What is defined as "Hardcast" lead and it's uses? Sheesh

[armexman]

Will receive a LWD 6" 10MM barrel for my model 21(I know, I know).
Reading through many other forums (forgive me Lord for I have sinned) AND being a caster for 25 years; just what the hecky is "Hardcast" lead and what does one use it for?
One cannot shoot a Glock with lead boolits and avoid the unseen "KaBoom" (as in, I have not seen pictures and technical write-ups that directly attribute the kaboom to lead).
Every reference say's that they "saw" it on the internet. BTW I shot 10's of thousands of cast boolits through all my Glocks.
Thanks

[DougGuy]

I always took hardcast to mean BHN22 alloy (or harder) that the commercial casters like to use. Beartooth are what I call hardcast.

What you could use it for? Hmm.. Leading the cr@p out of a barrel maybe? That's the results I got out of commercially cast boolits when I used them.

KB in an autoloader is usually caused by boolit set back upon cycling. If the boolit hits the feed ramp hard enough to push it deeepr into the case pressures can rise dramatically. A 9mm loaded to max 35,000psi can very easily top 60,000psi with as little as .020" boolit set back.

[Walkingwolf]

Hardcast can lead just as much as soft cast if not sized properly. I have used both, I have not had leading problems with soft alloys, but I am not loading max pressure loads.

[tazman]

I agree that hardcast starts at about 20-22 BHN.
As far as it's uses-It can be used in just about anything that shoots lead. The key is getting a proper fitting boolit with a good lube. I shoot both hardcast and soft in my handguns without any leading problems. However, I make sure the boolits fit my barrels and cylinder throats properly.
It also makes a good boolit for rifle cartridges.
The idea for hardcast is the harder alloy is supposed to grip the rifling of your barrel better and thereby reducing skid, gas cutting, and improving accuracy. Sometimes it actually works that way. Often it doesn't work any better than softer alloys. If the hardcast boolit is a little small for your gun, it won't upset enough to seal your barrel and will therefore cause leading.
In a rifle, it helps prevent the boolit from deforming under the pressures. It can also work that way in high pressure handgun loads.
I can't comment on the Kaboom thing. I have never had one and don't own a Glock.

[Motor]

I don't know. Before getting into casting I have bought "hard cast" boolits. I still have some and they are 18bhn.

Believe me, they are hard. I can't shoot them with light loads in my 41 mag. They don't obstruate and lead the barrel. If shot with a mid range "magnum" load they work fine.

Motor

[mdi]

I believe it's a relatively new term. Before, there were swaged lead bullets and cast lead bullets. Most cast lead bullets were described by the lead to tin alloy 16-1, 20-1, 30-1, etc., and wheel weight alloys. New casters and shooters began to think "harder is better" and of course bullet casters gave them what they want, and nearly every alloy was then called "hard cast" to differentiate them from swaged. As far as I can see, Hard Cast means nuttin' just the bullet is cast.

jes my observation...

[hutch18414]

My first experience with cast boolits was Missouri Cast bullets hardball in a 45 acp. 18-22 bhn so they said. Created a lead mine in my 1911a1. After much reading I decided to use LLA and try them again. Used way too much, started gumming up dies and chamber when the gun got a little warm. But no leading! Hardness ain't no magic bullet. I still laugh at myself over that sticky mess.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Many commercial bullet caster's use the term "Hard cast" for their 92-6-2 alloy, which has an BHN of about 16 when air cooled.
BTW 92-6-2 is AKA: Taracorp Magnum alloy

[runfiverun]

'hard-cast' denotes the use of antimony. [or did at the turn of the last century]
now days it means 2/6/92 alloy.

[MT Gianni]

Hardcast is a marketing term for people that don't understand fit and size.

[Hick]

I use commercial "hardcast" from both Hunter's supply and Meister for my 30-30 and 32 WS-- but I slugged both barrels first and make darn sure I'm getting boolits that are 0.001-0.002 oversize. Done that way I have seen no leading.

[fryboy]

As sold it really is nothing more than lino cut 50-50 with pure lead
Oh and umm it's harder than pure lead :P
If in alloy cut that again 50-50 and it's a lil harder than ww's with enough tin added to cast well 3 or 4 parts pure to one part lino is usually mostly all we need ( mostly )

[mdi]

Hardcast is a marketing term for people that don't understand fit and size.

Yessir!

[Shiloh]

Lyman #2 was considered hardhats alloy 90/5/5 Lead, tin. antimony. Water dropped would get you in the 20's.

Shiloh

[LuckyDog]

From: From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?110213-From-Ingot-to-Target-A-Cast-Bullet-Guide-for-Handgunners&p=1200223&viewfull=1#post1200223)Glen E. Fryxell and Robert L. Applegate

"In the old days, there was a lot of talk about bullet hardness, and how soft bullets could cause leading by having the bullet metal getting scraped off as the overly soft bullet traversed the bore. But keep in mind, in the old days; they considered a pure lead bullet “soft” (with a BHN of 5) and a 16-to-1 bullet “hard” (with a hardness of 12 BHN). We cast with harder alloys today, and what is considered “hard” and “soft” today is very, very different than in pre-WWII America. The problem is, the Old-timers spoke in terms of “hard” and “soft“, not in terms of measured hardness values, so a new caster going back and reviewing the older casting literature is easily confused about what causes leading..."

page 32

[mdi]

Hmmm, jes wondering; where does "soft" end and "hard" begin? 10 BHN? 15 BHN? 18BHN?

[armexman]

Hi,
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Little clarification; more to the point I am asking why there are still pundits on different forums espousing the use of "hardcast" to shoot in Glock pistols and their use for in 1100-1600FPS loads.
My post count may lead one to think I am a Noob caster; the last line in my thread starter may not lead people to think that since I've shot tens of 1,000's of Boolits through my Glocks it also may mean that many more have been cast and shot in my other 60 guns.
I'm more asking, that with the ability to access the net and by the use of different search engines more people have been educated to the Grand Old Stream way of thinking.
Granted I had books and complete and full access to the American Rifleman magazines archive. I know that many of the old members that have belonged to different iterations of this board are long gone, but most of what I learned has been on castboolits.
Thanks again

[spfd1903]

I have found BHN number is another variable that can affect accuracy for a given weight and diameter in a specific fire arm. Once a powder load appears accurate, I have changed lubes and hardness for better results. Takes a lot of boolits to compare the variables. Mostly seems to make a difference in the 9x19, .45 Colt, and .44 Mag fire arms that I own. Some it does not make an appreciable difference.

[JeffinNZ]

Hardcast is a marketing term for people that don't understand fit and size.

Mostly yes, but also to keep bullets pretty during transit. Softer bullets don't travel as well.

[TXGunNut]

Hardcast is a marketing term for people that don't understand fit and size.


Agreed. I've read the writings of Fryxell and Kieth and agree that "hard" starts somewhere around 11 or 12BHN. Only thing "hardcast" has done for me is to convince me to buy my own casting gear and cast my own.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup I'm not going to argue with Glen. Hes proabably the most knowlegable caster on the planet. Ive allways considered anything ww or harder hard cast.
Agreed. I've read the writings of Fryxell and Kieth and agree that "hard" starts somewhere around 11 or 12BHN. Only thing "hardcast" has done for me is to convince me to buy my own casting gear and cast my own.

[mac266]

I don't know if there is a specific BHN where the lead is considered "hard cast" rather than soft. I do know, however, that when I cowboy action shoot, the harder, the better (within reason). We shoot steel plate targets at close distances, and the target is angled slightly downward. With hard lead, the bullet shatters and the target angle directs the pieces at the ground. Soft lead doesn't fragment nearly as well, and the boolets can bounce back at us!