New to casting had a question on Hardness for casting

[Worom]

Hi everyone, I just started my adventure in casting and started buying equipment after doing some research online on the equipment I would need. What I am stuck on now is what kind of lead to get, I have seen wheel weights used to make boolits before but I don't currently have a source for them. I did find some lead that has an air cooled BNH of 16 and I am wondering if this would be suitable for use for handgun loads in the .38 9mm and 45acp variety?

Thank you all for your help

[45fan]

Worom I too am a newbie I have been learning a lot from these fine people on this forum. I have asked the question of lead as well and have learned the following so far. The fit of your boolit to barrel is probably the single most important factor for the velocities you will be seeing of your chosen calibers. Lead with a BNH of 16 will be overkill, but will certainly work if that is all you have available. I have used a 50/50 mix of soft lead and clip on wheel weights (COWW) and I am about to try soft lead only for my 1911 45 acp just making light practice rounds. I am sure other with more experience can give you more info. Hope this answers your question.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Welcome Worom. 16 is way hard for .38s and .45s, can't speak from direct experience on 9s, but that may be decent for them. Usually I shoot .38s and .45s soft as I can maintain good groups, and thats about BHN 10-12. I have shot pure Pb from .38s but couldn't get past 800 fps w/o stripping the riflings and tumbling. Boolit design has something to do with how soft you can go before skidding through the barrel instead of grabbing the riflings.
If you use to hard, but the fit is right, you'll be fine and maybe have great groups. If the fit is a little loose, you'll get leading quickly with hard boolits. Softer is more forgiving, until you push them hard and slump them or skid them.
Cast, load, try 'em out, then adjust and do it again.....its fun.

[runfiverun]

sounds like 2/6/92 alloy to me it's what most commercial casters use.
just get the sizing right you'll be fine.
i'd cut it in half with soft lead, but what you have will work.

[Worom]

I appreciate all the responses thank you all for your help

[Down South]

It will work. Like said, get the sizing correct. I ran close to 400 rds out of two 1911's last weekend that were running 16+ BHN with no leading.

[williamwaco]

Hard is VASTLY over rated.

I would say 16 BNH is right on the ragged edge of being too hard.

I like around BNH 8 to BNH 12
Nothing on the planet makes better bullets than air cooled clip on wheel weights with a smidgin of tin to help fill-out.

runfiverun's suggestion is excellent.

Range scrap is also excellent.

If you have a hard time in your area, there are many members of this board that have good access to scrap lead and will send you pre-smelted clean ingots ready to cast for around $1.00 per pound delivered right to your door.