Development of PP loads for the .44-77.

[Distant Thunder]

So it's a .44-77 AI!

Now that my rifle is about to be shipped the weather forecast is for rain and rain mixed with rain for as far as the eye can see! Why am I not surprised!

So I'll be casting bullets and looking at .44-77 cases trying imagine how loads are going to look as I listen to the rain on the roof all weekend. Hopefully there is a break in the rain after Wednesday.

I am a bit concerned about the idea of the bullet and wad(s) seated to the depth of the neck/shoulder junction and here's why.

I am thinking I'll do my fireforming and initial test loads with Goex 2F. I have a bunch of this powder and it has been a good performer in my other cartridges. With the understanding that the bottleneck cases do better with minimum compression I decided to see just how much powder comes up just into the neck when drop tubed.

I used some of the Jamison brass I bought that has been fireformed by the previous owner. I do not know anything about the rifle or chamber that they were fireformed in and there maybe some change when fired in my Shiloh, but here is what I got with two powders.

Goex 2F took only 66.0 grains.
My current lot of 1 1/2 Swiss took 73.0 grains.

I would probably get just over 1200 fps with 73 grains of Swiss 1 1/2. The 66 grains of 2F Goex would likely be about 1140 fps with a tailwind if I pulled the trigger real hard and was lucky. That's ok for silhouette and maybe mid-range, but it's not going to cut it at 1000 yards. This situation concerns me. I would really like to get a lot closer to 1300 fps, at least 1280 fps.

At Lodi they require a minimum of 1215 fps for .44 caliber. I might just make that velocity with 73 grains or not! I would need to find a way to get 80 grains of 1 1/2 in that big .44 case to put my mind at ease.

So once again I find myself just playing with numbers and no real idea what I will actually be able to do with this rifle. In another week I should be able to start playing with actual loads and bullets and things will probably start looking better, I hope.