44-77

MudChild · Post by **MudChild** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 9:08 pm

I've asked a similar question before about the best cartridge to get a rifle in. I've read a little about the different calibers used for buffalo hunting and the 44-77 was listed as one of the minimum calibers. My question is how does the 44-77 compare to the 45-70 and 45-90. I would like to use my gun for several possible trips out west (elk, etc.), but mostly I'm going to use it to hunt whitetail here on my personal 80 acres of Ozark paradise.

N2 · Post by N2 » Tue Nov 04, 2003 7:57 am

Mudchild - Both the 44-77 BN and 45-90 are easily capable of outperforming the 45-70. However, if all you plan to do is hunt with this rifle the 45-70 will give you all the performance you need, especially with Swiss powder. The 44-77 BN was listed by Remington as a minimum caliber for buffalo. If anyone thinks the 44-77 is a weak sister they haven't looked at the ballistic data and I seriously doubt a deer or an elk can tell the difference between a .446" bullet or a .458" bullet. - Nick

Parley Baer · Post by **Parley Baer** » Wed Nov 05, 2003 7:58 pm

Especially when both bullets weigh 500 grains. Parley

JAGG · Post by **JAGG** » Wed Nov 05, 2003 11:25 pm

M C ! 45/70 brass is cheaper and easier to fine ! The 44/77 is about the same as the 43spanish ! JAGG

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:45 pm

Don't 4get a die set. The cbest price that I could find for a .44-77 Sharps/Remington was from CH-4d & only for US $138.00. Add on another US $10 or so for a shell holder

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:34 pm

MudChild,
The straight cases are cheaper, but the coolnest factor of a bottleneck is beyond price. If you are looking for adventure, go for the 44-77, with the COOL factor. I imagine you will be only one of a few folks shooting one. I personally have never seen one in action, but don't let that stop you.
Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT

MudChild · Post by **MudChild** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 9:02 am

Does the bottle neck make a difference in performance. I've never really been a ballistician, but I thought I read somewhere that a bottlenecked case has more velocity. I assumed it was because the case forced the gas and energy into a smaller area, making for higher pressures.

MLV · Post by **MLV** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 10:12 am

Mudchild: When the U.S. Army was testing new cartridges in the early 1870s, they tried both bottlenecked and straight cases in .40 caliber, .42 caliber, and .45 caliber. Powder charges and bullets were the same. They gave up on the .45 bottleneck because their testing showed 2000 pounds more pressure for negligible velocity gains with the exact same powder charges and bullets.

I've got two .44-77s, an original Sharps and an original Rolling Block. Both shoot real good from a hunting standpoint, but won't equal a .45 caliber straight case for accuracy. I've also had a couple of Shiloh .44-77s and felt the same about them. By the time the original Sharps Rifle Company went out of business they had dropped the bottlenecked cases except on special order in favor of straight cases.

MudChild · Post by **MudChild** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 10:29 pm

I appreciate the responses, guys. I'm still planning to order a Shiloh next fall. My wife is a teacher and we've got to make sure she'll be coming back for her second year before we/I can start spending that kind of money. That leaves me a year to plan my rifle. I think I'm back to a 45-90.

OLReliable · Post by **OLReliable** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 10:43 am

Mr. Child,

I guess everyone has had their own experiences with a 44/77BN. My last one was to put 20 shots inside of a 2" square at 100 yards using 73grs/wt. of Swiss 1~1/2 and and bullets cast from an old Ideal 470gr #446187 bullet mould. One should remember, however, that loading for a BN ain't like loading for a straight cased cartridge. This cartridge is superbly accurate, but you need to put aside LOTS of time for load development before you get it where y' want it.
I am headed for So. Central Texas in a couple of days to hunt feral hogs. Of all the rifles I own, I have chosen my Shiloh Sharps Hartford Model chambered for 44.77BN for this purpose, because I regard it as the most reliable and accurate shooter in my gun safe.

OLR
"See The Elephant"