Question new to casting

[DLMMIST]

Hello, I just started casting and purchased some range lead for casting 9mm bullets. After doing a lot of research and YouTube videos I cast some bullets. The problem I am having is after testing the hardness with a Lee hardness test I only got a BHN of 8.0. I would like to know is there something I can get to add to the lead to get a better BHN? Thank you

[runfiverun]

yeah there is a couple of things you can do.
the first one is to size them to 358 and try them at 900-950 fps [I promise they will make a hole in the paper]

another one is to buy some super hard from roto-metals and use it to bump the antimony content of your alloy.
a third is to buy some lino-type or mono-type and add it to your alloy, both of them will add to the antimony content.
another thing you can try is water dropping from the mold or oven heating your boolits then dropping the whole batch into a pail of cold water.
you could also add some magnum birdshot this will give you more antimony and also some arsenic which will help if you decide to water quench the alloy.


my 9mm's boolits bhn is about 12 and I really have no issues working with that

[DLMMIST]

I did load a few to test and used the info in Lee Modern Reloading. The bullet mold was 125 grain and the powder is Accur #5. I used between 4.5 and 4.7 grains of powder. The book says 957 FPS with that powder measurements. Will I be ok testing these rounds at the range with the BHN only being 8.0? Thanks for the help.

[jcren]

Worst case is you have some lead to clean out. Best case you find that what you already have is fine. Just check for lead build-up every few rounds until you get a handle on it.

[bangerjim]

I use 9-12 in pretty much all my sub-sonic guns. And I powder coat all boolits. With PC, you do not have to worry about hardness as much....as long as you have sized the boolit for your barrel. Very important.

If you get leading, buy some harder alloy to add to it. I always dope range lead because it is not hard enough and does not have my standard 2% Sn either.

banger

[GhostHawk]

Runfive nailed it.

I do now mostly add some tin or lino to my range lead. But I have loaded and shot a lot of reclaimed range lead in both pistol and rifle. Some where the boolit was not large enough, and the lube not good enough.

Some where it was large enough and the lube was good enough with very good accuracy.

Your on the path, steady on. Remember that it really is a journey, enjoy what you have when you have it.

[runfiverun]

the worst thing that could happen is some lead in the barrel, really. [it comes out pretty easily no big deal]
it's not always the bhn that matters nor the cure to the problem.
the 9mm is a cranky little guy to shoot cast in and can have a few problems other rounds don't suffer from.

the cases get thick and will scrunch the bottom of the boolit.
the cases are of uneven thickness [different brands] which can scrunch the boolit.
your loading dies are made for 355 diameter jacketed bullets and your gun probably wants 357 or 358.
pressures go up at an alarming rate from slightly taking up more of the air space in the case.
the taper crimp can make a mess of things after you do everything right.
many of the new guns are cut without a throat.

then after all that the gun sometimes won't chamber the correct diameter boolit the barrel needs.

[gwpercle]

Proper boolit fit, to your guns bore and a decent lube , will go a long way to prevent leading.
I'm using 50/50 COWW and Lead with just a bit of tin added and find it works just fine in the 9mm at those velocities. Actually it works pretty well in all my handgun boolits . Have no idea what the hardness is !

[twc1964]

I buy range lead also w nd it usually turns out at 8bhn also. The recommendation of buying super hard is sound. I use 10.5 to 11bhn in all my pistols. I find that I can get over 1300fps in .wry with no leading at all. Proper fit is key here.