Super Hard Bullet Recipe
- Thread starter stlg67
- Start date
I just bought Lee 2 cavity 160 g mold, already have a 150 grain 2 cavity, was thinking of making some 160 g for the 300 blackout. I was wondering if anyone has done this yet and if so what hardness of the bullet and which powder is the best? I'm planning on powder coating and gas checks if needed for accuracy.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
No I have a LBT tester.
Im not sure its any better...
I just cast up some 6# of lino in replaider if that last alloy maybe 3/4".
Testing now....
Using the 135rd I cast today with about 1# of yesterdays "hard"... I added almost 6# straight pig lino. Then 1/2# of super Hard.
6hrs after cast its 12 BHN. AND as a test powdercoated was 10.5 BHN.
So its harder then yesterdays "hard"...
But I have it bagged and marked so Ill check as the days pass.
CW
Im not sure its any better...
I just cast up some 6# of lino in replaider if that last alloy maybe 3/4".
Testing now....
Using the 135rd I cast today with about 1# of yesterdays "hard"... I added almost 6# straight pig lino. Then 1/2# of super Hard.
6hrs after cast its 12 BHN. AND as a test powdercoated was 10.5 BHN.
So its harder then yesterdays "hard"...
But I have it bagged and marked so Ill check as the days pass.
CW
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I know I'm repeating myself, but it's not that simple. "Hardness" isn't the key, it's not even in the top 3. FIT, FIT, FIT, static and dynamic. That's the key.
You want the best hardness? Try a copper jacket, works every time.
Rant off.
GRMPS
Active Member
I agree with Bret4217 with cast, fit is the key. IF you PC you can get away with a lot softer alloy than you think.
Commercial casters sell hard bullets so they don't get damaged in shipping.
I have a lot of linotype and monotype BUT most of my casting is with 12BHN +2% tin (pewter)
Commercial casters sell hard bullets so they don't get damaged in shipping.
I have a lot of linotype and monotype BUT most of my casting is with 12BHN +2% tin (pewter)
Qc Pistolero
New Member
I've been in the casting game since the mid '70s.Boy did I make lots of mistakes....and I bet still some to be done.But one thing I've learned is trying to go fast early in the casting game is not a good idea.
If you wanna go 2000fps and more,you can go easily to it and buy condom bullets.But there is a sure reward making a single holed group at 100 with your own cast babies or seing that deer drop instantly (and dying as quickly)from that single shot home brewed projectile of yours.
Going over 2K vel with cast bullet requires lots of experimenting:but you'd be surprised at what a 1600 to 1800 fps bullet can do to a deer or black bear.You just gotta spend some time at practicing range evaluation.
If you wanna go 2000fps and more,you can go easily to it and buy condom bullets.But there is a sure reward making a single holed group at 100 with your own cast babies or seing that deer drop instantly (and dying as quickly)from that single shot home brewed projectile of yours.
Going over 2K vel with cast bullet requires lots of experimenting:but you'd be surprised at what a 1600 to 1800 fps bullet can do to a deer or black bear.You just gotta spend some time at practicing range evaluation.
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I finally found time to cast some bullets, 160g Lee C309-160-R mold. I powder coated them, they came out at 10.7 on the BHN. I also cast some with the Lee C309-150-F, they came out 10.4 on the BHN, those are powder coated as well. Both were tested on the Lee Hardness Tester before powder coating. I'm wanting to load them for 300 blackout but looking for some good load data for IMR 4227, IMR 4198, H110, LIL GUN, TRIAL BOSS, IMR BLUE.
I also cast some .224 on the Lee C225-55-RF, those came out as 20.9 on the BHN. I powder coated them as well. Have some workup loads for those.
I also cast some .224 on the Lee C225-55-RF, those came out as 20.9 on the BHN. I powder coated them as well. Have some workup loads for those.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Was this out of the same alloy? If so, your testing is faulty. Are you testing ingots or bullets?
Ian
Notorious member
That's one pleasure, yes.
Another one is the challenge of getting full-powered jacketed bullet equivalence from cast bullets tailored for hunting. There's a another, big universe outside of your paradigm.
Rockydoc
Well-Known Member
“Faster needs a harder alloy” Or powder coating!
fiver
Well-Known Member
or heat treating.
one alloy [or slight variations of] many different BHN's and internal lattice structures.
speed is just a series of challenges that need overcome.
once you start, it opens your eyes to fixing problems with the slow, and makes copper wrapped stuff a whole ton easier too.
anyone can shoot holes in paper, getting them close together takes more work, getting them all in the same hole takes a lot more work.
cast at fast is just another set of progressions that magnifies the problems in your process.
one alloy [or slight variations of] many different BHN's and internal lattice structures.
speed is just a series of challenges that need overcome.
once you start, it opens your eyes to fixing problems with the slow, and makes copper wrapped stuff a whole ton easier too.
anyone can shoot holes in paper, getting them close together takes more work, getting them all in the same hole takes a lot more work.
cast at fast is just another set of progressions that magnifies the problems in your process.
I'm using two different alloys, w.w. and plumbers lead.
I’ve gotten some crazy reading with the Lee tester, but if you do 5 throw out the high and low and take the best 3 and average it comes out close. I got over the 20.x or 10.x pretty quick. Now I just figure 8-10, 12-14, 25 ish plus or minus 2-3 on the LBT tester. Point is BHN is just close for me it gives me an idea of where to go.
Anyway, that 10-12 BHN powder coated should be good at subsonic, or slightly above velocities w/o a GC. Haven’t shot any hotter than that out of the BO. All those powders you list will work, just take your pick and go from there. Dang sure only one way to find out what they will do. Load them and shoot them.
Anyway, that 10-12 BHN powder coated should be good at subsonic, or slightly above velocities w/o a GC. Haven’t shot any hotter than that out of the BO. All those powders you list will work, just take your pick and go from there. Dang sure only one way to find out what they will do. Load them and shoot them.