Bhn

[Tenbender]

I have been reading about 50/50 WW to pure mix for hunting boolits. I cast up some 405 gr. 458's about 3 weeks ago and I'm getting a 6 to 7 bhn . That is with the Saeco tool. I think my pure wheel weights are testing 7 bhn. What am I missing here ?

[Outpost75]

You need to calibrate your tester with known pure lead and linotype.

[LenH]

One thing I found out the hard way is letting the bullets or ingots age for about 2 1/2 weeks. Believe it or don't it makes a difference. I made some hardball
alloy and tested it the next day and was getting 9.5 to 10 bnh, after 2 weeks I was getting 15 to 16 BNH.

[dubber123]

Unless you have some really soft WW's, I would expect you to end up about 9 BHN. I have shot this alloy to almost 2,200 fps from my Marlin in .35 Rem with excellent accuracy and 0 leading. I expect no problems with expansion, maybe too much if anything.

[BCB]

I have yet to get the BHN for WW what they are claimed to be…

I generally get what the SAECO scale shows—a BHN of ~9.0 (SAECO 6.0) for WW and a BHN of 5.0 (SAECO 0.0) for pure lead…

So, I think a BHN of 6-7 for your alloy might be inline…

Good-luck…BCB

[Tenbender]

I have yet to get the BHN for WW what they are claimed to be…

I generally get what the SAECO scale shows—a BHN of ~9.0 (SAECO 6.0) for WW and a BHN of 5.0 (SAECO 0.0) for pure lead…

So, I think a BHN of 6-7 for your alloy might be inline…

Good-luck…BCB

Thanks. That answered my question.

[Tatume]

I've tested many wheel weight bullets and ingots, and consistently get 12 BHN. I believe your instrument requires calibration, as noted by Outpost75.

[BCB]

I've tested many wheel weight bullets and ingots, and consistently get 12 BHN. I believe your instrument requires calibration, as noted by Outpost75.

I get the same readings as the OP with my SAECO...

SAECO indicates that WW are BHN 9...

I have never been able to get the high BHN readings for WW that others get...

What type of tester do you use?...

Good-luck...BCB

[Tatume]

I've used the Lee tester most often, but I also use a dissecting microscope to measure the indent. The microscope is just for comparison, it's too expensive to keep out in my shop. I've also mixed 0.25/3.00/96.75 tin/antimony/lead alloy to approximate wheel weight metal, and it tests to 12 BHN also. I don't think the 12 BHN figure is to be doubted.

[44man]

WW's have been recycled so many times we have no idea. Mine are very old and I dread starting over when they are gone.
For a 50-50 mix you are better off heat treating them for a better grip to rifling but it will not change the mess to an animal at all. I will not use that soft again after seeing what a revolver does to deer. Mine were heat treated to 20 BHN. I don't think I will go with less then 75-25 again. I hate to kill a deer and lose 1/4 of the meat!

[44man]

Many look for too soft for hunting, I just can't imagine 2,200 fps!!! BANG-SPLASH!
Space station has meat on the solar panels.
I would reserve soft for BP velocities.

[BCB]

I've used the Lee tester most often, but I also use a dissecting microscope to measure the indent. The microscope is just for comparison, it's too expensive to keep out in my shop. I've also mixed 0.25/3.00/96.75 tin/antimony/lead alloy to approximate wheel weight metal, and it tests to 12 BHN also. I don't think the 12 BHN figure is to be doubted.

Fair enough, but it appears SAECO doesn't think wheel weights are in the 12 BHN category--more the 9.0 BHN...

I go on what my SAECO says. I trust it. The vernier lines are pretty much a given when it comes to reading the SAECO hardness. There is simply too much room for error trying to measure a dimple, let alone the even amount of pressure to make the dimple--I've watched several uTubes on how to use it and it seems a bit destined to produce error...

One advantage I see is the fact it can measure the BHN of a piece of alloy without having to have the boolit in line and in a proper diameter recess to hold the boolit properly...

Good-luck...BCB

[dubber123]

My LBT generally says 12+BHN on my 20+ year old WW's

[HangFireW8]

If you follow the directions, the Lee is easy enough to read, assuming filing flat means you really get a flat surface. If you don't then you need to do it over again, not guess at dimple sizes.

I can put 3 dimples down on a filed flat and they will all be within one microscope increment.

[Edward]

My w/w says 12 on my Lee tester and has been consistent for yrs ,might not be the most expensive tester but it gives a baseline that works for calculations .And does compare favorable with other test results

[fredj338]

Clip WW only? I still get about 10bhn on my CabinTree. I don't really worry much about BHN, fit is more important, unless looking at rifle bullets. 10bhn works fine in all my handgun loads from 800fps-1300fps.

[Chill Wills]

Fair enough, but it appears SAECO doesn't think wheel weights are in the 12 BHN category--more the 9.0 BHN...
Good-luck...BCB

Keep in mind that these Pb, Sn, Sb alloys have a trace of arsenic and will age harden. My old stash of WW, 20-40 years ago cast at 9 BHN on the LBT and in ten days tested at 12 BHN. Back then we thought that was standard and with today's WW anything goes. I'm down to 300-400 pounds of old WW. You will get a harder bullet the longer you wait to test up to about two weeks.

This alloy can harden to maybe 18 BHN when dropped from the mold into a bucket of H2O. Oven heat treat goes to the high twenties into the thirties. I don't do that anymore but have.

[44man]

I water drop to speed the hardening time. My best accuracy comes in about 3 days. The sooner I shoot after loading, the better. I see an accuracy drop off when I let loads sit a long time. Boolits did not soften but since I use a lot of case tension I think the brass relaxes. Brass does not relax evenly and the closer tension is case to case, the better.
I will repeat this forever, 90% of accuracy problems are brass related and the revolver is the hardest to tame.
I NEVER fit brass to a boolit because of the alloy and softness. I keep the boolit hard and for any expansion I soften the nose. You will never see an "M" expander or over size one in my house. I don't believe in "bump up." Fit is where it is. With the Hornady expander my boolit does the last expansion of the brass. I will not allow brass to size a boolit.
Another thing I figured out is with a GC boolit. Don't seat them larger then the boolit. If your boolit is .430", never put checks on with a larger size die. The check will expand the brass and reduce tension on the boolit body.
If your primer pops the boolit out before ignition, you wasted all your time.
I don't do this for fun but someone will always tell you to SOFTEN and over expand.