The Los Angeles Handgun - Rifle - Air Pistol Silhouette Club

Cast Bullet Notes

Page

 
From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners
A New full length cast bullet book by Glen E. Fryxell / Robert L. Applegate
  Foreword by John Taffin

pdf version

 
Life (and bullet casting alloys) Just Got Easier
Alloying With Roto Metals Super Hard
Alloy any antimony (Sb) percentage that you need
< Includes Lead/Antimony/Tin (Pb/Sb/Sn) Recipes >
 

The worlds Largest Online Auction of Firearms and Accessories (Click image for link)
 

 

SAECO bullet # 264, 6.5mm 140 grain See Also These Hand loader's References Lyman 22 caliber 44 grain RNGC in wheel weight alloy
Cast Bullet Articles Of Glen E. Fryxell
Cast Bullet Alloy / Alloy Maintenance
Heat Treating Lead Alloys
Gas Check Shank Sizes
Hodgdon Powder Burn Rate Chart
Ballistic Formulas & Notes
Boxer Primer Reference Chart
RCBS Shell Holder Reference
SAECO # 264 6.5mm 140 Gr. Maximum Chamber Pressure - SAAMI  Recommendations

Lyman # 225438

22 Caliber 44 Gr. RNGC

 
The World's Top Cast Bullet Chat Forum
Click image for link
 

L-SAECO #399 180 gr. 35 Cal. TCGC

A Tremendous Information Resource For Bullet Casters

SAECO # 068  200 Gr. 45 Cal TCBB

R-RCBS 180 Gr. 35 Cal Silhouette
  Click image for link  

Retail Store Dedicated To Handloading
At
Angeles Shooting Ranges (ASR)
(Pronounced An-Gel-ees)
Full range of dies - powders - primers - bullets - brass - tools - supplies and much more
Everything for the metallic cartridge and shot gun reloader - GOEX Black Powder in 2F & 3F in stock
12651 Little Tujunga Canyon Road - Lake View Terrace, CA 91342
  ASR Range open 7 days  
818-899-2255 Where Are We?
  Reloading Store Open 7 Days

(Map)


 

Hollow Point Bullet Mold Service

Hollow points - Alterations - Repairs

<A link you may wish to book mark for future reference.>

Have a mould you wish was a hollow point design?

Have a HP design you wish you had a different pin design?

Have a gas check design that you wish was plain base?

Driving bands enlarged to cast a larger diameter bullet.

Specializing in Cramer style Hollow point conversions.

Molds for sale plus . . . I always consider purchasing or trades for Lyman, Ideal, RCBS, SAECO, or other single or double cavity rifle and pistol molds. Contact me about extra molds you have available to sell or trade.

Contact Erik Ohlen: M-F 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm and Saturdays 9:00 am - 8:30 pm, Pacific Time: (541) 738-2479  erik@hollowpointmold.com

 

High Praise for Erik Ohlen's Craftsmanship

I have a handful of moulds that Erik has converted to make hollow-point or cup-point cast bullets. In every case, the workmanship is first-rate, and the moulds cast beautifully. The HP pins are perfectly centered, they release the bullets very easily, and casting with them is fast and productive. He uses a very clever 2-part collar/pin design that allows the caster to switch (or in some cases adjust) the HP pins to vary the expansion properties of the resulting cast bullet. Several of these moulds are 2-cavity moulds that have had one cavity converted to drop HP bullets. This allows the caster to make both the solid and HP version from the same mould (at the same time, if so desired). Erik offers this service for both rifle and pistol moulds -- I've had him make both types for me, and have been very pleased with the results. Not only does Erik offer to convert moulds to make "traditional" HP's (using a pin held in place with a keeper/collar, along the lines of the classic H&G HP moulds), but he is also the only service that I am aware of that works with the Cramer system of making HP moulds (which uses 2 transverse pins going through one of the mould blocks to keep the HP pin with the blocks). He has repaired an old Cramer HP mould for me, and I can testify, without any reservations, that the quality of his repair work is significantly higher than the original factory HP pin. Casting with the repaired Cramer mould is pure joy (the Cramer design allows for a much faster casting cadence than traditional HP moulds), and the bullets it produces are beautiful. I will gladly work with Erik again (and in fact he and I are working on some experimental ideas right now....).

Merry Christmas everybody!

Glen E. Fryxell

Dec. 25, 2008

 


Cast Bullet Notes

List of many common bullet lube ingredients including their uses, sources and possible benefits and/or detriments.

 

Commonly Used Bullet Alloys

For an industry description of common lead alloys use this link - Then Click on "Grades of Lead"

Alloy

  "Average" Composition Alloy   "Average" Composition

Wheel Weights, clip-on

-
1/2-1% tin, 2-3% antimony,
96-7.25% lead, 1/4% arsenic
Foundry Type - 15% tin, 23% antimony, 62% lead

Wheel Weights, stick-on

- Pure lead or nearly so Scrap range lead - Could be (and is) anything

Linotype

- 4% tin, 12% antimony, 84% lead Plumbers lead - 99%+ pure lead.

Monotype

- 9% tin, 19% antimony, 72% lead Lyman's No. 2 - 5% tin, 5% antimony, 90% lead
 

Common Bullet Metal Melting Temperatures

  Metal   Melting Temp.   Notes:    
  Lead (Pb)   621 degrees   Weight, ductility, obturation.    
  Tin (Sn)   429 degrees  
Reduces surface tension of lead alloy melt up to 750o, better mould fill-out. Reduces the melting temperature of lead. "Slight" hardening & strengthening effect.
   
  Antimony (Sb)   1,166 degrees   Hardens lead alloys, extremely brittle.    
  Linotype   464 degrees - solid 465 degrees - liquid  
Casts very well with it's 4% Sn and 12% Sb, No expansion on game, poor choice for steel targets. Poor choice for light and mid-range loads.
   
  Foundry Type   619 degrees   Extremely brittle. NO expansion on game, shatters on steel targets.    
  WW (clip-on)  

463 degrees

slushy To

505 degrees molten

 
Contains enough arsenic/antimony to enable hardening by heat
treating. Heat treating WW alloy with 2% tin added increases
hardness / strength without adding brittleness as in high Sb linotype metal.

   

 

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Lyman Devastator HP 202 Gr.
45 caliber fired into 3 feet of

water at 800 fps - 11 BHN

Testing Cast Bullet BHN Tester's
 

SAECO # 068 200 gr. 45 Caliber
SWCBB 5 BHN fired at 800 fps
into 3 feet of water and hit the

bottom of the plastic drum

 
The 2008 Cast Bullet BHN Tester Experiment (The Results)
 
42 different testers using a total of 47 different testing tools.
13 were Cabine Tree, 8 were LBT,
12 were Lee and 9 were SAECO’S.
 Plus 4 other brands of testers included.
     See how these cast bullet BHN testers compare with the same alloy lab tested for BHN? How does the people doing the testing and reading the results effect the "usefulness" of the different testers? Is there any consistency with these testers and which brands faired best - worst? Are they a viable tool for working up accuracy loads? CB BHN Tester Experiment

    

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Common Bullet Alloy Hardness
 
Alloy   BHN  
Lead

 

5  
WW (stick on)   6  
Tin   7  
1 to 40 tin lead   8  
1 to 30 tin lead   9  
1 to 20 tin lead   10  
1 to 10 tin lead   11  
WW (clip on)   12  
Lead Shot*   13  
Lyman # 2   15  
Water quenched WW   18  
Linotype   18 - 19  
Monotype   25 - 27  
Oven heat treated WW   30 - 32  
Antimony   50  
       
*Tip: Lead shot has .5 to 1.0% arsenic (As) (depending on the manufacturer) and can be used as a hardening agent when heat treating lead/antimony alloys. 1/4 of 1% arsenic is all it takes. Adding any more than this adds nothing & will not further harden the alloy. Additional hardening can be achieved by heat treating when arsenic is present to approximately 30 to 32 BHN.
 

Approximate "Maximum" Chamber Pressure For Lead Alloys (PSI)

Plumbers lead, stick on WW   13,000 - (Black Powder Only)
Wheel weights / clip-on  
25,000 - Non-Magnum handgun
loads, Rifles to 1,900 fps

Lyman # 2 (alloy varies in

Lyman cast bullet books)

 
35,000 - Magnum handgun &
rifles to 2,000 fps

Quench-cast WW (dropped

from mould into cool water)

 
48,000 - Magnum handgun
& rifles to 2,200 fps
Oven heat treated WW  
55,000 - Jacketed velocities in handguns
and rifles with quality bore & balanced load

Bullet BHN / "Minimum" Chamber Pressure For Lead Alloys (PSI)

   The formula (from the pages of HandLoader Magazine) to determine at what pressure an alloy of given BHN will obturate the base of the bullet and seal the bore. If the bullet is too hard to obturate, gas cutting usually occurs on the base band on the non-driving side of the rifling and barrel leading is likely. Simply multiply the alloy BHN by 1,422.
   Example: Alloy BHN of 12 multiplied by 1422 = 17,064. An alloy of 12 BHN should be used with a load that develops a "minimum" of 17,000 psi. Need more info on minimum / maximum alloy BHN? These Glen E. Fryxell articles explain alloy BHN in easy to understand language.

Cast Bullet Alloys And Obturation

A Few Comments  On Cast Bullet Alloys  <>  Lubricating Cast Bullets


 

38 Special and 358477 HP; loaded round,

SAECO Lead Hardness Tester Conversion To BHN

Certified Alloys SAECO Brinell
Pure Lead 0 - 1 6
20 - 1 6 - 7 10
Hardball 8 - 9 16
Linotype 9 - 10 18 - 20

Photo from the article "The Origins of Magnum Performance" Click photo for the article

 

fired into water, 1000 fps.

 

Alloy shrinkage of cast bullets

 
 

Composition, %

Brinell

Shrinkage

Type Metal

Tin

Antimony Lead Hardness Linear, %
           
Linotype 4 12 84 18 .65
Monotype 9 19 72 26 .65
Lead -- -- 100 5 1.13
Tin 100 -- -- 7 .90
Antimony -- 100 -- 50 .47
As an example: the solidification of a nominally .357" diameter bullet cast of Linotype could be expected from the above table to be .0065 X .357" = .0025".  In a soft alloy of lead and tin, .01 X .357" = .0035".

Shrinkage - Bullet Diameter, Inches
Alloy .308 .357 .452
Linotype .002 .0025 .003
Lyman # 2 .0025 .0025 .0035
Soft Lead .0035 .004 .005
From the above two tables it can be seen that the softer the alloy and the larger diameter the bullet that more shrinkage will occur.

Bullet alloy as-cast & final dia. sized (.308 sizing die)
   

Wheel

   
  Lead Weights Lyman #2 Linotype
As-cast dia. .309" .3095" .310" .3104"
Sized dia. .3078" .3079" .3084" .3084"

Bullet alloy contaminants, chemical symbol and sources
    Chemical

Possible

  Element Symbol

Sources

  Antimony* > Sb > Wheel weights, batteries, Cable sheathing, Type Metals
Tin* > Sn > Batteries, Wheel Weights, Type metals, Solder
  Arsenic* > As > Wheel weights, Lead shot
Iron > Fe > Used type metals
Bismuth > Bi > Cable sheathing
Calcium > Ca > Batteries
Cadmium > Cd > Batteries
Copper > Cu > Batteries
Strontium > Sr > Batteries
*Antimony, tin and arsenic are not contaminants but listed to show their source. Battery lead should be avoided because of the extremely high toxicity of elements such as Strontium. All of the other elements listed in addition to being toxic, cast very poorly, ruin a pot of alloy they are blended with and should be avoided.

Tip:   An additional use of the "stick-on" wheel weights. Cast a few bullets for the firearm that you wish to slug the bore of. Clean the bore and then run a clean lightly oiled patch through the bore. At a BHN of 6, stick-on wheel weight bullets make a great bore slug. Use solvent to remove the oil from the bore. Always separate and save stick on weights when processing wheel weights. Add up to 2% tin when casting bore slugs from stick-on wheel weights to aid in mould fill out.
 
The 180 grain RCBS GC Silhouette
.357 Magnum

What does bullet lube do?

   In summary, bullet lube is pumped from the lube groove to the barrel surface by compression, linear acceleration and radial acceleration. In addition, lube is injected forward during the firing process, as the result of high-pressure gas leakage into the lube groove. This injection process forms a floating fluid gasket around the bullet, and serves to limit gas cutting and is a kind of ballistic stop-leak.

 

Read the entire article

 

Comments on Cast Bullet Alloys

   A very common misconception is that leading is caused by the bullet being too soft. Historically, tin was used to harden bullet alloys. Today tin is used to lower the surface tension of the molten alloy and allows it to fill out the mould more completely. Antimony hardens lead alloys much more effectively than does tin, in addition, antimony allows the alloy to be hardened via heat treatment, something the chemistry of tin doesn't allow (and arsenic is even better for heat treating than is antimony).  

Read the entire article


Cast Hollow Points - The Next Generation

   It can be argued that the hollow point bullet is one of the most important advances in the development of modern handgun ammunition. Elmer Keith recognized this early on, and around 1930 incorporated hollow points into his pet CB SWC designs (Lyman 358439, Lyman 429421 HP and Lyman 454424 HP). His detailed reports of their accuracy, expansion and deadly performance on small and medium game highlighted the shooting literature for decades.

Read the entire article


Fluxing Bullet Metal

   Of particular interest to the bullet caster are calcium, aluminum and zinc -- all of which are difficult to reduce and all of which cause casting problems. What we want a flux to do is to remove impurities that affect the surface tension of the alloy and cause problems during casting (most notable here are things like calcium, aluminum, zinc and copper). In addition, we want to remove any wettable particulate matter that might go on to form inclusions in our bullets. Since tin is so valuable to the bullet caster, it would be helpful if we could slow down, or even reverse its oxidation.
   Some of the commercial bullet fluxes are formulations that have the advantage of generating virtually no smoke or odor based on borax, or other boric acid derivatives. The way these commercial fluxes work is to combine with the oxidized components of the alloy (including any oxidized tin) and form an insoluble molten borate glass, which collects on top of the melt as a dark molten crust. This process is smoke-free and cleans the alloy very effectively, but the dark molten crust must be removed to prevent inclusions in the bullets.

 

Read the entire article

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Available Hornady Crimp On Gas Checks By Caliber

22 Caliber   338 Caliber
243 Caliber   348 Caliber
25 Caliber   35 Caliber
264 Caliber   375 Caliber
270 Caliber   416 Caliber
7mm   44 Caliber
30 Caliber   45 Caliber
32 Caliber   475 Caliber

Available Lyman Slip On Gas Checks By Caliber

22 Caliber   7mm   41 Caliber
243 Caliber   30 Caliber   44 Caliber
25 Caliber   32 Caliber   45 Caliber
264 Caliber   35 Caliber    
270 Caliber   375 Caliber    

 
Tip: The size and weight of bullets of a given alloy will vary according to casting temperature. Higher temperatures will result in greater shrinkage as the bullet cools and produce a slightly smaller and lighter bullet than one cast of the same alloy at a lower temperature.

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Heat Treating Tips

(From the pages of HandLoader Magazine)

   The essential metals for heat treating are lead, antimony and arsenic. Tin is optional; although it may aid in an effort to cast more perfect bullets and contribute to ductility. To obtain maximum hardness, a minimum of one to two percent antimony is required in addition to a trace of arsenic. Arsenic is the catalyst. Heat-treating cannot work without it, regardless of the amount of antimony or other trace elements present. Webmaster Addendum: The above quote on arsenic from HandLoader "appears" to be in error and should read: Arsenic is the catalyst to a greatly enhanced ability to heat treat. 4% antimony has a much better hardening/time curve than 2% alloy.
   Tin has the effect of reducing maximum hardness from heat treating as its ratio to other metals increases. Wheel-weights, one to two percent tin, can be heat-treated to a harder level than Lyman No. 2 with its five percent tin content. Linotype,  84/12/4 (lead-antimony-tin) has the lowest hardening potential when compared to other alloys commonly used to produce cast bullets. Webmaster Addendum: In this reference from HandLoader on the effects of tin in heat treating linotype and Lyman # 2 alloys. Linotype and Lyman # 2 alloy's have the lowest hardening potential of common bullet alloys because of the higher tin content (4% & 5%) and lack of arsenic.
 
Webmaster Addendum: In the above two references from HandLoader the conditions of the testing is not known but I cannot help but wonder if both conclusions were drawn from heat treating non-arsenical alloys. It appears that non-arsenical alloys such as linotype and Lyman # 2 alloys can be heat treated because of their antimony content. Adding a trace (1/4 of 1% to 1/2%) of arsenic in the alloy dramatically increases the hardness that can be achieved by heat treating. The percentage of antimony effects the hardening/time curve. 2% antimony will take longer to achieve final hardness than 4% or 6% antimony alloy.
 
Tip: Wheel weights (.5% tin, 1/4% arsenic, 2-3% antimony, 96-7% lead) will produce bullets having the smallest diameter and heaviest weight of the common bullet alloy's, With such bullets running approximately 3/10 of 1% smaller in diameter and 3% heavier than bullets cast with Lyman # 2 metal. Linotype will produce bullets with the largest diameter and lightest weights of the common alloy's. Linotype alloy will produce bullets approximately 1/10 of 1% larger and 3% lighter than Lyman # 2.

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RCBS 44 Cal. 240 Gr. Silhouette

Expected (Approximate) alloy weight variation from bullets cast of linotype

Bullet Weight Bullet Weight Bullet Weight Bullet Weight
Linotype - No GC 1 - 10 Alloy - No GC Wheel Weight - No GC Pure Lead - No GC
53.0 gr. + 2.3 gr. + 2.6 gr. + 4.7 gr.
93.0 gr. + 4.0 gr. + 4.6 gr. + 8.3 gr.
118 gr. + 5.0 gr. + 5.8 gr. + 10.5 gr.
147.0 gr. + 6.3 gr. + 7.2 gr. + 13.1 gr.
165.0 gr. + 7.0 gr. + 8.1 gr. + 14.7 gr.
177.0 gr. + 7.5 gr. + 8.7 gr. + 15.8 gr.
237.0 gr. + 10.1 gr. + 11.7 gr. + 21.2 gr.
401.0 gr. + 17.1 gr. + 19.8 gr. + 35.8 gr.

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Alloy Recipes

Linotype - 5 pounds   Linotype - 2 pounds   Clip-on wheel weights - 20 pounds
Wheel weights - 5 pounds   Wheel weights - 5 pounds - 3% Tin   Tin - 6.4 Ounces (2%) (or 9.6 Ounce 3%)
Tin Antimony Lead
2.25% 8% 89.75%
 
Tin Antimony Lead
4.5% 6.3% 89.2%
 
Tin Antimony Arsenic Lead
2 1/4% 4% 1/4% 93 1/2%
1% tin can be added   Nearly Lyman # 2 BHN.   Oven heat treats to 30 - 34 BHN
         
Linotype - 3 pounds   Monotype - 2 pounds   Stick-on wheel weights  15 pounds - Lino 5 pounds
Wheel weights - 9 pounds   Wheel weights - 4 pounds / lead - 3 pounds   Lead Shot - 4 ounces / Tin - 9.6 ounces
Tin Antimony Lead
1.4% 6% 92.7%
 
Tin Antimony Lead
2.2% 6% 91.8%
 
Tin Antimony Arsenic Lead
3% 1% 1/4% 95 3/4%
Add 2% tin. Close to Lyman # 2 alloy   Add 1% tin. Good Magnum handgun alloy   Possible to quench or oven heat treat
         
Linotype - 4 pounds   Monotype - 3 pounds   Wheel Weights - 9 pounds
Wheel weights - 6 pounds   Wheel weights - 4 pounds / lead - 3 pounds   50/50 bar solder - 1 pound
Tin Antimony Lead
2% 7.5% 90.5%
 
Tin Antimony Lead
3% 7.2% 89.8%
 
Tin Antimony Lead
5% 3% 92%
1-2% tin can be added   Medium hard alloy. Magnum handgun & rifles to 2,000 fps   Close to Lyman # 2 Alloy
 
Clip-on Wheel weights - 10 pounds   Clip-on Wheel weights - 9 pounds   Clip-on Wheel weights - 10 pounds
Stick-on Wheel Weights - 4 pounds Linotype - 2 pounds / Virgin bar tin - 7 ounces Stick-on Wheel Weights - 4 pounds / Tin - 4 ounces
Tin Antimony Lead Tin Antimony Lead Tin Antimony Lead
.35% 2.2% 97.65% 4.9% 4.45% 90.65% 2.1% 2.1% 95.8%
Trace of Arsenic - About 7 BHN Lyman # 2 Alloy duplicate Trace of Arsenic - About 7-8 BHN
 
Article on cast bullet alloys: Cast Bullet Alloy / Alloy Maintenance
Article on Roto Metals Super Hard w/recipes

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Cast Bullet Alloy Sources
 

Rotometals, Inc.

Your Source for Super Hard
Non-Ferrous Metals and Custom Alloys
Call toll free 1-800-779-1102 or visit us online
$99.00+ qualifies for free shipping within the U.S.
 
 
The Antimony Man

Tin, lead, antimony, equipment and alloys of lead/tin for BPCR and Schuetzen shooting, Linotype, “Hardcast” handgun alloy and special order alloys.

 

 
Bullet Molds - Custom and Standard
 
MP-Molds
In a review of MP-Molds Glen E. Fryxell made the following statement, to realize what a powerful statement this is consider that Glen owns over 450 molds. < The mould he sent me is, quite simply, the most beautiful mould I have ever had the pleasure of casting with >
 
Mountain Molds

You design your own bullet mold using our online design program. Aluminum, brass, or iron mold blocks.

Review of Mountain Molds by Glen E. Fryxell

 

 

 

Tip: The cast HP is one of the best hunting bullets available. Their expansion properties can be tuned to one's wants and needs. The best way to cast high-quality HP's is to cast hot, cast fast, and don't inspect your bullets while you're casting (inspect after you're done). A hot HP pin is a happy HP pin; you will never get high-quality HP's from a cold HP pin. - Glen E. Fryxell
 

Tip: The RCBS cast iron melting pot makes a great ingot mold. Filled half full these handy cakes weigh 5 pounds with flat tops and bottoms making for stable stacking & storage. NOTE: Filled full the pot will make 10 pound ingots but they WILL NOT fit into the RCBS 22 pound lead pot for re-melting.

       

 

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Cast Bullet Seating Depth Gas Checks
   Cast bullets could suffer more from a longer free-bore jump than their jacketed counterparts. Seating the bullet to engrave the rifling in rifles and single shot pistols often improves cast bullet groups (not so long as to wedge the bullet into the rifling, you don't want the bullet pulled from the case when opening the action). Remember that the OAL of the loaded round must function in your action type. Because cast bullets are softer than jacketed, zero free-bore should not increase chamber pressures by any significant amount.
   Revolver bullets should be seated so the front driving band is started in the throat when the cylinder is loaded whenever possible. Revolver bullets should be sized to a mild snug fit in the throats. All the throats in the cylinder should hold a sized bullet and be able to be pushed through with mild pressure from a pencil.
 
   There are two types of gas checks available to bullet casters. They are the Lyman straight walled slip on checks and the Hornady crimp on checks. Which type of check you decide to use is probably a mute point but with both, gas check fit is critical to accuracy. The check must fit flat against and square to the base of the bullet.
   All gas checks vary in thickness, hardness and dimensions from lot to lot according to normal manufacturing tolerances. Lyman checks average .015" thick. Hornady checks average thickness is.020" and both can vary by .0005" to .0015 including the side thickness of the cup.
  A common misconception is that gas checks prevent the heat of the burning powder from melting the base of the bullet. This is extremely doubtful as lead absorbs heat slowly and the millisecond the bullet is exposed to this heat could not melt off any lead.

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Tip: PVC pipe cutters from your local home improvement center cuts bar tin very easily & cleanly. A postal scale will weigh your metals for accurately blending your favorite alloy for repeatability from lot to lot.
 
Tip: When heat treating lead / arsenic alloy's, the colder the water the faster your bullets will harden. A block of ice in the water to chill it while the bullets are in the oven will bring your bullets to full hardness in 24 - 28 hours. Room temperature water will take 48 to 72 hours to fully harden the alloy. (Addendum: It appears this is not the case with convection ovens but does seems to hold true for conventional cook ovens, see: Heat Treating Lead)
 
Tip: Bullets in an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees for one hour will heat treat wheel weights (Lead - arsenic - antimony alloy) to approximately 18 BHN. One hour at 475 degrees will harden the alloy to approximately 22 BHN. With the oven just barely below the melting point the alloy Will harden to 30+ BHN. Ovens and thermometers vary as do all alloys, experiment to achieve your desired results.

 

RCBS Cast Rifle Bullet Ballistic Coefficients

Bullet  B.C. Bullet  B.C.
22-055 FN .159 30-180 FN .255
243-095 .258 35-200 FN .243
257-120 .272 357-180 Silh .210
270-150 .327 375-200 FN .220
7mm-145 Silh. .272 44-200 FN .130
7mm-168 SP .306 429-240 Silh .186
30-115 SP .175 45-300 FN .207
30-150 FN .220 45-405 FN .303
308-165 Silh. .286 45-500 FN .365
30-180 SP .293    
 
Tip: Accurate note keeping is as or more important in bullet casting as in handloading.
 
Tip: Magnum shot is a good source for antimony (4%) and arsenic (1.5-1.75%) for improving the age hardening/time curve in heat treating.
 

 

Convection oven for heat treating w/ 3 stacked trays & thermometer.

 

Aluminum Spaghetti pans with holes enlarged for better water flow. Each pan holds nearly 300 35 caliber bullets.

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WARNING: Lead and other bullet casting alloys are toxic and are especially dangerous to young children. Be safe: Consult current and up to date reloading manuals for safety instructions!

Warning:

WARNING: Lead and other bullet casting alloys are toxic and are especially dangerous to young children. Be safe: Consult current and up to date reloading manuals for safety instructions!

 

 Handloading and bullet casting are safe hobbies but common sense must be used.

 lead, antimony and arsenic are toxic. handling these metals / alloys can be dangerous and are considerably more so when heated to melting temperatures

<< NEVER USE BATTERY LEAD - IT IS EXTREMELY TOXIC TO YOU AND OTHERS AROUND YOU >>

<< Lead is considerably more toxic to young children - Keep children well away from casting areas >>

Use all appropriate cautions published in current up to date loading manuals !!

 

    All technical data mentioned, especially handloading and bullet casting, reflect the limited experience of individuals using specific tools, products, equipment and components under specific conditions and circumstances not necessarily reported on this web site and over which The Los Angeles Silhouette Club (LASC), this web site or the author's have no control. The above has no control over the condition of your firearms / equipment or your methods, components, tools, techniques or circumstances and disclaims all and any responsibility for any person using any data mentioned.
ALWAYS
consult recognized reloading manuals
and follow all instructions
for safely handling lead alloys

 

 
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