Bullet hardness.

[kenny1]

So I finally cast my first batch of bullets. I bought a furnace and about 50 pds of unknown lead bars from an estate sale. The bars are marked non-ferrous metals seattle wa. On the bottom they are stamped 95pb 5sn. When I cast my 357 bullets the metal hardness came out to 9 the day after which seems a little to soft. I am just going to use these as low valocity target rounds. Should I just let them sit for a few months and harden up or water quence them to make them a little harder.

[Will]

9 is hard enough for target loads. I doubt that water dropping that alloy would do much to harden them. They will age haeden some but it could take a long time.

[fourarmed]

Welcome to the board, Kenny. That alloy is 19 to 1, and good for most any but high velocity applications. If you want it harder, mixing some magnum shot or wheel weights will make it heat treatable.

[leftiye]

Like four armed said 19 to one. You could use a source of antimony to mix all that tin with. 1 to 1 mixing with wheelweights should give you a primo alloy for almost any use. It heat treats to about BHN 22, and air cools at about 11 or 12.

[dardascastbullets]

Welcome to the board, Kenny. That alloy is 19 to 1, and good for most any but high velocity applications. If you want it harder, mixing some magnum shot or wheel weights will make it heat treatable.

The alloy that you have Kenny is 20:1 (not '19 to 1'). 20:1 alloy is otherwise known as solder. It is a common alloy that blackpowder shooters typically use.

Matt Dardas
Dardas Cast Bullets

[fourarmed]

Upon mature reflection, Matt, I will generously allow you to call it 20:1, but 95 divided by 5 is 19, so the actual ratio is 19 to 1.

[Marlin Junky]

20:1 would be (1/21)x100 percent or 4.76% tin.

MJ

[kenny1]

thanks everyone. mixed it with some wheel weights I melted down and got a 11 bhn hardness which I think is what I am going to use.

Appreciate everyone help