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cast bullet hardness ?
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Can a lead alloy bullet be cast hard enough to run 2100-2300 fps without excessive barrel leading? What would be the Brinnel hardness of such a bullet? Thanks!


Good hunting,

Andy

-----------------------------
Thomas Jefferson: “To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

 
Posts: 6711 | Location: Oklahoma, USA | Registered: 14 March 2001Reply With Quote
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The information from Cast Performance I received a few years ago had info about a hard cast bullet going 3000+ fps w/o barrel leading.I use their cast bullets in my 41mag and 45lc Ruger Blackhawks plus in my TC Encore 454 casull pistol and rifle w/o barrels leading problems http://www.castperformance.com another source of their bullets is http://www.midwayusa.com . Cast Performance was sold to the Grizzly Cartridge Company.
 
Posts: 1116 | Registered: 27 April 2006Reply With Quote
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Yes, though once you get above 2000 fps things get very "iffy" for cast bullets.

I have had best luck with heat treated wheelweight, BHN 28 - 31.

As pressures and velocities rise, it becomes more and more important to have a good chamber, throat, and barrel. Gas cutting becomes a big issue and any imperfection is an invitation to gas cutting. These imperfections in the rifle are more of a limitation than the bullet hardness.

"Excessive barrel leading" is subjective, accuracy isn't. I don't even bother looking at my barrel anymore -- better to go by the group size and chrono.
 
Posts: 1095 | Location: Idaho | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by ACRecurve:
Can a lead alloy bullet be cast hard enough to run 2100-2300 fps without excessive barrel leading? What would be the Brinnel hardness of such a bullet? Thanks!


Standard linotype is about Brinnell 21-22. You can easily run bullets a bit softer than linotype at 2,100-2,300 FPS and get no leading at all...IF the bullet/throat fit is correct and you are using gas-checks. Been there and done that on literally hundreds of occasions.

I use a hard wax lube, such as Thompson's Blue Angel, Orange Magic, LBT Blue, or something of that order. But, I have also had success with just plain old 50/50 Alox 2135-F/beeswax. I don't like to use it though, as for me the accuracy is not as good, and it is a lot messier for me to transport.

Without a proper fit of the bullet to the throat, regardless of what lube you use, you may get blow-by. If you do, you'll almost undoubtedly get leading. So, I feel fitting the bullet to the throat is very important.


My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still.

 
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001Reply With Quote
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Caliber is the deciding factor as far as speed, IMHO. I am currently shooting a friend's 505 Gibbs (prepping for my 550 Gibbs) and over 40 rounds of a load featuring 120gr of Vihta Vuori Oy N160 in front of a 650gr gaschecked bullet at 2100fps have gone thru the rifle. To date, absolutely ZERO! signs of leading, just a few grains of unburned powder residue left. The alloy is a 20:1 lead/tin mix and the bullet is from my brothers' Brooks mould for his 50-90 Sharps. I am turning the shank down to take the GC and then pushing them thru a .5055" sizer base first to ensure the GC is on solidly. Works for me...

Rich
 
Posts: 23062 | Location: SW Idaho | Registered: 19 December 2005Reply With Quote
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I have shot a TC Encore-15" bll 375 GNR(45-70 necked down to 375) to 2400+ fps.The bullets was waterdropped WW -(BHN 24)using FWFL hand lubed.This was using a 240gr BRFN gas checked mould.

Sean
 
Posts: 562 | Location: Houston Tx | Registered: 23 October 2002Reply With Quote
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