Thread: Difficult to find case making 43 Spanish 11mm Mauser 44-77

These three cases
43 Spanish
11mm Mauser
44-77
Are basically the same thing with a few thou difference in neck and bullet diameter

They are a pain in the arse very early bottle neck orphan cartridge family now.

Cases can be made by sizing up then sizing down and some lathe work using 348 Winchester brass.
Hard to impossible to find.

Another option is cutting to length, sizing down necks fire forming up or swaging up 45-90 brass.

I have a 44-77 rifle incoming.
So this morning I decided to try making a set of expander dies to form up from 45-90.

I made a set of expanders to bring it up in stages.
I made a bush for my big press to keep the expanders straight with the case in the press in its shell holder.
Tap the expander in.
The shoulder of the expander then becomes an extractor on the bush .
Used the 3 expanders on a 45-70 case ( lots of those on hand ) to test the theory. And got the exact size I wanted.

So then do the same to a 45-90 case ( not many do precious but more available ) and find I only need the first expander because the case web is much heavier than the 45-70s.

So the cases do have a 0.3mm doughnut just above the rim.
But the base is now the correct size.

Now trim to length and run it into a 43 Spanish sizer die and you are good to go





Now I have ground truthed this process I need to go get my 44-77 make a chamber cast, cast some .446" bullets and go shoot a North American Buffalo

As you well know it's actually a bison. But "bison Bill" sounds silly. Have you considered approaching Orana wildlife park or the zoo about holding a big game day

Handloaders of obscure cartridges are seldom bored.
GPM.

I have some 10.75x68 brass.....dont know if that would help...

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

As you well know it's actually a bison. But "bison Bill" sounds silly. Have you considered approaching Orana wildlife park or the zoo about holding a big game day

I think you've just sorted out their fundraising shortfall!

Originally Posted by No.3

I think you've just sorted out their fundraising shortfall!

And a great way to feed the Big Cats

Originally Posted by No.3

I think you've just sorted out their fundraising shortfall!

And a great way to feed the Big Cats

Well they do like to mangle the English language.

We know they are bison.
But no one calls it a Bison Rifle.
And they even shorten it to buflo rifle to save time !

Well i always wanted a Buffalo ( bison ) rifle in a proper Buflo caliber and that's what the 44-77 was.
Before the 45-70 came along true 44 caliber was the king of the big bores.

Then the U.S. military spent a lot of time and money working out that the straight cased 45-70 was the best option for their new service caliber.
Then there was a flood of similar straight cases until they decided bottleneck was a good idea again

I think Bruce Bertram makes brass in this caliber.

Originally Posted by Fee Knicks

I think Bruce Bertram makes brass in this caliber.

Yes he does
But it's not easy to get
Nothing is

heres another option

https://www.remingtonsociety.org/for...ic.php?t=27307

Originally Posted by Fee Knicks

heres another option

https://www.remingtonsociety.org/for...ic.php?t=27307

Yeah there are plenty of ways of getting there from the bigger 50 cal cases and 348 cases But they are all ultra expensive and almost impossible to get.
45-90 is relatively cheap and readily available