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Thread: Found a little keel lead

  1. #41
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by mkj4him View Post
    I tested my Keel alloy just now. It’s been 20 day and I did a sample of air dropped and water quenched.

    Air dropped Keel Lead = ~8.7 BHN
    Water dropped Keel Lead = ~15.4 BHN

    That’s assuming I was holding my mouth right, holding my breath and clenching my sphincter just right to see through that little Lee microscope properly.

    So with these results, are there any postulations as to what my Keel Lead might be made off? It’s not pure lead but fairly close I think. Softer than WW’s?
    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...g-BHN-increase

    this 2020 thread is a pretty good read. It reinforces my understanding that water quenched hardening requires antimony in the alloy. Based on your volume of lead, I'd think getting it analyzed a cost effective must. Otherwise you may find yourself running in circles.

    As for measuring BHN through powder coat, I can not imagine how you could ever get a consistent value.
    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan


  2. #42
    Boolit Buddy mkj4him's Avatar
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    Anytime I test a cast bullet I carefully file a small flat surface on the side of the bullet per Lee’s instructions. I do the test on this flat surface. I would do the same on the powder coated bullet, filing through the coating and into the lead to creat the flat spot on the side of the bullet.

  3. #43
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Your air cooled hardness, 8.7, is right in the middle between pure lead and clip-on wheelweights. It should work fine with the calibers that you listed just by powder coating without anything else. Most of us don't worry as much about the hardness as we do how the bullet fits the barrel. I would cast up and powder coat a few and try them.

  4. #44
    Boolit Buddy mkj4him's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lightman View Post
    Your air cooled hardness, 8.7, is right in the middle between pure lead and clip-on wheelweights. It should work fine with the calibers that you listed just by powder coating without anything else. Most of us don't worry as much about the hardness as we do how the bullet fits the barrel. I would cast up and powder coat a few and try them.
    Thanks. I am trying to do just that. I’m working on getting a mold for my 43 Mauser M. 71. Old West Moulds has one that is supposed to drop 446-448. My bore is 454. Maybe powder coating will give me a little more thickness and the softish lead will bump up the rest of the way to fill the grooves for decent accuracy. Anyone use the Old West Moulds for the 43 Mauser?

  5. #45
    Boolit Master



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    Why don't you buy a mold from Accurate Molds and get one that drops the proper diameter?

  6. #46
    Boolit Buddy mkj4him's Avatar
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    My concern is that even though my rifles groove diameter is .454 if I were to get the correct size mold I may not get it to fit the chamber watch the neck of the case got bumped up to the larger size. I am studying my options

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check