BHN question

[mikedp]

Hello everyone, I'm about to start casting 9mm and 44 special and I have a couple of questions. I'm going to be casting in a Lee 356-120 TC mold, that is actually dropping at about 125 gr. Also casting some 44s using 44 mag cases but with a 44 special load(about 8 gr HP-38),with the Lee 429-200 RF which drops at 210 gr. What is the appropriate BHN range for 9mm, and the 44 with a "special" load? Thanks

[popper]

For the 9mm,about 2-3% Sb. WD or wait to age harden.

[62chevy]

Fit is King and hardness matters when it matters. To show what I mean I cast some hard boolits for my .45 acp sized to .452 and they gave me sever leading. Got some dead soft lead and ran as cast usually .453 and no leading.

Others will be along shortly to give even better advice.

[Harter66]

I run 50/50 WW /1-20 for a 45 Colts w/452-255 RNFP to about 1100 fps in a 7.5'' RBH and the same WD for 356-124 TC and 358-125 RNFP for 9mm,38/357.

[bangerjim]

Powder coat them and you do not need to worry so much about the hardness in pistol rounds! I mix anything from 10-12 bhn for everything I shoot (9/38/40/45). A bit harder for fast rifle rounds.

Check out the stickies on this site for further info.

bangerjim

[mdi]

62chevy is correct. "Normally" a 9mm works well with a bit harder bullet, but regardless of BHN, if the bullet is too small it will lead. I cast bullets for my guns for mebbe 10 years before I got a hardness tester. I used wheel weight alloy, air cooled for all my Magnums, and "range lead" for most everything else. "Hottest" load was in my .357 Magnum, with a slight overload of True Blue that gave about 1400+ fps (guesstamate), but no leading. The key is bullet fit...

[MtGun44]

I use & recommend that Lee mold for 9mm, use air cooled wheel weight alloy which runs about 12 BHN or so for
many different 9mms, all are happy with .357 or .358 diam. No real need for hardening and
all that silly water dropping mess.
Same for .44 Mag. Spent a good bit of time making hard boolits and never had any improvement
in accy, usually worse for me. Air cooled wheelweights are fine up to full magnum loads, and
even softer works well, too.

I have used range lead at 8 BHN with fine results in .44 Mag and .357 Mag top loads. No leading,
very good accy. Fit revolver boolits to the throats, throats should be same or slightly larger
than groove diam. Fit semiautos about .002 or .003 larger than groove diam. Fit is much
more important than hardness.

Too hard and too small is the guaranteed route to leading. Revolver throats smaller than
groove diam are another problem, at least with cast, in most situations. Jbullets are more
forgiving of this particular dimensional anomaly


Bill

[DRNurse1]

If you really need to compare hardness of various alloys, the Cabin Tree hardness tester is a great tool. Until I can justify that expense, I use a redneck version I learned here with reasonable success.

Either way (measuring BHN or guestimating it), as said well above: Fit is king if you want to avoid leading.

[mikedp]

OK thanks for the responses guys, so basically the general consensus is, fit is key above hardness. I'm assuming that pertains to slugging the bore? So lets say I've slugged the bore, and now I know exactly what my bore size is. Now what do I do with that number? If I have a mold that drops +.003 or higher, then the appropriate sizer die comes into play? In other words, I need a sizer die like a .356 sizer? But what if my mold drops right at .355? Sorry for the dumb questions guys...just trying to understand.

[MtGun44]

.001 to .002 over groove diameter. Save time, just make up a dummy round with .358 diam
and see if it will chamber. If so, start there and you will be fine. I have a 2 cav and 6 cav Lee
356 120 TC, both drop at .3585 or so with wwt alloy.

Please read the sticky on "setting up a new 9mm for boolits" No real need to slug always, save time
and just try big. Otherwise follow the checks for case sizing down boolit, LOA and taper crimp
checks, etc. Should save some time.

The Stickies are your friends.

Bill

[mdi]

I use & recommend that Lee mold for 9mm, use air cooled wheel weight alloy which runs about 12 BHN or so for
many different 9mms, all are happy with .357 or .358 diam. No real need for hardening and
all that silly water dropping mess.
Same for .44 Mag. Spent a good bit of time making hard boolits and never had any improvement
in accy, usually worse for me. Air cooled wheelweights are fine up to full magnum loads, and
even softer works well, too.

I have used range lead at 8 BHN with fine results in .44 Mag and .357 Mag top loads. No leading,
very good accy. Fit revolver boolits to the throats, throats should be same or slightly larger
than groove diam. Fit semiautos about .002 or .003 larger than groove diam. Fit is much
more important than hardness.

Too hard and too small is the guaranteed route to leading. Revolver throats smaller than
groove diam are another problem, at least with cast, in most situations. Jbullets are more
forgiving of this particular dimensional anomaly


Bill
This could be very well be a sticky. The "hardness vs. leading" question comes up so often that Mtgun44's reply is the quick and easy answer...

[white eagle]

mike check your bore groove like the others say
don't concern yourself with what the mold drops that can change with alloy
if you need to size try and size with a Lee push through sizer for the dia your gun needs it will save headaches later