Development of PP loads for the .44-77.

[Hiwall55]

Jim,congrats on finally getting the rifle back. Do you know if your barrel is .438-.446, I ve been waiting to hear before I order one.

[Distant Thunder]

It is a .22 RF match and I'm sure it's a lot of fun, it's hard to shoot a .22 and not have fun. No, I won't be going, but I will be there on July 25th for the BPCR match and I plan to bring the .44-77. I should be able to have some kind of a load worked up by then. It really just has to go boom and push the bullet downrange! Hitting what I'm aiming at may have to be optional!

[Distant Thunder]

Bill,

I forgot to check the bore today! Dang!!! I have gage pins at my shop.

After I pushed one of each of my two ppb through the bore and the fit was pretty good I never gave it anymore thought. I did a chamber cast and there is about a .075-.080" from the chamber end before the 2 1/2* angle starts into the rifling. There is a time after casting that the dimensions of the cast are supposed to be accurate, but I can't remember when that is.

I could slug the barrel to see what the groove diameter is, maybe tomorrow.

[Hiwall55]

More interested on bore, thats where Green mountain screws up. My badger is 438/446 , my GM 's are .446/4465 but the bores are .4355/.436 . Any way I would like to Know what your barrel is as I have another .44 project, probably another 44/70 Maynard.

[Distant Thunder]

My bullets are run through a .4375" die after patching and they were a very nice snug fit in the bore, but pushed through very smooth. Based on that the bore is very close .438" as advertised, but I will check it with a gage pin the next chance I get.

I like to run my paper patch bullets through a size die that is about .0005" under bore because paper is a bit spongey and springs back a little after running through the die. I found out early on that a ppb that is too tight in the bore only causes me problems and usually at the worst possible time.

[Distant Thunder]

I can't believe how long it takes me to do anything these days! I finally have this rifle ready to do some shooting, though I will still be fireforming brass.

I should be ready to do some shooting tomorrow. I start at 100 yards to get the scope centered up and work out 200 if I can keep my shots on paper.

This rifle is 30 years old and it does have some wear on it and it isn't anything except the chambering, the .44-77.

   

[Kurt]

Well get it off that fence rail and put holes through the paper
Sure looks good at age 30. I like the looks of the #3's.
What did it come in for weight without the scope?

[J.B.]

As beautiful as they look brand new and shining... they only take on more appeal and character with use and age. Good quality tools need to be used to be appreciated fully. Good to see.

J.B.

[Distant Thunder]

I know, I was going to put it on the scale today but that didn't happen for some reason. Holes in paper tomorrow if it don't rain.
It took all afternoon to get the wood back on! She's got some dings and scratches and I put most of then in it. I carried all over parts of Montana a couple of times before my .50-70.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

I pulled the scope and weighed my .44-77 with irons at 11 3/4 lbs. Now that is just on my shipping scale but it leaves enough of a margin that it will make NRA silhouette weight no problem. I hope to get over to Alma once this year for sure. with the scope it's somewhere between 12 1/2 and 13 lbs., but it is hard to get it to sit on the scale well with the scope. I weighed it 3 time got 3 different weights depending on how it was on the scale.

Anyway, it's doesn't seem too heavy with just the iron sights but not something you'd want to carry all day.

I'll load up some pp with bp in the morning and get some idea of how it feels to shoot it. I believe I've got my brass all fitting the chamber now so I should be good to go.