RCBS mold...........

[Charles Vail]

I just ordered the RCBS double cavity mold for my 38-55. It states a 312 grain bullet I think with a 1:10 lead tin mix. Has anyone used this mold and what is the bullets overall length, base to tip? I have been using a Hoch mold that weighs out a bullet at 365 grains and is nearly 1.4" long. I have had trouble stabilizing this bullet in my 14" twist barrel out to 550 yards. The bullets are starting to slightly keyhole and I am getting alot of verticle stringing. I am curious what experiences any of you have had in this cartridge with these or other bullets.  :?

[Charles Vail]

It arrived and the bullets look real nice so..........I guess I will have to be the one to respond to my own message! Hmmmmm! I'll report back on the board after I shoot these. :roll:

[EDG]

Hello,
 I don't have any information. I would like to hear what diameter your bullet mold casts.
 Ed

[jeff]

Charles

Lots of different factors could be responsible.  Are all shots keyholing?  Are the angles random or the same?  Is it possible that your terminal velocity may be  be causing the problem?  The 38-55 would have a rather nice arc in trajectory at 550 yards, could that create a hole that's interpeted as being a 'keyhole'?

10-1 mix casts a rather hard slug most likely for something other than a 38-55.   38-55 mv is more like 1200-1450 fps (depending on slug weight) and most are casting using 20-1, 25-1 or 30-1 mixes.  I'm pretty sure that a 14" twist will stabilize your hoch's 1.4" length providing you have a mv greater than 1300 fps.  See some very interesting discussion on 38's at at long range from hpguy420.   There are several threads on this topic.  Hope this helps some.

http://groups.msn.com/BPCR/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=8666&LastModified=4675453361395210470

[Charles Vail]

Hello,
 I don't have any information. I would like to hear what diameter your bullet mold casts.
 Ed

With my lead mix its about .379" which is too big for my barrel. I am going to cast again with a 1-20  or 1-30 mix and try to get it to cast at .377" and size to .376. The catalog claims a .378" bullet with 1-10 mix lead. I am starting to wonder about the mold dimensions being too large but......I will try a different mix first.

[Charles Vail]

Charles

Lots of different factors could be responsible.  Are all shots keyholing?  Are the angles random or the same?  Is it possible that your terminal velocity may be  be causing the problem?  The 38-55 would have a rather nice arc in trajectory at 550 yards, could that create a hole that's interpeted as being a 'keyhole'?

The holes are randomly going in, oval in shape, as if the bullet is marginaly stabilized. Not completly keyholing but slightly. I understand what you means about the angle of entry into the paper etc.

10-1 mix casts a rather hard slug most likely for something other than a 38-55.   38-55 mv is more like 1200-1450 fps (depending on slug weight) and most are casting using 20-1, 25-1 or 30-1 mixes.  I'm pretty sure that a 14" twist will stabilize your hoch's 1.4" length providing you have a mv greater than 1300 fps.  See some very interesting discussion on 38's at at long range from hpguy420.   There are several threads on this topic.  Hope this helps some. .......I'll check this out, thanks-charlie :-)

http://groups.msn.com/BPCR/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=8666&LastModified=4675453361395210470

[445supermag]

Charles
    Is that apointy bullit? If it is i have been shooting that bullit all sumer. I did not cast them but ordered the none lubed. That was so i could weigh them and lube them. They were quite hard .  I had a tough time resizeing them to 377. I shoot ahepburn in 38/55 with a greenmoutian barrel. In stalled and chambered by lee shaver. The barrel is 14 twist. It shot real good at a hundred don,t know about 500. Most molds are made for the old rifles witch had about 379/380 grouves. New guns use the smokeless grouve dia of 375. I got some 335 gr bullets from bufflo arms that look like dan,s single grouve bullit. It has a long boar rideing nose and short single wide greese grouve at the base. I shot a few before it go cold at 200 yard ram setup and could hit it ouite well. Will do some more testing this spring and see how it shoots real groups at longer ranges.

[Charles Vail]

My barrel is a Greenmountain also and has the .375 groove and .368 bore. I am going to try to cast from a softer mix maybe 1-30 lead/tin and try to size them to .377 or a little smaller if I can. The bullet is advertised as the 312 grain .378" "pointy bullet" thats made for BPC shooting. I have a HOCH mold that goes 365 grains and is nearly 1.4" long but it seems to not shoot well. I figured a slightly shorter bullet might work but I failed to look closely at the diameter of the cast bullet. I understand it is not the best to size down bullets that much as it causes inaccuracy. Long range is my game and it has to shoot to at least 550 yards or its worthless to me.  :cry:

[445supermag]

charles
  i,am shooting a rem heartburn in 38/55, lee shaver did the barrel work. It shoots hard bullits well.  I just started shooting it in late summer with bp. I have heard all about only soft bullets with black and not sizeing. It not needed in this rifle. The bullits i used are the ones that your mold cast,s  Once i got the tang sight set and got a blow tupe i shot the paper rams. The ones that you get from midway, marked on the back 110 meters. I cold hit it reguarley at a 100 and that with a load from mlv loadins manual. When spring comes i,ll be working at 200yd no that i have a place to shoot that far.