Time to continue load development with my .44-77.

[Distant Thunder]

Brooks did a pretty good job on it for me. The only thing that isn't quite right is the nose tip. It's not really spherical, it's a little pointed, but so little I can't really complain. The length and diameter are perfect and the ellipse matches my .45 caliber bullet very close. I laid one of Steve's samples in my .45 mold and the form, though slightly smaller because it's .44 caliber, follows the form in the block very close.

He even cut the step at the junction of the shank and the ogive which is "my patch to line" and it makes patching consistently very easy.

I am really looking forward to shooting this one in a match. With luck that will be July 2nd. I've been working 6 days a week clearing out my old shop so the new owner can move in on July 1st and then I will be a free man!

[Don McDowell]

I think it will do well
Good luck with the move

[Distant Thunder]

I can see the crosshairs against the black no problem, but it's still not like centering it in an aperture. I know one shooter who holds on the corner of the target with the crosshairs. I have played with that idea a little here at home, but I haven't done it at a match yet.

I do like being able to see the target and read the number boards! With irons, if it's a little bit dark conditions I can really struggle seeing the target. I can see the boards, just not the numbers with irons, with a scope it's not even a problem. I will shoot a scope whenever I can.

[Kurt]

I always preferred the 1 caliber elliptical radius to no more then a 1 1/4 for my black powder bullets. A 1/2 caliber is a round or ball nose.
Elliptical ogives have a constantly changing radius about two focal points, so you can't specify them with a single ogive radius figure. The best way to describe them quickly and positively is by the axial length, or distance in calibers they extend above the shank along the center line of the bullet.
However, this method means you have to be aware that the changes in length are huge when you go from a 1 to a 2 caliber.
The proper elliptical length is very important for a stable balance with the low velocity's ROT we shoot.

[J.B.]

Looking pretty impressive there Jim. I like the idea of a 'guide line' in the mould design to clearly mark the beginning of the ogive but how big a step/ shoulder is it ? I imagine its fairly small ? Getting close now...barring last minute 'positive' tests. I should be on
the big silver & white bird next Thursday. Fingers crossed on that score. A grease groove bullet I havent tried ... along with two different pp designs I've not used in the 1/17...but seem to perform in the 1/19. Now just to ..not flinch... and remember to follow
through. Well..those and about a hundred other things I need to remember !
.. rgds.. Gavin.

[Distant Thunder]

Gavin,

I hope you're able to make the flight and that it is a safe one. I can't imagine flying to Australia for a big BPCR match, but I can imagine it would be an exciting undertaking. Heck, I get all excited about going to much smaller matches around here that I can drive to!

It sounds like you're "prepared", what could possibly go wrong? Enjoy the time!

[Distant Thunder]

This rifle/cartridge has had a habit of clustering 3 or more shots tightly together and still manages to put one or two others 1/2 to 1 moa out of the core group.

Now, I must admit it could just as easily be the shooter that has the bad habit, which would mean there is no hope of ever putting 5 or more shots into a nice tight group. I remain hopeful that it can be done so it must be the rifle/cartridge.

It's another beautiful morning here, sun shining, very little wind and 11 .44-77 rounds loaded and ready to go.

I have to admit that I would not have spent this much time shooting any of my other rifles while not at matches. I would not have bought near as many molds, burned near as much powder nor cast and wrapped as many bullets. For these reasons alone I needed a .44-77 and I have no regrets in that choice. It has been a fascinating journey so far and it's not anywhere near over.

Now to go out and set up some targets!

[Distant Thunder]

There was not much wind when I set up the targets, 8 mph out of 10 o'clock, but by the time I got set up with my rifle and ready to start shooting it was 16-20 and a bit switchy. I could hear it roaring through the trees with my earmuffs on. It was still from 10 o'clock down at the target but at my shack it was pretty much straight in my face or straight away and it would change without warning. I only have one flag out and it is at the target so that is what I watched.

I decided not to put my fouling shot on the target this time and instead I shot at a spray paint can on the top of the target frame. It was a hit!

I moved to the 1st target with 86-grain load and .100" compression. The wind kept me to the right of center, but I didn't see anything that would have resulted in shot #3 going low right. The other 4 looked good, so once again the retest is inconclusive.

I moved to target #2 with the 89-grain load, but even that I screwed up. I corrected about 1/2 moa left because of wind and then I broke shot number 1 another 1/2 moa to the left! That made it so I had to try to break the other 4 shots in the same place. I don't like to twist on the knobs when I'm shooting for a group that just usually just opens up my group. With the scope it is much easier to just try to make the same break. That was working well until shot 5 which I broke center without even trying. Just not a good break for what I wanted.

I would say it sure looks like the 89-grain load might be pretty good when you consider all the wind whipping around while I was shooting and my less than perfect break on that last shot.

I included my target setup this time so you can see how I set up multiple targets at one time using the same aiming point for each target and I just turn the knobs to get to each target. I save myself having to run back and forth for each target and I can just use plain sheets of paper. That way I can see each shot as I shoot a group and I can plot the sequence sitting at my bench. I can put out as many as 8 targets in one setup.

I mark the center of each sheet by laying out the center on one sheet, then taking a stack about 3/4" tall, aligning them with the marked sheet and driving a nail through the stack. I had been putting a 3/4" black paster over the hole, but I can have trouble seeing a shot that is in the paster. I can not see the nail hole through my spotting scope in some lighting conditions. I could just make out the circle I penciled on the targets this morning so I will probably be marking an X with a marker and see how that works. The center mark is just for reference for plotting the shots and making sure my group is on 1 sheet of paper. The 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper are nice for saving to use as reference in the future. I date and number all the target so I can match them up with my notes. I make a lot of notes and having the targets just help me figure out what the notes mean. It's not always clear and I often wonder who's been writing in my notebook!

The aim point is designed so I can see exactly where I am at the break. My crosshairs are about 1/3 the width of the white of the aim point and I can see if I'm even just a little off on my break, like on target 2, shot 5.

[Kurt]

For load development I like to use this target when shooting off the bench. I can see it at 200 and I can use the heavy cross lines to hold zero.
http://www.mytargets.com/target102%20gri...center.pdf

[Distant Thunder]

That's a good target, but I'd have to print that out. My plain sheets of paper are free, they are old O'HARE TOOL letterhead that would have been thrown out if I didn't use them for targets. I try to keep it simple and cheap, with emphasis on cheap! I've got thousands of these "targets" and I'm doing my part to save the planet!

Now I will grant that my paper targets are not as durable as a refrigerator, but they are easier to carry down to my 220 yard target area! ?

So they cover both of my requirements, they are simple to carry and as cheap as a junked refrigerator! ?