Range lead question........

[maglvr]

Hi Folks:
I know lead will differ from range to range and batch to batch, but I would like to hear from anyone who water dropped straight range lead boolits, and checked the hardness.
What #'s have you come up with?
Thanks in advance!!

maglvr

[evan price]

My range lead has a good mix of jacketed, shotgun slugs, and cast boolits with some soft 22 rimfires also. When I collect it @ the berm I make a special point of trying to find cast boolits for the antimony and tin content.

It air cools to around 10 bhn smelt after smelt and usually when water dropped goes to 15 bhn. (bhn according to a pencil test)

Has been about perfect for pistols with no added tin.

[1Shirt]

About the same as Evan!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[midnight]

I have about 10 lots of range lead ingots. Each lot is 100 - 150lbs. All are tested for hardness with my Saeco tester and they range from 4 to 7. I don't discriminate when gathering lead. I get lots of shotgun slugs, muzzle loader bullets, J bullets, and many cast bullets. I want these alloys to be as soft as possible because I have plenty of linotype and tin to harden them if I wish. I don't water drop so I can't help you there.

Bob