Wisconsin Rapids mid-range match with my .44-77.

[Kurt]

Jim, What I see with my 17 twist Farmer is not so much the powder load that showed the groups shrink it is a good wad stack. I don't see much difference with a light powder load of around 78 grains to a full case up to the case mouth. But I see a change using a 1/16" dense cork gasket wad cut for the .45 caliber under the .44 bullet, but the cork does dampen the obturation of hard alloy when the bullet is a little undersized to the bore.
Seating the .45 cork I let the weight of the press handle sit on the wad for a few seconds while it's in the compression die and this keeps the tight wad forming a dome. I think the cork seals the gas faster then a plastic or thick fiber wads.