Chooie

Soft lead at high velocities will foul a bore expeditiously, but hard cast lead at target velocities will not.

__________________
-Joe

Quando omni flunkus, moritati.

Virginia Citizens Defense League

Rustburg, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad

Tubby45

Probably because:

1: The bullet was too hard for their velocity.

2: The bullet was too soft for their velocity.

3: The bullet was not matched to groove diameter.

4: The bullet was not matched to throat diameter (revolvers).

5: The powder they chose is too hot for lead and smokes like crazy.

6: Their bullet lube is not up to the task.

7: They are not properly maintaining the weapon.

8: The alloy mixture was not matched for the velocity or purpose.


There is more to shooting lead than stuffing a bullet in a case. The shooters that have problems usually do not understand lead bullets nor want to take the time to learn. They want to shoot cheap bullets period. Shooting lead is a lot different than shooting jacketed bullets. Even more so in rifles.

Bullet companies compensate for this by offering harder than needed bullets. They also ship bullets. Bullet companies use harder bullets more for damage control in transit than for actual "it's a better bullet" reasoning.

To figure out the proper hardness for complete obturation (sealing the bore when the lead bullet expands under chamber pressure), take the chamber pressure you are operating at and divide it by 1422. In the above example, let's take the max pressure for the 10mm which is 37,500psi. Dividing that by 1422 yields 26.37, telling me if I want to get complete obturation and eliminate leading, my bullet needs to be 26 BHN. However, with lead you will get less pressure, so pressure might be perhaps 33-34K psi with the same powder loaded max. You can select a powder that obtains similar velocities but offers less pressure.

AA#9 is a good powder for magnum lead. A full charge of 17.5gr with a 135gr jacketed Nosler yields only 30,000 psi- a full 7500psi less than the MAP of the cartridge- and this is with a max load. Too get an idea of a lead friendly powder, look at the pressure data in the load manuals. The powders that get good velocity but are operating at less pressure are good ones to try.

preachertim

Tubby45 When I grow up I want to be just like you. where did you learn all that stuff. You must have been doin this for a while. Thanks for the info. I am a Newbie learning on 3 single stage presses giving to me by a man trying to pass it on. thanks

Freedomofchoice

Here's what you've been looking for. I use hard cast 165 Gr. truncated cone lead bullets. Have gotten great results with these two loads:

Hp-38 / w-231 - 4.5 grains
WSF - 5.2 grains

Tubby45

Not really, I'm only 26yo. Reloading a little over a year and casting a little less than that.

Thanks for the compliment.

ETA: For most applications a bullet in the 15 BHN range will suit most needs from pistol to rifle. This is known as the Lyman #2 alloy. Most of my casting is done to this level or a little softer. I have been experimenting with harder alloys like straight linotype (22 BHN) or water dropped bullets of WW alloy.

The technique is to drop the bullets out of the mold into a bucket of water instead of onto a towel or similar. When bullets get released from the mold, they are still several hundred degrees hot and can sometimes deform if struck hard enough. Just toss it back in the pot and melt it again. No biggie, but is a PITA if all your bullets are deformed.

The water dropping technique is like color case hardening is to steel alloys. Heat steel up red hot then quenching it in oil will harded the alloy to an extent. Same principles at work here. You can use WW alloy and water drop to nearly 15 BHN; WWs are about a 11-12 BHN, so water quenching will raise the BHN a potential 2-3 BHN.

You can also heat treat it. To do this size the bullets and apply gas checks if needed. NO lube. Just size. Then place them nose up in the oven on 400° for a half hour or so. Then either water quench them or let them cool. Then to lube use a sizer die .001" bigger than before so you apply lube but don't work the bullet sides. You can heat treat WW alloy bullets to over 30 BHN using this method.

Oregon Trail "Lasercast" bullets have a BHN of 24. Normal cast bullets are 15 BHN and copper jacketed bullets are about 50 BHN.

preachertim

Thanks I have some lead I bought off the bargain table and did nt think of recipes when I got it.