Peter M. Eick
Member
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
I shot some trail boss test today with my Python. Here is an example of the results:
This is 50 shots, offhand, 15 yards.
The load is an OVERLOAD of new starline brass, cci-550 primers, 158 grn Lasercasts SWC and 4.4 grns of Trailboss loaded to 1.590 COL. Let me be BLUNT. The max book load is 4.2 grns with the same parameters so I am not advocating this load for your guns. This just worked well in my gun.
My thoughts are that this load is still very mild. Just about a 38 special load in the gun. I did not chrono it (the range was still a zoo with newbies). It was much more mild then 4.5 grns of Titegroup which was my previous plinking load.
The gun was very very clean. Trailboss burns with a weird smell, but it is very very clean. It put titegroup to shame in this respect! The Python is a bit dirty because of the 300 rnds of 14 grns of 2400 I blasted afterwords, so don't judge the gun by the dirt.
Although I think the load was accurate, it is just to mild for my desires. In my guns I will up the load slowly till I can equal my 4.5 grns of titegroup in accuracy and general recoil. I have my guesses as to how much of an overload that will take, but I will not post that number here. It will require some serious pressure ring measurements and chrono mapping to figure it out.
By the way, a double charge of 4.2 grns spills out of a 357 mag case and is nearly perfect for my safety requirements. I can handle a squib load from no powder since I am a target shooter, but I am very careful about double charges when I am not using a lock-out die. In my Pro-2000 I swapped the lock-out die for a Redding Profile crimper if the load will spill on a double charge. If it will not then we are back to the lock-out die.
So my summary:
1) Great powder
2) Accurate
3) Weird Smell
4) Existing load data is very very mild (noticed this also with my 38 special experiments).
5) It has become my standard revolver powder for target loads. Now I just have to use up the titegroup, 231, Bullseye and AA2 Improved!
I shot some trail boss test today with my Python. Here is an example of the results:
This is 50 shots, offhand, 15 yards.
The load is an OVERLOAD of new starline brass, cci-550 primers, 158 grn Lasercasts SWC and 4.4 grns of Trailboss loaded to 1.590 COL. Let me be BLUNT. The max book load is 4.2 grns with the same parameters so I am not advocating this load for your guns. This just worked well in my gun.
My thoughts are that this load is still very mild. Just about a 38 special load in the gun. I did not chrono it (the range was still a zoo with newbies). It was much more mild then 4.5 grns of Titegroup which was my previous plinking load.
The gun was very very clean. Trailboss burns with a weird smell, but it is very very clean. It put titegroup to shame in this respect! The Python is a bit dirty because of the 300 rnds of 14 grns of 2400 I blasted afterwords, so don't judge the gun by the dirt.
Although I think the load was accurate, it is just to mild for my desires. In my guns I will up the load slowly till I can equal my 4.5 grns of titegroup in accuracy and general recoil. I have my guesses as to how much of an overload that will take, but I will not post that number here. It will require some serious pressure ring measurements and chrono mapping to figure it out.
By the way, a double charge of 4.2 grns spills out of a 357 mag case and is nearly perfect for my safety requirements. I can handle a squib load from no powder since I am a target shooter, but I am very careful about double charges when I am not using a lock-out die. In my Pro-2000 I swapped the lock-out die for a Redding Profile crimper if the load will spill on a double charge. If it will not then we are back to the lock-out die.
So my summary:
1) Great powder
2) Accurate
3) Weird Smell
4) Existing load data is very very mild (noticed this also with my 38 special experiments).
5) It has become my standard revolver powder for target loads. Now I just have to use up the titegroup, 231, Bullseye and AA2 Improved!