Question for Lloyd or anyone who uses RCBS 45 270 SAA Bullet

[Graybeard]

What powder and approximate weight of it are you using with this bullet to get about 950-1000 fps in your .45 Colt guns. I'll be using it in the FA97 .45 Colt which is more than strong enough to exceed that velocity by a lot but I really don't want or need more and don't want the recoil so I'm planning to run it no more than 1000 fps over my chrono unless I must run a wee bit more for good accuracy. I'll work up the loads with scope and then take it off for field use.

I have those bullets you sent me Lloyd and if I like it in the gun I'll likely pick up a mould for it and force myself to cast some but that will have to wait for warm weather again as I do all my casting out in the open air never inside a closed area and I don't like being cold while doing it.

[COR]

There are only 2 bullets I shoot in the .45 Colt.  The Hornady 300gr XTP and the RCBS 270SAA.  The 270SAA is a sweet shooter with 9-10grs of Unique and that should give you just about the numbers you are looking for.  In fact my log says 1050fps out of a 7 1/2" barrel BH with the 10gr load.  I get mine from Dave Jennings at Montana Bullet Works.  It's a great bullet at those velocities too, and usually very accurate.  Good shootin'!

[paul105]

Graybeard,

I use 7.8gr of HP38 under the Montana Bullet Works version which weigh a little over 280gr and are lubed with LBT blue.  I tried .452, .453, and .454.  The .454s were by far and away the most accurate.  I crimp them over the front drive band so that they will chamber in my M97.  I get a chronographed 912 fps from my 4 1/4" FA97.  It chronos 954 fps from my 7 1/2 USFA.   Chrono results were at 60/70 deg F.  This is a very pleasant load to shoot, and should be more than adequate for most chores.

Here are a couple targets that I shot from a rest with this load -- one at 25 yds and one at 50 yds.





As we all know, each gun is an individual unto itself -- good luck.

Paul

[Lloyd Smale]

bill i never really had good luck with that bullet till i got it up to about 1100fps. What i shoot it with mostly is 21 grains of wc820 (aa9) in one of my vaqueros. Its a little stouter then youd want though. I guess if I was to try it lighter id give maybe 10 grains of unique or power pistol or maybe 11 grains of herco those should give you about a 1000. One of my old smith 25s i sold liked that bullet and the herco load. I have much better luck at those velocitys with the 255 rcbs swc.

[Graybeard]

That bullet was designed to work crimped in the crimp groove in the Colt SAA and the FA97 is the same size. I was kinda thinking it might work but then the SAA is not counter bored for the rims like the FA97 so it might not.

I am gonna crimp in the crimp groove none the less. If I have to I'll figure out what has to be cut off the case to do so. Either way it will be seated to same depth in the case.

[Lloyd Smale]

Bill ive never tried it but i have tried the rcbs 300 swcgc which has a very simular if not the same nose and it will work. crimped in the crimp grove it does come right to the end of the cyllinder in a 97 so a guy would have to make sure he had decent brass and a good crimp to prevent any creaping out of the crimp.

[44 Man]

Bill, I have some of the RCBS bullets, but I have not worked with them yet.  I have shot a lot of a different 265 gr cast bullet.  This bullet was cast by a friend of mine and he says it is from an NEI/SSK mold.  It is a cross between a SWC and a trunicated flat nose.  In other words it's a large flat nose with slightly tapered sides going down to a very small SWC shoulder.  It does 975 fps over a safe (as in SAA type safe) 20 gr of 4227.  That's my 'go to' round for a .45 hunting round.  My New Vaquero shoots it right to the sights at 40 yds.  This load will rap my middle knuckle if I do not pay close attention to my grip with the NV grip shape.  My .45 colt shooting has settled down to this load or the lee 255gr rnfp over 9 gr of Unique. (925 fps)  These two loads will do everything I might ask of the .45 colt.  On the rare occasion that I wish to just plink, I do have some of the original factory shaped rnfp swaged lead bullets.  I load those over 8.5 gr of Unique.  44 Man

[John R.]

Graybeard, I use 13.5 grs. of HS-6 for 1050 fps. It is a very accurate and mild shooting load. I also get mine from Dave Jennings @ Montana Bullet Works.

[Boxhead]

That bullet was designed to work crimped in the crimp groove in the Colt SAA and the FA97 is the same size. I was kinda thinking it might work but then the SAA is not counter bored for the rims like the FA97 so it might not.

I am gonna crimp in the crimp groove none the less. If I have to I'll figure out what has to be cut off the case to do so. Either way it will be seated to same depth in the case.

I trim my brass to 1.245" and load 21 gr H110 for 1150 fps in my M97.  For 1000 fps I would try 9 grs of Unique.

[EdK]

Bill, Brian Pearce did an article on that bullet that is in this Handloader preview. It has 14,000PSI and 20000PSI level load data.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/index.cfm?magid=151

[Steve P]

I am shooting each side of you.  8.0 grains of Unique gives me 850-900 and then I jump up to a stout load of 2400 for 1250fps.  Both are very accurate in my Vaquero.  To split the difference, I would go with the 9-10 grains of Unique.  It is a good powder.  I have Unique loads for just about every one of my single actions.

Steve 

[Graybeard]

Thanks EdK I think that is precisely what I needed. I have all the issues of both Rifle and Handloader magazines going back several years and I'm sure that I could have just set down and gone thru them to find the article by Brian eventually. But your link gave me the correct magazine to look for so now all I have to do is find the April-May 2007 issue of Rifle and look on page 12.

Brian listed a whole passel of loads for use with that bullet as I recall in that article that I can try and of course I also have those suggested by GBO Members here to try. Now I just need to get off my lazy butt and get out to the garage and make some loads happen.

[44 Man]

Graybeard, Dave Scoville also did an article in Handloader specifically on the 275gr RCBS bullet.  Maybe Edk know which issue that is also?  44 Man

[Graybeard]

Ya know I think you're right. He is the one who designed the bullet. I located my copy of the correct magazine today with Brian's article in it and have it sitting here by my computer now. I'll look the article over again and then take it to my loading bench to look over when I begin loading the bullets. I'm real tempted to give my favorite .44 magnum load a try with it also that would be 17.5 grains of 2400. It works well with 240-260 grains in the .44 magnum and I'll bet it would do about the same in .45 Colt with this bullet.

[jd45]

John R, regarding your post shooting the MBW 270, @ 1050fps, I loaded the same thing & fired it in my USFA once, & quit. I got 1128fps. You say mild? It wasn't MY experience. jd45

[Graybeard]

Looking the article by Brian Pearce over I noticed he used both 17 and 18 grains of 2400 so my load of 17.5 is rat smack in the middle of that range he chose to use. He got 1012 fps and 1083 fps from the two so that's right in the ball park of what I'm wanting. I'll adjust as needed to keep the velocity from climbing too high and find the best accuracy.

I'm thinking that 2400 or Unique depending on what's accurate and mild will likely be my powder of choice. I keep a good supply of both on hand and use them often.

[John R.]

I shot that load out of my Ruger Bisley. It is a medium load in that gun and very plesant to shoot. It probably did kick more out of your gun because it's lighter.

[warrior1]

good line greybeard. i've picked up some good load info for the vaquero i'm picking up today.dan

[Racer X]

I shot 13.0 grains of HS-6 with that bullet. In the Brian Pearce article, 13.5 grains gets you 1101 FPS but I was getting 1140 with 13.0. 13.0 of HS-6 is a flame thrower also.

As for 2400, 18.0 grains was not that accurate in my gun, but 18.5 was very accurate with all shots touching, at least for the first string of shots. As the barrel leaded up, accuracy dropped. I have not chronied any of the 2400 loads but 18.5 grains of 2400 with the 270 SAA kicked more than 24.2 grains of IMR4227 with a 250 grain XTP. Also, I recall less leading with 18.0 grains of 2400 than with 13.0 of HS-6.

When I load some more ammo, I am going to drop back to 17.5 grains of 2400 to check leading and accuracy.