The best I can do is cite an example from the COW#11 on page 148, where there is a mention of a 44-75 Ballard rifle owned by J. T. Amber (aka John T Angry by those that knew him ) that had cases 2.5 inches long, but it wasn't a bottlenecked shell. My best guess is that what you have might have been chambered for a "Magnum" version of the 44-77, using longer brass. With no markings on the barrel, you're going to have to wait for the Cerrosafe to arrive to figure out exactly what you have.

Necking the 44-75 down to a bottlenecked configuration might explain why your chamber is shorter than the 2.5" listed for the 44-75.

Finding or making brass for your gun is going to be a BEAR, regardless of what it turns out to be. Rim diameters and body sizes differ between the two rounds mentioned, though that might not be a factor, as 44-75 brass is pretty much non-existant anyway.

According to my "Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions", the length from the rim to the shoulder is 1.56". If you can find some .375 Flanged cases, you can cut them to fit your specific chamber length, and fireform them after sizing. (Dies? HELP!)

Bullet diameter is listed as .446", Head diameter is .516", the rim should be .625, and .065" thick.

44-90 Sharps Necked Length is listed as 1.89", but I can't find anything for the 2-5/8ths round. Got any other rounds to compare it with, or other names?

You have a bucketful of snakes awaiting your endeavors. Good luck, and I hope this somehow helped!

 

Reslugged the barrel today, this time with an expanded .446 bullet, bore is .443 and grove is .451.

The guy I got the gun from had good luck using .446 grease grove bullets made 30-1.

He was using 43 Spanish brass expanded out to .446. Got the brass with the gun.

Can't wait to the cerrosafe gets here. 'cause there is now 3 posibilities:

44-77 Sharps BN 44-90 Sharps 2 7/16 (2.46), the right length and the 44-90 Remington Special Necked also the right length

 

Isn't this stuff FUN? 8)

Let us know how this plays out. Pictures of the gun and rounds would be nice too..............

 

Isn't this stuff FUN? 8)

Let us know how this plays out. Pictures of the gun and rounds would be nice too..............

+1

Cheers,
Mark.

 

+2 on a look see of your new shooting piece. ;D .Dirty-.30

 

WELL !!!! The Cerrosafe arrived today and just had to do a chamber cast. Doing a chamber cast removes all doubt ! :-[

It is confirmed, it is a 44-77 SBN with free bore for the paper patched bullet. Without the chamber cast it appeared optically using a caliper, that the cartridge length was actually longer.

Anyway, tomorrow, the Ballard will be making smoke !!

Thanks for all of your inputs.

 

If you need more 43 Spanish Brass, Graf's offers the Bertram stuff, for between $2.00 and 2.50 a pop, depending on quantity.

http://www.grafs.com/metallic/874

 

Also, Buffalo Arms Co offers the 44-77 2 1/4" BN ready made as well as the original lenght and for the Shilos. All of those oldies are a bit high $ but worth it not to have to buy all the forming dies to convert something.
`57

 

Found it !!! ;D

44-90 SBN 2 7/16 is the same case as the 44-77 SBN with the bullet seated out to the same OAL as the standard 44-90 SBN. It did not last very long due to the bullet being held in by 1/4 to 3/16 of an inch depending on which bullet was used.

TNKS for all your help !

 

At the time(origional rifles) there is no freebore for a paper patch bullet. In those days when rifle was made most all the bigger cartridges used a paper patch bullet. How early is the serial number? The .451 bore diameter is the standard .44 diameter for a Ballard in the origional timeframe. Can you post a picture of the casting?.... Don rustyrelx old Ballard collecter