Quencing question?

[Andrew Quigley]

Probably speeled it wrong but I heard of folks dropping their bullets straight from the mold into a bucket of cold water. Will this make them harder like quencing metals?

[HeavyMetal]

Yerp!

It's the same basic principle as hardening another metal. Of course you need to take some precautions so you don't splash water in the pot.

I usually set my pot up directly in front of me slightly to my right ( I'm a lefty) and then position a quenching container on my left had side. This is usually setting on a 5 gallon bucket turned upside down and this pretty much give me the right height.

This why I have to rotate to my left and down to get boolits into the water. Been doing it like this for 30 yrs or so and never had a visit from the tinsel fairy.

Make sure you use some type of cushion in the bottom of your container, I favor old t shirts and dish towels.

[Doc Highwall]

Yes quenching the boolits in water will make them harder, but this will not work for alloys of lead and tin. It is the antimony and arsenic that allow the hardening like what is found in wheel weights.

[docone31]

I just quench them.
I do not like dropping them and haveing them crack, bend, or deform.
If they harden, I consider it a plus.
All I do is quench these days.

[Andrew Quigley]

Thanks guys. I'll give it a try.