what hardness?

[Hedly Lamarr]

Shadow9mm,
I too, am new to casting. I have reloaded for years but started casting just this year, for .44 magnum. My advice is to download Glenn Fryxell's book from this site and devour it! I melted down clip-on wheel weights and added 2% tin, slugged my barrel, and am now shooting cast bullets that don't lead my barrel and yield fine accuracy. BHN, (using a Lee hardness tester) is 11. It is unbelievable how much you will learn (discover) in just a short time. Also, if you decide to cast your own, look at the Simple Lube thread. Great lube and so easy to make.

[Rcmaveric]

Simple lube is good until it gets over 100*F in the sun and your baking loaded rounds. I have had squib issues (yeah i know keep your ammo in the shade or a lunch box but its easy to forget while having fun). But if you live in hot climates or climates with drastic tenps swings (Florida and Texas i am looking st you) then SL-68B is what I recommend.

PC is another work around to that.

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[Shadow9mm]

So I have a plan. I am going to get the basic lee moulds and powder coat. That should get me started and let me size my bullets as needed. Once I get going I can tinker with alloys and figure out what I like. Then it will be time for a custom mould.

[GregLaROCHE]

That was exactly my plan, however, I’m still using my Lee molds. They are working well for me.

[farmbif]

as a new caster its good to read materials to educate yourself, but just doing it yourself is not that hard, don't over think things. if you have clip on wheel weights and a bit of tin. your in good shape for lots of good shooting. a couple things that I believe aid in success is to size bullets properly. I shoot very close to full power 44 mag with no gas check using just clip on wheel weights with a bit of tin added, lube sized to .431 with carnauba red lube, no leading in handgun or rifle.
use the same alloy and lube with gas checks in 30-06, 30-30, 35 rem and others, keeping size .002 -.003 over bore size, as big as I can go so cartridge will still chamber in rifle, good for velocity of 2000-2100fps

[Hanzy4200]

I'm be the short and sweet one. Hardness matters far less than proper sizing and lubing. If you are powder coating, this is doubly so. Don't stress over it. The hotter caliber you load, add a little more antimony. It's a art, not a science.

[QuackAttack24]

Many people use a lot harder BHN/boolit than is required

The old addage was apr 1 BHN per 100 fps

with powdercoating, I think it's closer to .6-.7 BHN per 100 fps for a correctly sized boolit


an old chart from LASC

I don't know if you noticed or not, but a bullet with a BHN of 12 falls into the "useful hardness range" of every category in the chart above except for the last one. 10-12 with powder coat is what I shoot in almost everything. Range scrap plus a little hardening alloy as needed. If it's a bullet I'm pan lubing, it's Lyman #2 for magnum pistol and Linotype for Magnum rifle. I also shoot softer powder coated with a gas check in magnum pistol and rifle. I don't pay close attention to hardness with powder coating. I do pay close attention to bullet size because bullets that fit your barrel are simply more accurate and don't cause leading. I have a whole drawer full of Lee molds that I started with and still use. I'd suggest starting with them. They are inexpensive, cast great bullets, and are a great way to learn. Let powder coat be your friend. I use ESPC but shake and bake works too.

For sizing I use the Lee breech lock sizing die system, so all I have to change is the insert for each caliber. They are easily modified to size larger with a few twists of a wood dowel wrapped with a little emory cloth. Takes about 5-10 minutes to change a .429 sizer to .432 if that is what you need. I check them with pin gauges in .0005 increments. My S&W model 25 was a scatter gun using the standard 45 ACP .452 sizer. I modified one to .455 to match the gun and now it's very accurate. As they say: "Size Matters". Good luck and most of all have fun!

[fredj338]

I think many just over think the whole bhn thing. Yes it depends on what you are shooting, but BHN can be achieved by alloy or alloy & water dropping. I havent seen a lot of absolutes when it comes to bullet alloy but as pressures go way up, then the bullet needs to be harder. Fit is still the deciding factor. I run mostly range scrap in my service pistol calibers & 45-70. With PC or GC, alloy isnt as important but sticking to harder alloy for higher pressures, not so much vel, just works.