Since Trail Boss is no longer available and with a question if it ever will be I have been searching for a replacement load for 45colt.
Clays and Tite Group have had availability. Here is some results from testing today.
I took today off from work, and finally got to the range with the chronograph and a variety of loads of Clays and Tite Group.
It was mid 30's slightly overcast
These tests were not the tip up, shake, shoot, but based more on actual cowboy use, gun loaded, "holstered" brought up level and shot, kept level for follow up shots of groups of 5.
I wanted it to mimic as closely as possible the actual proposed use.
Base load, 5.4 \g Trail Boss 200 grain bullet, Federal 150 LPP. 647fps Revolver, 759fps rifle
Chrono was 15' from the muzzle of the guns.
Tite Group
5.5G 630fps revolver, 805 Rifle About the same muzzle rise as TB
5.7g 640fps revolver, 816 fps Rifle Surprisingly, a noticeable rise in recoil, muzzle rise
6.0g 619fps revolver, 870fps rifle Not sure why FPS on revolver was lower than the lighter loads?
Clays
4.4g 594fps revolver 735fps rifle
4.6g 600fps revolver 733 rifle
4.8g 634fps revolver 789 rifle
It seems that Clays is more forgiving if a slight charge weight fluctuates.
But boy, 4.4 and 5.5 grains of these two powders is a tiny amount in that big old 45colt case.
At least I have a couple choices once TB is gone. Going to load the Tite Group first as I have just one pound, use it for monthly matches and side events. Save the TB loads for big matches where I care just a little bit more.
Time to clean guns, both of these powders at these low loads are way dirtier than Trailboss, and I thought it was bad.
Might have to think about annealing them in the future.