RCBS 255SWC or 270SAA for .45 Colt

[Lonegun1894]

I was looking around and found these two molds, and was wondering what the difference would be besides the obvious difference in weight. The guns, and I would be trying to keep myself and a friend supplied in boolits, would be Ruger Vaqueros, BHs, a RH, a Rossi 92, and a Winchester 94--all in .45 Colt. I assume either should work just fine in the revolvers, but do y'all have any thoughts about the rifles? I mean, long enough to feed, too long to feed, etc, etc. Any pros or cons would be appreciated. Thanks y'all. I have the guns fed as things are so there is no hurry, and I don't even know if I will be getting either anytime soon or ever, but we all know how we are with always looking for a new mold.

[Tatume]

The 270SAA bullet has a long front driving band that will enter the throats of most single action revolvers. It must be sized to fit into the throat, or it cannot be chambered. If correctly sized they are very accurate.

The 255SWC has a short front driving and can be sized oversized for the throat and still chamber. They can also be very accurate, and are a little bit less trouble for a neophyte caster/reloader.

I own and like both.

[RobS]

Considering you are also loading for lever action rifles you may want to consider a LFN style design with a .380" or shorter nose length. Saying that though I have loaded and shot both of those Keith SWC's in a Rossi 454 Casull lever action rifle. I do have a Rossi 45 Colt too but had long switched to my own LFN style designs so can't say as to the function of these two boolits in this particular firearm.

[Jupiter7]

The 270saa(280ish grs) is a lengthened 454424(260ish grs). Might want to borrow a couple from someone to load a few for the 94. My Rossi will feed both, nod goes to the original 454424 for best all around hunting and plinking boolit in my Blackhawk and m92

[Char-Gar]

The RCBS 270 SSA was designed by David Scoville to remedy what he thought was a design error in the original Keith bullet, at least as it related to the Colt Single Action revolver. The Colt SSA has rather shallow rifling designed for black powder and Scoville though the bullet need a longer bearing surface to grip the shallow rifling better. The bullets fall from my mold at 280 grains or a little more.

I don't have nor plan to have a rifle in 45 Colt, but I would think other designs would be a better choice for a levergun. Unless a fellow just must have a rifle that fires the same round as his sixgun, then a 44 magnum lever gun is a better choice for a pistol cartridge carbine. At least in my opinion.

[High Desert Hunter]

My vote goes to the 45-270SAA, in my Blackhawks, they have proven hands down to be the most accurate bullet, I have fired thousands from 4 different 45 Colt revolvers, three of which are Blackhawks, and close to a thousand from the 454 Casull. They boost my confidence every time I shoot them. I would however vote for trying a few in the rifle before you commit.

[osteodoc08]

Have both. Love both. The SAA design loads and cycles just fine in my marlin

[StrawHat]

I like both of the boolits in my Italian Colts. Either are more than sufficient for Ohio white tailed deer.


...The RCBS 270 SSA was designed by David Scoville to remedy what he thought was a design error in the original Keith bullet, at least as it related to the Colt Single Action revolver...

Char-Gar, didn't Lyman shorten the boolit Keith designed for some reason? I recall that tidbit from somewhere back in my early days of reading Keith. He wanted a longer (heavier) boolit and Lyman chopped it back.

[Char-Gar]

I like both of the boolits in my Italian Colts. Either are more than sufficient for Ohio white tailed deer.



Char-Gar, didn't Lyman shorten the boolit Keith designed for some reason? I recall that tidbit from somewhere back in my early days of reading Keith. He wanted a longer (heavier) boolit and Lyman chopped it back.


Lyman did all sorts of heinous things to/with Keith's design such as changing the size and shape of the lube groove and the size of the various driving bands, but I don't think they shortened/lightened the bullet.

[9.3X62AL]

I have 2 copies of the Lymam #45&424, an older single cavity that casts 92/6/2 at .455" and a newer 2-banger that just makes .454". Both produce 254-255 grain weights, and both look short and squatty to my eye. Groove and drive band forms differ markedly, but don't shoot differently. The older S/C is a joy to cast with, the newer edition is sticky and cranky. Lyman moulds are like Duesenberg automobiles......no two alike.

[cbrick]

The 270SAA bullet has a long front driving band that will enter the throats of most single action revolvers. It must be sized to fit into the throat, or it cannot be chambered. If correctly sized they are very accurate.

Not in my Blackhawk Bisley conversion. Just today I was shooting both my loads and a friends load, both loads identical, same 2400 from the same can, both using MP 45 270 SAA but from two different molds, same lot of brass. Mine were sized .452" and were a mild snug fit in the throats, his were sized .454" and the bullets would not enter the throats in my Ruger. Both loads chambered perfectly because the front band did not reach the short throats. Both loads shot comparative groups at 60 yards.

Deer season opens tomorrow :mrgreen: and I plan on using this Ruger 45 Colt and we were sighting in a red dot and so used both loads just to see.

Rick

[huntrick64]

I had both until I bought a MP 270 SAA mold. After casting with it the first time, I sold the two RCBS molds. On both RCBS molds, both cavities threw different boolits. On my MP 270 SAA, all four cavities throw identical boolits. Also, my MP mold was one of the early ones Miha cut so it is .454 and I just size down to .452. I didn't really notice much difference in how they shot, but more fun to cast with.

I'm embarrassed to say, but the most accurate boolit yet out of my Bisley 45 colt 7.5" was a Lee 255 RF with shallow grease gooves. It was a six-banger mold. Boolits from that mold would shoot one ragged hole at 25 yds rested. Yes, I sold it to buy the RCBS molds, which I sold after buying the MP mold??? I still have all of my MP molds and will not sell them.