Trail Boss .30/30 experiments

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  • Last Post 23 January 2020
JeffinNZ posted this 19 January 2020

Many months ago I picked up 9oz of Trail Boss to have a play with.  Until this summer I had done very little with it and was curious.  General consensus appears to be that TB is a little too pricey and does not produce accuracy on par with other powders with similar burn rates.

To test I have chosen my Husqvarna .30/30 bolt rifle in which I can chamber very snuggly a .312 bullet and this combination has produced very good accuracy in the past.  The rifle is equipped with open iron sights only and I shot at 50m/55y. 

Bullet tested is the NOE copy of the Lyman 311008.  My mould is .314 (bought for my .32-20) and have 5 cavities; 2 x GC, 2 x PB, 1 x GCHP.  To begin testing I started with the GC version as I had a heap of them cast and no particular use for them.  GC is a homemade Freechex III in .012 copper.  RP cases and primers (9 1/2).  Bullet sized to .312 in 40/1 alloy and seated to just engage the rifling. 

Loads shot thus far; 6, 7, 8 and 9gr of Trail Boss.  6gr was subsonic.  All others cracked.  Not as yet run over the chrony.  Best accuracy to date appears to be 8gr with an estimated 1400fps (TBC).

Shot today a full 15 round group.  No major pauses and the barrel was barely warm afterwards.  Other than a couple on the peripheral the group is minute of wabbit but not as good as I have achieved with other shotgun type powders. 

More to come.  Next up is the PB version of the bullet.

 

Cheers from New Zealand

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John Alexander posted this 19 January 2020

   Jeff,

I am always interested in efforts with Trail Boss maybe because I tried it early  never found  a good load. Probably need to try again.

The question I have is what would the group have measured if the rifle and load was capable of MOA groups.  In other words how much of the scattering of shots was the load and how much was you using the open sights.

If I had been shooting the group would have been excellent for me and would have told me nothing about the load.  However, from your picture you look only half as old and probably still actually see the sights.

Always interested in what that Husqvarna will do.  Let me know when you want to sell.

John

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JeffinNZ posted this 19 January 2020

John: My eyes are still reasonable but have changed a lot in the last 2-3 years.  The Husqvarna is a tack driver when I do my bit.  this photo is only 50m/55y but gives you an idea.  Again with open sights but a charge of Benchmark.

 

 

Cheers from New Zealand

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John Alexander posted this 20 January 2020

Great shooting with open sights. I am envious.  OK then it looks like you have some work to do on that Train Boss load.

John

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M3 Mitch posted this 20 January 2020

That really is some good shooting, particularly with open sights!   Looks like you are using a different bullet, a longer, heavier one.  I have the general impression that the 3118 type bullets are not as accurate as longer bullets in 30-30 and bigger cartridges.  It works great in the 32-20, I think it was designed for it, back in the day.

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Brodie posted this 21 January 2020

 Jeff,

That looks like one of the old Ranch Dog bullets for 30 Cal.  They were excellent slugs, accurate and lethal.

B.E.Brickey

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JeffinNZ posted this 21 January 2020

 Jeff,

That looks like one of the old Ranch Dog bullets for 30 Cal.  They were excellent slugs, accurate and lethal.

Not quite. It's a converted 311466.

Cheers from New Zealand

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David Reiss posted this 22 January 2020

Jeff,

Very interested in your progress since I have two 788s chambered for .30 wcf. One is set up as a switch heavy barrel target rifle with a tight chamber and the other is original. I have done little with either one, but I am intrigued  now as I have both mold designs you have used. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
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beagle6 posted this 23 January 2020

Jeff

Did you do the nose job on the Lyman 311466 or have someone else do it? Looks like an interesting project for my little lathe.

beagle6

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JeffinNZ posted this 23 January 2020

Beagle: Had it done. Also had the grooves bands taken out to .315 inch. Long ago before Ranch Dog or NOE.

Cheers from New Zealand

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