Lead bullet hardness formula. My ? is how hard do i need the lead to be .

Lead bullet hardness formula With bullets I have cast and coated over the years my hardness has ranged from 11 through 16. Another is that pressure should be between BHN * 480 * 3 and BHN * 480 * 4. There is another problem when using hard bullets and black powder: leading. PSI = BHN * 1422 * 0. Bullet hardness and chamber pressure are related. 9 . of your gun's barrel groove dia. 1 These elements may be present in lead ore but not completely removed in leading that I have ever been able to cause in this revolver is with bullets that did not properly fit the cylinder throats. You really don't need any antimony, an alloy of 12BHN should be fine. Today's times, casters and shooters of PP bullets keep saying use 1:20 and Compositional analysis of bullet lead (CABL) is chemical analysis of some (generally seven) of the elements found in lead alloy used to make bullets. The Lee Lead Hardness Testing Kit is a reasonably priced tool to measure lead bullet hardness. If pushing lead bullets really fast, gas checks could help with leading. 2, 15 BHN After 6 weeks, air cooled bullets will reach maximum hardness. 198, it looked pretty bad. Use a filter mask when abrading lead and vigorous hand washing when done handling lead to avoid lead absorption to your lungs and hands. The CBA is a The optimum lead bullet diameter is usually . Too much trouble for the results I achieved (none?). Preparation. In an old issue of Shooting Times that I have they show plans how to build a hardness tester using a 12" piece of 1/2" cold rolled steel shaft, a 60" piece of conduit and a decapping pin. In a revolver with matching cylinder throat / bore sizes, and assuming decent rifling, and bullet lube, a hard cast bullet will work fine. 9. If a lead bullet is too hard and the velocity is not very high, the base of the bullet may not upset (obdurate) into the lands and grooves to make a good gas seal. Since you are using a gascheck, forget the formula. After you get the sizing down, then try different alloys/hardness if you want. Grease Groove Bullet Moulds. Using the formula for the lead bullet Brinell hardness number: BHN=chamber pressure divided by 1400 or . It may take just a bit longer for the center to reach this hardness because it doesn't cool quite as quickly but for all practical purposes the hardness is throughout the boolit. I would like to start some casting but don't know quite how to mix the percentages, most is melted to ingot form, I bought the Lee Hardness Tester, so do I test each and try to mix according to each hardness value to get the final result. One relationship is that BHN * 1422 should equal pressure. 357" or the throats are smaller than . I have a varied assortment of lead from various sources,wheel weights spent bullets and who knows. Create custom alloys and mix or blend alloys with calculated Specific Graity and estimated Brinell Casting Lead Bullets. Always insert weight. The simplified version of the formula that reloaders use is: BHN = chamber pressure (in psi) divided by 1400. The sheet lead heat treat didn't take, but decided to shoot a few to see if I really needed harder bullets. 611760420009 The SAECO Lead Hardness Tester lets you positively identify the hardness of your cast lead bullets, verifying they’re safe to shoot and won’t damage your valuable firearm. I test in sopping wet newsprint and shoot a "reference" load/bullet" into the same test material to compare the performance of the HP cast bullet to. Testing an ingot. The Brinnel Hardness of a cast bullet is important for the pressure and velocity of that particular caliber. 5% of tin, so when casting bullets of a WW/Lead alloy, the tin percentage would be much lower. Alloys are scrap lead of tested hardness and linotype. The malleability of the alloy is the other half. Antimony adds about 0. I have been doing some research on bullet alloys and am considering getting into casting my own. 0 grs of Unique as the maximum load but for a 158 gr jacketed bullet All of these bullets are cast without the addition of tin. 90) The CUP of your reloads is published in the reloading manuals. The alloy is intended for handgun bullets and high-velocity rifle cartridges, with a Brinell Hardness of approximately 16. At the higher end of those ,22 velocities, copper plating is used in most ammo to prevent leading. This reduces accuracy, and in extreme cases can result in dangerously high pressures as the bore diameter is decreased by the lead fouling. This is my first look at bullet hardness and relation to ballistic coefficient. The 6 to 8 inch groups said that something harder than soft lead was needed. 45 ACP typically falls within the range of 16-18 Brinell Hardness Number (BHN). It will lead. You shouldn't be surprised either, that alloy poured into a cold ingot mold or cold bullet mold will give a false hardness reading. Pure lead is about a 6 on the BHN scale, Wheel Weight alloy is about 11, and linotype alloy is about a 22, good ol lyman #2 is roughly 15-18 (perfect IMO) and is made by cutting W/W with Lino 9 to 1. True leading to me , means a LOSS OF ACCURACY. For every 1% additional antimony, Brinell hardness increases 0. 90) (where PSI is the Pressure in PSI the load produces) I made a spreadsheet that will let you calculate the properties you get when mixing two or more types of lead. Leading is a relationship between these elements: chamber pressure, bullet hardness, and bullet fit, assuming your lube is up to the task of withstanding all these factors. For a lot of my casting I use range lead that typically runs close to 10 BHN. We already addressed bullet fit above, your bullet diameter must match groove diameter or in revolvers, the throat diameter. I'm not worried about saving money nearly as much as I am about getting accurate results -- preferably within a couple BHN points deviation at most. Linotype measures about 22 BHN; it's much too hard to use. For example, a bullet with a make up of 94% lead and 5% tin will the bore with lead deposits. Let me know if there is anything that is incorrect or needs A bullet which is too soft at a given pressure will experience excessive base expansion and vaporization of the lead, causing leading. 241 lead = . The CBA is a international organization of shooters who enjoy casting and shooting lead alloy bullets for competition Just curious, my local source for lead bullets has given me the following information on his cast bullets. Classifieds; 382 Quenching for improved bullet hardness depends on the bullet metal composition. The antimony creates sufficient hardness to prevent barrel leading. For reasons unknown, hard bullets tend to cause leading when propelled with black powder. 2334455 BHN. My favorite reference that completely explains bullet hardness to load pressure level relationship is the Lee 2nd Edition Modern Reloading. I began this experiment by casting up some fresh test-bullets from my standard wheel-weight alloy, using an aluminum six-cavity mould by Lee Precision. The introductory video to a long experiment testing powder coated cast lead hollow point bullets made from various alloys and fired at various velocities. 60 + ( 0. 22lr range lead into rations of 10:1, 16:1, 20:1 and compare bullet expansion into jugs of water. Buffalo Arms Bullet Moulds. 226, Page 6; in the article written by Dave Scovill, entitled "BHN and BULLET METAL"). I have shot them in a 55 gal barrel of water with no mushrooming and dug some out of hard wood trees with little expanding. The bullet was easier to cast, held together well, and was over 30 Bhn. (20%) is that the linear formula Being 'math deficient', what would be the Bhn formula for a Sn + Pb alloy for 1:11 and 1:14? Using the calculator: 1:11 = Bhn 7. With proper bullet fit I haven't noticed any difference in group size or barrel leading, etc because of bullet hardness. For example, standard velocity loads in traditional calibers like the various 38's, 44 Spl, 45 ACP, and 45 Colt will show better accuracy and almost no leading or zero leading when cast of softer alloy. I found the 45 cal 255gr "cowboy" bullets are BHN 10, as are the 38 cal 148gr LHBWCs and the 148gr Cowboy. I used my MP Mold for the first time today. The bottom line is that nowhere in the world anymore is there a standard formula for the blend ratio of elements which make up wheel weight alloy. To get sharp looking bullets some tin A nice thing about the pencil method, besides the economical aspect, is you don’t have to have a bullet- shaped piece of lead. I don't have much tin. Or if you know the bullet hardness, Chamber pressure = 1400 times BHN. I have been reading about the correlation between pressure and lead bullet performance for about 30 years and NEVER found it to be true. Half and half Hi, folks, I am thinking it's time to get a lead hardness tester, and I would like one that works well, is repeatable, and is easy to use. Exclusive conversion chart tells the maximum operating pressure of any lead alloy. 1gr of #5, barrel is a Glock 26. 409 I recently scored several There seems to be a fairly large difference is published loads of lead bullet data vs jacketed bullet data when both bullets are the same weight. The formula is BHN=chamber pressure divided by 1400. of 50/50 solder. This lose resembles the right side of the bell curve. Ever notice that your properly sized and stored bullets 5 years later have grown by . When chamber pressure is matched to bullet hardness using this formula . com The best accuracy and minimum bore fouling happens when lead bullet hardness matches chamber pressure with these simple formulas: Chamber pressure in psi = 1400 X Brinell bullet hardness (BHN). Sized to . For me and my guns bullet to gun fit is way more important LBT bullet hardness tester initial review I just got my new LBT hardness tester and gave it a trial run. Bullet Casting Supplies. I killed an elk with a hardcast bullet a coulple of years ago. Give them a try, I think you will like them. The alloy: Lead mixed with Linotype The question: What is the minimum hardness for this load? I have a formula to calculate bullet base obturation using psi, (as discovered in Rifle Magazine's Handloader, December 2003, No. Tin contributes very little to hardness, it adds 0. Your gun will tell you what works. Best bullets. There are a large number of lead based alloys that can have the same BHn, and if you add heat treating, many more. Or, you can insert your own values. His article say's that most commercial suppliers use Brinell Hardness, is simply a measurement of the hardness of the end product. Participants did blind tests of sample bullets all cast in the same lot. I see folks listing unknow scrap lead or even sheet lead which should be pretty pure, and they are getting asking and getting over $2/lb for the stuff. 92% Lead 6% Antimony 2% Tin Saeco Hardness 8. It relies totally on the lubricant to make the gas seal. My plan is mix . 6. Back to: Estimate the Brinell Hardness Number of Tin/Lead Alloys. While doing some reading I found their formula for ideal BHN here https://www. The bullet hardness for a particular application is determined by I think there is a misconception about rifling "shearing" off lead or bullets "stripping" in the rifling. It costs about The two most often asked questions I get are about bullet alloy hardness and how it relates to chamber pressures and how it relates to bullet expansion on impact. Most commercial cast bullets are far to hard, they cast them that hard to prevent deformation to the bullets during shipping. A conversion chart for SAECO and Brinnell is included. My buddy and I have been doing I have been casting bullets for my 45/70 using new roofing lead (sold as 99% pure lead). Is this article helpful to you? lead alloy hardness tester market long suffering bullet casters from far and wide embraced the new tool with gusto. What I use is a steel ball (can be any size from 1/4 to 3/4")and a known ingot of pure lead (hardness of 5 BHN) about the size of the test sample. To give a good example of how hard our bullets are in comparison to other bullets styles of bullets on the market, we tested three of the most The tin content of this alloy provides great cast ability for bullets, filling the mold more thoroughly. " I average 875fps with 124gr PBRN over 5. This bullet seems to be over kill for penetration. 62 There it is! For this application – shooting a 200-grain LSWC at 900 FPS requires that you use a bullet with a BHN of 16 to 18 (round upwards a couple of BHN points for flexibility. Hardness is important because you want your bullet to achieve obturation or expand fully to the diameter of your cylinder throat, then squeeze into the forcing cone and continue squeezing down till it exits If your throats are 0. 261 antimony = . These harder than lead bullets became known as “hard cast” bullets. 8 = 15. Warnings of shooting too hard of bullet that will not obturate and seal the bore. While the coefficient of variation for the lead-free, bonded lead, and partitioned lead bullets was always ≤4 %, it was often >30 % for the cup-and-core lead bullets (Table 2). There is a formula for optimal bullet hardness which is simple and it is worth knowing: Optimum BHN = CUP / (1422 x . Larry Gibson I have a new LEE lead hardness tester, and seem to get along OK with it, if I have a few drinks first to steady the hands. Glen Fryxell has done a deep dive into the sci Ideal hardness formula; Please note that if you are using a high risk VPN to register, your profile may be placed in a banned status. Get desired data from the drop down menu and click "Calculate". A bullet which is too soft at a given pressure will experience excessive base expansion and vaporization of the lead, causing leading. 44 magnums, 3, 38 Specials, 1 . Calculate the pounds of alloy in a casting pot. 1-Cavity . In reality, a hard bullet does not create an effective gas seal because it doesn't obturate. Did a little searching and didn't find this question anywhere. , however, the combination of a soft alloy, intense heat and pressure The consensus among experienced cast bullet shooting is that bullet hardness should match velocity range. They shot well but the Missouri Bullets are just as good if not better with less lead to clean out. It was a decent way to determine the if there was more or less tin/antimony via the big difference in tin/antimony and lead density. SWC at BHN 8 which is close to pure lead at This is one of my “soap box” subjects: bullet hardness is a/the major factor in a bullet's accuracy potential. I was looking at Missouri Bullets and their "hardness optimized" logo. It ran Stick on WW have very little, their hardness hovers around 6. I had forgotten the about the formula for BHN and pressures. The Cast Bullet Association is an organization of shooters who enjoy shooting A bullet which is too soft at a given pressure will experience excessive base expansion and vaporization of the lead, causing leading. A bullet alloyed with wheel-weights, the hardness that most hand-casters use, scored at 8. According to the Lyman cast bullet book, WW have about a . e. The load below was a while back and the bullet may have been slightly harder. 5BHN. Always insert weight if you want to blend two types of lead. 45 ACP bullet hardness Gentlemen, There is a formula for that, and it concerns itself with bullet obturation. Harder bullets do not prevent leading, correct bullet fit (to the cylinder throats, in your case) and a soft enough alloy to obturate and seal the bore, preventing gas cutting, is how you prevent leading. You get an energy dump and an exit wound. Toughness is different from hardness. Bullets should NEVER be larger than throat diameter nor should they be more than . Bullet Casting Alloys, Tin & Pure Lead; Bullet Casting Flux; Cast Iron Lead Pots; Casting Furnaces; Cerrosafe Chamber Casting; Ingot Moulds; Lead Casting Ladles; Lead Hardness Testers; Lead Thermometer; Mould Mallets; Bullet Moulds. Load rounds with bullets Step three. and 38 bullets using WW and range lead. Given sufficient study the formula makes clear that not in all cases is harder better. 9 Likes. Pb – lead Sn – tin Sb – antimony As – arsenic BHN – Brinell Hardness number Not even Lyman, one of the most foremost authorities on bullet casting, can agree. Load in a neck expanded and flared case. 303 and I want a hard bullet and the formula pops out an answer of 30 BHN, I will be happy. There is a formula for optimal bullet "There are several sources that say the best accuracy for a plain based lead bullet is when the pressure of the cartridge is 90% to 100% of the strength of the bullet so the final formula would be BHN = ( Cartridge Pressure * 1. Actually, I have become a bit facinated with the Lee "bullet hardness in PSI versus powder case pressure" loading theory in his reloading book. The presence of antimony in the alloy, especially for gas check bullets in rifles, has an advantage. Though one of my NOE moulds is a nice Hollow Base wadcutter. For example, using a 158 gr LSWC (. Look up all formulas and algorighms of all functions used by the Alloy Calculator Module. Most of the I got a hardness tester and tried the "pressure/alloy/BHN formula" and that lasted only a few weeks as bullet fit trumps hardness for leading and accuracy. 29 * Tin ) + ( 0. 22 ammunition is soft lead bullet at 5-6 BNH and 1000 to 1300 FPS. The hardness of the bullet can cause increased barrel fouling over time, but it generally does Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. A hard bullet that isn't tough is very Most steels when heat treated are a surface hardness. the hardness being below the value registered as 'hard cast' 15. Step one. A good couple alloys to start testing with are WW + 2% tin/lead at 50/50 and 16-1 lead - tin. Velocity should be high teens. Winchester 296 is somewhat the same. Precision-Bond Bullets; Accura Propaganda; Reloading Essentials; For higher velocities, a harder bullet with a BHN of 12-16 is recommended. There is a formula for optimal bullet hardness which is simple, and it is worth knowing: Optimum BHN = PSI / (1422 x . We think lead bullet hardness and/or velocity would affect leading more that powder choice. A quick internet search shows dozens of sites where success in shooting cast bullets is equated with some relationship between the hardness of a bullet (BHN) and the chamber pressure in the gun. I read about the "hardness/pressure" formula a few years ago, and out of curiosity tried it. For a simple equation, Brinell = 8. 22-. , low-hardness alloys work fine. NRA Life If the bullet is smaller than . Lead and Lead Alloys; DIY Hardness Tester; Please note that if you are using a high risk VPN to register, your profile may be placed in a banned status. 4BNH on my hardness tester, I decided to try and increase the hardness following the advice on the literature enclosed with my Lee Lead Melter i. I did not get leading (the GC did its job), but I also did not get any accuracy. To prevent leading, you need a cast lead bullet that is 1-2 thousands over the dia. 311" Caliber: 7. Click the button in BHN Result. 666. That said, I mix one alloy at 10 BHN for most handgun bullets to include 38/357, 41, 44 and 45. The bullets still The harder the bullet, the higher chamber pressure must be. The harder it is the less likely is it to expand. _____ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. Looking to deer, hog and black bear hunt this year using a lead bullet. After by use of the previous formula you determine the BHN you want you can then multiply that number by 1800 and you will be very close to the chamber pressure in PSI required to I also shoot a good number of 18 hardness cast lead bullets at speeds up to 1300 fps in 44 mag and I have not had any problems with leading. 358" the bullets will be sized down to the smaller size that will lead the barrel. The bullets can now be released into a bucket of water to quench them (to gain additional hardness) or on a soft cloth if This causes lead bullets to get a bad rap because it's assumed that all lead bullets cause leading. A 1200 fps load with a. Install the dial indicator on the holding rod and In the distant past, I would cast several bullets from unknown lead alloy and then compare the weight of the bullet to the same mold poured in pure lead and #2 alloy. Oh yes, and a good lubricant is used. Hornady's 158gr LRN, 158gr SWC-HP, and 158gr SWC are BHN 12. Pure lead is 5BHN. Which are usually bought swaged. In this Video I Show you how to calculate your lead alloy blending for bullets. NRA Life Member, GOA, GOC, CRPA, VCDL Annual Member, SASS #108882 It's not the velocity, it's the chamber pressure that dictates lead bullet hardness. Use for testing cast bullets and ingots. For instance, the Lyman #2 bullet lead mixture, consisting of 92% lead I have attached a chart of the 24 to 48 hour BHN hardness of Lead/Tin Alloys. Many new lead bullet users believe "harder is better" so that's what many commercial casters provide (but I think a major reason is hard bullets handle shipping/handling better). I have molded T/C 50 cal. Using 1/11, 1/14, tin/lead alloys for a PP bullet you better make sure that it is patched slightly over bore diameter or even groove diameter would be better. There is a formula for optimal bullet hardness which is simple and it is worth knowing: Optimum BHN = PSI / (1422 x . 357 at various velocity levels? What are the effects of varying bullet hardness at these velocities? I am going to purchase some hard cast lead bullets, 158gr SWC, and load up some target/plinking rounds for my GP100 357 mag. 3BHN for every % in the mix. Maxi Balls bullets Does anybody have a recommendation for 38 caliber bullets with a BHN range of 6 to 10? Iowegan's formula for BHN: CUP / 1440 or PSI / 1400 He claims this matches the ideal chamber pressure and lead hardness for optimal obturation and minimal fouling. As I mentioned above, a 10 mm ball penetrator is the industry standard for Brinell hardness testing. Use the Specific Gravity to calculate the percentage of Tin in a Tin/Lead alloy. Probably somewhere between 10 BHN and 12. The alloy can be blended with pure lead in a 1 to 1 ratio to create a Hardball-like alloy, and it has a Brinell Hardness of approximately 22. An example: 38 Special with a bullet BHN of 12 would require a chamber pressure of (12X1400=) 16,800 psi. After that, lube, then hardness. A BHN of 8 - 10 with the proper alloy and proper lube will do fine and As long as velocities stay below about 950 f. 7. 92 * Antimony ) Tin has little effect on the hardness of I am thinking about using a heavier spring to make a larger indent and using the standard Brinell hardness formula instead of comparing the results to pure lead. When I was shooting Ruger 10/22 rifle as a young teenager, I knew nothing about lead bullet hardness/softness and the correlation to leading. I have a Lee Precision Hardness Tester I have used a long time ago with good results molding 45 acp. For the above swaged bullets in the BHN 10 range, chamber pressure should be about 14k psi for the optimum load. 5 to 9 Brinell Hardness 16 He calls these hard cast bullets, I've read the article from Shakey Pete's Shootin Shack concerning cast bullets. It hardens the alloy, making the bullet The bottom line is that nowhere in the world anymore is there a standard formula for the blend ratio of elements which make up wheel weight alloy. , high velocity/pressure with soft lead may cause skidding of the bullet in the barrel. The Cast Bullet Association is an organization of shooters who enjoy shooting cast lead bullets in Pure lead measures about 4 BHN. One of those articles is a comparative test of most of the common lead hardness testers. I follow Lyman's formula of 5 lbs Linotype , 4 lbs lead and 1 lb. Just squeeze till there is a good dent on both surfaces of the lead or about 1/5 or the way in Estimate the Brinell Hardness Number of Tin/Lead Alloys. The load: 18. Its purpose is to defeat the surface tension of molten lead so that it fills mold details completely. Over the years I have read a lot of opinions on lead bullet hardness for 45 acp bullets. The Brinell Hardness of this Lyman 2 With the use of a grain refiner and quenching in cool water our bullets are made stronger. I drove those bullets hard, got 1450 fps without leading. If gas gets past the base, the gas cutting effect can cause leading. Some of the bullets used by the ODG's where more then a cup based bullet So many questions on lead hardness - here's a rundown, including the mixing of alloys to get the bullet hardness we want Pure lead is good for very soft shooting low pressure stuff like 38 spl bullseye HB wadcutter bullets. Accuracy will be poor. Brownells Hardball Bullet Casting Alloy is composed of 92% Lead, 2% Tin, and 6% Antimony, resembling the old Lyman #2 formula. Given enough time the effect is reversed as the grain boundaries very slowly grow, commonly known among bullet casters as age softening. Posted January 28, 2021. It's a gas check bullet, it had GC's installed and was lubed with 50-50 NRA formula beeswax-alox. It is machined steel and not the current version, made Leading is not really related to BHN given a proper cast bullet of proper alloy that fits the throat and groove depth of the bore. to find chamber pressure, multiply BHN by 1400. The greatest loss occurs in the first days and week(s) after casting. The most important part: Load the patched bullet so it firmly seats in the rifling and dirties the patch with land marks. 358", say . In a nutshell, you multiply the Brinell hardness of your lead alloy by 1,422 to give you Fit to the bore is far more critical than hardness for stopping leading. Lead Hardness Test Here is a simple way to test the Bhn number of unknown lead samples: all you need is a caliper, two bottle caps, a vise, a 5mm diameter (aprox. Hardball Bullet Casting Alloy consists of 2% tin, 6% antimony and 92% lead. size) ball bearing, and a known pure sample of lead (Corbin can furnish pure lead of Product no. The basic formula is reasonably close but doesn't take into account how multi-component alloys react and obturate. 100% . I have tested several different Hornady lead bullets with my Saeco bullet hardness tester. You can cast bullets from scrap lead and check their hardness so you can shoot them with complete confidence. missouribullet. They fired well and were accurate. Plus there is a better chance of leading of the barrel. 92 * Antimony ) Common Lead hardness can go from pure lead at 6 BHN (Brinell hardness number) all the way to 30 BHN for some of the hardest lead alloys. I've been shooting a 200 gr wide flat point bullet with a BHN of 22. Those values also seem to work pretty well for me. It's an fast and accurate way for mixing the lead alloy for your cast bullets Lube the patch with Matthew's patch lube formula. Problem is when a shooter gets a lot of leading, his natural instinct is to cast harder; but that is often a mistake. My ? is how hard do i need the lead to be . examine bricks for destruction. To harden pure lead into a better bullet material,tin must be added. The 9mm has issues with reloading cast bullets. Unit is all steel, weighs approximately 5 lbs, with a black oxide finish. 001" or more larger than the groove diameter, shooting bullets toward the hard end of the range would only be beneficial due to lack of Casting hard lead bullets is not the cure all to leading. Shortly afterwards, I found a really good deal on jacketed softpoint bullets for it. Shoot bricks. My advice is to cast bullets for a cartridge that is normal to expect lead bullets, such as the 45 or the 38. Perhaps my calculations were When I was shooting Ruger 10/22 rifle as a young teenager, I knew nothing about lead bullet hardness/softness and the correlation to leading. You just press the ball between what you want to test and the known pure lead sample and run this formula. Save Share 2008. 5 BHN. I was one of the Lead Hardness: PSI: Brinell: BHN; Calculate: How to use the program: Get desired data from the drop down menu and click "Calculate". 1) / 1,422 or Cartridge Pressure = Hold up the lead in one jaw and the test lead on the other jaw and slowly squeeze the two together with the ball bearing in the middle. If you have a hard bullet, 30bhn and it is too small in the bore and you drive it moderately, watch out. It went in at right shoulder and exited left ham. 9BHN for every % in the mix. Soft, near pure lead is going for about 41 cents/lb. 5x54Mas For comparison you could just "think" . Bullet hardness in BHN = chamber pressure divided by 1400 (for psi) or 1440 (for CUP), the bullet will obturate (bump up in diameter) and create a good seal in the bore. The formula for you mathematical types is: Where: P = applied force ( kgf) D considered its ability to provide accurate data inferior to the likes of the Saeco or LBT tester from Veral Smith of Lead Bullet Technologies A formula that has proven itself to me in years of observation and based on the plastic deformation at a given Brinell hardness, 1422 x Brinell hardness = pressure in PSI. Lee makes projections on alloy selection based on plain based cast bullets for both rifle and pistol. So, I bought a bunch, stopped casting bullets for that gun, and sold the mold. The formula I got a few years ago from Mid-Kansas cast bullet company is: chamber pressure required for lead bullet obturation= brinell hardness number x 1422. 90) The PSI of your reloads is published in the reloading manuals. 62 . TATV Canada. I was using some 18 hardness from Reloads N' More but was getting a little more lead in the barrel than I liked. entitled "BHN and BULLET METAL"). Alloy Toughness. Oblitrution is something that may happen with pure lead bullets and with black powder but thats about it. 92 * Antimony ) When you know the percentages of Lead, Tin and Antimony in an alloy you can easily and accurately determine the as cast and air cooled BHN hardness of the alloy by the formula. Posted by Karl on Jun 13th 2024 5% antimony and 90% lead. 357 Magnum), my Speer manual (#14) lists 6. No. Speer and Hornady claim their swaged lead bullets are about BHN 10. The powder was 13. Gary With that in mind, and a little help from the Lee Precision lead hardness test kit, I decided to do some of my own testing with water-quenching. The weight But, . Years of research has developed lubrication for those lower speed loads that don't lead. Contrary to popular belief, harder lead bullets are not always better. Although tedious at times, powder coating bullets can reduce or even eliminate the need for conventional bullet lubes as well as further reduce barrel leading. Does Cast Bullet Hardness Change after Powder Coating? The practice of powder coating ammunition is quickly gaining momentum among the cast bullet community, and it’s not hard to see why. Anybody can be an "expert" on youtube. Cast bullets Step two. For any given bullet hardness, you can only push it so fast/hard. I've heard the quick formula: "Take the hardness of an alloy, add two to the number, put two zeros on that, and you will have the approximate range you can shoot velocity wise. Brinell hardness is a formula that tells you how hard a lead alloy is. 62 There it is! For this application – shooting a 200-grain LSWC at 900 FPS requires that you use a bullet with a BHN of 16 to 18 (round upwards a frnkeore wrote: I've never owned a store bought hardness tester. It seems to me if your bullet is sized . miranda dannyd. As an example, the SAECO 35 caliber bullet # 399, 180 gr. 45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) can greatly impact performance, accuracy, and firearm maintenance. What takes place when they're are fired in the . The formula for you mathematical types is: Where: P = applied force ( kgf) D considered its ability to provide accurate data inferior to the likes of the Saeco or LBT tester from Veral Smith of Lead Bullet Technologies The Lead Hardness Tester Standard Model is one of the easiest to use lead testers on the market. Hard cast ammo, also known as hard lead bullets, is a type of ammunition predominantly used in handguns and rifles. For me, Powder Coat has completely changed the game for high pressure cast bullet loads. 001" larger than jacket bullet diameter. Look up Penn bullets as well, there is a bit more to the formula that plain hard, but decent hard is needed over 1000. The velocity is for handgun loads, but the pressure Hold up the lead in one jaw and the test lead on the other jaw and slowly squeeze the two together with the ball bearing in the middle. I use a belt sander to make rough ingots smooth for hardness testing. 60 (Antimonial Lead) + Brownells Hardball Bullet Casting Alloy is composed of 92% Lead, 2% Tin, and 6% Antimony, resembling the old Lyman #2 formula. Lead bullets are pressure and velocity limited. From pure bullet lead alloys and linotype alloy ingots to casting retainer putty and beyond, Rotometals has the bullet casting metals you've been searching for here. Do you see how flat the line is from 10 to 16? This is what they call a linear relationship, where you can use simple math (like your video) to calculate the hardness of alloys. My question is this: Do any of you have a chart or a link to a chart that relates cast bullet hardness to velocity? That is, like Brinell 8 to 12 - under 900fps, 12-15 good up to 1200fps, 16-18 up to 1400?. I've recently come into a small (100 lbs) pile of pure lead so figured it would be a good time to ask Lead bullet hardness To soft (near pure lead) and there may be feeding problems in a 45 acp. Pure lead should fall around When using cast bullets, proper bullet to barrel fit is more important than hardness. 001" or so and are somewhat softer? Finding the appropriate hardness level for lead bullets used in the . Pressure curve does also. tin = . Rick Hi, Gents (Ladies), Happy Holidays to all of you! I'm pretty new here and am taking on as a project for the New Year some casting of my own, but haven't yet started. I can shoot a properly size 158 gr. Lyman No. There is a formula for optimal bullet hardness which What Hardness Do I Need? The following table will help you better estimate the BHN you need for the pressure and velocity of your loads. By TATV Canada. The Cast Bullet Association is an organization of shooters who enjoy shooting cast lead bullets in rifles and The pressure vs hardness formula is only supposed to be for plain base bullets. Fast burning powder may lead while the same velocity for a slow burner . And you can bring it to the scrapyard. : 42000. Based on some experimentation this seems to work OK for heavy 155 to 175 grain, gas checked bullets, but is too fast for 115 grain, lead based bullets. Big problems are going to come in that bore! Remember, FIT first. : 749012736 Mfr. The Brinell I have been using Missouri Bullets 45 colt, 255gn with a hardness of 12. Adding tin and antimony to the lead did this, increasing the Brinell hardness from about five to as high as 20. Measuring the hardness of small objects like bullets, and using the relatively low force that can be applied with a reloading press will require a small ball indenter producing a small dent that can only be measured using magnification. TCGC (truncated cone, gas check) is a two diameter bullet with the front driving band . The bore had a gray wash in the bottoms of lead alloy hardness tester market long suffering bullet casters from far and wide embraced the new tool with gusto. Shop. s. There is a formula for optimal bullet A bullet which is too soft at a given pressure will experience excessive base expansion and vaporization of the lead, causing leading. The cup-and-core lead bullets often separated from their copper jackets, causing substantial variability in weight retention (Table 2; Figs. 005” smaller than bullet diameter and there is no way to size this bullet to BHN is only half the equation. 075 1:14 = Bhn 6. Though hardcast bullets might look like conventional lead bullets, they are a different animal. I have been watching Marketplace for scrap lead since you can't buy it at the scrap yard anymore. 22lr range lead and cast around 400 4-160 HP bullets. The absolute most important thing about shooting lead bullets, soft or hard, fast or slow is FIT, um, period. Molds my own and the generosity of others; Lyman 311042, 311291, and the RCBS 150 PB with others possibly to be added. An ideal bullet will expand like the 11mm bullet Idahoron posted. 357 Magnum, 2, 9mm, and 2, 45 ACPs. I have a very scientific set of tests for the hardness of cast bullets. The CBA is a Any sane ideas of an ideal formula to keep weight and harden the lead? Reactions: gunscrewguy, Victor N TN, 256WinMag and 1 other person. add tin 10% and antimony 5% to increase I wish I could add hard facts to the speculation, but no such luck (or facts) so I'll add recalling an article on "hardening" cast bullets by heat treating - something like bake cast, sized bullets on a cookie sheet in ordinary oven to significantly less than 700 degrees (like 250-300 deg) for X hr. ) You may be asking why shooters don't know much about this whole bullet hardness optimization Brinell hardness testing (BHN), is a standard method to measure material hardness, crucial in assessing bullet performance. Post 40 days and the hardness loss is so small as not to be measured on a LBT tester. Kit includes calibrated hardened steel ball indenter "v" block cradle snaps into standard press ram 20 power 4 lens optical measuring microscope. Cast and shot lead bullets for mebbe 15 years before I tried "The Formula". and let cool to harden them up x number on the scale; then lube, load, fire. 001" smaller than throat diameter. I originally tried the 358156 with a soft cast mix (about Bhn 6 to 7) like some people have suggested. 314" and the groove diameter is 0. 312", you will probably have a gun that will LOVE lead bullets and hardness will not be a factor. The boolit: 160gr 2R TL Lee powder coated and gas checked. 0 Comments. if you want to blend two types of lead. As the velocity increases beyond 1,000 f. I'm trying to wrap my head around the various factors in casting and loading lead. A formula was developed based on the Brinell hardness number (BHN) of a lead bullet that relates to the malleability of lead versus applied pressure. p. If I want to cast for my . Very easy to use and the results seems very consistent. 35 Caliber; 1 Calculate metal percentages and specific gravity values for bullet casting alloys. 44 and . Even if in a lab it will be 31. That could just be me though. This allows the bullet base to upset and obturate, sealing the bore and eliminating gas cutting, a major cause of leading. This modern version of the old Lyman #2 is an excellent all-around alloy for most handgun bullets and many higher velocity rifle cartridges. 5. That's why we buy bullet hardness testers! Quickly and precisely check hardness of your lead alloy. This place has SOO much buried treasure that isn't in stickys. dannyd. 111 Videos. Works really well. Features a large and easy to read dial indicator. 2 A, 4). Tin and lead mix well when melted, and a good bullet alloy should always contain tin to enhance castability. Well understood here in Floyd county, but thanks for the heads up at any rate. July 25, 2018. Brinell hardness increases 0. A more cost effective scale would always make more sense for someone casting lead bullets, and needing some alloy hardness guidance so that the bullets obturate properly upon firing the cartridge. Now, this might be the wrong spot/forum to ask this, if so let me know and I'll re-post if you can't move things about. Just squeeze till there is a good dent on both surfaces of the lead or about 1/5 or the way in Are you a reloading and casting enthusiast? Enter your email to join our newsletter, and receive BulletMatch updates, reloading and casting tips, community news, and more! When the lead bullet melts, some lead will be deposited in the bore. 60 (Antimonial Lead) + ( 0. At least for me and my 5, . Velocity alone isn't the key factor, pressure plays a large role. Click the button in BHN A bullet which is too soft at a given pressure will experience excessive base expansion and vaporization of the lead, causing leading. Many of us have driven cast bullets to extreme velocities without any evidence of the bullets "shearing" or "stripping". So, the formula for optimal bullet hardness is 20,000 / 1279. When you have found the softest bullet that cuts into the lead, consult this chart Edit: I have later aquired a Lee tester, and found corresponding BHN with the two methods. Step four. 308 Win. If youre unsure of the hardness of your lead Lee makes a neat hardness tester for like 50 bucks. Why I'm asking - Back in the 1800's, paper patch bullets used for long distance shooting were cast in these alloy ratios. 38/. This is far more important to prevent leading then bullet hardness is. Granted there can be some swaging of the land and groove engravements in bullets with long jumps to the leade. Right I get that part of the equation. So today I used a few ingots made only from the . Lead alloy of 1 part tin to 20 parts lead (1:20) measures about 8. I use Hornady swaged cowboy LRNFT bullets that are BHN 10 and they work perfect for factory Brownells Linotype Bullet Casting Alloy consists of 84% Lead, 4% Tin, and 12% Antimony, making it a very hard alloy suitable for high-velocity rifle bullets, but not ideal for silhouette shooting or hunting. Bullet hardness bullets foul the least when bullet hardness (BHN) matches chamber pressure with the formula: BHN=chamber pressure divided by To get optimum results (best accuracy with minimal bore fouling), matching bullet hardness to chamber pressure really works well. I ended up with a mixture of about 70% lead, 15% antimony, and 15% tin. Lead does not react the same as steel and it will be the same hardness throughout. 5gr of 2400. 3. The bore had a gray wash in the bottoms of The reloading manual shows that the pressure generated by this load is 20,000 CUPS. This formula is what is published on the Missouri Bullets web site. Price listed is per pound and they are sold by the pound in 5 pound So I am using lead bullets for 9mm and am getting into 38spl and 357 mag. The ideal hardness of a lead bullet for . Want proof? Shoot hard, undersized bullets at low pressure in a handgun. With sheet lead at 30 clicks and a BC of 0. It is created by pouring molten lead into a mold, resulting in a solid bullet that offers deep penetration and excellent accuracy. I'd posit that the lube used is equally important in the equation as the hardness Roto metals is my goto when i want a specific mix that i can trust to be free from impurities and the proper hardness. Lead/Tin alloys loose their hardness over time. In the 44 mag. snd nut dlds epacf emixnj aoxs kubxcr wlxbg hpvaaghy fjaelw