Originally Posted by DigitalDan
FWIW, I did a fair bit of load testing with the 77/44, all with various paper patched bullets and round balls and over a broad range of velocities. Don't care much whether one uses GG or paper patch, but I would suggest lead for low velocity shooting. The more comical loads were with the round balls, being sized to .422" and patched to .430, both as single ball loads and multi-ball loads. They are useful, reasonably accurate and at low velocity fairly quiet without a muffler.

The 300 grain cupped base FRN bullet used in the loads peaked at about 1,400 fps insofar as accuracy went. They shot well at velocities in the 600 fps range but issued a rather odd flat report. They would be easy to silence. The target above was fired with a FBFRN 300 grain pure lead bullet paper patched over 17.0 grains of Li'l Gun and a card wad. Right around 1600 fps. Dunno you could shut that one up.

All in all, over 1,000 rounds thru the gun and it still shoots very well and with little attention required. Near about a perfect woods or truck gun by my experience.

Recovered from dead deer. Broke both forelegs:

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Dan, I would be really interested to learn more about the various round ball loads you've put together. I've thought many times about buying some soft lead round balls about 3-5 thousandths larger than bore diameter for both my 44's and 357's and try to come up with a soft shooting, quiet load for pests and plinking.

4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan. smile