Author Topic: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss  (Read 37951 times)

Offline N40W111

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« on: March 27, 2008, 11:53:38 AM »
Hi all...
New to CAS and just getting my guns.  I already have a Cimarron P Jr. in .38 and a Marlin 1894C in .357.  I have a little Lee Loader (the little red box unit) in .38 special that I want to use to start my first reloadings.  I also have a box of 125 LRNFP cast bullets that I want to use.
Here's the question:
I also bought a bottle of Trail Boss powder but I can't seem to find a reliable data sheet for this powder using Lee dippers.  I'm kinda thinking that the .7 dipper with the 125 gr. might work but don't want to blow the gun.  Do any of you have a conversion chart for Lee dippers using Trail Boss?  Will I get an acceptable load with the above recipe?
Thanks.

Offline Cyrille

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 842
  • "To sing, to laugh, to dream, cock my hat, or gun"
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2008, 05:19:16 PM »
Never used "Trail Boss" in my reloads.  Mr. Lee in his book "Modern Reloading Second Edition" doesn't list "Trail Boss"
in his powder selections for your particlar loading. However Hodgedon does. Their 2008 Annual Manual Reloading has it listed on pg.161. I suggest you buy a scale either a balance type or electronic and weigh your charge(s).
CYRILLE...  R.A.T. #242
"Never apologize Mr.; it's a sign of weakness."
Capt. Nathan Brittles {John Wayne} in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."

"A gun is  just a tool. No better and no worse than any other tool----- Think of it always in that way. A gun is as good--- and as bad--- as the man who carries it. Remember that."
                                                   Shane

Offline Athena Jake

  • Very Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 77
  • I Wanna Die Young (At A Very Old Age)
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2008, 05:51:28 PM »
I also bought a bottle of Trail Boss powder but I can't seem to find a reliable data sheet for this powder using Lee dippers.  I'm kinda thinking that the .7 dipper with the 125 gr. might work but don't want to blow the gun.  Do any of you have a conversion chart for Lee dippers using Trail Boss?  Will I get an acceptable load with the above recipe?
Thanks.

I have used the .7 dipper for .38 specials under a 130 grain bullet, and a good crimp using Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Loading data from Hodgson lower level specifies 3.0 grains.  The .7 dipper comes out a little higher, see the calculations below, and my scale confirmed this.

TB as it has been termed "little termite doughnuts" is hard to strike off of a dipper, and your loads may vary by as much as +/- .1 grain.  Now saying that, my friend and I have hit every thing the barrel was pointed at.  It is good for the CAS shooting.  Used this load in his Remington Conversions, and in a Rossi lever action with no ill effects.  He has even scored well shooting in a pistol competition for score (10 - 15 yards). 
Also known as we ain't out shooting the quality of this load!

Here is the VMD and calculation information for Trail boss:  (found here: http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-220900.html)
IMR Trail Boss VMD is .2172
Multiply charge in grains by VMD for volume in CC

Example: 3 x .2172 = 0.6516

Your 0.7 CC dipper will get you about 3.22 grains of TB.
Full calculation is     .7 dipper / .2172 TB VMD = 3.2228360957642725598526703499079 grains

Trail boss reloading data:
http://www.imrpowder.com/trailboss.html

On Lee Precision's website, VMD data:
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/VMD'S.pdf
Athena Jake Elder
SASS #74972 / STORM #276 / WARTHOG
McLean County Peacemakers

Advertising

  • Guest
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #3 on: Today at 04:46:20 AM »

Offline N40W111

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2008, 11:31:55 AM »
This info, gentlemen, is exactly what I was looking for.  I really appreciate the responses.  I just bought a Lee Hand Press this weekend and until I can buy some scales, I'm gonna just use the dippers to load with but didn't want to go ahead until I got some info. 
Much appreciated!

Offline Athena Jake

  • Very Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 77
  • I Wanna Die Young (At A Very Old Age)
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2008, 05:48:10 PM »
Glad to assist in the spread of knowledge.

Lord knows I have gained since I started reading, searching and asking.
Athena Jake Elder
SASS #74972 / STORM #276 / WARTHOG
McLean County Peacemakers

Offline Athena Jake

  • Very Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 77
  • I Wanna Die Young (At A Very Old Age)
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2008, 09:13:50 PM »
Soo I had a slow moment and decided to fill out what all the Lee dippers might be using trail boss.
Calculated out to a few decimal points and then rounded up.  Verified the Lee measurements also round up on their calculations to 1 decimal point.  My formulas are at the bottom as needed to check my math, please do your own math before relying on my word for this.  It is what I use, but I do not want any one relying on my math and blowing some part of their anatomy off. :o


Lee Dipper     TRAIL BOSS     Calculated to:
0.3                1.4 grains        1.38121547
0.5                2.3 grains        2.302025783
0.7                3.2 grains        3.222836096
1                   4.6 grains        4.604051565
1.3                6.0 grains        5.985267035
1.6                7.4 grains        7.366482505
1.9                8.7 grains        8.747697974
2.2                10.1 grains        10.12891344
2.5                11.5 grains        11.51012891
2.8                12.9 grains        12.89134438
3.1                14.3 grains        14.27255985
3.4                15.7 grains        15.65377532
3.7                17.0 grains        17.03499079
4                   18.4 grains        18.41620626
4.3                19.8 grains        19.79742173

Trail Boss  VMD = 0.2172
Calc for CC     gn*vmd=cc
Calc for gn     cc/vmd=gn
Calc for VMD   cc/gn=vmd

I did this on an excel spread sheet so I did not have to burn up any pencils figuring it all out.
Athena Jake Elder
SASS #74972 / STORM #276 / WARTHOG
McLean County Peacemakers

Offline Ten Wolves Fiveshooter

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5858
  • Live To Fight Another Day
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2008, 07:14:17 PM »
Howdy Athena Jake ??? 8)

           Thanks for taking the time to do this, and sharing it with us , this will come in handy, and i'll keep a copy of this with my notes on loading  ;) :D


                                                                 tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D               
NRA, SASS# 69595, NCOWS#3123 Leather Shop, RATTS# 369, SCORRS, BROW, ROWSS #40   Shoot Straight, Have Fun, That's What It's All About

Offline BloodyBill

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2017, 06:21:20 PM »
45 Colt can take 4.5 - 5.8 gr TrailBoss.  According to the above table, the only dipper that could be used would be No. 1 for 4.6 gr, which is a very light load at the bottom end of the chart, which might work for some people.   
I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning!

Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

  • THE ANCIENT SUBSTANCE ENDURES - ALL LESSER PROPELLANTS SHALL FIZZLE
  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 6199
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 396
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2017, 07:15:53 PM »
I often make my own dippers from range pick-up cartridge cases. Try the cheaperundirt .40 S&W case. Glue or solder a handle & Roberts yer Fatherz Bruther. If it's not exactly to your liking, use a file!
NCOWS #1154, SCORRS, STORM, BROW, 1860 Henry, Dirty Rat 502, CHINOOK COUNTRY
THE SUBLYME & HOLY ORDER OF THE SOOT (SHOTS)
Those who are no longer ignorant of History may relive it,
without the Blood, Sweat, and Tears.
With apologies to George Santayana & W. S. Churchill

"As Mark Twain once put it, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”

Offline wildman1

  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 2084
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 169
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2017, 07:58:05 PM »
I believe the Lee Dipper Set has a sliding chart in it for most powders.
Necromancy anyone?
wM1
WARTHOG, Dirty Rat #600, BOLD #1056, CGCS,GCSAA, NMLRA, NRA, AF&AM, CBBRC.  If all that cowboy has ever seen is a stockdam, he ain't gonna believe ya when ya tell him about whales.

Offline Abilene

  • CAS-L Ghost Rider
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4672
    • Abilene's CAS Pages
  • SASS #: 27489
  • NCOWS #: 3958
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1180
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2017, 10:07:23 PM »
I often make my own dippers from range pick-up cartridge cases. Try the cheaperundirt .40 S&W case. Glue or solder a handle & Roberts yer Fatherz Bruther. If it's not exactly to your liking, use a file!

I have done so, myself.  But to get a specific charge I slowly melt solder into the bottom of the brass case dipper to reduce the internal volume, instead of filing it down.

Also, as I saw the chart above by Athena Jake, I thought, don't recall seeing this years ago and I should save it to the reloading folder on my computer.  Turns out I did so 9 years ago and forgot.

Offline Professor Marvel

  • purveyor of useless items to the gentry
  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3081
  • learn from the past, or be doomed to repeat it
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1118
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2017, 03:19:38 PM »
I have done so, myself.  But to get a specific charge I slowly melt solder into the bottom of the brass case dipper to reduce the internal volume, instead of filing it down.
....

By Golly, Abilene I like that! I never thought of it myself, but now you have my little grey cells working overtime
on a strange and nepharious necrophineous diabolical project....

yhs
prof marvel
Your Humble Servant
~~~~~Professor Algernon Horatio Ubiquitous Marvel The First~~~~~~
President, CEO, Chairman,  and Chief Bottle Washer of


Professor Marvel's
Traveling Apothecary
and
Fortune Telling Emporium


Acclaimed By The Crowned Heads of Europe
Purveyor of Patent Remedies, Snake Oil, Powder, Percussion Caps, Cleaning Supplies, Dry Goods,
and
Picture Postcards

Offering Unwanted Advice for All Occasions
and
Providing Useless Items to the Gentry
Since 1822
[
Available by Appointment for Lectures on Any Topic


Offline pony express

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3629
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 06:43:42 PM »
Perfesser, I would be sure to let the lead cool completely before checking the measurement!

Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

  • THE ANCIENT SUBSTANCE ENDURES - ALL LESSER PROPELLANTS SHALL FIZZLE
  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 6199
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 396
Re: on using Lee dippers with Trail Boss
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2017, 09:32:10 AM »
Perfesser, I would be sure to let the lead cool completely before checking the measurement!

 :D :D
NCOWS #1154, SCORRS, STORM, BROW, 1860 Henry, Dirty Rat 502, CHINOOK COUNTRY
THE SUBLYME & HOLY ORDER OF THE SOOT (SHOTS)
Those who are no longer ignorant of History may relive it,
without the Blood, Sweat, and Tears.
With apologies to George Santayana & W. S. Churchill

"As Mark Twain once put it, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk

© 1995 - 2023 CAScity.com