Trail Boss Powder Available In Stock

Trail Boss Powder: Hodgdon Powder offers the largest selection of quality smokeless propellants for any reloading application.

Previously an IMR powder now offered in the Hodgdon label, Trail Boss was designed specifically for low velocity lead bullets suitable for Cowboy Action shooting. It is primarily a pistol powder but has some application in rifles. It is based on a whole new technology that allows very high loading density, good flow through powder measures, stability in severe temperature variation, and, most importantly, additional safety to the handloader.

Important Information:

• Do not exceed the loads displayed in the reloaders guide.
• Never mix any two powders regardless of type, brand, or source.
• Never substitute any smokeless powder for Black Powder or any Black Powder substitute.

FAQ About Trail Boss Powder

It is primarily a pistol powder but has some application in rifles. Trail Boss is based on new technology that allows very-high loading density, good flow through powder measures, stability in severe temperature variation, and, most importantly, additional safety to the handloader.

• Is Trail Boss black powder?

Trail Boss was manufactured to be a BULK powder to fill the cases of black powder cartridges like the 45 Colt and 44-40 cartridges. It was designed as a plinking load for Cowboy Action Shooting which has a velocity limitation.

• What happened to Trail Boss powder?

It’s made here in Australia by Thales. Last batch produced was in 2020. That was about the same time that they stopped producing pistol powder here in Australia. Pistol Shooters haven’t had access to pistol powder for years now and it is causing great problems.

• What is the best powder for cowboy loads?

Our Picks for Best Cowboy Action Powder
Designed specifically for low velocity lead bullets, IMR Trail Boss powder is ideal for cowboy action shooting, for both revolvers and some rifle cartridges. Trail Boss powder has a very unique design; it’s basically little donut-shaped flakes. This means it can fill out those.

• What is Trail Boss powder good for?

It is primarily a pistol powder but has some application in rifles. Trail Boss is based on new technology that allows very-high loading density, good flow through powder measures, stability in severe temperature variation, and, most importantly, additional safety to the handloader.

• What is the shape of the trail boss powder?

Hodgdon Trail Boss accomplishes this through its unique “donut” shaped kernels, maximizing its volume. This design feature is so effective that Hodgdon can only cram about nine ounces into the same bottle that would normally hold a pound of the company’s other powders.

FAQ About Black Powder

• What is black powder good for?

Black powder is relatively insensitive to shock and friction and also must be ignited by flame or heat. Though it has largely been supplanted by smokeless powder as a propellant for ammunition in guns, black powder is still widely used for ignition charges, primers, fuses, and blank-fire charges in military ammunition.

• What are the 4 types of black powder?

Black powder comes in four types, based on the size of the particles. FFFFg is the finest, with FFFg, FFg, and Fg being respectively coarser. FFFFg is only used in the flash pans of flintlocks. The other types are used as the breech charge according to the manufacturers’ instructions.

• What is black powder also known as?

Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal), and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). The sulfur and carbon act as fuels while the saltpeter is an oxidizer.

• What are the raw materials for black powder?

In the preparation of black powder, the most timeconsuming part of the process has so far been the pulverization of the three raw materials potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal, and the mixing and grinding together of these raw materials.

• What kind of powder do you use for a black powder rifle?

Black powder is the only type of powder that should be used in muzzleloaders. However, synthetic substitutes, such as Pyrodex^®, also can be used. Be sure to use only approved substitutes. Don’t use modern-day smokeless powders in black powder firearms.

FAQ On Smokeless Powder

• What is smokeless gun powder made from?

nitrocellulose

Spherical smokeless powder is generally made from nitrocellulose as the base material. The nitrocellulose may be derived from purified cellulose, such as from cotton linters or wood, which is then nitrated by being treated with nitric and sulfuric acids (Olsen 1942. Smokeless powder.

• How does smokeless gunpowder work?

The reason that they are smokeless is that the combustion products are mainly gaseous, compared to around 55% solid products for black powder (potassium carbonate, potassium sulfate etc). Smokeless powder burns only on the surfaces of the granules, flakes or cylinders – described as granules for short.

• What are the benefits of smokeless gunpowder?

Nitrocellulose propellants produce much less smoke and flash than black powder and deliver much more mechanical work per unit of weight. The other advantages of smokeless powder are its improved stability in storage, its reduced erosive effects on gun bores, and also the improved control obtainable over its rate of burning.

The technology that allows very high loading density good flow through powder measures stability in severe temperature variation and most importantly additional safety to the handloader.

• What are the shapes of smokeless gunpowder?

Smokeless powders generally have a graphite surface coating and are produced in more regular shapes than black powder. Common shapes include flattened balls, tubes, and disks.