Cheapest way to get Lead alloy to 7 or 8 Brinell Hardness ?

[bcraig]

it has been close to 30 years since I did any casting and then all I was using was Water dropped clip on wheelweights.

Now I am thinking about getting back into it for economic reasons.

I am wanting to cast some soft lead bullets(.432) for use at around 900-1050 Fps if I can do it cheaper than I can buy them shipped.This from a Rossi 92 with 16 inch barrel using 44 special Starline cases.
I will be shooting no more than about 500 Bullets a year.

Probably 240-250 grain bullets and I want them about 7-8 brinell hardness.

First ,does anyone have 7 or 8 Brinnel hardness .432 bullets for sale?

If so would it be cheaper to buy them or make them given the small amount that I expect to be shooting these bullets a year ?

If I were to make them what would be the cheapest way to get the alloy to get the 7 to 8 Brinell hardness that I would like ?

[Land Owner]

At 500 rounds annually, the following is overkill and may not be where you are headed, unless you "just want to know"...

Mixing appropriate weights of Clip On [WW's], BHN = 12, with Lead [Pb], BHN=6, is where you will alloy the "softness", though that may, or may not achieve the result in accuracy of which you seek.

Scroll through this reference:
http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm

If you have not, read the Cast Boolit Sticky: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?108966-Hardness-Matters&p=1185297&viewfull=1#post1185297


Hardness is like everything else, it only matters if it does.


I have grown to appreciate the simplicity of Bass and his answers. It only matters when it does is a gem. Now if he could only give us the info to know when it will! Sadly, we have to get that from our gun thru loading and shooting and seeing what works in that gin [sic].

If you really want to "run the gauntlet" read the Glen Fryxell on-line book (in the Cast Boolit Stickies), from which a "typical" handgun alloy of 49-49-2 percent Pb, WW, Sn (Tin), BHN 10-12, is economic and quite suitable.

[poppy42]

If you want them that soft use pure lead. But why that soft? Are you looking for expansion? 9 is a little soft for a rifle. Even at the velocity you stated. If your looking for the cheapest, Clip on wheel weights are about 12 use them. Pure lead will cost ya more. As for cost I couldn’t tell ya I’ve never bought factory lead bullets. As for lead, I get wheel weights. Lino and tin I trade for. Remember reloading never saves money! Ya just get ya shoot more Lol! For me casting is a labor of love! Hope this helps

[Land Owner]

Look at it another way. I "like" Keith-style profiles and would, if I had your caliber, tend to favor an RCBS 2-Cavity Bullet Mold 44-245-SWC at 245 grains per cavity.

The cost of lead = $1/lb
The cost of Tin = $10/lb
1# of COWW's scrounged from the Tire Shop, every now and then, free? (say $1) (ymmv)

1 pound = 7000 grains
1 pound (alloy) = 7000/245 = 28 cast bullets (say 25)
500 bullets/25 per pound per cast = 20 pounds of alloy

At 49-49-2 percent alloy, 500 rounds could cost as little as:

[0.49($1) + 0.49($1-say) + 0.02($10)] x 20 pounds ==> 20 x ($0.49 + $0.49 + $0.20) = $23.60

[dverna]

For 500 bullets a year, I would not bother casting. If you really enjoy doing it, that makes a difference.

500 bullets 240 gr bullets will cost $75 delivered from:
https://hoosierbullets.com/44-caliber/

If a "soft" bullet is your desire, look at the .44 Cal Hornady swaged bullet. I got good accuracy with them. Ten shot groups just over 1" at 50 yards. IIRC they are 205 gr.

[Rickf1985]

Missouri Bullet sells fairly soft bullets, Not dead soft but probably just about perfect for what you want to do. Most companies sell cast bullets that are about as hard as the FMJ's you would buy and lead the barrels something terrible.

https://www.missouribullet.com/pricing.php

[Froogal]

Roto-Metals 1-20 lead yields approximately a BHN of 10. I use it for my .45 Colt boolits and also .38 special. Rifle and revolver. Probably getting a velocity of around 800 or so. No problems with leading in the bore. The cost per boolit is about the same as buying them ready to go. Only way casting your own would be cheaper is if you can find a free source of lead.

[bcraig]

I have read most of Glen Fryxell articles I can find and really enjoy His Articles,especially the Ones about Hollowpoint Cast Bullet's and Velocities required for Bullet expansion and bullet obturation in the barrel.

It was Largely due to his writings that Led to me Buying some of Matt'sbullet's that are a Plain based Version of the Old Lyman Devaster,250 Grain Hollowpoint .432 -250-RF-HP/ 20-1alloy /That I am going to load with 5.5 to 6 grains of HP-38.
Keep the rifle loaded with them in the House
And for plinking in the Backyard I am wanting a similiar bullet for a similiar Point of aim but it does not have to be a Hollowpoint and Just looking for the cheapest route to go to achieve that.


Thanks for the Help Everyone

Here is an old link that I found some where,that I had saved and it is about Cast Hollowpoint Performance from 1953 .
https://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/44%20spl%20-%20may%201953%20american%20rifleman.pdf

[ulav8r]

Here is an old link that I found some where,that I had saved and it is about Cast Hollowpoint Performance from 1953 .
https://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/44%20spl%20-%20may%201953%20american%20rifleman.pdf

That article now resides in my E:documents\Gun Stuff folder. Thanks.

[Bird]

I don't bother casting for 44 mag. Cost of mold + H&I die set + cost of lead, I just buy these....https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/price-sheet

[Land Owner]

Thanks for the Help Everyone

You asked - we delivered. It is like riding a bike. As a reloader and "former" caster, if you have the tools, you make and roll your own.
Most Mfgs of cast boolits make them "hard-enough" to withstand packaging and shipping, so finding them in the 6-8 BHN "off the shelf" may be problematic.

[Bigslug]

I got really nerdy a couple years back and stringently separated out my pre-smelt stash of range scrap by type - jacketed, shotgun slugs, other people's cast, etc...

The jacketed (almost all pistol caliber stuff) came out at 8.5 BHN air cooled and 9 BHN when I water dropped a sample bullet. An XRF scan of it come back as 0.3% antimony. This stuff takes a small addition of tin to get decent mold fillout, and such has become my default pistol alloy - probably around 10 BHN, so roughly a 20-1 equivalent and will expand just fine in your application. You could certainly soften that up with a little pure lead if you thought it necessary, but as cheap and easy goes, I'd consider it close enough.

[Froogal]

If I'm not mistaken, pure lead checks in at about 8 bhn. Don't know how it could get any softer.

[20:1]

40:1 (2.44% tin) is bhn 8, pure lead is bhn 5. Half 40:1 with half pure lead is just under 7 bhn. It could be difficult to make 40:1 with salvaged "pure" lead because almost all extruded lead products have at least some antimony.

https://www.rotometals.com/1-to-40-bullet-alloy-ingot-5-pounds-97-5-lead-2-5-tin/

If you can live with a slightly harder alloy you can sometimes catch a sale at Rotometals or elsewhere and get a better deal.

[Mike W1]

Would like to read that article but can't get that URL to work for me.

[Dusty Bannister]

The link to the Rotometals site works for me on Firefox. Maybe you can just click on the banner and go to the site that way and then select bullet casting metal?

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

OP, do you already have dies and press?

[rcslotcar]

If you still have the equipment dust it off make them and shoot em! I personally cast more than I shoot. I enjoy the hobby of casting my own.

[bcraig]

Well I sold the Rockchucker press, LBT molds ,still got a set of Lee 8mm Mauser dies that I loaded for an 98 cigarette rifle some years ago ,loaded it to 300 Savage Ballistics.
I either sold the 44 mag dies of just cant find them,the joys of old age most likely !

I allso Have a set of the cheap Lee scales ,A Lee Handpress and a set Of Lee carbide,Powder through 3 die 44/special/44 Mag and about a 100 of the LBT WFN bullets that I cast long ago from Clamp on water dropped wheelweights Handlubed with LBT blue lube and a couple of dummy rounds,44 mag and a few 44 Magnum cases.
I will probably cut them down to 44 Special length as soon and if I can find my Dremel tool !

[Kai]

Precision delta sells bullet scraps $85/50lbs shipped. They say bhn of 10-11 but I get 9-10. Should do what you want.

[fredj338]

Range scrap from a berm often yields just about 8-9bhn for me. Doesnt get much cheaper than berm scrap.

[RogerDat]

No reason not to do both purchase bullets and set up to cast your own. Buying some already cast can give you a way to evaluate what profile and weight your gun likes. Which can guide your mold purchase. Even if one usually purchases your component bullets having at least one functional mold and some lead alloy so that one is self sufficient if needed or desired has a value that I think usually greatly exceeds its cost.

I have a 9mm mold, sizer, and dies despite not having a 9mm. For less than $100 I have insured my grandson and daughter in law will have ammo for THEIR 9mm, not to mention it is a very popular caliber so equipment isn't likely to lose value or not get used. Semi-auto bottom feeders seem to go through ammo in a way that makes revolver lovers like myself cringe. :-D

Although I don't waste the cost of an MP or Lyman mold on a "standby" mold. The family can just live with the output of a $25 Lee 2 cavity.