Why is it, "I'm going to try and ..." rather than, "I'm going to try to..." ???
It makes me crazy.
"Try and" actually predates "Try to" https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/were-going-to-explain-the-deal-with-try-and-and-try-to
Of course. But rhe latter makes more sense. Because if you're going to try to do something, it's not necessarily going to be successful. "I'm going to try to make a million dollars." It makes way more logical sense than, "I'm going to try and make a million dollars." You don't know if you will be successful in the trying. Too logical thinking on my part, I'm sure.
Both of your examples are grammatically correct (the one with “try and” may be considered more informal). You can sometimes use “try to” and “try and” interchangeably. However, “try to” is applicable in some situations where “try and” is not, e.g., when past-tense “tried” is used: “I tried to do it” (not, “I tried and do it”). More info here: https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/were-going-to-explain-the-deal-with-try-and-and-try-to