Redid my 450 bush load

Had fouling issues w my bushmaster using Pc bullets w 40.0 gr imr 4198 and my 280 gr has checked bullets .452 sized so I knew after compliplating it it was bc I was pushing too hard


Aa9 27.7 gr 1 1/2 inch 50 yards no fouling
Aa9 28.7 gr 1 1/2 inch 50 yards no fouling
Aa9 29.7 gr 1 1/4 inch 50 yards some foul
Aa9 30.7 gr 1 inch 50 yards back to the fouling


GLFA upper 18 inch all functioned but my 50-50 alloy can’t handle the pressures above 35k and it’s apparent. My man pat Murphy told me bet it’s your alloy and I’m inclined to agree. In case you were curious they use a 1-24 twist w a mid length gas system

Heat treat your alloy up to 18-20. This should get you to around 40k. I heat treat my 50/50 for my hunting bullets. It allows me to increase the pressure and still maintains the same type of expansion and malleability. If you are water dropping and lubing you this will not help. I use this for my powder coated bullets.

These have time cured for about 6 months. How to you heat treat your pc bullets? If I heat treat the bullets will it affect some of the aspects of their performance of flattening out when they hit?

I normally heat treat when I powder coat. But have heat treated with a second trip to the oven also. Depends on the powder coat some can not stand the second heat treat. I run my oven to just below the melting point of my lead for about 30 min if I am doing a second heat. If I am heating them when I first powder coat I do the recommended coat temp/time and then turn my oven up between 425-450 for about 10 min then water drop in ice water. Temp setting depends on oven and how hard you want the bullets to end up. If you will search heat treated bullets on here you will get a lot of information on the subject from individuals that have a lot more experience with it than me. I have only noticed it to affect the bullet performance slightly. Will need a little more speed for the same mushroom affect. This is not normally an issue with my rifle. That is why I use this method. Alloy mixing for that bhn makes them to brittle and affects expansion to much for me.