How many days to harden?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Sorry if this has been covered, but, in general how many days does it take for freshly cast bullets to fully harden?

[runfiverun]

i go 7 with air cooled and 14 for water dropped, usually waay longer as i try to be ahead with my casting.
but i have cast and lubed and loaded the same day then shot the next with no problems.
if i need them in a hurry i water drop and go.

[Marlin Junky]

Sorry if this has been covered, but, in general how many days does it take for freshly cast bullets to fully harden?

Depends on your alloy. I give Sb alloys approx. 2 weeks to stabilize whether they were HT'd or not and like to wait longer before processing larger heat treated boolits.

MJ

P.S. You didn't state your intended application and I immediately assumed you are a rifle guy. If you are talking about short range pistol training... you can load 'em as soon as they are cool enough to handle. How's that for extremes? :-)

[doctorggg]

Thanks Guys,
I had been wondering the same question. Currently reading "From Ingot to Target"
Since beginning casting last January I have learned so much from all you "learned gentlemen"
Thank you.

[Larry Gibson]

I like to give WWs + 2% tin, #2 and Lino +lead alloys that are AC'd 10+ days.

WQ'd I like to give a minimum of 24 hours, preferably a couple days.

Been working with a ternary alloy with babbit addied the last couple days and the WQ'd bullets went from 14 - 15 BHN at 4 hours to 20 - 21 BHN at 24 hours. I plan on test every day for 15 days to get a handle on this alloy with Cu in it.

Larry Gibson