Brinell hardness

BUFF7MM · Feb 23, 2016

I've been casting using wheel weights for handguns for awhile now and I've never really tested any of them to check for hardness. I've never had any trouble with leading from them in the calibers I've been casting them for; 380ACP, 38 special, 45ACP, 45 Colt.
What got me to thinking about this was awhile ago I bought some .358's off the web from a reputable company and didn't realize I had bought 18 BHN bullets, I ran them in my 38's and ended up getting a bunch of leading, and as I'm sure some of you have had to clean lead from the barrel it's a real PITA!
Getting rid of them isn't a big deal since I cast and will just melt them down and mix them in with some lead.
I'm thinking of getting a tester, my question is for those of you that test, what tester do you use? What BHN do you look for from handgun bullets?

iH8DemLibz · Feb 23, 2016

In all seriousness, the fingernail test works really well.

A quality Hard Cast bullet will resist being scratched/dented with a fingernail.

Shouldn't get much leading at .38 Special speeds with hard cast bullets.

I have some that are good to 1,600 FPS without gas checks.

outrider58 · Feb 23, 2016

3% antimony....

No, but really, can't help on the tester. I use the yellow bore cloth for cleaning lead out of my barrels and off the cylinder faces of my stainless pistols. Do not use it on bluing as it takes that off pretty good too. Great fore bores though.

Uncle Duke · Feb 23, 2016

Can't help OP with the Brinell tester, nor am I a caster. Maybe one day. But Missouri Bullet publishes a formula that they claim can help determine what bullet hardness should be optimum for reloaders, depending on your specific loads.

Note that they also make mention of the alloy content percentages for the 2 Brinell hardness alloys they cast with. Might serve as a quide. Now we all know that 3% is 3%..... unless and until it (perhaps) isn't.

http://missouribullet.com/technical.php

BUFF7MM · Feb 23, 2016

outrider58 said:
3% antimony....

No, but really, can't help on the tester. I use the yellow bore cloth for cleaning lead out of my barrels and off the cylinder faces of my stainless pistols. Do not use it on bluing as it takes that off pretty good too. Great fore bores though.

I use a Lewis lead tool, works pretty good too.

Uncle Duke said:
Can't help OP with the Brinell tester, nor am I a caster. Maybe one day. But Missouri Bullet publishes a formula that they claim can help determine what bullet hardness should be optimum for reloaders, depending on your specific loads.

Note that they also make mention of the alloy content percentages for the 2 Brinell hardness alloys they cast with. Might serve as a quide. Now we all know that 3% is 3%..... unless and until it (perhaps) isn't.

http://missouribullet.com/technical.php

Thanks for the link, I need to do some more investigating.

BUFF7MM · Feb 23, 2016

Found this page also Uncle Duke:
http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm
Now onto figuring out which tester.

Uncle Duke · Feb 23, 2016

Buff7mm said:
Found this page also Uncle Duke:
http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm
Now onto figuring out which tester.

That's a keeper.....thanks!

BUFF7MM · Feb 23, 2016

Uncle Duke said:
That's a keeper.....thanks!

Yeah, I bookmarked it also. :cool:

John from MD · Feb 23, 2016

I have been casting since I was in high school, fifty years ago. Before I read any books on the subject, I was casting for my .45 Flintlock deer rifle, 38 spl and 45 acp. I never worried about bullet hardness until I started reading the books when I was in my thirties. I never had leading problems until I started buying hard lead bullets. :mad54:

If you shoot a properly sized (.002 over bore) wheelweight metal bullet at between 800 - 1000 FPS using a good lube or coated with liquid Alox, you will never see leading unless your bore is bad. However, if you shoot an undersized bullet or even a properly sized hard lead bullet, you may see leading.

I used to use hard lead when I shot over 2000 FPS in my rifles. Now I use powder coat on just about any mix of lead and don't get leading. I do use a harder mixture on my 300 Blackout bullets because they tend to get beat up transitioning from the mag (depending on the mag) although they still don't lead. (but then they are only shot at 1600 FPS)

If you just cast for handguns, stick to wheelweights and Alox and you will be fine.

John

Blacksmith101 · Feb 24, 2016

You can test lead hardness with a set of pencils. Here is a long thread on how to do it and interpret the results. The further you read the more details and equivalent hardness's you will see.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?75455-Testing-hardness-with-pencils

I have a print out and set of pencils in my casting tools.

BUFF7MM · Feb 24, 2016

I've ordered the Lee kit, give me another reason to keep my single stage mounted to the bench also.

wgttgw · Feb 24, 2016

Perhaps I am just lucky by I have never had any significant leading, but I have never shot commercial cast bullets. I have never tested the hardness of my cast bullets other than the old how easy can it be scratched or a thud/ring sound test. I size the bullets to the gun to best of my abilities and use good lube. I have shot unchecked to 1450ish FPS and checked to a little over 2500 FPS. The hardest I have ever used was a homemade version of Lyman #2 alloy, but I mostly use air cooled or water dropped WW plus about 1.5%-2% Tin added.

If they are the right size I would suspect the lube could be at least part of the problem as most commercial cast bullets seem to use hard lube. This is good for shipping but not so much for shooting. You may just be able to get away with tumble lubing right over the existing lube.

John from MD · Feb 25, 2016

If they are the right size I would suspect the lube could be at least part of the problem as most commercial cast bullets seem to use hard lube. This is good for shipping but not so much for shooting. You may just be able to get away with tumble lubing right over the existing lube.[/QUOTE]

I agree. I have tumble lubed store bought bullets over the existing lube and it does make them less prone to leading.

John

BUFF7MM · Feb 25, 2016

wgttgw said:
Perhaps I am just lucky by I have never had any significant leading, but I have never shot commercial cast bullets. I have never tested the hardness of my cast bullets other than the old how easy can it be scratched or a thud/ring sound test. I size the bullets to the gun to best of my abilities and use good lube. I have shot unchecked to 1450ish FPS and checked to a little over 2500 FPS. The hardest I have ever used was a homemade version of Lyman #2 alloy, but I mostly use air cooled or water dropped WW plus about 1.5%-2% Tin added.

If they are the right size I would suspect the lube could be at least part of the problem as most commercial cast bullets seem to use hard lube. This is good for shipping but not so much for shooting. You may just be able to get away with tumble lubing right over the existing lube.

John from MD said:
If they are the right size I would suspect the lube could be at least part of the problem as most commercial cast bullets seem to use hard lube. This is good for shipping but not so much for shooting. You may just be able to get away with tumble lubing right over the existing lube.

I agree. I have tumble lubed store bought bullets over the existing lube and it does make them less prone to leading.

John[/QUOTE]

I never gave that a thought about the lube, it was a blue lube and I normally use alox. No worries about them now, they've been melted down and cast into ingots for now. Thanks for the help guys.

Brinell hardness

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

iH8DemLibz

When All Else Fails.

outrider58

Eats Bacon Raw

Uncle Duke

Ultimate Member

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

Uncle Duke

Ultimate Member

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

John from MD

American Patriot

Blacksmith101

Grumpy Old Man

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

wgttgw

Active Member

John from MD

American Patriot

BUFF7MM

☠Buff➐㎣☠

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Latest threads

Forum statistics

Share this page