Trail Boss in 45-70, first loads

3

3Crows

New member
I have done reloading off and on for quite a long time, more off than on. Anyways, no expert, for sure. I wanted a soft, and take that as quiet, load for shooting from my porch so as not to raise the ire of the neighbors about.

So, I loaded 13.0 grains of TB into Starline brass with CCI 200LR primers and Missouri Bullet Company 405 grain CLFP #1 Large Buffalo bullets. I am very pleased with this load, it is straight from the manuals. From my SBL it is running about 950 to 1000 fps and there is no supersonic crack or the usual artillery shell KABOOM and flame the 45-70 usually makes with standard load ammo. Seems to print well, though definitely lower by about 2 or 3 inches than HSM Cowboy (advertised at 1300 fps with 405 grain LCFP bullets) at 50 yards on steel.

Per Hodgden, as I understand it an alternative for loading TB is to determine the case capacity to the base of the bullet (no compressed loads!) and that is maximum load and then start at 70% of that. I measured my Starline brass to be 16.4 grains to the base with some room to spare I suppose. So I guess I started above base load but I did have the manual load for guidance. I also loaded some rounds to 14.0 grains which is above the 13.0 maximum Trapdoor load but well below the 16.4 grain maximum. Looking at some charts from other folks it seems much past 14.5 grains is a waste and there are better powders for getting above 1100 fps.

I am also impressed with how clean the stuff burns, no unburnt powder in the breach or clumps in the barrel like I saw with Remington (jacketed) 405 grain Safe For All Rifles. My favorite over the counter ammo for this rifle has been HSM Cowboy and HSM Bear Load and I have sent a few BB +P heavy loads down range also. The TB with 405 grain is a pleasure to shoot, shoots clean but does have a cool factor puff of smoke.

I would hunt pigs or white tail deer with the HSM Cowboy, this TB load, nah, but it is fun to shoot.
 
You can definitely have some fun with Trail Boss. I loaded up come 150gr. cast bullets for my old Winchester 1894 in 30WCF with Trail Boss. Like your experience with Trail Boss, they printed rather low for me as well. But fun to shoot.
 
I love using Trail boss for reduced power loads in a variety of rifles- from a few antique lever actions with lead to Lees, Mosins and a 1917 enfield with plated bullets. its a neat powder when used in the proper velocity range.
 
Re: compressing Trail Boss
It was generally thought for some time that compressing TB was dangerous but Hodgdon finally put that to rest, explaining that compressing was not dangerous, but instead could contribute to inaccuracy.
 
3 Crows,

Try an even heavier bullet. You not only shrink the powder space for that same charge, but tend to get a little more vertical recoiling of the barrel before the bullet exits, so it may put your 50 yard POI back where it belongs with the right bullet weight choice.

I ran some TB in .45 Auto one time, pushing a heavy cast bullet I'd designed for an experiment with it. New Starline brass came out looking as if nothing had ever been fired in it. No soot or carbon. Nothing. Super clean.


Condor Bravo,

I always heard the peak pressure was erratic with compressed TB, accounting, I expect, for the poor accuracy. I also thought it was hard to imagine the pressure spikes getting high enough to bother a high power rifle's chamber, though it is good to have that confirmed and for the old reports to be put to rest.
 
Yes, right on. Initial reports from Hodgdon merely said do not compress TB but did not say why. After enough pestering, I guess, they finally explained that the issue was possible inaccuracy and not a danger factor. I use considerable TB with quite a number of calibers, mostly mags up to 416's and 458's and always load to Hodgdon's max without weighing the resulting powder charge.
 
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