Is there a good .357 Trail Boss load?

[selinoid44]

Looking for a good Trail Boss load for the .357 to deer hunt with?
Any body have a good recipe?

 

[Brownie]

Hodgedons website does not list trailboss for. 357. It may not be recommended for. 357. Why are you wanting to use that particular powder?

 

[selinoid44]

Okay how about like 21 gr. of H110? Thats 1881 ft/sec with a 125 gr Hornady XTP

 

[selinoid44]

I use it for cowboys in my 38 loads so I have plenty. I found the trail boss on the imr site and they gave a load at 3.5 gr.

 

[mospeada]

I honestly doubt you'll get an optimal hunting load out of Trailboss, that's just not what it was designed for. Most folks use H110 or 2400, I've used H110 to good effect out of revolvers, not for hunting, but I'm sure I could have hunted with the loading. Also, as for hunting, I think the heavier bullets will perform better, you don't see many folks hunting with lighter bullets.

 

[wolfman]

I am loading 5gr of Trail Boss under a 147 hard cast WC in .357 cases as a powder puff plinking load. Since 5 grains gives me about 95% case fill under the 147 grain pill, I don't see any way to get a heavy enough charge to use as an effective hunting load.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

No way you're going to have enough on-game energy to ethically hunt with Trail Boss.

2400, AA#9, H110/W296. Hunting with pistol calibers can be marginal as it is - don't make it worse by shooting cowboy loads at game.

 

[Skip]

Hodgdon says to mark the case where the bullet base will end up when fully seated and fill to there. Honest, in any caliber out there. You are not going to get a hunting round though. It will be enough to kill a paper target at 21ft but that is about all.

The 357Mag is so wimpy by today's standards, I would't use it as a primary round for deer hunting unless it was with handloads from a carbine.

I have a load using Lil' Gun that throws a 158gr XTP @ 2000fps from the wife's Marlin 1894. It is the minimum I would use on Indiana deer.

Trail Boss is a powder for Cowboy Action shooters that want to ring the metal "gong" not for the ethical deer hunter.

FWIW

 

[45fan]

If the 357 is what you are wanting to hunt with, I would step up to the 158gr XTP, and look at H110 or 2400 for a load that has enough energy to ethically hunt deer.
If you are stuck on using Trailboss, maybe a new pistol in 45-70 is in order. It wouldnt push the cartridge or pistol to their limits, but should have plenty of punch for close range deer.

 

[kludge]

.357 and Trail boss: No, not for deer hunting.
125gr XTP with H110: You're halfway there, bump that bullet to a 158gr XTP or a 180gr XTP. A 170-190gr hard cast lead semi-wad cutter will probably work just as well, people that like holes on both sides of the deer say they work better.

Use the start load and work up.

 

[Aszerigan]

No way you're going to have enough on-game energy to ethically hunt with Trail Boss.

Agreed.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

.357 and Trail boss: No, not for deer hunting.
125gr XTP with H110: You're halfway there, bump that bullet to a 158gr XTP or a 180gr XTP. A 170-190gr hard cast lead semi-wad cutter will probably work just as well, people that like holes on both sides of the deer say they work better.

Use the start load and work up.

I would agree here. Bump up the weight of that bullet and give some H110 a shot. I picked up a pound of H110 to start load development with just for this purpose. I am using Unique and Blue dot for most of my other loads. Eventually I want to build up a load with a 180 gr hard cast lead with gas check, and push it to around 1400 fps.