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Trail boss


Sleepy Floyd

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Just received an answer to a TrailBoss question I sent to Higdon.

 

Tfme frame for trailboss in beginning of 2023.

Sleepy Floyd

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Maybe, but I would feel better about it if the factory in Australia was making that statement.

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I wonder if I’m the only SASS shooter that has never loaded a round with Trail Boss?  Sure it works. But to me it seems expensive. Back when powder was a available it was more or less same price for a 9oz jug  as a pound of Bullseye/Unique/Red Dot 

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And I had to clean guns after every match. With Clays, once mid season. For about half the cost. Used 2 of those basically half pound bottles when I started. Went to Clays & Clay-Dot and never looked back. Ellie's 38s could go all season without cleaning with Clays. TB, not so much. JMHO

Definitely prefer Wheaties over Cheerios.:lol:

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To each his own. I've used it continually since the first time I tried it about 7 years ago. I just opened my last 5# jug so I should be good for some time. I've heard the 9oz vs, 16oz pricing comparison before. I don't think it is a big deal at all. In this sport a couple dollar difference in the price for a container of powder is nothing compared to the cost of this sport with other necessities. 

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4 hours ago, Springfield Slim SASS #24733 said:

Maybe, but I would feel better about it if the factory in Australia was making that statement.

This is the last official statement from ADI, dated Dec 2021.

 

Trail Boss – This propellant is unlikely to be released in 2022 as there continues to be an active research and development project associated with its manufacturing optimisation.

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About six months back, I picked up nine unopened 9 oz cans for $5 each, and an unopened 5 pounder for $40 at an estate sale, so I started using it. :)

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16 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

About six months back, I picked up nine unopened 9 oz cans for $5 each, and an unopened 5 pounder for $40 at an estate sale, so I started using it. :)

 

Winner! :D

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I'll believe it when I see it on the market.  We have heard nothing as positive or definite Down Under AFAIK.      As to its usefulness, I did use it in WB ammo (never CAS) BUT its real place in MY loading line up is for loading old military cartridges...in my case 8 x 56 Rimmed (1895 Steyr)  You can load ANYTHING of that type with it, with full confidence that while the velocities may be low (1200-1400) you are NOT going to hurt those old guns...(or yourself) 

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I run Ringer bullets in 357 and 44 mag calibers, all soft cast to BHN=9.
Trail Boss has matching 11,581 +/- PSI loads for 44 Russian, 44 SP,  38 SC, 38 SP and 357 Mag.

I was fortunate (blind luck) to come across two 2# jugs in 2019 before it went out of production.
N32C Tin Star (VV) is the next down for a high VMD, but this powder is also scarce.

In 38SP, 700-X, Clays, Nitro 100NF, Clean Shot and Titegroup are less expensive per load than Trail Boss.
Primers are 10x more expensive per charge, than are any of these powders.
 

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Something about artillery shells here in Aus that each takes 18kg [ approx 40lb ] & TB is being used as the propellant..hence nothing on the shelves for the shooter..can't verify the story but it is out there in a big way. Maybe  someone else may have some more input.

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On 5/19/2022 at 12:39 PM, Hoss said:

I wonder if I’m the only SASS shooter that has never loaded a round with Trail Boss?  Sure it works. But to me it seems expensive. Back when powder was a available it was more or less same price for a 9oz jug  as a pound of Bullseye/Unique/Red Dot 

Seems like this "are people stupid?" view comes up every time Trailboss is mentioned. That powder is everything I need for 45 Colt, Cowboy Action loads, and I hope to continue using it.

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41 minutes ago, Roscoe Regulator said:

Seems like this "are people stupid?" view comes up every time Trailboss is mentioned. That powder is everything I need for 45 Colt, Cowboy Action loads, and I hope to continue using it.

No offense intended. Certainly did not call you stupid. If TB works for you and you like it, by all means use it. 

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 There are MANY other powders that will work for this GAME at a lower cost and are more available SO, that could be why the "are people stupid" view may come to mind.:)

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Trail Boss is a bulky powder that fills more of a pistol case than other powder which is why some people like it over other powders.  Because it is bulky it takes up more room in a traditional one-pound plastic powder container, thus the less than one pound in the container.  When it first came out some tried to download it like they did other powders but that resulted in inconstant loads, so again some did not like those results and voiced their dislike for the powder.  I have not used it for Cowboy loads but have used it for loading rounds for old military revolvers and rifles to great success, just have to adjust my rifle sights accordingly. 

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Trail boss was highly recommended to me when i first started reloading. I think mostly because it would have been extra obvious when you double charge a 38 by mistake. I was then recommended Clays by Hodgdon. After a little load adjusting, I did not see / feel / hear a difference between.  Clays and TB. what I did notice was that Clays was lower priced… 

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The topic started as whether Trailboss would be available and when. There have been a number of other threads about whether it is cost effective or a good powder choice. Those who use the powder or would like to are the most likely to make relevant comments here. The problem I have with Trailboss issues is that there is nothing really comparable in attributes. There are certainly other choices in the absence of Trailboss, but are not the topic here. For me, that would be Clays, which has its own availability issues. I could use Clays in my shotgun loads also, if I can't get Extralite.

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Trail Boss...

What do I use it for?

.32 S&W

.32 S&W Long
.32 Nagant

.32-20

.38 Short Colt

.38 S&W

.38 Long Colt

.38 Special

.357 Magnum

.44 Special

.44 Magnum

.44-40

.45 Colt

.45 ACP

56-50 Spencer

.30-30

.30-40

.303 British
7mm Mauser

8mm Mauser

.30-'06 (for bolt action rifles only)

.32 Winchester Special

.45-70

It's a pretty useful powder.
 

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I use it for .357 because it fills the case better so it's easier to verify the powder drop. Due to it's lack of availability I have purchased other powders which are available to take it's place. I will start loading them soon and will not go back as TB availability was sketchy in 2019 when I started and involved hazmat and shipping charges to aquire.

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 OK! back on topic Trail Boss will NOT be available till 2023  maybe 2024 if ever. Hang up your irons all you TB  only users.;)

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1 hour ago, Savvy Jack said:

Did I do this correct? Other than old prices. I still missed something somewhere.

Based on 44-40 loads

 

 

 

Untitled.png

So what you're saying is that Trail Boss is not the cheapest or most expensive powder per 50 rounds, all else being equal.

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33 minutes ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

So what you're saying is that Trail Boss is not the cheapest or most expensive powder per 50 rounds, all else being equal.

 

 am still not quit sure what I was trying to say cept it looks like black powder loads yield the most expensive handloads and Bullseye the cheapest? My brain still hurts.

 

I think is is obvious that "bulk" powder loads cost more to shoot compared to "light" powder loads.

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3 hours ago, Savvy Jack said:

Did I do this correct? Other than old prices. I still missed something somewhere.

Based on 44-40 loads

 

 

 

Untitled.png

 Some are more efficient than others not a good way to figure out costs. Try again.;)  

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On 5/22/2022 at 9:57 AM, Painted Mohawk SASS 77785 said:

Something about artillery shells here in Aus that each takes 18kg [ approx 40lb ] & TB is being used as the propellant..hence nothing on the shelves for the shooter..can't verify the story but it is out there in a big way. Maybe  someone else may have some more input.

 

Unlikely...BUT perhaps one or more CONSTITUENTS of TB is also used for artillery propellant????...which would have the same effect.    I visited the old St Marys munitions factory many years ago as a young Midshipman on a visit from the  Naval College (My Uncle was QC manager for Army ammunition at the time so I got  the VIP treatment lol) and the artillery propellant looked a lot  like this...See the source image

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