Trail Boss

[chuck d]

Anyone point me in a direction for 130's and trail boss? Looking for a "don't hurt chickens" 50 yard load
thanks
chuck

[TheBugFather]

Chuck, don't use the130's too heavy for trail boss. Use the 100's to 110's.
Load for trail boss is very easy. Fill up the case with trail boss and weigh it on your scale.
Subtract 10% and that is your starting load.
Only Very Important Thing about trailboss is that it should NEVER be compressed.
The burn rate changes in a very bad way.
Good luck.
Dennis.

[dustinflint]

Assuming you're shooting a 30-30, try 9 grains (with a 100 or 110 gr bullet).

Dustin

[cedestech]

Chuck, don't use the130's too heavy for trail boss. Use the 100's to 110's.
Load for trail boss is very easy. Fill up the case with trail boss and weigh it on your scale.
Subtract 10% and that is your starting load.
Only Very Important Thing about trailboss is that it should NEVER be compressed.
The burn rate changes in a very bad way.
Good luck.
Dennis.

Note to anyone reading that... figure out your bullet seating depth, mark it, fill case to that mark, weigh charge, subtract 10%..... if you fill the case all the way with out taking into consideration bullet seating depth, 10% less you could still be at a compressed load.

[TheBugFather]

Good advice, I think that trail boss is so "fluffy" that 10% you will find is about 1 grain.
It might not sound like much, but it is a very bulky powder, as it is designed. That 9 grains is a good place, but please check with your own cases and equipment. I have also had some luck with the 86 grain 30cal bullets. Super fun to shoot and feels like a 22LR. Not enough for the pigs, but still a hoot.
Dennis

[GregG]

WARNING NEITHER RELOADING MATCHES IMR PROCESS

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf (uses 70% of powder to the base of the bullet)......

I have used trail boss with a 30-30 and the max vel I was able to get with a 150 was 650 ish. Not enough to knock down a chicken.


Greg



[TheBugFather]

Greg, I agree with your info for the 150gr bullets, but realize that that is too heavy to use on chickens with trail boss.
Trail boss is developed with the cowboy action shooter in mind. It is for cast bullets, but can be safely used with jacketed bullets. You need to keep the weight down to get your velocity to a level fast enough for our sport.
70% is your starting load, just don't ever compress the powder, or else I've heard of very erratic bad things that can happen. It is a fun powder for getting accurate subsonic loads developed with slightly heavy bullets. And faster light bullets that are useful for varmints and pests and pesky chickens on the silhouette range.
Have fun, Dennis.

[GregG]

I do agree but was never able to get the lighter bullets to shoot well enough for me.

[daisy]

I use 11.5gr of Trail Boss with 150 gr in my 30-30 for chickens to turkeys. Seems ok.

[GregG]

Interesting this is the load I used and rang chickens, it was like 1k ft/s

[Tlee]

I use 11.5gr of Trail Boss with 150 gr in my 30-30 for chickens to turkeys. Seems ok.

When I tried 11.5gr of Trailboss with a 150gr bullet, it ran everywhere from 900FPS to 1100FPS and shot a 5 to 6" group (BTW.... LOWER and inconsistent velocities are typical of what happens when it is compressed).

I've also tried 150gr bullets with 9gr of Trailboss and got a 1258FPS AMV into a 3" group at 100meters.... Took every Chicken it touched no problem, but did ring a couple Pigs. That was the most accurate load I was able to manage with the TrailBoss and 150s. I get just over 1400FPS with a 110gr M1 Carbine bullet with 9gr of TrailBoss into just over MOA.

-Tim

[glen ring]

We have used a LOT of trail boss in our 25-20s, 32-20s, 357 , 30-30s and 38-55. The load that Jeanne likes best in her 30-30 is a 170 grain Lyman cast GC bullet sized to .310 over trail boss. It's very accurate, very soft shooting and takes down 90% of all rams she hits. I have tried both cast and jacketed lightweight bullets in our 30-30s at high velocity, low velocity and the results weren't great. I use a jacketed 150 or 170 grain bullet over IMR-4759 for about 1600 fps and it's very comfortable to shoot.

[GregG]

What rifle? Marlin's I have been told do not do well with lead bullets?

[glen ring]

Greg We both shoot marlin xlr 30-30s in Big Bore and Marlin 32-20s in Pistol cartridge. Both Marlin 30-30's do very well with cast bullets and Jeanne's 32-20 LOVES a cast bullet. My Marlin 32-20 and Marlin .357 likes jacketed best. I have been preached at by experts that swear a marlin Microgroove barrel won't shoot a cast bullet...and then I ask them why is a Marlin 39 Microgroove so accurate with lead 22 bullets. I think a lot of guns are very picky but if you have enough patience you can find a powder bullet combo that you and your gun like.

[Tlee]

What rifle? Marlin's I have been told do not do well with lead bullets?

Ballard rifled Marlins do VERY well with lead bullets.... Pretty much right outta the box with common loads. Older Marlins or any of the 336XLRs are Ballard. I have one of each, and though they both shoot it well, the 1948 vintage 336A does slightly better with cast. My son uses the 336XLR primarily with jacketed. BTW, although it does shoot plated or jacketed OK with TrailBoss, it is a MOA or better shooter using jacketed bullets with Varget).

Again regarding lead bullets; MicroGroove barrels, for the average shooter.... "notsomuch"...
However, I understand from some folks that have done it, that the Microgroover CAN be made to shoot them with some diligence in casting/sizing and testing of the right balance of lead hardness.... All it takes is time.

- Tim