curious On the 44 caliber cartridges.

[country gent]

Gentleman I'm curious about the 44 cal cartridges you are using and are available either as head stamped brass or easily formed. Both bottle necked and straight. I see 44-70, 44-77, and 44-90. I'm contemplating a 1878 Sharps from C Sharps arms and want to play with a different cartridge. I'm currently shooting 38-55, 40-65, 45-70, and 45-90. What would be recommended as to barrel length, twist rate, sights. I'm also planning on dilled and tapped for MVA Malcomb scope blocks both 7 1/2" and 17" centers. Thanks for your time

[Don McDowell]

I am shooting 4477 and 44 90 st

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[Lead pot]

The .44-70 Maynard you would have to form the brass. The .44-77 and the .44-90 bn 2-5/8 you can get proper head stamp from Jamison or Track of the wolf. and a few others.
I also shoot a .44-75 Ballard and a .44-100 Rem. St. They are all good calibers.
My .44-90 2-5/8 Bn I have 2 one with a 1/19 and the other 1/16 ROT the .44-77 has a 1/19 ROT. Both rifles with the 1/19 shoot well but you have to be a little selective on bullets.
The .44-75 Ballard has a 1/16 Rot and the other .44-90 bn has a 1/16 and they will just about shoot what ever you have for a mould that fits them. The .44-100 Rem St. I have two one has a 1/17 ROT with a 1.3X35 round no taper barrel. It is a heavy 25# Shiloh and it shoots extremely well with bullets to 1.5" long. The other .44-100 has a 1/16 ROT and it shoots so-so but it has a error barrel.
So choose what you need for the job. :)
The .44-70 Maynard is a proven chamber a shooter I know that uses one.
Kurt

[Don McDowell]

I would suggest a 16 or 17 twist for the 44's. That will let you get into the heavier bullets and keep stability, and also allow the lighter bullets.
The 44-90 st. is simply running a 45-90 case into the sizing die and going from there.

[Bent Ramrod]

I have a .44-77 with the 19" twist. Haven't completely wrung it out, but at its best, it seems to shoot as well as other large BP cartridges out to at least "mid-range."

That said, as a target cartridge, it seems to be more finicky to load and less versatile in regard to changes in loadings than the straight cased .45s and (at least from the reports I've read) the straight cased .44s.

But it is Thee original Sharps cartridge, and off-the-charts Cool!

[Don McDowell]

44-77 is pretty simple to load for, with that 19 twist you need to keep the bullet length right at 1.3 to keep stability past 600 yds. when there's much of any wind. 1.1 inch bullets shoot very well out to 600. Now all that's left is to find your preferred loads somewhere between 74 and 77 gr. of powder.