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Thread: alloy for casting 45ACP bullets

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    alloy for casting 45ACP bullets

    I have been using my range lead for casting 45ACP. I tested one batch and it measured 14bhn then today I tested another batch and it was about 8bhn. I think it won't matter much for such a low velocity 800 -900 fps. What do you guys say?
    Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live or die on this day. Live or die on this day.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Soft nose hangs up on my feed ramp.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I need harder just to feed, accuracy is PK.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    The minimum hardness I use is COWW.
    But I do use a little harder lead sometimes.
    If I have Range Lead.
    I consider that almost pure lead since it is such a mix of different leads.
    But I also just harden the Range Lead up by adding some Tin.
    The added Tin , also makes the range lead cast better.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BLAHUT View Post
    I need harder just to feed, accuracy is PK.
    what is PK
    Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live or die on this day. Live or die on this day.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy res45's Avatar
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    50/50 pure lead/COWW's, powder coat, water quench, size and shoot in a 1911, Ruger P90 and Hi Point carbine, excellent accuracy and no feed or function issues in any of the firearms. I use the same alloy for 9 MM, 9 x 18 Mak. 38 and 357 as well.

  7. #7
    On water northern Mn . 1903.colt's Avatar
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    I use fairly soft lead 45ACP no issue , I add a little pewter .

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1903.colt View Post
    I use fairly soft lead 45ACP no issue , I add a little pewter .
    I'll just have to get to the range if it ever warms up a little and try some
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  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I used 50-50 ww/pb for my Springfield mil spec and it leaded, whereas the same bullet but ww alloy shot clean. Using RCBS 45-201-swc and white label 50/50 lube sized .452.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    I agree that if you go too soft the boolit will tend to hang up on the feed ramp, but some guns will be OK with it. If you tumble lube it may provide enough "slip" to get the nose up the ramp.
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I use 8-9 BHN exclusively with tumble lube in my 45 acp and it does very nicely.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master BNE's Avatar
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    Accuracy will be fine. Feeding is apparently an issue. You can check that at home, just load a mag and hand cycle the gun. ( all safety precautions required, but mainly keep your finger off the trigger. Or just don’t use powder or primer for the 7 in the mag.)
    I'm a Happy Clinger.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    I've used 8/9bhn alloy (range scrap) for all my 45acp needs since the 1980's. Fed several 1911's with a bunch of different molds/bullet styles. Never had a "feeding" issue in any of them.

    Accuracy has always been outstanding.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Dan Cash's Avatar
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    I use an Accurate TC mould and try for 20:1 alloy, I have had no problem with any alloy that happens to be on hand. Wheel weights, range scrap; all the same.
    To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    8 BHN any profile & PC'd is fine...feed problems? Polish your feed ramp with some 600 grit wet sand paper, look at it closely & get rid of any machine marks.
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

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  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    I cast and shoot 230 round noses 50/50 with clip on wheel weights and soft lead. Either tumble lube or conventional lube. Most of the time I conventional lube them. No leading or feed problems either way.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    I loaded a couple of dummy rounds with both the H&G 68 Bullet and the 230 RN I cycled them through my pistol, the H&G 68 nose had a fair-sized dent, and the 230 RN was dented but not too bad. It will be interesting how accuracy is affected. Meanwhile, I have taken measures to add some hardness to my alloy. Lyman says 1/2 lb of tin and 1/2 lb lead to 9lb of wheel weights [8BHN] or 4lb of linotype to 6lb wheel weights. Should improve things. thanks for all the replies it will help me sort this out. on the downside, I cast and lubed around 2000 bullets before I spotted a problem-. there must be a big variation in my range lead. I tested at the start of casting and again at the end of my run.
    Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live or die on this day. Live or die on this day.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hick View Post
    I use 8-9 BHN exclusively with tumble lube in my 45 acp and it does very nicely.
    Hello Hick. Did you cycle any to see if the noses were dented much?
    Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live or die on this day. Live or die on this day.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use range scrap for casting. By picking out the jacketed bullets and casting ingots, the lead measured at 8-9bhn. Maybe you can do the same to have a consistent bhn and more consistent alloy. I'm cheap so if you want to increase the hardness, separate the hardcast bullets you find and add them to your pot of jhp lead to increase hardness. Maybe and idea is to take your rejects and make dummy loads. Then choose the cartridge with the longest OAL that will cycle, and last do a load test.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    After melting your differing day-to-day parent metals into nearly equal weight bars, and segregating those bars into batches, take one bar from batch one, one bar from batch two, one bar from batch three, etc., and melt THOSE dissimilar bars together into one comingled batch of equal weight bars, which will bring a measurable consistency to your boolits.

    For example:
    Day One's batch is six (6) 2-pound bars of 8 BHN each, annotated and segregated.
    Day Two's batch is four (4) 2-pound bars of 13 BHN each, annotated and segregated.
    Day Three's batch is six (6) 2-pound bars of 10 BHN each, annotated and segregated.
    Day Four's batch is three (3) 2-pound bars of 14 BHN each, annotated and segregated.

    From these example BHN batches melt together three (3) 2-pound bars from each Batch to make twelve (12) comingled 2-pound bars of [(8+13+10+14)/4] about 11.3 BHN.

    You will still have left over 2-pound bars and batches of differing BHN, annotated and segregated. The boolit BHN formula you derive from comingling batches should drive you to calculate specific batch & bar weights that when comingled result in 11.3 BHN batches, or whatever result you want to achieve that is realistic within the BHN of the annotated and segregated bars you have on hand.

    Regardless of comingling, you cannot achieve a lower BHN than the smallest segregated and annotated BHN bar on hand nor a higher BHN than the largest segregated and annotated BHN bar on hand. You can, apportioning by weight, achieve ANY BHN in between...
    Last edited by Land Owner; 02-07-2023 at 07:08 AM.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

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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