I guess I haven't looked in here in a while. I never saw this thread.
I have a 77/44 I tinker with quite a bit. I bought it about four or five years ago on a whim, mostly because the price was right. I didn't expect to keep it unless I suppressed it (I have a suppressed 77/22, and it would make a nice companion for that), but that was the first surprise it gave. It has not only stuck around, but it gets taken on most range trips.
When I got it, I had high hopes for accuracy and thought that would be where it had the edge over lever actions. Checking online at the time, I found people saying it shot really well or fair at best. What I found was that it was a 4+1 or 3+2 shooter, meaning it would put three, and usually four, into a group but throw the other one or two out.
Some of that was my fault because it got better after some trigger tuning. Obviously my trigger control was part of it. Bedding is probably the test if the answer. I was unwilling to do any obvious and permanent changes because they were out of production at the time (and bringing more than they were worth in my honest opinion) so I tried temporary tricks like using shims to gloat the action above the stock. That helped, and I think a full bedding job would do wonders with mine.
But I didn't. Really- why? I got it to where I could keep them in two inches at 50 (Leupold 1-4x) and didn't see why I needed more. That's enough to stay in a deer's vitals at 100 allowing for quite a bit of wobble on my part. And that may be mire than I can use because a) I doubt I'd see one beyond half that far, and b) that's five shot groups, when I can't imagine getting more than two at the most. I always got at least three touching. Sinking more time, money, and effort into it seemed like a quest for what Jeff Cooper called "inconsequential increments". I don't see that 1.5 MOA vs 2 MOA matters on deer size game within 100 yards.
So I've mostly played around to see what all I could get it to shoot at least passable well. I cast bullets and have quite a range of .44 moulds, so I played around with bullets ranging from 113 to 320 grains. From 680 fps to just under 2000. The twist (1-20) handles them all pretty well.
In jacketed, it likes the Hornady XTPs in 240 and 300, like most .44s do.
I've loaded shot loads, round balls, double projectiles (two stacked 133 grain bullets), heavy bullet subsonics, and I got at least decent results with all except the shot loads, which is no great surprise.
Some people say the 77/44's magazine is too short to handle long bullets. Yeah, it is too short to take a 300 SWC with a long nose, but there are plenty of heavies it will take. A switch to a Wide Flat Nose or TC will get it in there. The heaviest .44 mould I have is an SSK-designed TC meant for 320 grains in Linotype. It runs more like 330 or so from wheelweight alloy. I can use it through the magazine when seated to it's deepest crimp point. I doubt I'd need anything heavier. I can't imagine what I need a 330 for.
Along the way, I realized where this rifle shined over lever actions was in handiness. A pistol caliber lever is a handy thing, but this is even better. Mine was 5.25 lbs before I put that little scope on it. That is the same weight as my Browning takedown .22 autos.
I've seriously given thought to the 77/44 as a survival rifle. It may not be the best tool for fighting off close Zombies, but it will handle anything in IN or vicinity at reasonable range. It is easy on powder, with the heaviest loads using less than my .223 reloads. I can use a wide range of powders- even black powder if I had to. I can cast bullets for any situation. Mine is stainless/synthetic. The hollow stock can hold fishing line and matches, etc. Its light an easy to carry. I don't know. Just an offbeat thought that started when I noticed that even during the ammo buying panic of 2009-2009 I could always find .44 Mag on the shelves.