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Thread: What bhn is it?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Static line's Avatar
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    What bhn is it?

    I'd like to confirm what the bhn is on a cast bullet cast from 50/50 ( coww/pure) with no tin and water quenched. On my LBT hardness tester my pointer falls between the 15 and the 20 hash marks which I assume to be 17 bhn. Does this sound about right?

  2. #2
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    Download bumpo628 alloy calculator here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=105952

    or double check with the pencil hardness test.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Depends on the initial casting temp and the age of the bullets. Assuming recently cast from a 700° pot that sounds a little on the hard side to me. However, for bullets cast from a 750° pot and aged for two years, that is not out of the realm of my experience.
    My isotope lead page: http://fellingfamily.net/isolead/

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Static line's Avatar
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    Well I just cast up some 275gr. wfngc bullets for the 77/44 out of coww/pure (50/50) and water quenched. Pot temp was 700* to 750* on a 50* day and my reading about an hour later was averaging 12 bhn. They were running from 11 to 13 bhn. I checked some of the bullets that I sat aside to air cool and they were averaging 9 bhn.Readings from my LBT hardness tester.

  5. #5
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    like static line my 5050 ww/pure bullets water dropped come out at about 12bhn on my cabin tree tester.

  6. #6
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    Take a close look at the scale on your LBT tester: the scale is not linear, so about half way between 15 and 20 isn't around 17, but more like 18 or 19.

    Your first reading seemed a little high, the later ones more consistent with what I've read for that alloy. Veral's instructions noted that individual readings can vary - I was told to average three separate readings, each taken from a part of the boolit distinct and separate from any prior test area. To me, with the small calibers I cast, that means three different boolits.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Static line's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevin c View Post
    Take a close look at the scale on your LBT tester: the scale is not linear, so about half way between 15 and 20 isn't around 17, but more like 18 or 19.

    Your first reading seemed a little high, the later ones more consistent with what I've read for that alloy. Veral's instructions noted that individual readings can vary - I was told to average three separate readings, each taken from a part of the boolit distinct and separate from any prior test area. To me, with the small calibers I cast, that means three different boolits.
    Yep,I do see what you mean about the scale not being linear and even the Cabin Tree that I once had seemed that it always fell on an area where it left question to just what my bhn was for the alloys that I use,such as coww/air cooled or 50/50 water quenched.It most always ended in a guess.I usually take an average of maybe 5 or even 10 bullets when trying to come up with a figure.And just about 90% of the time,they are above what others may experience by several points,such as the case with my first readings that you discovered.When I take readings with the LBT tester,I try to be as consistent as I can be from one take to the next.
    I have a good bullet/load combination for my 77/44 which gives me good 1-1/2" groups at 100 yards using a Accurate 275 gr. WFNGC and I am using 100% coww, air cooled for those. I was hoping to have much of the same results with 50/50 and water quenched since I have a rather large supply of pure.

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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