Help Me With Heat Treating -- Please?
I have been reading a few post regarding heat treating cast bullets ... seems like it is something I would like to try in order to push some rifle bullets a little faster .. Got several questions about the process ....
1) What is the best method to actually perform the heat treatment .. temps, lenght of time in over, temp of water they are placed in, etc, etc ...
2) What can I expect to gain in harness from heat treatment using straight wheel weights or 50/50 WW to Pb?
3) I have read that once you heat treat and then resize, the bullet looses some of its gained hardness - true? Do you size then heat treat?
4) How about gascheck bullets, do you go ahead and check them prior to heat treatment?
5) When do you lube? Soon after treatment, or do you wait until you get ready to load 'em? (I use an RBCS lube/sizer)
6) How long can I store the treated bullets before they begin to soften?
7) Any advantage in heat treating pistol bullets (9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP)?
I know that I have asked a lot of questions, but I know that there are some of you who have ALL the answers!! Thanks!!
Lyman - Heat Treatment of Cast Bullets to Harden Them
Quote:
Q: Is there anything I can do to make the bullets harder?
A: Cast bullets can be heat treated to increase their hardness providing your alloy has some antimony present. To heat treat your bullets: Cast your bullets in the normal manner, saving several scrap bullets. Size your bullets but do not lubricate them. Place several scrap bullets on a pan in your oven at 450 degrees and increase the temperature until the bullets start to melt or slump. Be sure to use an accurate oven thermometer and a pan that will not be used again for food. Once the bullets start to melt or slump, back off the temperature about 5 to 10 degrees and slide in your first batch of good bullets. Leave these in the oven for a half hour. Remove the bullets from the oven and plunge them into cool water. Allow them to cool thoroughly. When you are ready to lubricate, install a sizing die .001" larger than the one used to initially size them. This will prevent the sides of the bullets from work-softening from contact with the sizing die. Next apply gas checks if required and lubricate. These are now ready for loading.
Many more casting tips at Lyman, look here>> http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/f...et-casting.php Not sure how the process works, but if the treatment brings the antimony to the surface of the bullet, i would think you would get leading.
Oven Heat Treating - water cooling - hardening
Quote:
Originally Posted by
243winxb
Lyman> When i run a bullet into my Lyman 450 dry, it does not go in and out well. Not something i want to do with 500 bullets.
Lube bullets with RCBS Case lube 2. Size using a Lee push thru sizer. Wash lube off with hot water and 2 drops of Dawn. Dry and tumble lube with Alox.
Oven Heat Treating - water cooling - hardening
Grain-boundary strengthening (or Hall–Petch strengthening) is a method of strengthening materials by changing their average crystallite (grain) size.
As in oven Heat treating, water cooling.