44-77 Sharps paper patched load

[Eric Johanen]

    Weather was really nice today so I got a chance to put some rounds through the 44-77. 100 yards off the bench with the Lawrence rear and Stephen's front sight. I have only opened the rear notch a tiny bit and the sight picture is very good. I used fire formed brass with a CCI BR2 primer. 75.0 grains of OE 1.5. Wad column is Circle Fly .450 card, 1/8" DGL lube and topped with another .450 card. Brooks bullet at 438 grains seated just a whisker short of interfering with a fouled chamber. Bullets are patched just short of the ogive and the OAL is 3.135. Low humidity today and I fired 8 shots with no attention to fouling, used the blow tube and shot 2 more. Ran 1 damp and 1 dry patch through the bore and shot 8, blow tubed and shot the last 2 rounds. For as dry as it was, I think that went well just loading and shooting. I think I can just load and shoot when we get a bit more humid conditions in the Spring. Sights are just a bit low at 100 so I had to cover the bull and that would account for the vertical and horizontal is due to wind and sight error. Group for 15 shots after sight adjustment went 5.75 vertical by 4.5 horizontal. Group core is 3.25 vertical by 3.25 horizontal. I'll make some slight adjustments to the sights and use the same load again next time out. I'd like to set the POI to about 2.5 inches high at 100 yards. This would be a six O'clock hold and impact in the X ring on the standard 25 yard timed and rapid fire target. Should be good enough for Government work and a good starting place for moving to 200 yards. (noticed I wrote on target that oj juice cards were used. I used the Circle Fly cards with this load)

[Don McDowell]

With all those double and triple holes in that target , looks like that load is working very well.

[Kurt]

Erick.
I never can get the accuracy out of my .44-77 using 1.5 F OE or KIK.
My load is 74 gr or 2F OE and I use a PP bullet of the original profile that has a little more radius on the ogive, almost like a Medford.
Since I only use this rifle for hunting I patch the bullets .0015" under bore diameter for easier loading purposes. This load will hold 1" vertical using the Lawrence rear and a bronze Hartford front sight that Stephen made for me.
This combination will hold the 805 yard Buff or the 600 yd stop sign at the Q with no problem. I quit chasing different bullets and loads for this rifle. I tried several bullets that I use in the .44-90 bn and the other 1/16 ROT barrels including a "money" bullet and the accuracy is just not there in my rifle.
From looking at your target you still have something going on.
I don't think you live to far from me. Maybe we can get together at Effingham some weekend or Milan IL. One of those should be close to you. There are some matches coming up soon at both of those ranges.
Kurt

[Hiwall55]

St Louis starts March 18 and Effingham is the next weekend.,Bill

[Eric Johanen]

Next time out, the plan is to lower the front sight a bit and see how close I can get to the hold point I want. If I can't get there without too much stock removal I'll use a shim between the sight base of the Lawrence sight Kurt. I'll give the 2 fg OE a try. The 1/8 inch of DGL left a grease ring at the muzzle and examined cards showed no lube left on the cards. Just a bit sticky on the surface that contacted the grease wad. Covering the bull is not the best way to start but these were the first loads put up in fire formed brass and I wanted to see just where it shot before I started working on the sights. I think it will come along nicely. With this rifle it's a one bullet/one load plan for everything. Now I need to patch up more bullets!

[Don McDowell]

Some of the best loads in my 44-77's came at the same place you are running those. I went to 2f mostly just to be sure to have the velocity requirements for shooting at Raton. I'm guessing that if you get the front sight filed down enough to quit covering up the bullseye and the groups will put a big smile on your face.

[Kurt]

St Louis starts March 18 and Effingham is the next weekend.,Bill

TNX. Bill

Effingham is out for this weekend. I never heard of St. Louis. Do they have a link?

Kurt

[Kurt]

Erick.

At this point I would not worry about hitting center bull to find out what will work.
Work up ladder loads till you find what shoots well. Ladder loads save a lot of lead, powder and frustrations.
Hold the sight picture @ 6-Oclock this will give you a good consistent aim point and don't worry about hitting center X, concentrate on the groups. You can get your no wind zero if you need to move the front sight or slide the rear saddle a smidge between groups, but I would not worry about filing on your front sight till you find a working load. Holding on center mass on a black bull is hard to get a proper sight picture with barrel sights. It is for me now days, the lamps just aren't as bright as they once were.

Kurt

[Eric Johanen]

Good advise Kurt. I believe that I will do just that and then adjust the sights. Prepping the brass from the other day and really like this chamber! Interesting just how few tools are needed to put up the loads. Since there is no sizing involved I can use my 50-70 shell holder, RCBS ram prime tool, Meacham Tool bushing neck sizer, Lee push through sizer die and a BACO compression die. The last 3 just to insure uniformity. I could load without them but, I have them so why not use them? Pretty simple reloads.

[Eric Johanen]

I now have 180 cases fit to my chamber. Only 20 more to go! I loaded 60 for fire forming and then load development will begin. Have been casting bullets a few here and there and have 200 with 100 patched and ready to load. Slipped a shim under the rear sight base to bring up the elevation and now all we need is some weather to get to the range. Working up a good hunting load and using it on steel out to 600 yards this season. I'm loading for the 50-90 and 50-70 this week and have a good supply of bullets ready to go for the Creedmoor and Mid-Range matches this season. Can't wait for the weather to break. Need trigger time badly!