boss meters great with my Dillon 550 once I figured it out but I had a miserable time at first. The trick with a Dillon and Trail Boss is to use the large charge bar even for a small charge so it is closed up so it doesn't bridge because the powder is so light and fluffy. I just finished loading almost 800 rounds of 44-40 and every one I pulled out and checked during loading weighed exactly 5.7 grains.

 

[dredd]

I am throwing TB out of an old Uniflow. I am using the Large Drum, using a Baffle and keeping it around half full.

It is throwing a very consistent 5.8

I researched throwing TB before I setup the Uniflow.
I started looking at running it on my 550. The majority of the folks were having the best results using the Large Charge Bar.

Since I'm tinkering around with a new load / powder, I decided not to tweak the Dillon yet and run it from the Uniflow.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have been using trailboss with lead bullet target loads for .44 mag, .357 mag, and .45 Colt. I use a Dillon 550 for my reloading and the small powder bar will dispense up to 7.5 grains reliably. The large powder bar is needed for anything over that because trailboss is so bulky. It's a very accurate powder with lead bullets and it eliminates lead fouling.

I keep the Dillon measure around 3/4 to 1/2 full and I get very consistent charge weights.

 

[Bill M.]

Well heck. I did not even order the large drum because all I wanted to throw is small handgun charges. I do have a 80 or more year old Redding sitting around that probably has a larger drum. I will try that one too. And one of the Lee Auto Drum inserts for large capacity.

 

[Olon]

Trail Boss meters great with my Dillon 550 once I figured it out but I had a miserable time at first. The trick with a Dillon and Trail Boss is to use the large charge bar even for a small charge so it is closed up so it doesn't bridge because the powder is so light and fluffy. I just finished loading almost 800 rounds of 44-40 and every one I pulled out and checked during loading weighed exactly 5.7 grains.

This is what I've found, too.

 

[roo_ster]

I am throwing TB out of an old Uniflow. I am using the Large Drum, using a Baffle and keeping it around half full.

It is throwing a very consistent 5.8

I researched throwing TB before I setup the Uniflow.
I started looking at running it on my 550. The majority of the folks were having the best results using the Large Charge Bar.

Since I'm tinkering around with a new load / powder, I decided not to tweak the Dillon yet and run it from the Uniflow.

This:
RCBS Uniflow
Large Drum
Baffle
1/2+ full

Also, my up & down strokes are deliberate, consistent, and tap at the end of the stroke. Got no problem throwing TB with boring consistency. Use TB in .44mag and .357mag. God stuff.