Someone to test hardness

[barnabus]

i have some ingots that need hardness tested.anyone willing to test them for me if i send them via UPS? They are muffin size.

[labop]

PM sent

[SteveM54]

Hmmm, I have well over 1000+ "Lee" mold ingots that I have no idea what the hardness is either. Wanting to sell them so I need to look into this also.

[Springfield]

Better to get them tested for alloy content by BNE. IMHO

[BK7saum]

Hardness can depend on how quickly or slowly they were cooled. Sometimes the ingot hardness will not be the same as the cast boolit hardness. Probably in the ballpark but I would not expect it to be the same. So, ev3n if you get them tested, the information may be incorrect or misleading if they use you BHN 12 ingots to cast 10 BHN boolits or the reverse.

The best option would be to get them tested for content by BNE as posted by Springfield.

[Shuz]

If you will send me a couple of boolits cast with a wide flat meplat, I will test them for you.

[reloader4410]

some use the thud, ring test dropping on a hard surface

[msinc]

Why not just get yourself the Lee hardness tester kit. I have had one for some time and have to say it works pretty good. May not be laboratory accurate, but it is close enough for bullets. Also, I will say that I have tried "cooling" bullets every way I can and nothing affected the hardness. I believe that lead hardness {or softness} is a matter of alloy. That said, I will test any bullets anyone wants to send me. PM for address. M

[triggerhappy243]

why not just get yourself the lee hardness tester kit. I have had one for some time and have to say it works pretty good. May not be laboratory accurate, but it is close enough for bullets. Also, i will say that i have tried "cooling" bullets every way i can and nothing affected the hardness. I believe that lead hardness {or softness} is a matter of alloy. That said, i will test any bullets anyone wants to send me. Pm for address. M

none of the lee style testers will reveal if their is zinc content.

[harm]

You can also use art pencils for a pretty decent idea of hardness. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfsEDav4Sbg

[Hueyville]

The BHN of bullets or ingots will migrate with age. I can cast bullets that test 13 BHN then box and let sit for a year or two when it's time to size for a big run and could test second time closer to 15 BHN. It's why I am always casting, boxing various bullets in 500 or 1,000 count boxes then date and move to back of bench when pull the oldest box, sometime after three to five years of seasoning and they will be harder than if tested day or three after casting. From this forum:

Bullets will reach ~1/2 hardness instantly and will continue to increase in hardness for up to 12 months. Hardness will then decrease slowly over time.

Yes lead hardens over time. If you re cast them they will start off soft and harden over time again. They were a 5 and now an 8.
If do a hardness test of ingots that have been sitting for a year or more when melted and recast the fresh bullets could be 3 BHN softer than the ingots tested on surface. I would take a quick surface test as enough if seller was able to say "cast over a year or ten years, etc before tested". If ingots were tested within a few days of casting would make differemt assumptions. We should all be able to measure hardness and make adjustments to alloy if serious about our bullets. I am always looking for WW and Linotype so if seller knows are random WW or Linotype hardness testing doesnt matter. Have all I need to know to judge a price and will alloy to needs.