Roscoe Regulator

No need to have two loads, but in an effort to minimize muzzle flip and to enable staying on target I plan to try 45CS in my pistols. One thing I am currently doing is shooting up ammo in the rifle that I found too heavy a load for the pistols. You can also shoot up excess bullets in the rifle, when you switch to some other bullet introduced first to the pistols. I have only shot two matches with my JM Marlin 1894 Cowboy Competition, and the bullets I am using run perfectly. They are truncated cone 255 gr from Penn Bullets. Unless I find I have to conserve them for the rifle I will use the same bullets for pistols until set up for 45CS 160 gr in the pistols. One trick I am using is marking my loading strips so the forward 10 are rifle, which I always load first. For now I have tested the minimum load of Trailboss and it works fine. My bullets are rated as 255 but actually weigh 265, so the minimum charge for 255 is stronger with 265. In testing that load I also shot some 200 gr I had and noted the reduced felt recoil with the lighter bullet. My guns are regulated to 250 gr POI, so I will probably leave the sights alone and stay with 255. As a Cattle Baron I only worry about being competitive in my age-based category, being safe, and about trying not to come in last or embarrass myself. Joining the race gun crowd is not my interest, but its fun to watch them shoot that fast.

Add that 200 grain will shoot lower POI than 250/255.

Trailboss seems to be particularly subject to static electricity, which may explain seeing some of it littering the area. The granules are also simply easier to notice than with typical powders. Very fine powders are far worse about littering. Grounding the loader and loading area seems like a good idea. Some mention wiping powder measure hoppers with used dryer sheets, but I haven't tried it. I am not saying Trailboss is not bought at some premium, but it is wise to check the cost per charge, when other powders require a heavier weight of powder. Tin Star is an example.

I slugged a barrel with melted fishing weights from WalMart. There is a YouTube video on how to do it, so I bought the little torch too. With my 45 ACP reloading I have to watch the bullet diameter, or the cartridges won't run in the gun and certainly won't work in a cartridge gauge meant for jacketed diameters (.451 bullets). Dies I know are expecting .451, so .452 can be problematic. For now I have to crimp coated lead on a single stage to get the consistency I want and to allow for a bullet feeder on my progressive. I may rethink that.

I know Vihtavuori N32C as Tin Star, which takes a heavier load than Trailboss and winds up about the same amount of case fill.

But each of those 32s and 45s are different cartridges.

You wrote caliber, but I wonder if you meant cartridge.

All willing to meet in a gun-free zone.

Northern Virginia should be a separate State with their own politics.

Then there is the benefit analysis. If you want a powder to fill your case or at least be easily visible when placing a bullet for seating, and while choices are few, you accept paying a bit for it.

From Alliant site: " Clay Dot® is an American-made and extremely clean-burning powder designed for 12-gauge competition shooters. It is engineered to perform similarly to Hodgdon® Clays® but at an economical price. Great choice for light and standard 12-gauge target loads with 7/8-, 1- and 1 1/8-ounce payloads Available in 1-, 4- and 8-pound containers Proudly made in America *Not for use in metallic cartridges" Even with that disclaimer they do actually list a load for 44 Special. There have to be better powder choices, when a powder company is not interested in providing load data, and other sources are informal.

TB is only more expensive where merchants put the same price on all their like size containers without looking at their invoice and the weight on the labels. p.s. While Trailboss is technically more expensive than many, there is no excuse for a 9 ounce jar of Trailboss being the same price as a 14 ounce or one pounder of something else.

I note that my Lighning rifle in 357 runs best with a bullet that is also rounded immediately from the crimp groove. I get those 158 gr TCFP from Penn Bullets.

With ten rounds the magazine spring will be near fully compressed, possibly pushing bullets into cases. Lighter springs should be available. I was wondering about that RCBS Cowboy die set and if you are using the 44-40 expander plug (.428) or 44 Russian/Spl/Mag (.430). Then when you say the bullets are Missouri 44-40 specific, do you mean .427-8? The question is whether neck tension is compatible with the bullet or vice versa. The other question is whether the snap cap bullet profile is the critical dimension. I know from my Lightning .357 that I have to avoid bullets with any type of leading band. The curvature of the bullet must start immediately after the crimp for complete reliability. The slightest corner in the profile can mean occasional jams. The bullet in your pictures has a flat band in front of the crimp.

From SIzemaster parts listing 65A Spindex Star Crimp - 12 Gauge ( 6 Point) 1008439126 65B Spindex Star Crimp - 12 Gauge ( 8 Point) 1008439128 Same site has the user manual, which makes only vague references to alternate crimp. My 600 came with both types of crimp starters. They just snap on and off. You should use the same number of points as the original.