New bullet

[Kurt]

I have finally had a chance to do some 500 mtr tests using the .44-77 with a 1/17 ROT. The best performer was the bullet on the left that was cast with a Sagebrush mould. It is 1.456" long and weight is 510 GR.
The second was the center bullet from a first run BA 2 pin mould I converted into a DD. It is 1.402" long and weighs 493 gr. It shot slightly better than #3 on the right that is a new BA DD 1.439" long and 505 gr. I used this bullet at the Alma MI silhouette match and it shot as good as I could hold the rifle, but I did not shoot well with only a 20 for the best score on Saturday and only a 16 on Sunday. I don't remember ever shooting that low with a scoped rifle. I guess the 1-1/2 year lay off I went down hill. Just cant hold tight anymore. The cross hairs were on and off those iron critters resting on the cross sticks. I thought the high winds did it at Lodi but I'm not so sure after last weekend when the conditions were calm.
But the Sage 1.456 long put a group at 500 you could cover with the palm of your hand on the ram.
I have used that bullet here on my home range at 200 yards using my 19 ROT Shiloh hunting rifle and it had put 10 rounds under 2" at 200 yds.

Yes length has a factor compared to the ROT but also the ogive shape is a very large factor keeping a projectile stable.
I have shot 520 gr at 1000 yards using a 1/19 ROT using the .44-90bn that has a larger powder capacity and that bullet has the original Sharps profile and as well as several other manufactures used back in the late 1800 ads that looked close to what Don posted above.
The ogive shape makes a big difference with the slower twist bores as well as the tighter twist used that center bullet for many years in the .44-90 bn as well as in the .44-77 with the 1/19 ROT and it has kept me pretty high at the Quigley and the Mt 1000.