RCBS .44-250-K vs .44-250-KT

[alamogunr]

Per the thread title, I'm interested in the practical differences(if any) between these two molds. I've got the .44-250-K. I found a couple of threads in archives addressing this issue but they kind of wandered all over. Because the threads were somewhat old, the pictures originally posted are no longer available.

Ever since I got my FA 97, I've been looking up articles on loading for the .44 Special. Both of these molds keep coming up. I guess I should have asked if it made any difference which boolit you used the load data for. I've also got the MP .432-256 mold which is also identified as H&G 503.

I've also got several other molds for .44 caliber but they don't present the same confusion.

[GLL]

John:

I posted a photo of the two bullets side-by-side on one of those old threads. I will dig it out tomorrow and post it again. They are distinctly different !

Jerry

[Bazoo]

Howdy, I have a 44-250-k. I’ve done some research on it as a result and I think there was no difference. I’d be glad to provide some samples if you want for reference.


I am interested though if all of the RCBS Keith bullets have the double bevel crimp groove. I don’t particularly care for it but, I guess I don’t hate it either.

Mine is square bottom lube groove. Is yours? I know lymans had both square and round lube grooves and I wonder if RCBS did too.

[Bazoo]

John:

I posted a photo of the two bullets side-by-side on one of those old threads. I will dig it out tomorrow and post it again. They are distinctly different !

Jerry

I’m very interested as well. I didn’t know that.

[Bazoo]

I also have some 44-245-SWCs for comparison. Though, I sold the mould sometime back. I regret it now because, well it cast good.

[alamogunr]

I have 3 more RCBS two cavity molds: 44-240 SWC, 44-250 SWC, 44-300 SWC. Somehow I acquired all of them in almost unused condition and let them sit for several years. In all there are twelve .44 caliber molds. The lightest is an MP 200 gr and the heaviest is the RCBS 300 gr.

I am curious about the 44-245 SWC. I suspect that it is almost a duplicate of my 44-240 SWC but that is just a guess.

I have one Lee GB mold, identified as 432250. It has 3 crimp grooves. Not sure why since I don't have any information from that GB. It casts a nice looking boolit. I haven't had an opportunity to shoot any yet. I tried to sell it awhile back but got no takers. Now I'm glad it didn't sell. It looks more interesting that I thought.

EDIT: I have to say that the RCBS molds are a joy to use. Bullets just fall out perfectly. These and a few Lyman molds are the only iron molds I have.

[GLL]

These are my original photos from the old post.

I have included the old IDEAL 429421 (unvented mold) for comparison.

The 44-250-KT is currently called the 44-250-SWC #82044
The 44-245-KT is currently called the 44-245-SWC #82043
The 44-250-K is still the 44-250-K #82080

Jerry

[Bazoo]

Here is

44-240-SWC 44-245-SWC 44-250-K


Notice how on my 44-245-SWC, the bottom driving band is narrower? That’s why I got rid of it when I got the 44-250-k. If it had been more like gll’s pic I’d have kept it. It was a new production mould btw.

The 44-240-SWC shown is an old mould in a cardboard box. The 44-250-k I’m not sure of vintage but it’s in a new style plastic box.

[alamogunr]

Thanks to both GLL and Bazoo for the pictures. I've got the pot heating so I can cast examples of each(3) of my RCBS 44 molds. When I have those examples, I'll comment on how they compare to the pictures. I wish I had the confidence to post pictures but I'm not there yet.

[alamogunr]

OK! I've got my examples in front of me.

1. The boolit from RCBS 44-250-K looks exactly like both pictures.

2. The boolit from my RCBS 44-250-SWC is similar to GLL's picture except the bottom band and the top band look slightly narrower than the middle band. My eyes could be playing tricks though.

3. The boolit from my RCBS 44-240-SWC differs from Bazoo's picture in that all three bands on mine are narrower and somewhat rounded, None of my boolits have been sized, so that may affect the appearance of the bands. It never occurred to me to measure the as cast diameter.

4. The boolit from my mold marked Ideal 429421 has a rounded lube groove and the top band is slightly narrower than the middle and bottom band. The box this mold came in is marked Lyman/Ideal.

I'm not sure that this settles anything. Since I don't hunt with my handguns, I wouldn't hesitate to load any of the boolits from the 4 molds. My handgun skills are such, I'm not sure I could prove any are more accurate than the others.

I didn't include it in this thread but MP Molds 432-256(also marked H&G 503) casts a boolit that has 3 equal width bands and is 4 cavity. Unless it fails me someway, I will probably use it more than the others.

[Bazoo]

I use postimages.org to post pictures here. It isn’t the easiest but I can manage to do it. If you can email or text a picture, I can upload them on your behalf.

My 44-240-SWC had been sized but the driving bands were square beforehand. That was my sample bullet I keep on my shelf so I can compare the different versions when loading.

[Larry Gibson]

Let me add a bit of confusion to the conundrum......

In 2006 along with my acquisition of a Ruger 50th Anniversary BHFT 44 magnum I bought a new RCBS 44-250-KT mould. The mould came in this RCBS box.



I thought, oh great, wrong mould. But the mould was marked 44-250-KT.



It casts 250 - 255 gr bullets, depending on alloy, but doesn't look like the 44-250-KT as posted in the above post.

It has a round lube groove and is almost identical to my Lyman 429421.



It is my opinion that RCBS, like Lyman, markets moulds based on current designs and cherries in use. RCBS has changed its designs as the market's needs, ideas and wants change.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing Larry.

[pworley1]

I have all of those and like the 429421 best.

[Shuz]

I have over 50 years experience shooting cast boolits in the. magnum. During that time frame, I have tried nearly all the so called Keith designs, and could not find any significant difference in performance on either targets or game animals between any of them. I would like to see some evidence that shows one design is better than another.

[GLL]

Larry:

The box part #82043, the bullet image printed on the box, and the profile of your mold seem to indicate the mold is actually the 44-245-KT.
This even though the mold is stamped 44-250-KT.
A "bit more confusion" indeed !

Jerry

[GLL]

Shuz:

I agree that there is very little difference in shooting performance in the majority of the various "Keith-style"bullets. I still tend to prefer the old IDEAL 429421 style shown in my photo simply because the mold drops bullets so nicely.

Interesting that you, alamogunr, and I all joined this site back in March of 2005.

Jerry

[Bazoo]

I’d like to have one of the original moulds for that 429421, like every Keith fan I guess. My question is, who makes a copy of that bullet? I mean, an exact copy.

[Shuz]

[QUOTE=GLL;5386740]Shuz:



Interesting that you, alamogunr, and I all joined this site back in March of 2005.

Jerry,
I and perhaps you and alamogunr were also members on the old "Shooters" website?

[JAC43]

Hi GLL,

This thread reminds me of all the differing designs for the Lyman 454424 mold. You had posted a photo many times before showing your comparison. Would you be so kind as to repost that photo in this thread? It doesn’t show up in any of the old threads. Sorry for the thread drift Alamogunner! Thank you.