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Thread: What alloys and BHN's should I be trying to achieve

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    What alloys and BHN's should I be trying to achieve

    Loaded question.

    Playing around with mixing pure lead on the alloy calculator and wondering if there is a one size fits all mix that I can use (yeah right). I am powder coating my bullets. For pistols I am shooting 95gr 380, 134gr 9mm 230gr 45acp and I'm pushing them pretty hard. For rifles, I'm currently only casting 230gr .308 for subsonic 300aac but I haven't even loaded any yet. I see a lever rifle in my future so I plan on loading for full speed rifle 357, 44mag, 30-30, 45-70 eventually. Down the road I may cast some slugs, who knows. This really is addictive.

    So what BHN should I be looking for:
    semiauto pistol
    subsonic 300aac
    full speed rifle

    I assume I need to keep the tin-antimony mix close to equal or say 1% less tin than antimony. Is there alloy where I can air cool for pistol and water drop to get desired BHN for rifle?
    Last edited by n10sivern; 10-27-2016 at 06:31 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    sqlbullet's Avatar
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    Fit is high king. For all the cartridges you list, a BHN of 9-11 will work just fine as long as the fit is good.
    My isotope lead page: http://fellingfamily.net/isolead/

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by sqlbullet View Post
    Fit is high king. For all the cartridges you list, a BHN of 9-11 will work just fine as long as the fit is good.
    Fit might be King but if you want accuracy at 2400 fps or greater you will need a harder alloy. Even at lower velocities, the cast bullet bench rest shooters often use LinoType straight.

    Tim
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  4. #4
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    well it sounds like you want to do what I do.
    air cool one alloy for pistol and water drop for rifle.
    what I do to make this mystery alloy is mix al my clip on ww's together and melt them.
    then I mix all my stick on ww's together and melt them.
    then I mix the two together in a ratio of 3 parts clip on ww's and 1 part stick on ww's and pour that into ingots.
    now sometimes I get all crazy and throw some range scrap in there or drop in about 1/2% tin.
    that's my secret recipe don't be tellin everyone.

    okay every now and then I get a mold that doesn't play nice with that recipe or does better with a slight change to the alloy [9mm,223 type molds] so I go all wild and mix up a batch of the above and add 1 part linotype to 8 parts of the above for the 9m.
    and 3 parts of the above to 1 part linotype and add some more tin for the 223 and one 308 target mold.
    but I got the big old batch of alloy to play with and use for the next few years and things are simple.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by runfiverun View Post
    well it sounds like you want to do what I do.
    air cool one alloy for pistol and water drop for rifle.
    what I do to make this mystery alloy is mix al my clip on ww's together and melt them.
    then I mix all my stick on ww's together and melt them.
    then I mix the two together in a ratio of 3 parts clip on ww's and 1 part stick on ww's and pour that into ingots.
    now sometimes I get all crazy and throw some range scrap in there or drop in about 1/2% tin.
    that's my secret recipe don't be tellin everyone.

    okay every now and then I get a mold that doesn't play nice with that recipe or does better with a slight change to the alloy [9mm,223 type molds] so I go all wild and mix up a batch of the above and add 1 part linotype to 8 parts of the above for the 9m.
    and 3 parts of the above to 1 part linotype and add some more tin for the 223 and one 308 target mold.
    but I got the big old batch of alloy to play with and use for the next few years and things are simple.
    Haha. Thanks. That gives me an idea of where to start.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    Just a few thoughts from someone who is far from being an expert. There are other considerations besides BHN. For instance, it's easier to cast nice bullets if the mix has more tin. WW will defiantly work, but is not quite as easy to work with. Also, in general, the harder the alloy, the larger the bullet will be. For instance, the alloy I use for my 9mm bullets will typically drop bullets .0015 to .002 over the .356 spec for the mold. Then there is the fact that bullets cast from an alloy with 5% Tin just plain look pretty
    Last edited by vincewarde; 10-28-2016 at 02:33 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I powder coat so I don't care how pretty they are as long as they shoot lol

  8. #8
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    Big bore Rugers have a special spot for 50/50+2% COWW/Pure/Tin and soft lube like Felix. For me, this alloy does all that needs to be done in the Rugers for deer and thin skinned game. For hogs I like the same boolit just a tad harder, and an alloy that is just hard enough you can't scratch it with a thumb works great.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
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    Powder coated boolits look pretty too. Thinking of doing it myself.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check