Need to test lead hardness?

[skytex]

Do I need to buy a lee hardness tester to drip shotgun shot? I'm worried that range scrap may be too soft to form shot? How does this thing work? Does it require a bullet or how do I use it? Where can I get one? For cheap?

[R.M.]

What do you plan to use this shot for? The reason I ask is, all the range lead that I get is about 10-12 BHN. I would think that would be fine for shot.
Goggle for lead hardness testers, and you'll find a lot of info. There's even plans for homemade testers. Pretty simple. I have a LBT tester, but I doubt that you'd need much more than the home made one.

[skytex]

Just for shotgun reloads. 7/8oz low recoil. The lighter loads are supposed to keep shot deformation down among other things.

[RP]

The range lead worked for me fine matter of fact it worked the best in making round shot. As far as how it worked on doves it worked great better then store shot. And I was told by the guys that got it for cowboy shooting it worked good for them. Its softer and when it hits the bird or steel target it flatten out. As far as the machine the softer lead makes bigger shot then hard lead.

[Frank]

To test the batch, just make a muffin and use the Lee tester on it. Put a small flat piece of metal on the ram, put the muffin on the ram and raise it up to make the dent.