12 BHN + Lino = What BHN?

[psychbiker]

I want to load mainly for 30cal blackout, M1A and maybe 223/556.

If I had 12 BHN mixed lead and melted it with Linotype spacers, how much lino to get 18+BHN for good velocity?

Would it 1:1? I dont have a tester, just getting into casting and taking the plunge on buying lead since finding any locally is impossible in California.

[popper]

3:1, Lino/yours. IMHO, 223 is only that would need that hardness.

[bangerjim]

Download the FREE alloy calulator spreadsheet on here and all will be answered!

You can easily do "what if" scenarios on your own computer.

banger

[Yodogsandman]

What's the hardness of your linotype spacers? I've read here that they're sometimes just 16 BHN.

I would suggest just heat treating your mixed 12 BHN lead by either HT'ing method, water dropping from the mold or oven heating and quenching. That should about double your BHN after quenching and resting them for 5 days or so.

Note that you might need to add a little tin to your mixed lead to improve mold fill-out. You could mix in some linotype spacers to gain the tin for your mixed lead alloy.

[Bjornb]

Remember spacers = not necessarily lino hardness.

[paul h]

I'd water quench your mix as it should harden to about 18 bhn. Nothing wrong with lino, but a 5 gal bucket of water is cheaper.

[bangerjim]

Just noticed you have spacers. Your title said LINO. You will never get to 18 with spacers and pure. As said, you MIGHT possibly do it with WD'ing. But the process is totally unpredictable as far as resulting hardness, especailly after time has elapsed.

I have hundreds of # of spacers and they vary from 12-15. They are NOT normally made from lino because they only held the space between the lines and did not need to be hard.

Good luck getting to you hardness.

banger