RCBS 45-270 mold

[Dusty Miller]

Does anybody here have experience shooting the RCBS 45-270 bullet mold?  The latest issue of Shooting Illustrated gave it rave review but I'd rather hear from some people who actually cast with it. 

[Dusty Miller]

HUH?!  Nobody?

[Tom W.]

I have one, but data is a witch to find...
It makes a very good looking bullet, plain based with an  adequate lube grove. No trouble sizing it..
It shoots pretty well from my Blackhawk, but I still haven't found a load to settle on.  What does the magazine have to say?

[Racer X]

EXTENSIVE LOAD DATA FOR 270 SAA (see link)

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf

This is an excerpt from the current "Handloader" magzine. It has an article by Brian Pearce that has lots of load data just for the 270 SAA. I bought some of these from Montana Bullet Works. This should be very useful to anyone loading for this bullet.

I saved the PDF file on my hard drive. If for some reason the link does not work, let me know and I can email you the PDF.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use it alot. Especially in my 25 mountain gun. Its a great bullet but ive found that it can be a little tricky for load developement. I about gave up on it until i pushed it to about 1000 fps. It didnt do real well in any of my .45s below that. It did though end up being the most accurate load in that 25. Loaded with herco it shot into an inch at 25 yards.

[Graybeard]

Lloyd are you pushing it that hard in Colt or Colt Clone guns or only in the S&W and/or Rugers?

I've long toyed with getting one of those moulds but that seems a bit hard to push it from a Colt which is what I'd be using it in or actually a Uberti clone. I'm sure it would work fine in my Rossi rifle but since the only other .45 Colt here right now is the Uberti I'm a bit leery of loading hotter than it can take even tho I do have a system that is "supposed" to keep hotter stuff separate.

[Lloyd Smale]

Bill my 25 mountain gun is the weakest 45 colt i have. I dont own a colt or even a colt copy. Some guys have luck with the lighter loads but its not done that well with light loads in my rugers or smiths. tell you what though it makes a hell of a hunting bullet at a 1000 fps!!

Lloyd are you pushing it that hard in Colt or Colt Clone guns or only in the S&W and/or Rugers?

I've long toyed with getting one of those moulds but that seems a bit hard to push it from a Colt which is what I'd be using it in or actually a Uberti clone. I'm sure it would work fine in my Rossi rifle but since the only other .45 Colt here right now is the Uberti I'm a bit leery of loading hotter than it can take even tho I do have a system that is "supposed" to keep hotter stuff separate.

[Graybeard]

Scovill designed that bullet specifically for the Colt revolvers so it really should work OK in them. It might be the twist rate in your Smith is diferent from the Colt guns and I assume that the clones would be the same as the Colt. It's a bullet I've been really tempted to try in mine.

[Racer X]

I use it alot. Especially in my 25 mountain gun. Its a great bullet but ive found that it can be a little tricky for load developement. I about gave up on it until i pushed it to about 1000 fps. It didnt do real well in any of my .45s below that. It did though end up being the most accurate load in that 25. Loaded with herco it shot into an inch at 25 yards.

I'm putting together several loads with that bullet in anticipation of getting my SBH Hunter back from Clements. I'm starting with 8.0 grains of W231 and 13.0 grains of HS-6. I am looking for something in the 1000 to 1150 FPS range that is very accurate.

[paul105]

I've shot a bunch of these from Montana Bullet Works (15 BHN-Lyman #2 according to the box).  Picture of 50 yard group from my 4 1/4" FA M97 (Fiber Optic front and old eyes):



In the FA97, you either have to trim the cases, or crimp over the front drive band -- I crimp over the drive band.

I've shot these (crimped over front drive band) in USFA Flattop Target, Ruger New Vaquero, and S&W 625.

The USFA likes the load.

The Ruger doesn't shoot anything better than 2".

The 625 has .454 grove and .451 throats, but still does about 2 1/2" at 25 yds.

Paul

[Doctor Sam]

Another commercial caster not mentioned has a hard time getting the bullet to fill out, especially the critical top band.  I read Scovill's article and ordered some.  Vendor replaced the first 100; no cooperation with the defective bullets in the second batch.  He said they would be accurate.  28 of the first batch were fine.  Less than that on the second batch.
Examine the commercial cast very well before wasting time reloading a defective bullet.
You guys that own the mold should be OK as you can tailor the mix, heat, etc., to make them work or remelt and go again.
I can't tell how they shoot as I went back with the Keith bullet while waiting on these and lost interest.
Dr. Sam