OT-What does your RCBS 255 grain Keith really weigh?

[reo]

I had the RCBS 45-270-SWC and it cast the Keith style bullets at 290 grains with WW's. Does anyone have any experience with their 45-255-SWC and WW's? I would like a 255 Keith bullet that comes out around that? Are their any other moulds besides an old/new Lyman or Ideal? Sorry if this subject has been beat to death, couldn't find it in a search.

[kooz]

267gr strait WWs

[reo]

thank you, what do you think of the bullet/mould? Is it working out for you like you expected...

[kooz]

It casts excellent bullets and I couldn't be happier with the mold. I have also have been using the LEE 255gr flat nose bullet mold and have gotten excellent accuracy from it in my USFA's, groups typically hovering right at 1" @ 25 yds also shoots excellent in my Rossi and Winchester levers. This mold has really suprised me it is much more accurate than I expected it would be, the LEE bullet weighs in at 252gr out of WW's.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=570018

[J Miller]

I had the RCBS 45-270-SWC and it cast the Keith style bullets at 290 grains with WW's. Does anyone have any experience with their 45-255-SWC and WW's? I would like a 255 Keith bullet that comes out around that? Are their any other moulds besides an old/new Lyman or Ideal? Sorry if this subject has been beat to death, couldn't find it in a search.

Reo,
RCBS makes two Keith molds. The first is a 45-255-SWC, not sure of the exact number, the other is the one you have.
If you get one of their paper catalogs and read the itsy bitsy fine print you'll find that they regulate their molds with a 10-1 lead tin alloy. Far harder than wheel weights. If you can make up something like that you'll be close to what you want.

Joe

[reo]

J Miller,

Great, did not know that, I appreciate the information.

[Don McDowell]

My rcbs 255KT drops em crowding 270 real hard when using straight wheelweights.
They sure do shoot good in all my guns, but they're nose is,purt neart to long for the New Vaquero cylinder.

[shawn45]

Mine weigh 260-263 with a little tin added. I use this as my hunting bullet and have never been dissapointed. I use the Lee Biglube custom six banger mold for practice loads. I like a lot of lube in my 45 LC and the 454"s. Most Lee 45 don't hold enough lube to satisfy me. I don't have that much leading with the regular Lee molds but its a mental thing. With the RCBS mold I dont get any leading and my loads run 1400 fps.

[northwoods]

Reo,
The mold you have was designed by Dave Scovil and the cast weight you are getting is about right. My Lyman casts a 265 and the RCBS casts a 250gr weight. I personaly like the heavier DS design. But they all work well.
Bob

[reo]

The reason I am looking for this info is because I want to get as close to the 255-260 weight for the 18.5 2400 in the lighter sixguns and the 22 gr load for the Blackhawk. I had an original Ideal mould, I sold to a collector. It was really chewed up and cast awful bullets most of the time. I would like to duplicate those loads because they were really accurate and I like having those classic loads in the guns. The Blackhawk is my remote fishing, backpacking and scouting gun until hunting season, then it is a backup of sorts. All this to say thank you for your additional information, appreciate it.

[J Miller]

reo,

I mentioned that RCBS uses 10-1 lead - tin to regulate their molds. If you get one of their 255gr versions and use this alloy you should be really close to what you want.

I've been looking for the same thing. The heavier bullets are great in the Blackhawks and lever guns or for lighter loads in the Colt type guns, but at 18.5+ grs of 2400 they become a bit questionable.

I'm not set up to cast right now, but when I get back to it, I'm going to get some Lyman #2 alloy and try casting some Keith bullets from my 70's vintage mold. With #2 alloy Lyman says it casts out at 255grs. With wheel weights it casts out at 268grs. It's a good mold, makes good bullets, but for the most part they are just too heavy.

Joe

[Marc]

Not an RCBS but I have a Saeco 441 that casts at 256 grains. It is a Keith style SWC.

[reo]

I used the 290 Keith from the RCBS 45-270 mould for the last three years under 18.5 grains of 2400. I killed a 4 point (WC) with a Henry Big Boy last year with this load. The Saeco sounds promising I'll have to look at the design I'm not familiar with their moulds.

[Don McDowell]

Lee's swc, bullet lands out of the mold right at 255 when cast from wheelweights ( or at least the ones I have do it that way), and those bullets have prooven very accurate in a variety of guns for me with the 2400 load.

[J Miller]

Lee's swc, bullet lands out of the mold right at 255 when cast from wheelweights ( or at least the ones I have do it that way), and those bullets have prooven very accurate in a variety of guns for me with the 2400 load.

Don,

Is that the 255gr SWC with the stumpy short nose and two small lube groves? If so I have a single cavity version of it that I forgot about. And mine also casts out around 255grs with ww lead.

Joe