bullet storage

[kbstenberg]

I am casting for the distant future (3 -7 years). Is it better to run the bullets through your sizer shortly after casting and leave till use. Or is it better to leave as cast an size when the time comes to use.
My concern is that if I leave them unsized till I use them. The bullets will loose any hardness they have when I size them 3 or 4 years down the pike.
I am using an alloy of 6 parts WW to 1 part Lino in .225 dia. bullets that are WC.
Kevin

[beagle]

Store them air tight as cast and perfectly dry and size when you get ready to load. Any moisture on them and some lubes tend to form oxidization and may ruin your bullets.

After that period of time, any hardness you have induced will probably be back to it's normal state anyway./beagle

[stubshaft]

For small boolits like that there is no problem. If you are casting large .45's and bigger than you may want to size ASAP. The larger surface area combined with the boolits age hardening can create problems later.

[MtGun44]

Age hardening will, as beagle pointed out, dissipate after a few years, so you will have what
ever the native hardness of the alloy is. If you are water dropping, you'll be wasting your
time.

Bill

[1Shirt]

Easy to stay neutral on this one: Agree with all of the replies. Depends on circumstances.
1Shirt!

[williamwaco]

Age hardening will, as beagle pointed out, dissipate after a few years, so you will have what ever the native hardness of the alloy is. If you are water dropping, you'll be wasting your time.

Bill

Yes. MtGun44 is correct.

Plus.

You may think you know, but in reality you have no real idea what gun, or guns, you will be shooting them in.

You have no idea if you might want to experiment with a specific size or lube.

Store them as cast. Size them and lube them when you are ready to load them.

Oxidation fears: I have some 158 grain .357 SWCs that I cast, sized, and lubed with Lyman 50/50 Alox Beeswax in May 1972. ( Yes, that violates my advice to you. ). They have resided in a Texas garage for three months shy of 40 years at outside tempratures ranging from -8 to +118 degrees.

They were cast of 100% wheel weights and sized .358. Today they measure the exact same as they did then in diameter and hardness. They will still shoot 1" groups at 25 yards with 3 gr Bullseye, a scope, and a rest.

The surface is no longer shiny like it was in 1972. It is a very dull lead-oxide gray. The surface coating is so thick and so hard that it takes one complete twist in a single layer of Kleenex to remove it completely and return the original shine.


Remember, that lead in your pot is at least 5 billion years old. Some would argue much older. It is not going to change its properties in your lifetime.


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