Reformulated Trail Boss Test Results

[Popcorn Kelly]

I loaded 20 rounds or so of the new Trail Boss and tested them against recently loaded rounds with the original Trail Boss in both my 1873 Uberti rifle and Ruger Vaquero pistols.  All rounds were 38 special rounds loaded with 3.3 grains of powder with a 105 grain bullet.  The photos below show the grouping of 10 rounds of the original powder (left image) and 10 rounds of the newly reformulated powder (right image) shot at forty feet with the rifle.  To me, they shot nearly identically.  I ascribe any differences seen between the two groupings to my use of the iron sites.  

I also chronographed most of the shots.  I chronographed 13 original powder and 10 new powder rifle rounds and 9 original and 10 new powder pistol rounds.   Here are the results:  

 

Rifle

Mean fps was 772 original Trail Boss and 769 newly reformulated Trail Boss.

Standard Deviation was 88 original and 56 new, meaning that (in this test), the new powder was more consistent.  

 

Pistol

Mean fps was 618 original Trail Boss and 628 newly reformulated Trail Boss

Standard Deviation was 75 original and 48 new, meaning that (in this test), the new powder was more consistent.

 

Conclusion

Avg Velocities:  In this limited test, there was no meaningful difference in average velocities between the original and the reformulated Trail Boss in either the rifle or the pistol rounds.

Consistency:  In this limited test, the newly reformulated powder was slightly more consistent (lower FPS standard deviation) in both the rifle and the pistol, but it the difference did not reach the level of being "statistically significant."

PK

 

 

[watab kid]

looks like you got that figured out just fine 

[Buckshot Bear]

Good stuff!

[Sarge]

Is the new TB as dirty as the old TB was?

[watab kid]

On 9/8/2025 at 9:05 AM, Sarge said:

Is the new TB as dirty as the old TB was?

i was wondering this too , and does it meter the same as the original 

[Nickle]

In bigger  44 or 45 cases and longer range do you find trail boss more accurate than titegroup or is main advantage not having to worry about double charge?

[Artemus Von Schutze]

Is it still big ol' donuts?

[Popcorn Kelly]

17 minutes ago, Artemus Von Schutze said:

Is it still big ol' donuts?

Looks the same.

1 hour ago, watab kid said:

i was wondering this too , and does it meter the same as the original 

It metered the same for me on my 750.  

[Popcorn Kelly]

On 9/8/2025 at 9:05 AM, Sarge said:

Is the new TB as dirty as the old TB was?

I didn't really pay any attention, but I suspect it is.  

[watab kid]

cool , no adjustments ., love that kind oof thing