Trail Boss Sub-Sonic Loads

Dean2

Dean2

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
105   0   1
Location
Alberta
Some of you may want to try loading Trail Boss for quiet, accurate loads. The Hogdon site has loads for lots of cartridges. If not, fill to base of neck, weigh, take 70%, work up or down from there till you get the accuracy and velocity you are looking for. (This is the formula posted on Hogdons site for cartridges that don't have published Trail Boss loads. I talked to the Hogdon rep that helped develop Trail Boss, he claims you cannot blow up a gun using this formula and I have used it succesfully on a number of cartridges, including the 375 ruger, using 245 grain cast bullets.) TB works with both cast and jacketed bullets, but make sure you keep it fast enough the bullet exits the barrel.

Meters real well, very bulky, 27 grains of benchmark by volume will only give you about 6 grains of Trail Boss by weight so fills the case, good ignition and very good accurracy. Very quiet rounds. I have used it in 17FB, which you can load 20 Grain Vmax all the way from 700 FPS to 2600 FPS. It means you can load to HMR velocities at less cost thean HMR ammo, and the 2600 fps Vmax is much quieter than a full bore 17 FB load, about lke shooting the HMR. At 700 fps out of a 26" barrel you hardly know it went off.

I have also used it in 22 hornet, 221 Fireball, 223, 22-250, 308, 300 Win Mag all the way to 375 Ruger and 45-70. I load .310 round balls in 308, with 5 grains of TB as grouse loads for when I am hunting. They will shoot three shot groups into less than a dime at 50 yards and are about 1.5" below point of aim at 50 yards, just about dead on POA at 25 yards.

Anyone else have experience with TB.
 
Last edited:
I've been using TB almost exclusively in .45 Colt and .45-70's with very good results.
Those little "washers" fill a big case very nicely and, with a bit of load tinkering, it's very accurate in my rifles.
 
I love the subsonic loads, so much fun and can shoot all day.
I like to use trail boss, I find it very consistent.

Iv been using trail boss more and more since it came out.
Been using it in all my calibres and love that fact that I can plink away with my 45-70 all day and it feels like shooting a 22.

I load about 500 rounds of 45-70 with trail boss and practice allot before hunting season. Lots of off hand shooting, quick acquisition etc’.
Practice helps allot.
And recoil is none existent.
The guys at hunt camp insist that I join them now each year since the success rate has gone way up.
Practices makes perfect
 
Hodgdon lists subsonic loads for 308 and 223 with Titegroup and Clays. I get better results with these powders loading on a progressive than with individual weighed Trailboss loads.

With heavy bullets, IMR SR4759 works really well.
 
A guy a my club was using it in his Remington 700 build, the rounds are stupid quiet, and recoil is laughable, it is less then a .22.

I bought two pounds for use in my .338 Lapua once I get some more Hornady Match 250gr HPBT bullets, will let you know once I play with that.
 
I had been using Trail boss in my .45-70 for a while, back when they discouraged using jacketed bullets with it. I could not get over how QUIET it was, especially in the looong 32"barrel of the Buffalo Classic. I almost didn't need earplugs! :p

My supply has since dried up, and I haven't seen it in a while around here. Or it could have just been bought up by the time I got there.
 
I've been using TB form my SS .308 loads for almost two years now. I've gotten great success and accuracy with it in different bullet weights. So far my favorite practice and small game load is using 110gr Carbine FMJ with 7 grains of TB.

This reminds me, I need to buy more!
 
Dean2 said:
Some of you may want to try loading Trail Boss for quiet, accurate loads. The Hogdon site has loads for lots of cartridges. If not, fill to neck, weigh, take 70%, work up or down from there till you get the accuracy and velocity you are looking for. (This is the formula posted on Hogdons site for cartridges that don't have published Trail Boss loads. I talked to the Hogdon rep that helped develop Trail Boss, he claims you cannot blow up a gun using this formula and I have used it succesfully on a number of cartridges, including the 375 ruger, using 245 grain cast bullets.) TB works with both cast and jacketed bullets, but make sure you keep it fast enough the bullet exits the barrel.
Click to expand...

you quote is not accurate it is not
fill to neck
Click to expand...
------------- DO NOT DO THIS----- it could be bad -------------------

it is fill to base of the bullet if it was a loaded round and then take 70% of that weight and use it as a start charge

note
compressed loads are not recommended

see site below

and yes you can now use it for both cast and jacketed in reduced loads

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf
 
Anyone use Trail Boss in their 30-30? I was thinking of trying it behind 150gr Hornady RN's in my Win 94 rifle for fun shooting at the range.
 
a guy at my club uses it for 38sp
he shoots it from really old revolvers
When he shoots at 25m, you can hear the bullet hit the backstop about a second later
(maybe not a full second, but still pretty late)

I use it for 762x54
on frontier bullets, they tell you to fill the brass with trail boss...
no risk of overcharge
 
Interesting. I'll have to get a pound (or two).

Trail Boss is designed specifically for low velocity lead bullet loads suitable for Cowboy Action shooting. It is primarily a pistol powder, but has some application in rifle. It is based on a whole new technology which allows very high loading density, good flow through powder measures, stability in severe temperature variation and most importantly, additional safety to the handloader.
Click to expand...
http://www.imrpowder.com/trailboss.html
 
Dean2 said:
Some of you may want to try loading Trail Boss for quiet, accurate loads. The Hogdon site has loads for lots of cartridges. If not, fill to neck, weigh, take 70%, work up or down from there till you get the accuracy and velocity you are looking for. (This is the formula posted on Hogdons site for cartridges that don't have published Trail Boss loads. I talked to the Hogdon rep that helped develop Trail Boss, he claims you cannot blow up a gun using this formula and I have used it succesfully on a number of cartridges, including the 375 ruger, using 245 grain cast bullets.) TB works with both cast and jacketed bullets, but make sure you keep it fast enough the bullet exits the barrel.

Meters real well, very bulky, 27 grains of benchmark by volume will only give you about 6 grains of Trail Boss by weight so fills the case, good ignition and very good accurracy. Very quiet rounds. I have used it in 17FB, which you can load 20 Grain Vmax all the way from 700 FPS to 2600 FPS. It means you can load to HMR velocities at less cost thean HMR ammo, and the 2600 fps Vmax is much quieter than a full bore 17 FB load, about lke shooting the HMR. At 700 fps out of a 26" barrel you hardly know it went off.

I have also used it in 22 hornet, 221 Fireball, 223, 22-250, 308, 300 Win Mag all the way to 375 Ruger and 45-70. I load .310 round balls in 308, with 5 grains of TB as grouse loads for when I am hunting. They will shoot three shot groups into less than a dime at 50 yards and are about 1.5" below point of aim at 50 yards, just about dead on POA at 25 yards.

Anyone else have experience with TB.
Click to expand...

This sounds very interesting. Can you please post your 20gr V-Max loads for the 17 FB?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom