Bunch of 44 bullets in a hurry

[Don McDowell]

   
John Olsen sent me this picture of the first 400 (said it took him an hour) of the money bullet that Dan t designed for me to use in Shiloh's 44-77, should also work well in 44-90 with the 19 inch twist

[bruce moulds]

don,
all those greasers, and not one embarrassed smilie.
keep safe,
bruce.

[Kurt]

I say this with regret.
I have a BACO mould that casts a bullet like that and it will not do well in the 1/19 ROT .44-77 at long range.

[Don McDowell]

This one is shortened up enough it should work in the 19 twist. John advised last night it's weighing 475. It's first two bands are tapered so a person should be able to seat it out of the case and get into the rifling easy enough.
I'll pick up a bunch from him at Baker, and then maybe load a few and see what they'll do on the buff at Quigley or maybe even Shadows nasty ol 1023 target before we move to Forsyth.

[Kurt]

Mine is 1.457" @ 507 gr with 1/16 T/L and the ogive is just as long as the shank. At 600 yds the holes in the paper are oval to full keyholes shooting in a moderate 10-15 mph winds using the 1/19 ROT .44-77. The .44-90 bn I have not had a keyhole but the holes are oval. I shot some in the .44-100 with it's 1/17 ROT but I had to use the breach seating tool because the chamber is cut for a PP bullet and if it is seated in the case it wont chamber and the holes where round but I have no idea what they will do at the 1K. I haven't shot it at that range.

[J.B.]

I'll be interested to see how it goes Don. With a total of only about 250 rounds down range so far... I feel like I've got a 44 mould for every 10 bullets I've shot ...Not quite but it seems that way. Always room for one more ..I have one on order through Sage and wondering if it will do the job up to 1000 yds. It's listing at 1.36 long, eliptical...and with .570..or barely over half its length as a baring surface. It should allow for two bands exposed. Whether that extra 2/10" of case space is enough extra powder to get the velocity required... remains to be seen. No mould yet...and I've run out of 2f anyway. Hope to have some of those bullets at the Q to try at least. 800 yds seems to be the 'twilight' zone for me so far with gg bullets. Paper patch... well that's yet to come . Need to get my 'A into G' and get some more range time.

[Don McDowell]

JB that bullet you have ordered is going to be just a bit long. It will probably shoot ok to 1000 until you get into some wind shear, then it'll go to pot on you past 800.

[Kurt]

I have three bullets that shoot very good in the 1/19 rot .44-77 or the .44-90bn. The original PP profile bullet from a mould that Steve Brooks made for me. This bullet weighs 485 gr and it is 1.3" long. The Brooks .44 500 gr GG is 1.47" long and it shoots extremely well all the way to the 1K. It has a reduced front driving band. The other is a Gibbs from KAL adjustable and I have it set at 1.360" or 480 gr. All three of these bullets shoot very well. I don't like the KAL Gibbs because this mould pours vent hairs and bad parting line fins. I have to take a knife and cut the fins and vent hair off. This would be a very good bullet if it would cast clean. I have a couple BA moulds GG and PP with a long nose and I don't get any accuracy I call good shooting them out of the 1/19 twist.
The 1/17 ROT .44-100 Rem st will shoot any of my bullets 1.503" long very well.

[Don McDowell]

1.3 seems to be the magic number in all conditions with the 19 twist. 1.35 does well to 1000 until the squirrely winds hit from the 77, might do quite a bit better from the benefit of more powder and velocity. This money bullet is right at 1.35 but has enough of the weight in the back and a .7 bearing surface I'm thinking it should hold up better past 800 in the wind.

[J.B.]

JB that bullet you have ordered is going to be just a bit long. It will probably shoot ok to 1000 until you get into some wind shear, then it'll go to pot on you past 800.

.. I guess its a semi calculated risk Don and I wont be able to test it with any certainty until I'm back home and shooting on paper. The Brooks mould I had made was early on. It casts at 1.37" long and has given me my best results so far. Once again though... as you and Kurt have indicated.. once the distance reaches beyond 7-800 yds.. it doesnt seem to cut through the wind quite as well. At least thats what my preliminary experience has been. Was hoping the extra velocity this new bullet may get will improve it over the last 2-300 yds. Certainly will keep you posted. It is one impressive cartridge though.... once you've got brass for it.