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Thread: Problem: Trail Boss in .38 Special

  1. #11
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    I shoot .357 Trail Boss loads in my Ruger Vaquero with plaited and cast 148 and 158 grain bullets with a taper crimp, and I do not have any un-burnt powder problems.

    At the Brian Enos reloading forum https://forums.brianenos.com/forum/4-general-reloading/ They shoot heavier bullets for softer shooting loads and most of these bullets do not have a crimping groove and are taper crimped

    My point being you might be better off with 148 or 158 grain bullets and Trail Boss for you lite practice loads. This should stop your un-burnt powder problem or try a heavy crimp on your lighter bullets.

    https://www.xtremebullets.com/38-s/48044.htm

    Either method should increase the "start pressure" in the cylinder before the barrel gap for a complete powder burn. A revolver is a different animal than a semi-auto pistol and you need to get the pressure up in the "boiler room" (cylinder) and get the powder burning good before the cylinder gap.
    Its like tightening up your sphincter muscle for that higher pressure master blaster anal exhale. Your loads you have now are only popcorn farts and you need and some higher pressure wild burrito loads.

    Below some .357 Mag lite Cowboy loads for reference with the bullet weights.

    Last edited by bigedp51; 08-14-19 at 23:23.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by TomMcC View Post
    Then how's your crimp?

    Primers fresh?
    I think the crimp, or lack thereof, is my problem...

    The primers are a decade old, or more, but AFAIK primers aren't perishable, and I just loaded some of these in .40S&W in May and they worked perfectly.



    Quote Originally Posted by bigedp51 View Post
    Either method should increase the "start pressure" in the cylinder before the barrel gap for a complete powder burn. A revolver is a different animal than a semi-auto pistol and you need to get the pressure up in the "boiler room" (cylinder) and get the powder burning good before the cylinder gap.
    I'm understanding this now — I'm used to reloading for autoloaders, where the "crimp" is just to "de-bell" the case. Looking at this thread, I'm not doing nearly enough:

    https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph....469815/page-2


    Quote Originally Posted by bigedp51 View Post
    Its like tightening up your sphincter muscle for that higher pressure master blaster anal exhale. Your loads you have now are only popcorn farts and you need and some higher pressure wild burrito loads.
    Wow... That's a helluva image!


    Anyway, I'm going to crimp the loads I have, and maybe load another dozen or two, and then go shoot them today or tomorrow. I'll report back...

  3. #13
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    Sounds like they'd really like the .32 caliber version of the LCR.

    Shoots .327 Federal, .32 Magnum, .32 S&w long and short, and .32 acp.

    The .32 acp and .32 Long are very pleasant to shoot and not too expensive. Especially if you reload.

    My wife loves hers.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron3 View Post
    Sounds like they'd really like the .32 caliber version of the LCR.

    I really wanted the LCRx with the 3" barrel, exposed hammer, and adjustable sights... AFAIK, Ruger doesn't make that in .32.

    I thought about going .22lr or .22WMR, but the trigger pulls on those are s'posed to be wretched.


    There's a Ruger MkIV in our future, but not 'til next year...

    Anyway, .38Spl should be (!) flexible enough to make this work.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bimmer View Post
    I really wanted the LCRx with the 3" barrel, exposed hammer, and adjustable sights... AFAIK, Ruger doesn't make that in .32.

    I thought about going .22lr or .22WMR, but the trigger pulls on those are s'posed to be wretched.


    There's a Ruger MkIV in our future, but not 'til next year...

    Anyway, .38Spl should be (!) flexible enough to make this work.
    You're right they don't. Probably will eventually since they do make it in the 1 7/8 in.

  6. #16
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    OK, this is what I came up with...

    Attachment 58488

    That's one of my "first attempt" on the left, and the newly deeper-seated and crimped attempt in the middle. That's a 95gr bullet, for reference. The line on the middle case is the approximate "fill" line with 3.0gr of Trail Boss.

    I'm now seating 0.055" deeper, and based on what I've seen online, that's at least a "medium" crimp.

    I hope to try these this weekend...

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bimmer View Post
    OK, this is what I came up with...

    Attachment 58488

    That's one of my "first attempt" on the left, and the newly deeper-seated and crimped attempt in the middle. That's a 95gr bullet, for reference. The line on the middle case is the approximate "fill" line with 3.0gr of Trail Boss.

    I'm now seating 0.055" deeper, and based on what I've seen online, that's at least a "medium" crimp.

    I hope to try these this weekend...
    That looks like a lot of crimp on the second cartridge. Crimp can make all the difference in the world with group size. Too much crimp can increase group size a great deal. .378" is the minimum case mouth diameter for all my .38 Special loads, with .380" being the norm.

    Pull a projectile from a finished reloaded cartridge and inspect the condition of the projectile. If the projectile appears to be damaged, you will rarely if ever see good accuracy.
    Train 2 Win

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by T2C View Post
    That looks like a lot of crimp on the second cartridge. Crimp can make all the difference in the world with group size. Too much crimp can increase group size a great deal. .378" is the minimum case mouth diameter for all my .38 Special loads, with .380" being the norm.
    I agree... This went against everything I know about loading for auto pistols and rifle rounds.

    The revolver guys, though, insist that this kind of crimp is "normal."

    See the pictures here: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...sought.469815/


    In any case, I'm not looking for ultimate accuracy: just reliable ignition. (These are training/plinking rounds for a 3" purse gun, not match rounds.)

    If these work well, then I'll pull a bullet and maybe back off the seating die 1/6th of a turn at a time.

    If these don't work, then I'll go to 4.0gr of Trail Boss and go buy some magnum primers.

  9. #19
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    That crimp looks good. Could even go a little deeper with the bullet and use a Redding profile crimp die to really roll it over the front shoulder hard. But what you have now should help to tell you if you are on the right path at least.

    Also your bullet weights are very light for caliber. A different powder may be required. Red Dot as mentioned before is a good one to try as is VV N310 or Alliant e3.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by shadowrider View Post
    That crimp looks good. Could even go a little deeper with the bullet and use a Redding profile crimp die to really roll it over the front shoulder hard. But what you have now should help to tell you if you are on the right path at least.

    Also your bullet weights are very light for caliber. A different powder may be required...

    Thanks... I'm going to shoot this tomorrow, and then we'll know.

    Hodgdon specs 3.0gr of Trail Boss under a 90gr roundnose, so this should work.

    If it still gives me trouble, then I'll try loading these 95gr roundnoses "upside down," with the nose in the case, to reduce case capacity. Then I'll have 95gr wadcutters...

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