Quenched Wheel Weights

[Hipshot]

I just started quenching my wheel weight boolits in a 5 gal. bucket of water. I don't have a BHN tester, can anyone give me an idea of what BHN I'm getting after quenching the wheel weights?

Thanks !
Hipshot

[JeffinNZ]

Consensue appears to be 18-22 BHN. That is given your WW mix is clip on only with out stick on weights that will soften the mix.

[runfiverun]

with 1% tin i'm getting right at 18. with tap water and cold[ 650*] lead.

[NuJudge]

What diameter bullet? The 6.5mm bullets I water drop are noticeably harder than the .45 and 9mm bullets I cast.

CDD

[Hipshot]

Thanks guys!
Nu,
So far I have only cast .358 & .375 boolets. So far they seen quite a bit harder, but it took a couple of days to do so! I'm casting for a .358 Win. and a .375 Win. and soon .45-70.

Hipshot

[Ricochet]

Quenched boolits take something on the order of a week to reach full hardness at room temperature.

[GabbyM]

I checked some week old 35 rifle boolits today. Cast from 50% WW 50% lead with 1% tin. Water dropped. They tested 8 1/2 on the Saeco scale. About BHN 15, Same as 2/6 air cooled.

I've read here that 50/50 WD will expand in game but I can't help but wonder.

My bullets hit the water fast. Since they are dropped out of a casting machine as soon as the spur sets up. Just another variable.

[357maximum]

I checked some week old 35 rifle boolits today. Cast from 50% WW 50% lead with 1% tin. Water dropped. They tested 8 1/2 on the Saeco scale. About BHN 15, Same as 2/6 air cooled.

I've read here that 50/50 WD will expand in game but I can't help but wonder.

My bullets hit the water fast. Since they are dropped out of a casting machine as soon as the spur sets up. Just another variable.

The 50/50 boolits you describe should come in about 19 BHN at the end of week #2 and be relatively stable...for as long as most reside without shooting anyway. I DO NOT ADD SN TO MY BOOLITS THOUGH.


AND YES THEY WILL EXPAND RIGHT NICELY ON DEER SIZED CRITTERS AT 1800 TO 2400 FPS LAUNCH SPEEDS IN 35 CAL.......I WILL GUARANTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THAT

[GabbyM]

Thanks 357maximum:

I can't help but wonder if the boolit does not loose some of it's heat treat hardness before reaching it's target. Through heat and obturation. But in the real world their's probably not enough time for that to occur.

Reading the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook page 97. Their's a chart showing bullet expansion vs bullet hardness and alloy. In wet paper. Chart shows even a BHN 21 showing slight expansion down to 1725fps. Of course it's linotype and fragments the nose above that velocity. BHN 16.5 with bullet #31141 giving marginal expansion down to 1771fps. Much fragmentation and shed nose at 2020fps.

Just to look at these big 35's it's hard to imagine blowing the nose off one. Think I'll go ahead and size em and bag em. Was considering annealing them but you have to stop playing around at some point.

Plan for later today is to cast up some RCBS 37-250-FN. Them is some big slugs. Think I'll add more plain lead to soften these since they are going to start at 1,900fps then slow down fairly fast.

For Hipshots 45-70 bullets I'd think water dropped WW would be a bit hard.

[Marlin Junky]

Your hardness will depend on the bullets' temperature when they hit the water. If your casting at 800F and your bullets are promptly falling from their cavities, the resulting hardness will be greater than if you're casting at 700F and you need a few whacks with a mallet on the hinge pin to get them into the water. Water temp enters into the temperature differential variable too.

Also, wheel weights tend to vary somewhat with respect to Sb content and the hardest ones out there will probably quench to about 23 BHN. Small changes in Sb content can mean a significant change in HT'd hardness. I'm currently experimenting with an alloy that's near 50/50 (lead/clip-on WW metal) and if I throw a couple handfuls of "Cowboy" range scrap into the pot I can increase the final hardness by 5 BHN.

MJ

[Ricochet]

That's why when I'm trying for a really consistent load I size and check my boolits with soap as a lube, rinse the soap off, oven heat them and quench them all at the same time. Most of the time I'm not that worried about small variations in hardness and use them as water dropped from the mould. It is those hangups in the mould that cause most of the problems, I think.