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Thread: 10mm alloy suggestions that won't cause leading?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    10mm alloy suggestions that won't cause leading?

    Went to the range today with my first try with 160 grain HPs. I sized to .402. Shooting a glock 20 that slugged mostly at .400. I few spots measured. 400.5 and one spot .401. I loaded up 23 rounds to try. I only crimped enough just to remove the flair. To the point some of thr cases wouldn't fall out on their own. So I know I didn't over crimp and size my boolits down. I am using 16:1.pure soft lead and pewter. Bh I'd 7.5 last I checked. My load I tested was 7 grains of unique. The only thing I can think of is im using to soft of an alloy? Never leaded a barrel till this 10mm came along. Wondering how hard of an alloy I should be using so I don't have leading issues? I'm casting HPs so I don't want to go to hard so I have expansion. I loaded up some 180 grain AMEC boolits and had zero leading. They are also sized at .401 ...but measure .402.

    Here's after 23 rounds. It cleaned right off with 3 strokes of chore boy wrapped around a brass brush. So not bad but any leading to me isn't good.


    Click image for larger version. 

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    My boolits I used. You can see there is no visible crimp point which makes me think I am pushing to soft of an alloy to hard?


  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    Did you pull a bullet after seating? 16:1 is pretty soft and boolits can be sized down due to neck tension. Just because you arent overcrimping doesn't mean they aren't already .399 or so.

    What is the diameter of your neck expander?
    I use a 0.401 neck expander/m-die to seat my 0.401+" bullets. There is plenty of neck tension to hold the bullet in place.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    It's not the crimp that can size the boolit down, it's the carbide sizing ring in the Lee Factory Crimp die that might. The way to tell is to pull a boolit and measure.

    Also, that looks like a polygonal barrel, Glock? Every Glock I've fired lead in (9mm, .40, 10mm and .45 GAP & ACP) all needed water-dropping to stop the leading.

    First, size, then hardness. Just like you're thinking.
    Cogito, ergo armatum sum.

    (I think, therefore I'm armed.)

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Cast10's Avatar
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    I shoot a mix of SOWW+Hardball and yields approx. 11.3 with ZERO leading in my G20 and all my Glock 9’s. All Glock’s are using OEM barrels. I also have a 10mm 16” carbine with zero leading.

    My G20 slugs at .4002 - .4005. I powder coat and size afterward to .401.

    16:1 alone is approx. 11 BNH with Pewter at 23. Mixing these has to yield more than what I’m doing.

    I also use a M expander die before seating the bullet, than just enough crimp where I can’t push the bullet back into the case; Pushing against my reloading bench.

    My guess is the sizer at .402 may be too large and the bullet is not obturating enough to seal with a somewhat hard mix. Just my guess if I’m understanding you right.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master


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    You have all the luck!!!

    I have exact mold. I shoot 16:1 and my mix to about 12/14 bhn.

    I load with Blue Dot to over 1300 fps and expansion is almost a nickel but its balled up nicely. NEVER a lock of anything in my barrel.

    CW
    NRA Life member • REMEMBER, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE its being paid for in BLOOD.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    My 16:1 tests really soft for some reason at 7.5 BH. My COWW and pure lead flooring 50/50 mix comes in at 10.4 BH. I wonder if I can use my 50/50 mix instead of hard ball? I also have 100% COWWs in two different harness at 12.9 and 14.0 set aside. I would assume straight COWW will be to brittle for expansion? Any chance I will get the HPs to expand with the harder alloys? I would assume the 50/50 COWW and pure mix would but will it be hard enough? I am shooting out of my factory glock barrel. Never mixes hardball before…I’ll have to google the mix. I can tell you the alloy I’m using now is extremely soft. It works fine PC and with a GC up to 2100 out of 35 Rem but apparently doesn’t like to be pushed hard with out a GC. I am using a hornady die set to FL size, to flair the necks, and to seat my boolits. I use a lee crimp die for crimping and buldge busting.

    Somebody needs to teach me how to make 16:1 some day. I would assume instead of pure lead to use COWW and pewter? It’s about the only way I’d get the hardness that is listed for it.

    I’ve leaded my barrel 2ce in the last two days. Once because of someone’s reloads that were crimped to tight. These I never pulled to check the size. They were resized it was just from the the seating into my cases. I loaded ACME boolits the same and had zero leading so I think they are just to soft and,or, sized down just from getting seated in the cases?
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 09-16-2022 at 06:47 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I think I'd gravitate toward Lyman #2 alloy for throwing 160s fast out of a 10mm.
    For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18
    He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool become servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29
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  8. #8
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    If the BHN is 7.5 then the alloy is closer to 40-1. As mentioned, a 16-1 alloy should be in the 10+BHN range.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
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  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    So out of my alloy pile I have pure lead flooring at around 4/5BH. I have plenty of pewter. I also have plenty of ignots of COWW’s. They are two different alloy hardnesses of either 12.3 or 12.9 if I remember… and the other is 14 BH. Any suggestions on combining these choices for a good HP alloy that won’t lead in my 10mm? I’ll be PCing them as well.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Cast10's Avatar
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    Read up on this link. It’s the Lead Alloy Calculator. You can play with it and arrive at any mix you desire.
    Example; I use Stick on wheel weights (SOWW) and Hardball. I’ve come up with 7 lbs of SOWW and 5.25 lbs of Hardball. You enter these two numbers in the blank to the right for these two alloys. The numbers at the bottom are what you desire. It yields SN 1%, SB 2.57%, and PB 96.4%. It also tells you the BHN is approx 11.3.

    Give it a try.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...oy-calculators

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Guessing my pewter I used for this alloy had a lot more lead in it than tin. It was mixed up a few years back. I have since stuck with dinnerware items so I would assume the BH would be a lot higher than my current alloy. Since I have quite a bit of COWW alloy and pure wondering if I can do a 50/50 mix (which is a little soft last time I tested at 10.4 BH) or just COWW and pewter to bump it up in BH? I have two different COWW alloys set aside. One is around the 12 range for BH and the other is 14.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Cast10's Avatar
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    The calculator shows 50% ClipOn Wheel Weights (COWW) and 50% Pure Lead at approx 10.1 BHN. It shows SN .25%, SB 1.50%, As .13%, and PB 98.1%.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Yep, one tested 10.4 BH. Just wondering if it’s going to be hard enough to run or should I just use one of my harder COWW alloys’s that jump up to 12 and 14 BH?

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Cast10's Avatar
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    I would say that will not be hard enough for 10mm. I’ve only shot 11.3 and powder coated boolits with no problems. I chose the 11.3 for some possible expansion, which it does when it hits something.
    If you have something in the 12-14 range, yep. I’d also try to test some lead so you know what it actually is. I use the pencil method and its not a big cost. Also remember, as you get started you have to work things out. I had to!
    It’s all about finding something your pistols will shoot. Each barrel is different.
    If the lead is too hard, it wont obturate (swell under pressure) to seal the gases behind the bullet and will CUT around the edge of the bullets, causing leading. Also, the .402 could be cutting the bullet. If you PC the boolits, they may gain a bit more. Just some things to look at.
    I tend to push my 10mm’s to a true 10mm load. Not sure what 7-7.5 Unique is considered. I don’t shoot near max/nuclear. Good luck.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I use my lee tester to check hardness. So either alloy in COWW should work. I might cast some up in both the 12 bh and 14 BH alloys and test. I was just worried that they might be to brittle. I would assume at 10mm velocities they will stay together.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I casted 4 pounds of the 14BH coww and added 2% pewter to it. I PCd a deep purple...



    I casted up 3 pounds of the softer coww alloy that was in the 12 range and also added 2% pewter to it. I made those orange. I also did some smash test with the orange...I'll have to do the same with my purple mix.



    I sized them all to .402 and call tell you it took quite a bit more force to both of these alloys vs the 7.5BH alloy. I also filed down a test boolit of each alloy and will test the BH in a few days. If I rember coww alloy gets almost to its maximum hardness in 3 days. I know the rule of thumb is around 15/30 days if I remember correctly

    The coww alloy always looks frosty silver vs the shiny, almost pure soft, 7.5 BH alloy
    Also the coww alloy brakes apart.like it's brittle when the sprue cut off hit the towel. My softer alloy doesn't.

    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 09-17-2022 at 05:36 PM.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Wish me luck. I am trying to mix 16/1 again. Pretty much figured out why i ended up with 7.5 BH. The "16/1 so called" alloy I used. I mixed up back in 2017 when I first started casting. It's when anything that "looked" like pewter went into my casting pot. I have been only using dinnerware items for the last 4 years now but never added more than 2% or 50% pewter with COWW for alloys. Back in 2017 when I mixed the soft alloy I beleive I checked what I called pewter with a lee hardness tester. It only came up at 7.5 BH...lol. I just tested some of my current pewter ignots that I WQ when I dropped them. Don't know if WQ made any difference but they were 21 BH. My lead flooring I was using and am using today still tested at 10 with the lee tester 2ce. So it's 4.7BH according to the lee chart. I'm am mixing up 8 pounds of the 4.7 flooring with .8oz.of the 21BH pewter as I type. I'll pour into a few ignots. I'll drop one cold water and test.riggt away. The others I'll let air cool. As Larry suggested if I am higher or lower in BH to add one or the other. I would assume 16/1 is in the 11 to 12 BH range?

    So 4.7 bh mixed 16/1 with 21BH...stay tuned for the BH outcome!!!!!lol

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Water quenched my alloy I just mixed. I let it cool in water for about 10min and it tested at 10.4BH! I did it!!!.lol. Is that going to hard enough for full throttle 10mm velocities or should I bump the hardness up a little with some more pewter? Maybe before I get to hastey and add more pewter to my mix I'll let it sit for a few days and see it hardens any more. But I was positive the mix doesn't need WQ and will harden to its hardest without any waiting as soon as it cools down if I remember correctly? My guess with pewter you never really know what's in it.

    It's basically the exact same hardness as my 50% coww with 50% pure lead and 2% pewter added to the total.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 09-18-2022 at 02:01 PM.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Cast10's Avatar
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    Those PC boolits look good!

    I’m not sure about 10.4 BNH running at 7gr Unique. All I can say is if your ok with your data, give it a run.
    Not sure if some TIME will allow the boolits to harden more. Maybe someone can answer that.
    Last edited by Cast10; 09-18-2022 at 06:42 PM.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    Tripplebeards I would say it will work.

    I run 50/50 COWW/pure lead , PC'ed out of my Glock 20, at 1200 fps with 180 gr. cast boolit....no leading.

    In fact, I have been using 50/50 and Smoke's Powdercoat for all my loadings for handguns with great results.
    Maker of Silver Boolits for Werewolf hunting

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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