How long to let boolits age?

[Evoken]

I have read on here about working softens the boolit alloy. So when I cast I try and size/lube or pc/size in a short time, mostly the same day if I can.
Once cast and sized how long are you folks letting you boolits age before loading? Or do you load then age? I have seen the graphs and charts posted on here regarding different alloys and age hardness, just wondering what you guys do and when is it cured enough for you?

Thanks,
Ken

[StuBach]

Unless your doing long range stuff it probably doesn’t matter much. I’ve loaded stuff the day after casting and fired the same day, others I’ve loaded months/years later and haven’t seen any noticeable differences in handgun Boolits. I generally don’t want super hard bullets though as I’m in the heavier is better camp most of the time so I try to keep my sweeteners down.

I suspect the more antimony the more the age impacts it but that’s just me postulating. Hopefully others have metallurgical science to back up the assertions and prove or disprove my suspicion. Be curious at what blend/concentration this has any bearing or if it’s all alloys.

[Hossfly]

About 2 weeks and they will get a couple points harder, but it wont matter much.

[gnostic]

If they're water dropped from the mold, I don't think time before sizing or use matters...

[Rcmaveric]

I used to wait two weeks before I used the bullets I casted. But now I have a high/low system set up. So it maybe a month before I get to the new stock.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Evoken]

So from what you guys are saying perhaps 2 weeks for rifle or high velocity magnum. No worries/wait for pistols like 9mm, 38, and 45.

Thanks for the insight gents!

[Seeker]

If they're water dropped from the mold, I don't think time before sizing or use matters...

I respectfully disagree with this statement. I use Lee push through sizing dies. I size my water dropped bullets as soon as I can get them dry. Why?...because they go through the sizing die just like any other boolit. I let a batch sit 2 days one time and I thought I was going to rip my press right off the bench trying to get them sized. No difference in alloy, I use straight coww lead for all my bullets and water drop, or gas check for the loads I want to push.

[Rcmaveric]

I respectfully disagree with this statement. I use Lee push through sizing dies. I size my water dropped bullets as soon as I can get them dry. Why?...because they go through the sizing die just like any other boolit. I let a batch sit 2 days one time and I thought I was going to rip my press right off the bench trying to get them sized. No difference in alloy, I use straight coww lead for all my bullets and water drop, or gas check for the loads I want to push.

Agreed. Made the same mistake before. I sized a few that day. Took a nap and forgot. Was a week before I got back to them. I to get a real press to size them. I normally size with my hand press.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[reloader28]

I'm also with Seeker. When I was heat treating or water dropping I would size them the same day or risk destroying my lube sizer.
Now I now that bullets that hard are a total waste of time for me anyway.

If I am testing a new to me bullet, I wait at least 1 week, usually 2 weeks for it to get to full hardness. Air cooled, mine will measure about 10bhn the casting day, but will get to 14-15 in about 2 weeks. After about a month or so it will be 15-16bhn

But thats just for testing. If I already have a working load for that bullet, I will cast and load the same day.

[mdi]

I started casting around 1980 and since for all my cast boolits +/- 2 or 3 BHN doesn't matter, I'll cast some and whenever I get around to finishing them (sizing, lubing) works for me. I have some 429421 and some H&G 68 clones I cast up maybe 6 years ago waiting for size/lube, and they will perform just like they did when I cast them...

[tazman]

I cast using range scrap and I water quench directly from the mold. Due to inconsistent alloy, the time to hardness isn't the same, batch to batch. I can only give generalities here.
If I wait 24 hours before sizing, I will usually have difficulty sizing the boolits. Some batches get quite hard during the first day. Some take longer.
I usually wait at least three days before loading and shooting as I have seen some batches take that long to reach enough hardness that they won't deform during seating. Usually 24 hours is enough if you are in a hurry.
If you are using clip on wheel weights and water quench, size them immediately if possible. In 24 hours they will harden and be difficult to size.
With linotype, size immediately. They are like wheel weights only worse.
I usually run boolits through a Lee push through sizer, then through my Lyman 4500 lubrisizer to keep the wear and tear stress down to a minimum. The Lyman doesn't have the leverage or strength to deal with sizing hard boolits.
Different batches of range scrap can vary quite a bit in ending hardness. I had a friend test some for me. Some were around 13-15 BHN. Others were as high as 20 BHN.
Range scrap is essentially mystery alloy. You never know exactly what is in it. It has always worked well for me in handgun boolits.

[DougGuy]

It also can depend on caliber. Heavy for caliber 480 Ruger and 500 S&W boolits are pretty long, and it is not at all uncommon for these to grow as much as .002" in diameter as they age, as such they may not want to chamber. When I hone cylinder throats for these two, I often urge the shooter to size what they will shoot and use up what they have sized in a month or two. I don't like to hone the 500 throats over .5015" and 6 months on a shelf will have a loaded round assembled with a .501" boolit fail to chamber.

A different take on age hardening, I know, but one that owners of the big bore hand cannons should be aware of.

[dverna]

I suspect the amount of antimony will affect it as well. At higher levels it will moderate the affect of time on hardness changes. It makes the alloy stronger and less age dependent.

[Evoken]

It also can depend on caliber. Heavy for caliber 480 Ruger and 500 S&W boolits are pretty long, and it is at all uncommon for these to grow as much as .002" in diameter as they age, as such they may not want to chamber. When I hone cylinder throats for these two, I often urge the shooter to size what they will shoot and use up what they have sized in a month or two. I don't like to hone the 500 throats over .5015" and 6 months on a shelf will have a loaded round assembled with a .501" boolit fail to chamber.

A different take on age hardening, I know, but one that owners of the big bore hand cannons should be aware of.

I'm curious, what makes them grow? Is it a particular alloy that is more susceptible to this, like a high antimony? Or does it have to do with larger diameter boolits curing slower due to their mass? Therefore the center would remain in a softer, more plasma like state and grow as it cures much like water freezing?Interesting.

[StuBach]

Another thought I’m curious with understanding sizing immediately. If the goal is to get bullets a certain diameter via sizing. If they do expand some over time it strikes me youd want to wait till all expansion was done before sizing. Tougher on the arm, yes, but more consistent on the finished size. If you size before bullet expansion occurs than the expansion will happen after sizing and now your perfectly sized bullet is slightly oversized. Or am I missing something?

I’ve never seen any noticeable expansion so this is strictly a knowledge question.

[Evoken]

Here is another thought.....
I have been told by members here to properly water harden boolits they should be heated in an oven rather that dropped when casting. The idea is that they all become the same temperature when you water drop them. Would that cure them faster and therefore stop the growing?

[porthos]

silly question but here goes. i have 250-300 lyman 266469 bullets @ around 18 bhn. cast30 yrs. ago and unsized. also 1500 45 acp swc that i traded for 8 years ago . here's the silly question. anyway to anneal them.? just curious.

[Mk42gunner]

Since most of my boolits are from air cooled wheelweights, it doesn't seem to matter if I size them immediately, or wait several years. Mine generally run about 12.5 BHN. With FWFL and a gas check if needed they haven't leaded a bore yet.

porthos, you can anneal precast boolits by heating them to just under slumping then allowing them to cool slowly, or so I have read. You will have to sacrifice a few to find the slump temp.

Robert

[Evoken]

silly question but here goes. i have 250-300 lyman 266469 bullets @ around 18 bhn. cast30 yrs. ago and unsized. also 1500 45 acp swc that i traded for 8 years ago . here's the silly question. anyway to anneal them.? just curious.

Just a guess here, but couldn't you put them in a toaster oven at 400 for an hour or so? Would that not soften them up so you could size them? Just a rambling thought with no real clue as to whether that would work for what you want.

[Shuz]

silly question but here goes. i have 250-300 lyman 266469 bullets @ around 18 bhn. cast30 yrs. ago and unsized. also 1500 45 acp swc that i traded for 8 years ago . here's the silly question. anyway to anneal them.? just curious.

Easy to anneal...just heat them up to 450deg and let them air cool. They will then become as soft as the original alloy. This has always worked for me with the one exception of linotype. It starts out at BHN 22 and ends up at BHN 22 whether quenched from casting or annealed later.