Heat treating softnose cast bullets

[grsjax]

I have been reading up on making cast bullets with a soft nose. I have a question and I apologize in advance if this has already been answered elsewhere but I couldn't find it if it was.

Assume I cast the nose with 50-1 lead/tin and the body with 50/50 WW and linotype can I heat treat the bullet to harden up the body without hardening the nose? :?:

[runfiverun]

they should be at least a 16 bhn as is.
but you should be able to heat treat without affecting the nose.
you'll have to find the heat you can use [should be around 415-425*] an hour or so, and into the water. should net you a bhn of about 30-34 on the base and the nose should still be soft.

[Old Coot]

as long as the nose does not contain any antimony (Sn) or arsenic (As) it should not heat treat as it takes both of these elements to harden in the heat treating process.
Good Luck

[geargnasher]

as long as the nose does not contain any antimony (Sn) or arsenic (As) it should not heat treat as it takes both of these elements to harden in the heat treating process.
Good Luck

Not both, consider the As to be a "catalyst" which serves to accelerate the hardening.

Like you indicated, binary Pb/Sn alloys, or either element individually don't harden or temper like other metals, so if there isn't any Sb in the nose it will remain soft. Remember, even 1% Sb will heat treat to 10-13 bhn after two weeks, three days if there is any As present, so make sure your nose lead is pure or binary with Sn.

Gear