Lead hardness

[Cowboy5780]

Can lead be too hard im using lino and wheelweights, then waterdropping them in 50-70 it will go thru 4 pieces of 7/8 ths plywood before lodging in the 5th @ 25 yds. If i test it with a Saeco tester best i can figure it comes out about 20 bnh guess i could break out the ole agravating lee and ck with it, but im wondering if theres such a thing as too hard. Duh i should had put without hardly any distortion.

[454PB]

I guess it depends on your intended use.

something is wrong with your test results, the alloy mix you used should get much harder than 20 BHN. Did you let them age a while before testing?

I mix linotype and pure lead 30/70 and water drop, after about 2 weeks they are at 26 BHN.

[fredj338]

I have to agree w/ 454. Water dropped ww will go 18-20, adding lino & waterdropping would be harder I would think. I don't think you need a bullet that hard in a 50/70. It would rpobably shoot fine w/ straight ww & air cooled.

[Cowboy5780]

I figure theres something up with the test results i couldnt believe there wasnt much damage to the boolit after all that birch plywood guess i will do the next batch without water dropping and see how that turns out.. thanks for the replies

[sargenv]

While there may or may not be a "too hard" there is a point at which lead can be too brittle.. A friend got what he thought was Lino and was casting with that, but it was actually Mono type and well, when the round nose hit the feed ramp, the bullet broke in two.. so um, yeah, brittleness is not that great..