Originally Posted by
madsenshooter
I just reread this whole thing today, and I can't wait to give some NOE 316365 spitzers I cast of Cu enriched stuff a try. You guys are mostly looking for an alloy to hunt with, but I'm looking to shoot cast out of my Krag at Camp Perry this year, and I don't want to give up much to fellows shooting match bullets at higher velocity than I can get out of my Krag. I got the sizing done right after casting, two sizings, from .317 to .314, .314 to .311. After that oven heat treating and quenching to relieve the stresses I put on them. Hoping to get 2200-2300fps out of the 203gr spitzer with very slow burning powders so as to keep within the Krag's design limitations. After I'm done with these experiments, I have a 230gr flatnose with a wide meplat, Accurate's 31-230E, to cast as a hunting bullet. I must've got the alloy reasonably balanced, I'm not getting any growth after sizing and heat treating, but it's only been a couple days. The air cooled bullets I have cast of the alloy are doing real good in hammer testing too. The majority of the bullets I cast are within 1gr in weight. I found some info on casting temps recommended for various babbitts, which is what we're making when you get down to it, and the temps range from 625-890. I have a banded Eagan design bullet mold that I use to get the temp right, when that mold will give me full fill out, I have the alloy at the right temp. With this batch, it's about 825 with the mold temp approaching 400.