Trail Boss powder REALLY frustrating !!!!!

[BADUNAME30]

I am usin Trail Boss for the first time ever and i have never used any other powder that dispenses so inconsistantly !!!
I am dispensing it from a Little Dandy and every charge is either WAY over or WAY under with no ryme or reason.
Are any of you folks having/had the same issue and how did you deal with it?
Or is it jist the nature of the beast and i have to put up with it ?

 

[PO2Hammer]

Sometimes it meters just fine for me, sometimes not. I do get a little better results using the handle up method - leaving the handle in the up or dump position between charges.

Like Unique, Trail Boss meters more consistently with dippers than with my measure.

 

[rcmodel]

Hard to measure Cheerios in a pistol powder measure powder measure.

You might have better luck in a regular powder measure rather then the Ltl' Dandy.

Or use a dipper.

rc

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I also have found dippers to be an easier option with Trail Boss. Even in the Uniflow, which meters almost anything I feed it great, including Unique, Trail Boss is erratic. Dipper every time.

 

[joneb]

I tried Trail Boss in a Redding model 3 with a micro pistol meter, the hole diameter in the meter bar is .32" TB will bridge the hole throwing 1/4 to 1/2 charges 25% of the time. I need to smack the powder throw to get a consistent drop.

 

[BADUNAME30]

Thank you all.
Dippers it is.
Hope i can find a set at the GS tomorrow.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I use it through a Redding Powder Measure without problems, but it has the rifle insert in it. Treat it like a rifle powder and it will meter ok.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[788Ham]

Guess I've got to get a powder measure, all I've ever used is a spoon, and a couple of homemade dippers........ dang, sounds like I'm missin' all the fun.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Trail Boss meters fairly well in a Lee Pro Auto-Measure. As long as you tap the side of the hopper between each drop it works fine.

 

[joneb]

I use it through a Redding Powder Measure without problems, but it has the rifle insert in it. Treat it like a rifle powder and it will meter ok.

I tried the rifle meter bar(3/4" dia) for Trail Boss in my Redding model 3 with 4-6.5gr charges I had +or- 2+ tenths of a grain variation which means if I was trying for 6.5 I would get 6.2-6.7gr throws.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I have no problem throwing charges of TB through my micrometer equipped uniflow provided I don't forget leave the .22 caliber drop tube in

 

[FROGO207]

I would not bother get a set of dippers yet. And yes dippers are the way I approach bulky propellant measuring FWIW. Make your own custom dipper. Measure a charge out with a scale and put it in a casing and mark where the fill level ends up on the outside. Then trim the empty casing as needed with a file or adjustable trimmer until you are near that level. Bend a wire handle on it (like a bread wrapper twist tie with long tail using copper wire works best). Now dip a load (or 10 and then average) and measure it on a scale. Trim some more till you get the size you want and load em up. Or take a full size casing and fill with appropriate amount of epoxy. Try dipping as above, if too full drill out some in the bottom with a drill near the size of the casing. Or add more if not enough or you drill out too much.

 

[EddieNFL]

Uniflow with the handle reversed works well for me.

 

[TRADEGUN 57]

EddieNFL

Could you post picture of your uniflow setup?

TRADEGUN

 

[R.W.Dale]

Uniflow with the handle reversed works well for me.

Mine is backwards too.

Dump on the downstroke = much more consistently with any powder.

I can meter everything from Lincoln log imr5010 to trail boss with as much accuracy as my scales will measure

 

[hang fire]

Dipper it and forget it.

 

[LightningMan]

Don't know if this will work for your set-up but I have a Dillion 550B progressive press and use trail boss only for my cowboy loads. I have no problems now but when I started it was like what you discribe above. The dang powder bridges sometimes as it is settling while your loading. My solution was to buy a simple fish tank air pump, and using clear packing tape attach it to the powder hopper, plug in whenever I reload. The air pump creates a vibration, which keeps the powder moving down, and my charges are very consistant at 3.2 +/- a tenth of a grain. The other option might be to tap the powder hopper, kind of like that old Lyman black powder despencer which had that knocker mounted to the side to shake the powder loose. Good luck, LM.

 

[Cascade1911]

Mine is backwards too.

Dump on the downstroke = much more consistently with any powder.

Oh, is that backwards? That's how I set mine up 24 years ago, thought thats how it should be, 'course I wasn't much a one for directions...

But, for what it's worth, never had much problem with any powder.

 

[blarby]

Is it just me, or is trailboss the powder thats NOT supposed to need metering ?

 

[jerkface11]

Is it just me, or is trailboss the powder thats NOT supposed to need metering ?

Then how do you get it into the cases?

 

[Master Blaster]

I have loaded about 10lbs of it through Dillon measures with perfect spot on results. It also works withing a 10th out of a redding measure. My Hornady I no longer own had trouble with it though. Most all of my loading has been on a progressive so I suspect the extra vibration helps it settle. Try tapping the measure between throws, and keep it filled above halfway.

 

[Hammerdown77]

I've found it hard to get consistent throws when using really light loads (like in 38 special cases). Anything below 4 grains, if I remember correctly. That was in a Lee Auto Disk.

Never had a problem with it in 45 Colt or 44 Mag. Always throwing greater than 5.5 grains with those, though.

Definitely tap the measure before you drop the powder. Or, you can get an aquarium pump for a fish tank and duct tape that to the measure. The vibration of the pump will settle the powder before each drop. I've also seen where guys have pulled the vibrating gizmo out of old cell phones and attached that to the measure, hooked to a battery. Pretty neat idea, if you have some old useless cell phones lying around.

 

[16in50calNavalRifle]

blarby, I think you're correct, but the way most people understand that point is that because of its volume ("fluffy Cheerios" in rc's memorable phrase), a charge of TB that fills the case is a safe max charge for any given caliber. Safe, and probably with quite a margin of safety at that. I'm speaking of handgun loads here. The manufacturer has a little supplemental note on their website about using TB in rifle loads, but I confess I haven't read it as I don't (yet) reload any rifle calibers.

My Lee Pro Auto Disk has not usually had any trouble metering TB. There is the occasional mystery problem with this meter, but it seems to occur with all three powders I usually load (TB, HP38, WSF). H110's like sugar, so far no hitches with that one.

 

[blarby]

Quote:
Is it just me, or is trailboss the powder thats NOT supposed to need metering ?
Then how do you get it into the cases?

as 16 pointed out, the case IS your meter.

Its not a powder thats particularly accurate, nor powerful.

Loading for either with it may work for some, but wasn't its intent.

Its designed to be EXTREMELY SAFE , with a nod to the new loaders in the marketplace.

I think it would be handy for loading on the fly with a hand press for cowboy action, or silhouettes.

If I want tightly defined pressure curves with low variance within a set of given parameters.... I would prolly use a powder that excels in that department. Kinda matching the tool to the work, so to speak.

I too find h-110 to meter extremely well... I would say its closer to powdered sugar, than coffee sugar

 

[Ledhore]

Trailboss meters very well through the hornady LNL powder measure if you use the rifle meter instead of the pistol type. I'm metering 3.7 grains for 38's with no problems, but I've also eliminated any static charge by installing a grounding strap to the press.