New to reloading for 38spl 92, a few q's

[Droopybassets2]

Thank you all for the help. My 38 dummies crimped at the first grove would spit out two at a time when cycling so it looks like i'll have to load those bullets into 357 cases and pick up some other longer bullets and different powder. Trial and error. It's fun trying to figure out what will work and thankfully I only bought the smallest quantity available of each.

[Ohio3Wheels]

Curious how you got started with the Trail boss. Nothing wrong with it but it's not the powder that most stores recommend. I use it for sort of special purpose loads and for just fun knocking cans around loads.

Make smoke,

[Ranch Dog]

As a guide I was recommended, and bought, the Hodgdon 2017 annual reloading manual. On page 153 I used the data for the 125 grain cast lead round nose flat point. It doesn't specify who makes it and I was told that any cast 125 grain fp bullet would work with the load.

That was the point I was trying to make, not all bullets of a given weight are the same length including cast, length forms the case compression once OAL has been determined.

[Droopybassets2]

Honestly I picked Trail Boss because the dizzying array of powder numbers and brands just confused me more. I found it and no numbers or slight variations of powder in containers that look nearly identical like the others, and it matched (or I thought it did)the cast bullets I was recommended.

The dummy 357's cycled fine with that bullet, but I noticed all of my fired brass was bulged pretty good just above the rim. So much so that I couldn't manually chamber a pre fired empty without resizing. I think I'm just going to stick to whatever is as close to the Remington 130 grain MC as possible. I know it cycles great, no bulging, and is accurate enough for me. Now to find the right bullet and new powder.

[runfiverun]

don't be too upset about it.
you can still single load them in the 38 cases, or load them in the 357 cases.
my 92 won't load a short length 38 case without a bunch of oal fidgeting.
I have a 5 gallon bucket full of those 125's ready to shoot they are great in a revolver and work well single loaded in 38 cases for small game hunting.

my main 357 model 92 load is a 158gr lead rnfp on top of herco, it's not a burner and it ain't a target load.
it just shoots well, but so does unique, bulls-eye, and BE-86.

[NC Bob]

The good thing about Trail Boss is that it's almost impossible to double charge a case with it. It is very easy to double charge with small charges of Bullseye. Titegroup, Red Dot and other fast burning pistol powders. You are very safe with your charge weight as Hodgdon shows a max of 5.3 grains with a 125 RNFP lead in .38 Special. Just don't compress Trail Boss and you should be ok.

I can't get the 125 RNFP Magma to feed in my 92 either (in .38 Special cases). This bullet makes the cartridge OAL too short (about 1.345") when loaded to the crimp groove. I have had better luck with 125 conical lead bullets, 130 RNFP, or the 140 grain Hornady "Cowboy" bullet in .38 Special. All these bullets load to a length of 1.445-1.450". The 125 RNFP will feed when loaded in .357 brass to an OAL of about 1.475".

[Bisleyblackhawk .45]

For a reloader just starting out...your choice of TrailBoss is a great powder. It's a very fast powder but it is the most bulky powder on the market so it's practicaly impossible to put enough in a .38 case to cause damage. Using a 3 grain starting charge even a double charge of 6 grains (the max load of 5.3 grains with a 125 grain bullet fills the case up to the base of the seated bullet giving a pressure well under 14,000 PSI) would be far low of the danger zone in a 92. Again, it is a GREAT powder for a beginning reloader. At 3 grains you will get over a 1000 rounds loaded from the 9oz. bottle.

I have used it in the past in .38/.357 and .45 Colt and currently use it for subsonic .308 low recoil cast bullet loads in rifles...I'm glad it's coming back in stock ...it's a little spendy in the the small 9 oz. bottle but it's a much better value if you buy it in the 5# jug

It tends to be a somewhat dirty/sooty powder especially on the low end using the starting load data...it gets cleaner towards the upper end and it works better/cleaner with a firm crimp, even with starting loads. A good firm crimp from your seat/crimp die is important with this powder.

[Droopybassets2]

Quick update. I loaded ten 357 cases with 3.5 grains of trail boss, and topped with the 125 grain bullet per the manual. I quadruple checked the charge weight. I tried using the powder measure but it was so inconsistent with the charges. I'm assuming its because of the powder shape clogging it up? Even with quite a few persuasion taps it just wasn't accurate so I used the little yellow scoop that comes with the dies and the standard scale that comes with the Lee classic challenger breech lock kit.

I was surprised to see the physical "powder", little rings. Anyhow, with the 3.5 grains it only takes up a little more than half of the case. Is this normal? I keep seeing things about maximum over all length, but is there a minimum? The loaded rounds cycle just fine as is but do I need to worry about excessive pressure like I would with black powder? If the bullet has to "jump" a bit and causes less than stellar accuracy but poses no real threat to safety I'll fire them off when the weather clears up. They are just really stubby little bullets. Not quite wadcutters but you get the idea. If they all go boom I will certainly call my first reloads a success and go from there with load development.

Sorry again for all the questions, I just really want to keep my fingers, toes, eyes, and ears. Thanks to all who posted here.

PS if anybody has some very light recoiling 30-40 Krag plinking load data they would like to share, I am all ears! I have 50 brand new unprimed brass just taunting me. All I'm looking to shoot is 50-100 yards and nothing close to match accuracy necessary. Four-ish, five-ish inches?

[Bisleyblackhawk .45]

Trail Boss is a bulky powder that takes up a lot of space in the case...3.5 grains taking up about 1/2 the case is normal. To put it in perspective, if you were using a dense fast powder like Hodgdon TiteGroup, a 3 grain charge would probably take less than 1/4 of the case and can be difficult to see (a double charge of TiteGroup can be disastrous)...a double charge of Trail Boss would not leave enough room to seat the bullet and would be easy to see. Again, being such a light, fluffy bulky powder (little fluffy donuts) makes Trail Boss a forgiving and safe powder...I have found that it meters better in my Dillon if I give the powder measure a few taps with my finger to move things along between drops...

Look at Hodgdon's loading data for 125 grain bullet using Trail Boss...also remember the results shown are from a pistol length test barrel, usually 6" sometimes 10"...the longer rifle barrel will often give significantly higher velocities with SOME powders that burn slower making use of the longer barrel...with Trail Boss any increase will be less due to it's burning faster and making peak pressure earlier in the barrel...

Starting load...3.0 grains=753 FPS @ 11,600 PSI

Max load...5.3 grains=952 FPS @ 13,400 PSI

Using almost twice the powder you are only picking up around 200 FPS and less than 2,000 PSI

Even with the maximum load making 13,400 PSI, you are still far below the SAAMI pressure limit of 17,000 PSI for .38 Special and 18,500 PSI for .38 Special +P...just to further put things in perspective, the SAAMI pressure limit for .357 magnum is 35,000 PSI...SAAMI are the ones that set safety limits through testing.

The Model 92 action is strong enough to handle much higher pressures than these...in fact it is probably the strongest or at least one of the strongest lever actions by design ever made.

I would not load BELOW starting data...with a fast powder it is possible to NOT create enough pressure or have it peak to fast and stick a bullet...but I have never seen that happen with Trail Boss, a lot of Cowboy Action shooters use it in .38 and .45.

As far as the loads for your 30/40 is concerned, Trail Boss will work for that also...The link Ranch Dog posted on his reply to your thread gives instructions on working up rifle loads...it is excellent for subsonic light recoil loads in a wide range of rifle loads such as 30/30, .308, 30/06 and many more...here is the link RD posted...

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uplo ... ds-r_p.pdf

I use it in .308 for loading both 150 grain cast as well as FMJ for shooting in my 7.62 NATO RFI Enfields...light recoil and accurate for old battle rifles...in .308 my best accuracy came with a 13 grain load and 150 grain LEE cast bullet sized .309 with a gas check with a good crimp from the LEE factory crimp die...it makes a good cartridge that is fun to shoot.

[Archer]

The 92 is a strong action.
It may be close to the strongest pistol caliber action produced as a lever action but it is nowhere near the strongest lever action produced.

The Browning BLR breach lock is very similar to that of an AR with the lugs of the bolt locking into an extension of the barrel and thus putting little if any stress on the receiver. It is available in calibers including 300 Win Mag.

Henry's new action is available in .308. I haven't looked them over yet so I don't know the details but they may be duplicating the BLR's operating range.

Not going to get into any comparison of any of the single shots.