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Thread: Question about Penn Bullets "Premium" alloy

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    2

    Question about Penn Bullets "Premium" alloy

    Several years ago I purchased bullets from Penn Bullets cast in their "premium" alloy and I am hoping someone here might know the BHN for this alloy. I recall their website stated their premium alloy bullets are rated to 1600 fps. In an email the owner to use load data for jacketed bullets for the premium alloy bullets. The owner has passed away and the website is defunct. The reason for asking is I would like to know how low/slow I can load this alloy without leading. Thank you!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
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    Communist New Jersey
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    882
    Pick up a Lee lead hardness tester and check it for yourself. Handy little tool and very accurate. It is a bit tricky to use but once you get the hang of it it is pretty easy.

    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010214285?pid=731364

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    bedford, pa.
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    not sure but i think its 18? i bought some a few yrs ago.

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    2
    Thanks for the replies. I would definitely get the Lee hardness tester if I were casting and like Lee gear. For these I'm going to try the pencil test I just found out about. I just picked up the pencils so I'll test the Penn bullets tonight along with some Laser Cast to see how it compares to their website. I expect the Penn bullets will be too hard to shoot slow, probably 18 like lx2008 said because that number sounds familiar to me as well.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master


    dondiego's Avatar
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    Jan 2013
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    You can load it pretty low/slow without leading. I am guessing it can be loaded to 700 FPS with no problems as long as the boolit is fat enough to not cause leading.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    NE Kansas
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    Since you mention that the cast bullets are rated to 1600 FPS then perhaps you are speaking about hand gun bullets. There are different considerations for revolvers and semi-auto pistols. Specific to revolvers, if the cast bullet drops through the cylinder without resistance, it will lead the barrel. This is because the low pressure loads will not deform/upset the bullet body to seal the hot gas behind the bullet as it travels from cylinder to barrel. In semi-auto, it needs to seal the barrel as the bullet moves forward into the lands of the barrel. Sometimes if you have an almost correct fit, applying a couple of light coatings of tumble lube to the bullet will help to help seal the gas behind the bullet.

    It is a good idea and a safe practice to begin working up the powder charge with any bullet by following the reloading data in a reliable reloading manual. You might find a very accurate load at the beginning velocities of cast bullets. It concerns me to see you considering starting with Jacketed bullet data with cast bullets.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Feb 2009
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    kalif.
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    IF the bullet fits the bore it bhn wont matter much. I used to shoot lino in CAS loads because I had a lot of it.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
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    Leading problems from a too-hard bullet at low speed usually arise when the bullet is too small to properly seal the bore, and is too stiff to obturate under the operating pressure to do so. The resulting gas blow-by plasma-torches the sides of the bullet and that's what plates your bore.

    This could be caused by something like a .355"-356" diameter bullet being shot in a 9mm that wants .357"-.358", but it could also be a constriction followed by a widening of the bore - very common in revolvers where the act of threading the barrel into the frame compresses the rear of the bore down by about .001". It's enough to size a bullet down below the ideal diameter for the rest of the barrel, and the aforementioned flame-cutting and lead fouling is the result. Many of us here lap out that constriction to prevent that.

    My point is that none of that is the fault of the alloy being too hard. I've shot 22BHN bullets in .45ACP at pokey GI hardball speeds with no issues. Generally, if you have a tight sealing of the bore from throat to muzzle, you won't have leading issues. If you hang around, you'll see this repeated a lot: "Bullet fit is king"
    WWJMBD?

    In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.

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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