casting & sizing boolits

[copdills]

Hello Pards:

is it ok to size your boolits right after you cast them, I water quench mine and only cast handgun calibers that don't go over 1200 fps , reason I ask I saw something in another post that made me think it may effect hardness of the boolits
Thanks copdills

[xr650]

It is my understanding that you want to size them soon after quenching, as they will age harden.
I also understand that sizing softens the surface taking away the age hardening.

[Tom W.]

I size and lube mine as I get the time. Never gave it much thought, but then again I'm not as picky as some... I DO like to have several boxes in my component cabinet ready to load.

[Calamity Jake]

If your casting with WW or harder alloy and not going over 1200, you don't need to water drop.

[crowbeaner]

I cast mine fairly hard and size them when I get time. They may or may not age harden ( kinda like me), but that's how I do them. Your velocity is low enough that water quenching probably isn't necessary. If you want to drive them at warp 2 you might however.

[copdills]

Thanks pards:

the reason I water drop LOL its just easier for me , I have noticed they are easier to size just after casting compared to waiting a few weeks to do it , also I am sizing with a lee sizer and not lubing right away, I have some lubed and ready to go , I am using lee alox right now to lube my handgun boolits

Thanks for the input

copdills

[Maven]

You may want to look at some of the articles that Dennis Marshall, Jr. and Glen Fryxell (separately) have written about CB alloys, their properties, and hardening them via heat-treatment or quenching.

[lordgroom]

Maven do you have any links to specific articles?

[Firebird]

A lot of Glen's articles can be found here at the LA silhouette club and also a few here at the lever guns site and here at the old sixguns site (no longer updated).

[dardascastbullets]

Hello Pards:

is it ok to size your boolits right after you cast them, I water quench mine and only cast handgun calibers that don't go over 1200 fps , reason I ask I saw something in another post that made me think it may effect hardness of the boolits
Thanks copdills

There is no problem with sizing your bullets right after you cast them. Let them age harden (if they are cast of a proper alloy) after sizing if that is your wish. It's really your preference. I agree with the other poster in that it sure is nice to have a stash of bullets ready to load.

Matt