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

[Distant Thunder]

Don,

Which BACO bullet is it that you're working with?

So many bullets, so little memory!

If this 490-grain bullet does shoot well it should hold up very well in the headwinds coming around that bill hill that we get at Lodi often. It's the same design I use in my .45-70 and I have done my best shooting with that bullet.

The mold, like all of Steve's molds is amazing to cast with and because it has to be hotter than my other molds I can cast at a fast rate, it doesn't overheat and the bullets are staying very consistent weight wise.

It's all a very interesting experiment!

[Distant Thunder]

Last night I loaded 5 more the same as the first group to double check my setup and see if the group repeats. A couple things I noted is that I have only .050" compression and the bullets are seat .145" into the case. I thought I was compressing a bit deeper, but I'm not.

I have to admit that I have been a bit slow to figure out this bottleneck case. I'm not sure which direction to go to improve things accuracy wise. Do I load more powder and keep the same seating depth, or do I just compress the same 86 grains a little deeper as I go? I'm thinking 86 grains is enough to make 1000 yards, but if 90 grains would shoot better I could live with the extra powder.

What do you other .44-77 shooter think? Keeping in mind that this is a straight sided paper patch bullet and seating depth is pretty flexible.

[Don McDowell]

I asked them to make some modifications to the 434470 bullet I asked them make several years ago. Shortened it up a bit and put a .438 diameter .4 in long base on it. They list it in the catalog as 438470, out of 20-1 it is exactly 470, 16-1 it's 467.
As long as the base of the wad stays above the base of the case neck you should be good to go. It then becomes a matter of what seating depth does the rifle want? Generally with these bottlenecks, if you're getting excessive fouling then you don't have enough powder, other than that they're pretty forgiving and easy to get along with.

[Distant Thunder]

Don,

So you created a 2-diameter bullet out of the earlier design. That should work. Do you figure to shoot that bullet out to 1000 yards?

I think I'll work up to 90 grains 1 grain at a time and see how that goes. If nothing looks any better there I'll work with 86 grains and just compress it in something like .040" increments and see if more compression and deeper seating makes it happier.

So far my rifle seems to be happy with a seating depth anywhere between .150" and .300", but I have been using the .150 depth lately.

The fouling has not been bad at all. I am making up some new bore wipers that will have 3 felts on them. I figure sooner or later it's going to get warm around here.

[Don McDowell]

Jim yes I thought about the bullet for a while, then sent BACO an email asking about the possibility of just modifying that older bullet. Next thing I know I got an email back with the drawing, and yep that's what I had in mind. Next thing I knew it was listed, I called gave the payment info, and now it's all up to History. LOL
Yes I am hoping this bullet will hold up to 1000. Plan to work on it when I get back from the state match, and hopefully having it running for the Dean Scoggins match the end of July. And then work with it some more and have it all ready to go and run the snot out of it at Phoenix.
Almost tempted to load enough to shoot a couple of relays at Worland this coming weekend, but the loads I already have in the box and ready to pack are working so well I'm sort of chickening out on doing that... But I do have some patched and a fair amount of cases are prepped, just would need to prime and charge....
Also thinking this thing may work like a champ in the 44 2.4. But need some range time, and between all the other stuff going on, and Carol seems to think I make a good Guatemalan lawn boy....

[Distant Thunder]

There's not that much difference between your 470 grains and my 490 grains.

Being mine is just scaled down version of my .45 caliber bullet I'm thinking it should work out well. I don't think I'll get a chance before the August long-range match at Lodi to see how this bullet will do at 1000 yards but I'm looking at running it for a mid-range match or two before Lodi.

I have the month of June to work with it here at home and I should be ready for a match in July.

We are lucky to have BACO and Brooks to make custom molds for us. In fact, running a .44-77 would be a lot more difficult with BACO period!

[Don McDowell]

Jim I’m just hoping shortening that original bullet up the little bit will keep it running try at 1000 out of the 19 twist. It is the same length as the straight sided bullet Brooks built for me several years ago
I absolutely agree that Mr Gullo and his crew have helped to keep the 44-77 as a viable cartridge

[Tgc]

Don I saw your bullet on the Baco site this weekend. The bullet description gives design credit as a Arnie type design. I was thinking of asking Arnie about it but your timely posts have been very informative. Thank you. Tim.

[Don McDowell]

It looks to be a pretty good bullet so far
Hopefully it stands up to the 1000 yard challenge
I was sort of surprised by the Arnie thing to but that’s just the way it goes ?

[beltfed]

I had not noticed that I was credited for Don's design.
I certainly do not want credit for a bullet that Don had spec't out .
Arnie