Development of PP loads for the .44-77.

[Distant Thunder]

My rifle seems to like this 450 grain version of my BACO 431ADJ. I thought there would be more of a difference with the wad stack and seating the bullet more into the bore.

   

I'll repeat the (1) LDPE wad over 80 grains and also shoot the same only with 82 & 84 grains.

[Distant Thunder]

This is again with BACO 431ADJ which is 1.250 long and weighs 450 grains.

   

The 80 grain load is 5" CTC. The 82 grain load is 2 7/16". The 84 grain load is 2 1/8" CTC.

I have no idea what happened on shot 5 of the 80 grain load, everything looked good at the break.
I'll try the 84 grain load more as it looks about best of the three at this point. I'll keep the 3.250 COAL for now but with 84 grains I could move it out some later.

[beltfed]

In what order did you shoot those, Jim?
I would discount that No 5 shot and look at the first four for "group" comparison.
But, still, another look at that 84 gr load With same seating depth/compression.
Arnie

[Distant Thunder]

Arnie,

I shot the (5) 80 gr. loads first then the 82 gr. and last the 84 gr.

It's got to be a bullet problem of a patch problem, something wasn't right. I may try 86 grains also, I don't think the groups had start to spread having reached the upper end. Recoil with the 450 isn't bad so far though it is sharp, definitely not a slow push!

All these 450 gr. bullets have been seated to .250" in the case except the one load with the wad stack (4 wads).

[Kurt]

What are you using for an aiming point ?
All three of those groups look good comparing the size of the holes to the spread.
That #5 like Arnie said I would dismiss also. If 2 or 3 would stray out it would be a different matter.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

I am aiming at a 600 yard reduced to 200 target, I forget the number, that I put above the blank paper. I just turn the scope down 11" from my 200 (actually it's just about my 100 yard setting). I like hitting on the blank paper because I can see the holes without trouble and it saves on targets. Blank computer paper I will never run out of!

I may test the 80 grain load again, It really isn't doing bad with any of the loads using this 450 grain bullet. I did like the 84 grain load and with the lighter bullet it isn't a problem. I'm thinking it is a pretty fast load. Eventually I run it over the chronograph.

I'll likely shoot it prone off sticks this weekend to help prepare for the Rapids match. I haven't shot a match prone in what, 9 months! I may not even be able to get back up off the ground! My knees are still giving me some trouble. We need some young guys in this sport so they can help us old guys get back up after we're done shooting!

I will retest the 84 grain load tomorrow and then maybe seat it out a bit more and test it again. Then I may try a couple different wads. I would like to see it keep 10 shots inside 3 1/2 " but there may not be time to get there before Rapids. Closer to 3" would be nice.

[Kurt]

That is a good idea using the white paper for seeing the holes. That is why I use the rosin paper with the stickers and I still have a hard time seeing the holes at 200 especially when it's in the shade. At times I have to drag the heavy 100mm Celestron to the range and turn up the powder if I use a SR-200 black bull.
I loaded 100 rounds using the 81 gr 2E with the BA 430/225 bullet and I will load another 100 using 82gr for Rapids but I don't think I have enough of the 225's misplaced the mould somewhere

[Distant Thunder]

"Misplace" is my middle name! Hardly a day goes by that I don't "misplace" something. Sometimes never to be seen again! Usually it's just under or behind something else and not in plan sight and most of the time I find it eventually! If I make a mental note of where I set something I can find right away, but so many times I just set something down not thinking then move something else in front of it or on top of it and it's gone! Working with this old guy that keeps losing stuff really slows me down!

[Kurt]

Well just wait till your 80. It gets worse. _

[Distant Thunder]

Still working with 84.0 grains of Swiss 1 1/2 under a 450 gr. BACO 431ADJ
With a .060 LDPE wad
BACO brass
Federal 210 LR
3.250" COAL

I have not gone down to the target yet but I would say that those 5 went into2 1/2".

Then I shot 3 with the same but with the COAL moved out to 3.350". That's still 84 grains but with minimum compression, like. 030". Those 3 went into a very nice looking group of about 2".

So now I've loaded 8 at the 3.350 COAL, 5 with the .060 LDPE wad and 3 with the HDPE wad.

The only it the HDPE wads were better was when I used them in my .45-90 and that resulted in the most accurate long range paper patch loads I've ever shot. That was before my .45-70 Hepburn and I really like my Hepburn so my .45-90 hasn't seen much action since then. So I think the HDPE wads are worth trying now that I'm closing in on good groups at 200.

I'll put up pictures of these targets later, but things are coming along now.