Trailboss replacement as I learn and progress

One trick pony = low power loads only. Take a powder like Red Dot and you can load it down to Trail Boss levels as well as various higher power levels all while having a good case fill ratio.

Don
 
I would guess that you consider H110/ 296 a one trick pony too?
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Yep, won't use it. I will gladly sacrifice 50fps and use powders like 2400 and 4227. But, hey, if you like Trail Boss, use it.

Don
 
I would guess that you consider H110/ 296 a one trick pony too?
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I have never used H110/296 either. One powder I've stayed away from because it is an 'all' or 'nothing' powder. As above, I'll use 2400 and 4227 over it any day as they are more versatile powders even if you can't quite get to H110/296 performance levels. Yes H110/296 is a 'niche' powder for those interested in pushing the absolute performance possible. A one trick pony :) . Not interested.

On the other end of performance Trail Boss also has it's place. It will put nice holes in paper, push a pop can along, and knock down steel targets and put down the occasional varmint. A fun, easy to reload powder too. Nothing wrong with that.
 
Unique can do all you list unless you want top end .357 loads. It's extremely versatile and pretty forgiving IMO. I do use Trail Boss for some applications, but I've never been able to get the best accuracy from it. H110/W296 is also a one trick pony but I do like it's tricks better than TB LOL
 
Unique can do all you list unless you want top end .357 loads. It's extremely versatile and pretty forgiving IMO.
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I forgot Unique in my original post (#14). In 38 Special, Unique does well with heavy bullets. It delivers top velocity with 158's (keeping this discussion out of the +P+, near-magnum stuff). However, it's not a clean and consistent burner with anything less than this, i.e., lighter bullets and/or reduced charges.

In 357 Magnum, with 125's (or 110's), it'll yield some impressive ammo. Unique does really well here - it's wheelhouse, IMO. They might be just short of max velocity, but more than suitable for proper bullet expansion and defense kinda stuff. But you'll need something bigger and slower (2400 is my recommendation) if you want to push 158's fast.

I don't consider Unique to be all that versatile as I define the term. And its metering characteristics gives me fits. I don't carry it in my inventory any longer. It is fluffy and has a good fill rate if you still want to consider that important.

Another propellant that I don't recall being mentioned yet is BE-86. It is basically Power Pistol with a flash-suppressant added. It burns a tick faster than Power Pistol, however - along the lines of Unique, actually. I am on my first # of it. And so far, I like it quite a bit. I have only conducted work ups with BE-86 using Speer's "Short Barrel" bullets - 110's and 135's for 38+p, and the 135's only for 357 Mag. I made good ammo. I was trying to emulate (not "duplicate") Speer's factory loaded ammo offerings. Came up a little short on velocities; and the Standard Deviations got a little wonky with the 38's (especially the 110's), but overall, it went well. I'm not done with BE-86; so far, I like it.
 
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