Bullet Weight and Alloy?

[ahhbach]

I am casting several different styles of bullet for many different calibers here is my Dilemna: When I cast Rifle the weights come out real close 161 for 160 gr, 114 for 115 when I cast Pistol (mainly 45) the weight is like 243 for 230. This is all pre-lube/size/GC. I am using WW, Range scrap(treating like pure), and telephone cable.

Everything shoots ok and I get almost no leading in any of my guns but the weight thing has my curiosity. What makes a Boolit heavier or Lighter when casting?

Thanks
Brian

ps. I have no trouble with fillout in the molds I use.

[Bullshop]

The percentages of constituent metals in an alloy will determine the weight of a boolit from any given mold.

[Harter66]

I might be off the mark a little , but the jist is here.

The moulds are sized for the producers alloy of choice ,then add in variances in production and your alloy, can easily account for 3-4% over/under on a moulds rating.

[ahhbach]

So what makes it heavy/lighter more pure or ww?

again thanks,

Brian

[btroj]

Pure makes it heavier, tin and antimony make it lighter. Since ww have tin and antimony they will make pure lighter if added.
In the end, who cares? Weight isn't near as important as the amounts of each metal in the alloy. Weight tells you little unless you know WHY the bullet weighs what it does.
Think of weight as what it is, a measurement of a bullet. Like hardness or diameter. In itself it doesn't matter. What matters is how that info let's you determine why the bullet behaves in a certain way. Why does it lead or not lead? Why does it expand or fragment on impact? Why does it deform upon firing? Weight is a measure of 1 of many physical properties that can tell us much, or nothing at all.

[Bullshop Junior]

So what makes it heavy/lighter more pure or ww?

again thanks,

Brian
Softer = Heavier
Harder = Lighter

[Doc Highwall]

I would not worry about the weight of the bullet because even with the same alloy the weight will vary between different lots/runs of moulds. I would worry more about the weight variances with your casting technique and the weight between your different lots of alloy.

[noylj]

Softer = Higher lead contect = Heavier = Smaller diameter
Harder = Smaller lead content = Lighter = Larger diameter
Post above your pot.

[theperfessor]

I have more than two dozen .44 and .45 molds of all commercial (not custom) brands, and only one of them casts a bullet within 5 grs of its stated nominal weight. Most come out heavier than stated. Lyman molds seem to be off the most for the same bullet, with some old molds and new molds of the same designation varying 4-5% with the same alloy. SAECO and RCBS are a little closer, some of my Lee's are close and some are way off.

As has been stated, as long is the diameter is useable and it doesn't lead in the gun I use it in and if I take into account the actual weight of the bullet when adding the powder who cares what the weight is? The exception might be for something like a 1911, where too heavy a bullet might cause a little more rapid wear on the frame, but a nominal 230 gr bullet that weighs 240 grs probably isn't a real problem here either.

[runfiverun]

lyman.lee and rcbs, use alloys that are 10% not lead.
so you should expect your boolits to be heavier from thier molds and usually a bit smaller too.

[songdog53]

Seems i am experincing same problem with my mixture....always at least 10 grs. heavier than mold listed for but i jusy adjust powder to next heaviest bullet to make sure it not going to give me pressure problems. Only one that has given me any problems id Lee 210 which weighs out at 224 and having shot about 25 rounds found some small amount of leading but were plan based bullets and pushing them rather fast out of 44 mag. Going to change powder and back off speed some and se what happens.

[303Guy]

Softer = Higher lead contect = Heavier = Smaller diameter
Harder = Smaller lead content = Lighter = Larger diameterThat explains why I'm having to use a thicker paper for my new lot of castings - a good thing in my case.

[williamwaco]

Lyman and most other molds are "rated" using Lyman No 2 bullet alloy. This is a relatively hard alloy.

The metals you are using are all significantly softer and herefore heaver than Lyman No. 2.

"I am using WW, Range scrap(treating like pure), and telephone cable."


The range scrap I buy measures about 8 - 9 BNH. Wheel weights about 12 BNH ( Stick-on wheel weights are almost pure. I get BNH about 6.5 with the stick-ons ) and telephone cable is pure lead. If you are mixing those three you will have an excellent alloy for handgun bullets but It will be significantly softer and heaver than Lyman No 2. and will therefore produce heaver bullets than the molds are rated for. ( I get really fine accuracy with .357 160 gr SWCs cast from straight range scrap - (BNH 8.4).

That said, the only bullet molds I have owned in 50 years of reloading that produced bullets within 1 grain of the advertised weight were produced by Helsley & Gibbs and Ballisticast. ( I am sure the other high quality custom mold makers are just as accurate but I have not tried them.)

[Down South]

Some moulds especially Lyman just don't cast their advertised weight. Be it to worn out cherries or just poor craftsmanship, you get what you get.
It's true that Lyman bases their weight on Lyman #2 alloy but that ain't always how it is. I stopped buying their moulds a few years back due to their lack of precision. Even if it is a few grains high or low, it may still be a good boolit.

[runfiverun]

weather conditions can vary the weight of a 150 gr boolit by 2-3 grains.

[Doc Highwall]

Lyman cuts their moulds with cherries and all you have to do is set the height a few thousands high or low and the weight will vary and the larger the caliber the larger the variance in weight. I do not worry about the weight it really means very little as long as it is not too far off like 25-30 grains. I can live with a + or - 10 grains but I cannot live with an undersized bullet or excessive out of round. Bullet fit is King.