How long?

[Chris C]

Just got a Lee BHN tester for myself for Christmas. Now I don't have to bother a friend of mine to test my bullets for me. How long should I wait after casting to get a good BHN result?

[runfiverun]

10 days is close.
7 days is about there and within 1-2 bhn.

if water dropping 2 weeks is close, a month is bout right.

[Chris C]

Thanks.

[John Boy]

One week as a rule of thumb

[44magLeo]

Try checking within a few hours, then after a few days then after a few days more. Repeat as often as you want till you find them not testing harder. This will give you a good idea how long it takes to get your bullets to the hardness you want.
If you mix very large batches of metal, this will tell you what you need and not need to do it again till that batch is used up.
I like to mix up very large batches. I mix up a pot full and pour into ingots. If I get 20 ingots out of each pot full I start 20 stacks, I then mix up another batch, make 20 ingots, add one ingot to each stack. Repeat till I get 20 ingots in each stack. Then I use one ingot out of each stack when I start casting.
Check hardness on this first pot full, then I know the hardness of the whole 400 lbs.
If you don't want to mix such large batches, do ten stacks.
Leo

[44man]

I don't bother much. It seems water dropped shoots good after a few days. I found a few points of BHN can't be detected at the target. I use mostly WW boolits. Even the difference in batch to batch is OK. I toss the stick on junk and anything that doesn't melt at 600°.
My worst for deer was adding 1# of stereo metal to 19# of WW. Boolits tested SOFTER then straight WW but just poked holes because it is TOUGHER. They are more accurate for target though.