Can anyone explain this?
- Thread starter JWFilips
- Start date
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freebullet
Guest
Just learning everything I can. Not any specific draw to hardcast but, rather gaining a better understanding of what is possible with a single alloy.
The more we learn the better off we'll be.
The more we learn the better off we'll be.
Heat treating need not be used to maximize hardness. Knowing that we can alter the end result via heat treat temp or quench temp lets us target a specific hardness for a set alloy.
I like around 18 BHn with my range scrap in my 44 mag revolver and I can easily repeat the results with heat treating. I can easily get much harder but don't. Same alloy is doing well in my 300 blk at 1750 fps.
Hard cast is a marketing ploy that involved higher Sb alloys more than using heat treating.
I like using a very cheap, available alloy in places it wouldn't work of air cooled.
Another tool in the chest that lets me get desired results with what I have on hand.
I like around 18 BHn with my range scrap in my 44 mag revolver and I can easily repeat the results with heat treating. I can easily get much harder but don't. Same alloy is doing well in my 300 blk at 1750 fps.
Hard cast is a marketing ploy that involved higher Sb alloys more than using heat treating.
I like using a very cheap, available alloy in places it wouldn't work of air cooled.
Another tool in the chest that lets me get desired results with what I have on hand.
Nobody is trying to bad mouth heat treating, as you say it's a useful tool and for the reasons you mentioned. Just comments on the curiosity of those that strive to shoot diamonds and get harder and harder. On the other hand I do understand the "what if" of those that like to experiment.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
When I started shooting cast bullets they were all commercial hand gun bullets Because the guys on the range told me that is what I need to buy.
After joining the CB forum I realized that was the wrong way. A softer & fatter bullet worked far better.
Then I started shooting rifles: 30 cal, 35 cal & 8mm at low velocities and my soft alloy was still fine.
Once I got into .243 and .223 I realized that light loads were still driving the bullets over the 2000 fps mark. A fellow over there sent me about 300 pure Linotype/ water drop 95 gr RCBS .243 bullets ( because he sold all his 243 stuff and had them laying around). At first I was very reluctant on shooting these...so I just used them to blow out my FL sized new cases. Darn! wouldn't you know I started tearing out the centers of targets with these "blow out" loads ( 16 gr 2400) They were shooting better then my so called accurate loads. So I started heat treating my alloy for my good .243 bullets (NOE 246105) Instantly my groups improved.
So an observation for me was Sub .30 cal ...may like a harder bullet! But wait I started to test my plain air cooled alloy against heat treated in the .243 again the harder heat treated worked better. As for the .223 I have only tested it with harder alloy ( not heat treaded nor water dropped) But I sure have no problem where the harder alloy has taken me on the small calibers....as for my .30 & up My standard air cooled 50 COWW/ 50 pure +2% more tin works as good as I need
After joining the CB forum I realized that was the wrong way. A softer & fatter bullet worked far better.
Then I started shooting rifles: 30 cal, 35 cal & 8mm at low velocities and my soft alloy was still fine.
Once I got into .243 and .223 I realized that light loads were still driving the bullets over the 2000 fps mark. A fellow over there sent me about 300 pure Linotype/ water drop 95 gr RCBS .243 bullets ( because he sold all his 243 stuff and had them laying around). At first I was very reluctant on shooting these...so I just used them to blow out my FL sized new cases. Darn! wouldn't you know I started tearing out the centers of targets with these "blow out" loads ( 16 gr 2400) They were shooting better then my so called accurate loads. So I started heat treating my alloy for my good .243 bullets (NOE 246105) Instantly my groups improved.
So an observation for me was Sub .30 cal ...may like a harder bullet! But wait I started to test my plain air cooled alloy against heat treated in the .243 again the harder heat treated worked better. As for the .223 I have only tested it with harder alloy ( not heat treaded nor water dropped) But I sure have no problem where the harder alloy has taken me on the small calibers....as for my .30 & up My standard air cooled 50 COWW/ 50 pure +2% more tin works as good as I need
KHornet
Well-Known Member
Being of the hard school (Lino or harder) for 22's & 6MM's because they work for me. Also for convenience I water drop every thing, and have done it that way for years, and see no reason to change. Have always used cold water as it comes from the hose or sink. Have no idea of temp, but know it is above freezing.
I pretty much feel the same way about 6.5's and 7MM's. Don't mind softer 30's and 8MM's of say 16-18 bh, but if I were going to hunt them, it would be with Bruce B's soft tips of pure lead. For handguns, range scrap suites me just fine, and most of the time, water dropped that runs around 12-14 BH. Tried heat treating once, made a mess of it, so have remained with water drop. Nothing against heat treating for those who want to use it, but not for me. There is a comfort level in being old and set in my ways!
I pretty much feel the same way about 6.5's and 7MM's. Don't mind softer 30's and 8MM's of say 16-18 bh, but if I were going to hunt them, it would be with Bruce B's soft tips of pure lead. For handguns, range scrap suites me just fine, and most of the time, water dropped that runs around 12-14 BH. Tried heat treating once, made a mess of it, so have remained with water drop. Nothing against heat treating for those who want to use it, but not for me. There is a comfort level in being old and set in my ways!