Trail Boss in 45-70 handloads

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A-zone

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Has anyone got any experience using Trail Boss in 45-70 handloads?

I tried it today for the first time (14.8 grains behind a 385 grain cast FB bullet) and was surprized by both the accuracy (was punching them into a 2" bull at 100 yards) and by the lack of noise. :D There was a guy shooting a .17 rimfire next to me and my Sharps didn't seem any louder than his .17 HMR.:confused:

FWIW, there were no pressure signs, notwithstanding that the manual suggests that this is a "top end" load with Trail Boss.
 
I've tried a limited amount of it, but didn't get the same accuracy as I did with some Varget "Triers"
Likely my fault. I think I'll try a tighter crimp next time.
It worked exceptional well in my 45LC's
 
Trail Boss is o.k. in rifles but you run into high pressure before you reach very high velocity, it is accurate though.
 
ben hunchak said:
Trail Boss is o.k. in rifles but you run into high pressure before you reach very high velocity, it is accurate though.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking for anything like a high performance load as this is meant to be used in a reproduction Sharps '74 (Shiloh). So, black powder performance (with good accuracy) is what I'm trying to get.

One fellow told me he used 18 grains of Trail Boss with a 385 grain cast bullet. That would fill the case better but it exceeds the recommendations in the manual. I was hoping to find out whether anyone else has actual experience with that (18.0 grain) load. The 14.8 grain load was very light - a powder puff compared even to a factory 405gr load.

For punching paper, this load appears to be quite good though.
 
Ben, 18 grains of TB under a 385 gr bullet??:confused:
WOW!
IMR recommends a max of 16.5 gr under a 300 gr bullet, giving 20,900 CUP:runaway:
That must be wearing his brass out in a hurry.:redface:
 
There are so many great powders for the 45/70 that i don't see any advantage to using Trail Boss in the 45/70....for Heavy loads..AA2015(my fav.), RL-7, H-335, 3031,4198, etc....for light loads: 4759, AA5744, 4198, not to mention Black Powder....Trail Boss really comes into it's own in the .45Colt and 44/40,etc. with light loads for cowboy action, etc.
 
Trail Boss

Haveing used 8 various powders to achieve "accurate reduced velocity" loads over the past decade in .222 .223 .243 30/30 .308 .303 30/06 .338 mag .416 Rem mag. .444 45/70, mostly useing jacketed and in some loads cast bullets I have found Trail Boss to be the "best" powder in these 11 ctgs for velocities from 900 fps to 1400 fps!!
In the .222 and .223 accuracy extends to 1850 fps at the top end.

My start loads typically occupy 50% empty case capacity and usually top out at 68% when powder peaks and there are no further gains in velocity. Once you've seated the bullet, these percentages are even higher. No other powder I've tried comes even close to filling this much case volume in this "900 to 1400 fps" range !
A few weeks ago I tested Tboss in .338wm and .416 Rem Mag ..in 338 using 200 gr cast got my accuracy at 1461..1456..1467 fps .. 0.57 in./50 yards testing. In 416 Rem. using 365 gr cast at ..1287..1277..1273 fps .. 0.77 in./50 yds testing.

In the 45/70 I have only tested lighter weight cast bullets so far .. 330 gr and 220 gr, 150 gr. round ball and 190 gr wadcutters for plinker rounds. Useing the 330 gr. cast, 15.0 gr Tboss...1187..1159..1151 fps 0.720 inch/50 yds and with 16.0 gr Tboss (as my initial max load)...1228..1230..1220 fps..0.92 inch/50 yds.

"If".. you are going to use the 18.0 gr Tboss load with the 385 cast bullet start at 8 grains lower and go up in 0.5 gr. increments. If you have access to a chrony you will get to a point in your load buildup where no more velocity
is available but pressure signs become evident. This is more visible in a bottleneck case and not as evident in 45/70 type cases !

.....your mileage may vary
 
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Excellent! - That's what I was looking for. :D

I'll bring out the chrony for next time.

FWIW, the biggest revelation (aside from the scary accuracy of the Trail Boss load) was the really weird lack of muzzle blast. It was more like a gentle "plunk" and another 385 grain bullet was in the black.:eek: :cool:
 
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