Development of PP loads for the .44-77.

[Don McDowell]

Jim did your rifle arrive yet?
Kirk texted me some pictures of my 77 almost completed this morning..
Think sometime after the 15th the wife and I are going to make a trip to Big Timber for dinner and drinks with friends

[Distant Thunder]

Don,
Not yet, but it's supposed to be on the big brown truck today and out for delivery. Just sitting here nervously waiting for the truck. Much to do once it's signed for and hopefully I can start on that stuff today. Need to put sights on, scope, chamber cast, make sure some of my brass fits and more.
Hope to start shooting tomorrow, my first match with it will be July 25th. If it shoots at all that it is.

[Aviator]

Boy, that Brown Truck driver must have something against you!

[Distant Thunder]

Steve,

I've had this rifle since 1992 or 93 and we have an unbelievable history starting the day I bought it. I don't really think anyone along the line has anything against, but I probably could be convinced, I think we are just jinxed somehow. Once back in my hands I will not let it out of my control again, I just seem have a hard time getting it back.

It should be here by dark!

[Don McDowell]

Jim load that with a bullet 1.35 long, 75 grs, of 1.5, and let the smiles begin.

[Kurt]

Well Jim maybe they like it so much they just want to hang on it as kong as possible

[Distant Thunder]

Don,

I have a bunch cast up at 1.3+ a lil'bit.

So the rifle was delivered about 4:30 this afternoon. I have spend the past few hours checking my brass to be sure it fits and for the most part it does. I've got about 50 that will need a minor adjustment to the rims and then they should fit well too.

Tomorrow I'll take the rifle over to my shop and mount the sights and scope. I'll put the wood back on and then it should be ready for fireforming the brass.

Some of the brass is +.020 on the length so I'll fire form the first time around with a small charge of smokeless powder and a filler like COW as Hiwall55 (Bill) suggested. Then trim to length, load and start shooting for development.

The barrel looks good and the chamber is just as I told Kirk I wanted it, their standard grease groove chamber and rim depth. It shouldn't take long to have a good working load with this chamber..

As for the Krieger barrel, I pushed two ppb through with my wiping stick. First was from the mold I made for an original style Sharps RN and it push through about perfect, tight but still an easy push. The second bullet was from BACO #431ADJ and that one was a bit easier but not enough so that the weight of the wiping stick alone would push it through. Both should work but I really like the fit of the Sharps bullet. The barrel felt very smooth and uniform.

The Sharps bullet was wrapped with Southworth 9# cockle finish paper and the BACO was wrapped with my Paper Mill 9# onionskin so that may make a difference. Both bullets were dry wrapped. These will be the two bullets I'll use for initial load development and that should start this weekend though there the forecast has some rain in it.

   
The BACO bullet on the left and my Sharps style bullet on the right.

[Kurt]

AND NOW LET THE FUN BEGIN.............

[J.B.]

16:30 arrival time... They made you sweat until the last minute didn't they . Good news on getting your rifle back and looking forward to your discoveries along the way. Depending on the parent case... that + .02" may be an advantage once you fire form and that shoulder fills out a little more. We'll be looking on in interest... and until I start shooting again... some degree of envy

rgds. Gavin.

[Distant Thunder]

At least the driver was a very nice, friendly young lady and that made me smile more than I already was, as always!

Besides the new barrel I mentioned that I had Kirk do an upgrade on my rifle which included a new breech block, with whatever the newer firing pin configuration is (?), mostly all new parts on the lock plate and trigger plate. It has a completely different feeling in the triggers. Oh yea, I fired it a couple time last evening. It's almost the 4th of July you know and a celebration was in order!

As I'm sure is not uncommon with this cartridge, I have more than one kind of brass. One of the things I wanted to do with this .44-77 was test several different bullets and at least a few different brass possibilities.

The brass I've made from other more available cases are all +.020". Some of the Jamison brass is right at 2.250, but some of it is already .015" to .020" short and hasn't been fire formed yet. I am little concerned about those cases with paper patch bullets.

I may have to finally set up to nib these short cases out the little more they need. In my experience with the .40-65 with PPBs .010" short will be fine but .020" short will cause paper rings every time. Unlike the .40-65 I can't just weed out the short ones and toss these .44-77 brass in the scrap can! Not after what they cost me!

I also have some of the BACO reformed .50-110 brass and I will be going through those too and I'll see how they are, but at first glance they look to be good.

I am so happy to finally be working with a rifle chambered in .44-77! I have a feeling this cartridge will suit me very well.