.43 Mauser Dies to load .44/77 Sharps BN

[mrhunterken]

Thinking of a .44/77 Sharps BN, but the price of dies is unbeleivable. I have been told that .43 Mauser Dies can be used to load this round. Is it so, or am I getting unsound advice.:roll:

[corbinace]

Funny you should ask , as I am trying to load 43 Mauser and had considered the 44-77 because of the larger neck expander until I saw the price tag.

Parroting advice I just got in the last 24 hours....The 43 Mauser has a smaller .439 expander ball. The sizer also sizes down the neck too small for your use without modification. Take my version of this story with a grain of salt as I am just repeating my understanding of what I was told, but it seemed like the gentleman knew of what he spoke and made sense to me.

Post what you come up with.

[skeettx]

Can be done,
the 43 Spanish uses a 439 bullet and the 44/77 uses a 446 bullet
So you can use the Spanish dies and it will make the neck a bit small, then you can get a larger expanded to
open up the neck and then MIGHT be able to seat the bullet with the seater die, should, maybe, perhaps.
I would sure give it a try
Mike

[Mk42gunner]

Another way to go that makes more sense to me is to get a set of dies for the .43 Spanish which is supposed to be the same as the 44-77 except it uses a .439" bullet and then ream the neck larger. Lee two die sets are available from Titan for about $31. You would still need a neck expander, but that is easily made.

If you are thinking of one of the originals that may have a bore as large as .451, I would neck size with a set of .45 ACP dies.

Robert

[upnorthwis]

I load for .43 Mauser and it uses a .446 bullet.

[enfield]

I agree with the .446 and the 43 mauser, I also use a 45 ACP sizer to neck size. no reason to size the rest of the case. I only use my Lee 43 dies for seating bullets or if I'm forming brass from something else.

[mrhunterken]

Thanks guys, it's all just a little too much to play with right now, going with a .45/90 instead.

[curator]

You need dies to load black powder cartridges for a single shot rifle? I have die sets for .310 Cadet, 38-55, .40-65, .43 Spanish, 45 Danish Remington, .577-450 Martini Henry, and .577 Snider but almost never use them. Simply de-cap, clean brass, re-prime, load powder and wads, seat bullet and shoot. Working the brass with neck sizing and neck expanding seems unnecessary and it shortens its life. If the bullets fallout of your loaded cases, make them slightly bigger in diameter or paper patch them. Friction slide fit works fine. Wads and powder charge hold the bullet to provide proper bullet depth and cartridge over-all length.

[ascast]

Thanks guys, it's all just a little too much to play with right now, going with a .45/90 instead.

wise move

[leadman]

My 43 Mauser single shot has a .451" bore, with a neck in the chamber that will only allow a .450" bullet. I bought the Lee dies but they are for the 71/84 repeater and have the shoulder in the wrong position so I neck size with them. I also had made by a former member here, an expander to go in the Lee Universal Expander die that is modeled after the Lyman M die. I shoot the Lee 300gr RFN GC revolver bullet sized to .450" and it groups about 3" at 100 yards. I think the OP made a wise choice also.

[Yellowhouse]

I don't use any dies except for the universal decapper because paper patch requires nothing else. For lead bullets I use the universal M die to flare the neck and only then use the 44-77 seating die but I'm sure something else could be substituted like the 43 mauser. IMHO, buying that expensive die set is not the way to go. That said I bought one earlier one when I didn't know better.