Development of PP loads for the .44-77.

[Kurt]

I just spent an hr & 20 minutes cutting 616 yellow paper patches for the tight chambered .44-2.6 st. so I can use them in it.
The thing with this DDPPE bullet is it's paper thickness specific.with a standard chamber you can get by with some variances in thickness but with a tight chamber using the yellow .0014"+- a little you will run into a problem with the patched shank diameters. What I'm seeing is the base is .446" but the shanks running .434" that's .006" under bore. This will work fine for shooting dirty but it might give you a problem at extended ranges if your using an alloy to hard that keeps the shank from obdurating. This is something I will check out this winter.
I will have to make a die to swage the base down for the tight chambered 100. The .44-77 Farmer I can use .002" paper and that gives me the shank diameter I want. The bullet dimensions for the standard chamber is perfect. Even .00183" is good with what I want.
I have a core swage die for my Corbin swage press I can use to size the patched base down using the thick paper. I will run some through later tonight and get them loaded.
I made a batch of Arnies WW/Lino and have a few cast with it I will use in the Farmer. Might get to the range again next Monday or Tuesday and shoot them.
But I have to play with the drywall mud and tape for a few days and paint sprayer when I get things sanded down.