RCBS 22 mold question

[BCall]

Does anybody have one of the 22-60-FP molds that RCBS lists? I'm just curious if it is really any different than the 22-55-FP mold that I just got in the mail, or if it was just basically relabeled as they no longer list the 55. Thanks, Billy

[303Guy]

BCall
I still shudder at the memory of casting a batch of RCBS 22 boolits! I still have some left and and playing around with them now. Not sure what the mold is is but the boolits are 55gr. How on earth do you get them to drop out the mold? (Mine is a double cavity). I'll tell you what though, paper patching them is fun! Easy too. Trouble is, they don't seem to work in my hornet. They didn't work in my mini-14 either (that was as g/c'd and lubed).

[BCall]

I wish I had a secret to tell you, but I simply have not had any problems with any of my small caliber molds. I have tried several different ways to get good boolits from them, but getting them to drop from the molds hasn't been the problem. My only issues have been porous bases, but after getting an older Lee 10 lb pot in a box of stuff I bought recently, I tried it instead of my 20 lb Lee, and now no more problems. I guess the flow was too much in the 20, and I couldn't turn it down enough. With the 10, not one base problem. I heat the molds on a hot plate, get my lead as hot as possible, and cast. Works good for me, but the larger 2 cavity molds-RCBS in particular- I gotta heat them on a hot plate for good fill out. I can get away with out it on the single cavity ones, but not the doubles. I would check the cavities of yours with a magnifying glass, that small of boolit wouldn't take much to stick. Billy

[high standard 40]

I have the RCBS 55gr and found it very easy to get great bullets from it. They drop easily from the mold with good fillout. I use Lyman #2 alloy. I've used them in my Contender Hornet for Field Pistol silhouette with great results. My only complaint is that the as cast diameter is .2255". I wish it cast a little larger.

[outdoorfan]

Does anybody have one of the 22-60-FP molds that RCBS lists? I'm just curious if it is really any different than the 22-55-FP mold that I just got in the mail, or if it was just basically relabeled as they no longer list the 55. Thanks, Billy


Looks like they discontinued the 22-55. Don't know why. Just about everyone says that it's a great mold. However, I don't think there's much of any difference between the two except that the 60 grainer is a .228 as opposed to .225.

[high standard 40]

RCBS still has the 22-55-SP mold listed on their website and show it available for order. Their item number is 82007. I just bought mine about 2-3 months ago.

[BCall]

RCBS still makes the 22-55-SP, but they have discontinued the 22-55-FP mold. I was just curious about the 60, but I think outdoorfan is right, they just sized it up to 60. My SP and my FP molds both cast just over .225, which has been fine for me for now. I am sizing in a .225 lyman die, and they come out around .2252, which has been working well for me. Well at least the SP has, it is my favorite mold and I sent it out to see if I could get it hollowpointed. I haven't got to shoot any of the FP ones yet. They are quite a bit different than the SP.

[303Guy]

Thanks BCall. I am tempted to try again. I don't recall using a hot plate so that could have been my problem. I do fear that the boolit design itself won't work in my hornet and in anycase I want a heavier boolit for it and for paper patching. Perhaps I can remove the majority of the the lube groove, but getting both cavities identical ..... mmmmm. ????

Anyway, I haven't given up on them yet - I first need the correct paper.

[ihmsakiwi]

I have the RCBS 55gr and found it very easy to get great bullets from it. They drop easily from the mold with good fillout. I use Lyman #2 alloy. I've used them in my Contender Hornet for Field Pistol silhouette with great results. My only complaint is that the as cast diameter is .2255". I wish it cast a little larger.

Hello High standard 40,
Not trying to hijack this thread, but what twist is your contender barrell and what load is doing this business for you. I also am struggling to get my 10" contender to shoot for FP and I also have a 1 in 16 twist Drulov Hornet to break in. Regards,
Peter.

[high standard 40]

Peter
I have never checked the twist rate on my Contender but have always used 55gr jacketed bullets in it. When I first got this barrel, I had a 3lb jug of Accurate #9 powder and started with that. My load is not published so I won't list it here but I will say that I keep my velocity down below 1800FPS so as not to cause target damage. ( I maintain our targets so I don't want to make work for myself). I have two complete Hornet Contenders. One with Bomars and one with a Ken Light riser and a 6-24X scope. I have fired several groups from sandbags at 100yds with the scoped gun that measure very near 1" with the jacketed 55s. Haven't had the opportunity to group the cast loads yet but I'm using the cast loads for matches and may scores have not changed. I don't have access to a range and only get to shoot on match day. So to answer your question I can only guess at the twist rate. I assume it's the same old TC factory twist. 1-12" or 1-14" Someone wiser than me should know.