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)