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

[Distant Thunder]

It certainly has warmed up some, we've had a few days in the 50s and even one that was in the 60s. The snow has taken a hit and we are at that point where it's either slush or mud. The mornings aren't too bad as things dry up overnight and even freeze just a bit.

This morning I set up a target at 220 yards to shoot the first test with the flat base version of my new Brooks nose pour adjustable mold. I decided to start where I left off with the cupped base bullet.

Brooks .434" adjustable original Sharps profile set at 1.340" long and cast from 17-1 using lead:95/5 solder. It weighs 485 grains and is patched with Staedtler tracing paper (.0015") and sized.

BACO brass primed with Remington 2 1/2 LP and filled with 82.0 grains of Swiss 1 1/2 lot # 18-01-2021. I seated a .060" LDPE under a .060" HDPE with very little compression leaving the bullet .150" in the case.

Temperature was 36 degrees with 76% humidity and the wind at 9 to 11 mph from 12 o'clock with slight shifts left and right.

For whatever reason the first shot went to the right, but the next 4 went into just over an inch. The extreme spread finished at 2 11/16" for the 5 shots. This is the first time I've shot anything in 3 months.

I also loaded 3 each with everything the same except increasing the powder charge in 1 grain increments to 85 grains (83, 84, 85). At 84 grains I started getting more vertical spread, but all the groups stayed under 3 inches.

I plan to cast some more of these at 485 grain bullets and load them up the same with 82 grains for more testing and to use at whatever match turns out to be next after the Lodi spring match at the end of April. That match I will shoot with my .45-70 and then switch to my .44-77 for the rest of the season.

I will also cast some that are longer and heavier to test and compare to how the 485s do. The 82-grain load looks like a good place for now so I think I'll stay with that.

[Kurt]

I wouldn't worry about that 2 O-Clock runner just yet. Those 4 are in a nice cluster.
I have my Brooks mould like you have locked at 1.4" and I use that in all of my .44's and it holds very well at 1026 yds.
It has warmed up here also and there are 50 or more Robins in the yard finally so spring is on the way. I have shells loaded for both and maybe I can get out with my .44-77 Farmer and the new Hepburn soon.

Right now heavy rain that might turn to snow over night and rain for tomorrow again.

[Distant Thunder]

It's snowing here so I think I'll cast more .44s tomorrow. Better weather for shooting will come. I do plan to cast some at 1.400", I think that should give me just over 500 grains and should carry better for long-range. The 1 350" length would be a good silhouette bullet.

If things look good Sunday morning I'll try to shoot some more, only 10 shot groups to give me a better idea how this load is doing.

[Don McDowell]

I figure if that 1.35 long bullet can hit the spotting disc 3 times at 1000 (in the 10 ring) it’s carrying alright ?

[Distant Thunder]

I cast another 100 of the 1.350" long and 50 at 1.405" long. This time I got the mold set right at 1.350" or better said So the bullets come out at 1.350", there seems to be some shrink to figure in on the length and much more so than on the diameter.

I believe the 1.350 which from my mold are 490 grains +/- would carry to 1000 yards alright, but I have to think a 510 grain would be a little bit better. Enough to worry about? Probably not.

According to the computer a 17-twist .44 caliber should be able to handle up to, "up to" are key words, 1.470" long. I always like to stay a bit short of the maximum and in .44 I'm thinking just a shade over 1.400" would be about right. A lot depends on more things than I can calculate and the only way to know for sure is to shoot the bullet you have chosen and shoot it a lot.

I'm hoping to shoot a few tomorrow morning.

[Kurt]

Jim,

The Brooks will drop out right at 510 gr at 1.4" long using your alloy mix.
The Sage mould drops a 1.458" long at 512 gr.
When I shot the 19 twist .44-90 Bn at Lodi I used the Brooks bullet set at 500 gr.
And as well for a swaged Gibbs that is very close to the Brooke original Sharps bullet profile and both held me in the mid to upper 80's at the 1000.
The 17 twist .44-77 Farmer I shot that Brooks at 1.4" during the practice at Baker Mt. and it put 13 straight on the 1023 yard iron with the flags hanging at 4 O-Clock shooting over those deep Gully's.
The last Lodi I shot the .44-77 first with the tang sight and I crossfire more than I did on my target and did poorly, just could not see a clear sight picture with a blurred target. The Second day I put the scope on and had to find the settings and did better once I got on the paper I shot a 73 with one off the paper.
I ate humble stew and finished with a 366-2.

I'm not sure yet if I can make it to Lodi this spring yet. We have a Family get together down in Indiana.

[Distant Thunder]

I know that Sage bullet is a good bullet but being it's a .44-77 I'm partial to the original Sharps profile and will work with it as long as there is hope for it to shoot well.

I'll bring the .44-77 to Lodi at the end of April as a backup to my .45-70. If the Hepburn goes down or all hope is lost, I will break out the .44-77 and have some fun.

There is still something about shooting long range will a scope that I haven't figured out yet, but my eyes aren't going to allow me to shoot the shorter barrel with irons. Last year I felt I was still seeing pretty well with iron on the 34" Hepburn, but on the 30" .44 not so much. I couldn't be sure I was a target, any target much less on my own. With the scope I can see very well of course, I just seem to be having trouble aiming the darn thing. I'm just too used to irons I guess.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

I weighed the 160 bullets I cast today. The 100 that are right 1.350" were 486.X to 487.X with just a few that were 485.X.

The 60 that turned out to be 1.398" were 506.X to 507.X with 9 that were 505.X and 2 that were 508.X. Those 505 grain ones all came in a bunch so something was up for just a short time and went away just as quickly. It may have been after I took a short break but I didn't make note of how many I had cast at that point. The 2 at 508 were just barely, like 508.2 and 508.3. That will never show up on the target even at 1000 yards.

They all look good so I'll see what I can get shot tomorrow. It's supposed to be 54 degrees and sunshine. That might make it a little soupy walking down to the target!

[Kurt]

I'm having a tough time adjusting using the scope. But If I want to keep shooting these matches I have to use one. I don't think the neighbors on line with me don't need my help putting holes through their target.

[Distant Thunder]

I don't have any qualms about using the scope, I'm not getting younger, and I don't want to stop shooting at matches if I don't have to. Now with irons and scope competing head-to-head at Lodi I'm even less bothered by using a scope. I don't believe for a minute that using a scope makes me a better shot or makes my ammo shoot any better, but it sure as hell lets me see the target and the number boards better with old eyes. I remember when I could see the white spotter in the black at 800 yards and even 900 yards with my naked eyes. These days I can't read the numbers and I struggle to see the target with irons. When I could see well years ago I could shoot pretty darn good, if it takes a scope to keep me competitive I don't have a problem with it at all and not with anyone else using one either.

We need more shooter not less and it takes more than a scope to win a match.