Just thought I would share this...

[vmathias]

Tried water quenching yesterday with 45/70 boolits. With the first batch we poured, waited approx 15 seconds for set then tapped the sprew and immediately dropped into a 5 gallon bucket filled with water. These Boolits did not turn out to well. They hardened too fast, dented and cracked easy.

The 2nd batch we did the same but what made a big difference was letting them air dry on a rag for approx. 1 minute then dropped into the water bucket. They hardened up nicely and kept their perfect shape.

[RayinNH]

They hardened too fast, dented and cracked easy.

]That doesn't sound right. What sort of alloy where you using?[/B]

The 2nd batch we did the same but what made a big difference was letting them air dry on a rag for approx. 1 minute then dropped into the water bucket. They hardened up nicely and kept their perfect shape.

After cooling for one minute and then water droping I doubt there was much difference in hardness. Did you test hardness between the water dropped and air cooled?

[swheeler]

Strange? I drop from the mold as soon as sprue flashes over into a bucket of cold water, no cracking.

[runfiverun]

the sprue is still liquid on some of mine.
I think I count about 6 after pouring on the 45-70 mold to break it open and dump it into water.
if you had the boolits breaking up, you are running things waaay too hot.

[vmathias]

the sprue is still liquid on some of mine.
I think I count about 6 after pouring on the 45-70 mold to break it open and dump it into water.
if you had the boolits breaking up, you are running things waaay too hot.

Well it was a lee mold and they were coming out a tad frosted. Probably a little to hot hence the cracking. Makes sense.

[44MAG#1]

No it doesn't make sense at all. there was something else wrong on a great magnitude. take my word on it.

[Beau Cassidy]

^^^^^

[NSP64]

Dents are from hitting the bottom or other boolets. Try a T-shirt over the top, angled to let it be under water. Drop boolets onto shirt, they should roll down and fall off to the bottom.
Use cold water also.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

44Mag#1, your post reads like you have been in the corn liquor again.

[44MAG#1]

GOPHER SLAYER said: "44Mag#1, your post reads like you have been in the corn liquor again."

Thank you. But I don't drink, smoke weed, K2 or Bath Salts, pop pills other than a Metformin 2 times a day and a blood pressure pill once a day. I come by the way I am by design of nature and the people I have dealt with in the past.
People are the greatest teaching instruments that has ever been or will be.
Have a great evening and remember you may be the teacher to another person like me.

[41 mag fan]

What temp was you casting them at?

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Dear 44Mag, I intended no insult or disrespect, I was simply trying to interject a little humor. I will refrain from such postings in the future. I do not have any minor vices myself. I also take blood pressure pills daily along with thyroid and one I am not sure of. The Dr prescribed it so I take it. I have lived my life trying to cause as little discord as possible. Since you brought up teaching I will cover that also. My wife and I raised three children and worked hard to teach them right from wrong. I sent them thru private schools including collage, all of it on my dime. The three have all done well and not one has come back to Dad for help after their schooling was finished. If you were insulted by my vain attempt at humor then I apologise. It will not happen again.

[44MAG#1]

I feel fortunate that I have the health I have. I know a guy that has MS and his meds cost over 3 grand a month but he is still going.
Sometimes I get down but try to look around at others and then realize how fortunate I am.

[vmathias]

No it doesn't make sense at all. there was something else wrong on a great magnitude. take my word on it.

Standard wheel weights twice fluxed and cleaned, mold smoked and pre heated. Most of the bullets came out beautiful once we air cooled. Dont know what else could be wrong. I am a novice but my buddy is not.

[vmathias]

What temp was you casting them at?

We didnt take readings but they were a tad high with some semi frosted boolits.

[44man]

Me too guys, I want some of the corn left if 44 doesn't want any! :kidding:
But just cool down below frost and wait longer to cut and dump. Use deep enough water, I use a 5 gal bucket pretty full.
Even big .500 boolits don't dent.

[lka]

I used to drop Immediately into an aluminum bucket full of water and never had any issues, now I have a large cookie sheet, rags in and water poured to make rags wet, I like this better because I don't have to fish the bullets out and they are dry, I haven't been able to tell a difference in hardness between the two methods, I tested hardness with the lee tool..

['74 sharps]

I've dropped a lot of Saeco #645 @480gr bullets on a towel and never had a dent. I shoot black, so my bullets are around 30:1. Sounds like there may be some temp issues going on to cause the long cool times........

[DLCTEX]

Too long cooling and brittle, cracked boolits =too hot.