Olde Eynsford 2F in the .44/90

[Mike]

Hey Kurt, Have you tried OE 2F in the .44/90 Sharps? I never have but the 2F works so well in the .44/77 I think it's time some loads were given the good test. What I'll start with is simply 90 grains of 2F under the old Lyman standard, #446187. Let me know if you've already been there. Shoot sharp, Mike

[Kurt]

Yes Mike I have two that shoot well.

I think you just shoot greasers so I will give you that one. I have a 486 gr 1.430" long Brooks postell I load with 94 gr of 2F OE and that load shoots well at the 800 at the Q and the MT 1000. That bullet with that load I put more then 10 straight closer to 15-16 before I stopped shooting getting sight settings. Now this is with the 1/19 ROT .44
The other is 100 gr of 1.5 KIK if you still have some of this. That load put 10 out of 10 on the Alliance 1K 4 foot iron and I ended up getting a third place dust collector with it.
Another load is 93 gr of 2F OE under a 507 gr 1.464" long KAL elliptical. It also does well at the 1K.
The other PP I use is the original Sharps profile PP from 485 to 500 gr but that load had 98 gr of 2F KIK. I shot a Buffalo with that load and put him down fast with one shot through the lungs. He went down inside 100 yards. Good caliber.
Kurt

[Mike]

Kurt, Thanks for the come-back. Right now I am using the Lyman greaser but I also have paper patch molds. Anyway, I just loaded four rounds with 90 grains of 2F and I'll compare those for elevation with the same bullets but with 90 grains of 1 1/2. If those show that the change of powder is an advantage, I'll load several more. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a short report. Shoot sharp, Mike

[Don McDowell]

No short reports.. we want full details and lot's of pictures..

[Mike]

Okay, I'll try to get some pictures...

[Kurt]

Mike do a ladder load with 3 rounds from zero compression to about 225" one grain increase per 3 rounds and this will show you a start to improving. 21 rounds should show you what you need to know.
Keep your wad stack in the neck.
Kurt

[Mike]

Kurt, Very good advise and that might come next. To begin with I just want to compare a few loads
with 2F against my "standard load" of 1 1/2F. It looks like I can do that shooting in the morning. Shoot sharp, Mike

[Lumpy Grits]

'E' 2F should work very well. My .45-90 loves it. As does my .45-70.
LG

[Mike]

Today's shooting with the .44/90 really wasn't worth talking about. Anyway, I did do some shooting with a target at 200 yards. Compared to the loads of 90 grains of 1 1/2F powder, the loads using 90 grains of 2F powder hit slightly lower. That is most likely because of a higher velocity, giving the bullet less time in the barrel and having a small effect from the rifle's recoil. Anyway, my shooting today was lousy so no photos of the target will be shown. But here is a photo of the rifle... Another try will be made. Shoot sharp, Mike

[J.B.]

Actually would be interested if someone has a load suggestion with O.E. 1.5 f for the 44 x 2 1/4" also. We normally load Swiss 1.5 here when we can get it but I've ordered 1 lb of O.E. 1.5 to try this year at the Q. I'll be running a 495 gn Brooks gg bullet of my own design ( good or bad remains to be seen :roll eyes: ) in a 1/17" twist. So far back home I've been running about 86 -87 gns of Swiss and its generally working fairly well. Would a similar load... or volume equivalent be as good a place to start as any ? As you might imagine most of the projectile is seated into the rifling with only about .25" in the case neck. Its a target proposition only.

J.B.