Rcbs #45-250fn

[weldernewt53]

Does the RCBS #45-250 FN have a crimp groove? If not where do you crimp?

[bedbugbilly]

I'm not familiar with that particular mold - I looked it up on MidwayUSA and it looks much like the traditional Lyman 454-190 RF. I'm assuming you are loading 45 Colt? If so . . . seat one to 1.600 cartridge overall length and see where your case mouth falls on the bullet. I'm guessing that it will be at the top (towards the nose) of the top band. If so, try seating just a tad deeper and crimp over the top edge of the top band.

Hopefully someone who uses that mold will come along and give you a "how to" as to how they do it. The Ideal/Lyman 454-190 doesn't have a crimp groove . . . I seat them to 1.6000 COAL in 45 Colt and just put a mild crimp on them which, for want of a better description, sort of follows the curved contour of the rounded nose.

[weldernewt53]

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to find a 250 gr. bullet for my Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt. 8 gr. of Unique and a 250 gr bullet works really well in this gun. I have been using Misssouri bullets Cowboy # 1 but I would like to cast my own. I have an RCBS 230gr CM that makes a nice bullet but I would like to cast a traditional 45 Colt 250 gr bullet.

[AnthonyB]

IMO, you will not find a better bullet for normal power 45 Colt loads than the 45-230 CM. It is my favorite production 45 mould.
Tony

[dubber123]

I just looked at mine, and it does not appear to have a crimp groove, just 3 driving bands of equal size. I would just crimp below the top driving band if desired.

The Ideal/Lyman 452190 or 454190 are much closer to the original style boolit, and is a fantastic shooter at moderate velocities. It also does not have a crimp groove, and is normally just crimped lightly over the ogive. I prefer the looks of the Lyman design when it is crimped just below the top driving band, and have experienced no problems with boolit jump with loads running 1,000 fps. from my 3-3/4" Vaquero.

[weldernewt53]

Thanks again to all who replied. I was lucky enough to find 3lbs of Vihtavuori Tin Star. This is an excellent powder for this large case with and burn rate close to Unique. The RCBS 230 gr CM works great with this combo. I am going to try it with my Unique load and see how it works. Still interested in a good 250 gr mould to make a true standard 45 Colt load.

[bedbugbilly]

weldernewt53 - here is a photo of some of my 45 Colt Long loaded with the 250 grain round nose flat point from a Lyman 454-190 mold. I just got a Uberti 7 1/2" Cattleman SAA and this is the boolit I'm using as I also wanted a traditional boolit. I've been loading it over 8.0 grains of Unique or 6.0 grains of Red Dot. Both have been giving me excellent results. The brass is Starline and I'm using CCI large pistol primers. I seat these to 1.595 (Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook gives COAL as 1.600). I seat them to 1.595 as it allows me to give a moderate taper crimp to straighten out the slight belling I give to the case for boolit seating and it just sort of contours it to the curve.

[weldernewt53]

Thanks for the pics. I have an RCBS #45-250FN on the way from Grafs. I have loaded the 8 gr unique load with MB Cowboy NO. 1 This is an excellent standard 45 Colt load. Very accurate and has authority. Looking forward to casting around a 10BNH bullet and using LBT Soft blue lube. The pics help alot and are book marked. Thanks PS. I loaded 50 rounds of my RCBS 230 gr CM. Average wt was 235-240 BNH 15. Lube RCBS. 8 gr. Unique worked very nice.

[DocSavage]

I have that mold block,I seat the bullet to where you can see about 1/16 of an inch of the top driving band and crimp in place.
Sorry I can't give you an oal as I seat that bullet more by eye than anything else.