I am debating getting into casting. I've been doing a fair amount of research and understand the process for the most part. The only thing that I am confused about is the bullet hardness. Specifically, how important is bullet hardness? I will likely use range scrap as it can be had for free or $1/pound. I realize that Lyman #2 is the gold standard, but if you purchase it new, it can run $2.50-$3/pound which is about as much as I can buy Berry's plated bullets for and not have to put in any labor. Can and should range scrap safely be cast without adding any tin or antimony?
Additionally, powder coating seems to be the new fad. As I understand, powder coating provides a sort of polymer jacket over the bullet which reduces leading, reduces smoke from lube, and has other benefits. It also seems that powder coating can reduce the need for a harder bullet because the powder coated jacket is so hard. Is this true? Is powder coating preferred?
I realize that answers may vary based on what I might be interested in casting. Below is a list of caliber for which I may potentially cast:
7.62x25mm
.32 ACP
.380 ACP
9x18 Mak
9x19 Luger
.40 S&W
.45 GAP
.45 ACP
.45 LC
.38 Spcl
.357 Mag
.44 Mag
.223 Rem
.270 WSM
7.5 French
7.5x55 Swede
.30 Carbine
.300 Blk
7.62x54R
.308 Win
.30-06 Sprg
.351 WSL
12 Gauge Buckshot
12 Gauge Slug
Any input or suggestions are welcomes. Thank you!
Bullet hardness depends on several factors. I mostly cast for and shoot handguns and .30 caliber rifles. 99% of my handgun bullets are cast from air-cooled clip on wheelweights (ACWW), and with a Bhn of 12-13, they're plenty hard and I've run plain base bullets as fast as 1200 fps without any appreciable leading. Same goes for some of my old levers in 38-40 and 44-40 running plain base cast bullets 1300 fps or so without
any problems with leading. The moulds for my .30 caliber rifles are all of the gas check variety and velocities to 1600 fps can be had with little to no leading. I've even run some hunting loads as fast as 2000 fps but have to remove a little lead from the bores after 10 or so shots. If/when I need harder bullets I simply drop the bullets directly from the mould into a 5 gallon bucket of tap water. I cast some 9mm bullets from range scrap, which consisted of about 85% cast bullets and 15% jacketed, using this method just yesterday and just return from the shop and testing their hardness which was 22 Bhn. So with range scrap you should be in really good shape.
Understand that bore condition has a great deal to do with leading. I used to shoot a Swiss K-31 in High Power matches using cast bullets running 1400 fps. I could easily fire 100 rounds in a match and not have one iota of leading. The super smooth bores of these rifles helps immensely. Conversely, a rough bore will lead regardless of alloy hardness.
I have not, nor will I ever powder coat. Here's my take on it:
Eliminates cleaning bullet lube from seating dies- With a short cleaning rod and a patch wet with carburetor or brake cleaner, this is a 60 second job that needs to be performed once for every couple hundred rounds loaded, or so. Some of my caliber such as the .44 Special and 45 Colt might go a few hundred rounds without needing lube cleaned from the seating dies.
Eliminates leading- I'm sure it does, but so does an alloy with the proper hardness and a bullet properly sized to fit the groove diameter of the barrel. Seems unnecessary to me to use good hard alloy such as hard range scrap or WW's then cover it. I suppose if one wanted to cast with pure lead then run the bullets at high velocity, the PC-ing would have merits, but alloy that doesn't have sufficient quantities of tin and antimony rarely casts good, well filled out bullets.
Eliminates smoke- I am blessed to have my own range a couple hundred feet from my house, so this is not an issue. Even then, wax based lube such as that the commercial casters use smokes little if any.
PC-ing, compared to traditional lubricating is quite time consuming. With my Star push-thru lubrisizer I can lube and size 20 bullets per minute just loafing and 30 per minute if I really hustle. A traditional lubrisizer will do 8-10 per minute.
By all means, read this online reference:
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm
Absolutely everything you'll ever need to know about cast bullets.
If you want, you can skip right to Chapter 3 and read about alloy:
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_3_alloySelectionMetallurgy.htm
35W