Trail Boss metering issues

[Sommerled]

Hello all, tonite i used some Trail Boss for the first time to make some target rounds for a S&W 38 spec revolver. I use a L-N-L AP press with the Hornady micrometer pistol meter in the powder measure. The measure has a baffle. Everything was cleaned and checked before starting.

My load is a Hornady 148 gr HBWC lead bullet, new R-P brass, and a charge weight of 2.3gr.

I usually use 231 3.3gr with this bullet but wanted to experiment.

My problem is that the measure will throw a light charge of around 1.4gr or so every 10-15 rounds. It has never done this before with other powders. There is no bridging in the hopper and the powder is fresh.

Is this a powder issue? I've been reloading for 14 yrs and have never encountered this before. Thanks for your input.

 

[BCRider]

The stuff looks like small donuts. So I'm not surprised that it would clog up the charge chamber with as small an opening as 2.3gns would be. And in fact the baffle in this case is likely hurting more than it helps.

Perhaps give the hopper a few light taps with a finger tip each time the lever is back in the position where the charging chamber is open to the powder supply to aid in having the donuts fill up the charge more evenly and consistently.

 

[Mad Chemist]

Ditch the TB. And go back to HPP38. Problem solved.

231/hp38 is one of the all time best powders for HBWC loads and Bullseye is a close second. There is nothing that TB can do here that HP38 and Bullseye can't do 10 times better.

 

[dh1633pm]

I had trouble with mine until I got an auto dispenser. The cure isn't go get a new product. Trail Boss like said is like little donuts. It is also very fluffy. It comes in the same size container, yet is about half the weight. Its made to be so you can fill up all those old big brass cartridges. You may not have a work around other than the few light taps that were suggested earlier.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Switch to the rifle metering chamber on your powder measure, which should help with consistent weight drops.

I use a lot of TrailBoss powder, but mostly for .45 Colt loads. It produces excellent accuracy, but it's not a high velocity powder.

TrailBoss actually duplicates the old Smokeless Powder #2, if my memory serves me correctly. It was designed for the large volume black powder cartridges.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Schwing]

Ditch the TB. And go back to HPP38. Problem solved.

231/hp38 is one of the all time best powders for HBWC loads and Bullseye is a close second. There is nothing that TB can do here that HP38 and Bullseye can't do 10 times better.

I agree with this. I know that trail boss is almost sacred to some of the cowboy action shooters but I was never impressed with its metering or accuracy. When burned, it also smells like cat piss

I bought several pounds of it during the panic simply because it was all that I could find. On a positive note, I was able to sell it to a cowboy action shooter who was ecstatic to find it and could not believe it when I sold it to him for my cost.

 

[stu1ritter]

+1 on the rifle metering chamber. That let me use up the one bottle of TrailBoss that I had, never to buy another one. The throws from the micrometer pistol chamber were all over the place, totally useless.
Stu

 

[Jim Watson]

Same deal, I had to use the rifle bar in my D550 to load .44 WCF with Trail Boss.

 

[1KPerDay]

There is nothing that TB can do here that HP38 and Bullseye can't do 10 times better.

If you are going for LOW RECOIL Trail Boss is 10 times better. I've done back to back tests with starting charges of 231 and TB with the same pills and it's like TB has half the recoil. They feel like duds almost.

/hijack

 

[Ledhore]

Try the larger rifle meter on your lnl, it works a lot better for trailboss.

 

[cfullgraf]

Sounds like a good idea.

A larger diameter, shallower metering pocket might work better with Trail Boss than a smaller diameter deeper metering pocket.

The light, fluffy powder might have trouble filling the smaller diameter cavity.

I have a some Trail Boss to try. I will have to remember this when I set up my powder measure.

 

[Mad Chemist]

If you are going for LOW RECOIL Trail Boss is 10 times better. I've done back to back tests with starting charges of 231 and TB with the same pills and it's like TB has half the recoil. They feel like duds almost.

/hijack

Sure, you may get less recoil but you will not get the same level of accuracy. It's not like .38 HBWC recoil that much to begin with.