Sorry for all the questions....But I feel sometimes on here I can get a better understanding of things,better than by just reading about it..

I have to admit that a few years ago befor my heart attack I had played around with the black powder and cast bullets,not really getting any results to brag about..And I used about anything I could get my crubby hands on to make bullets...
I sold all my casting stuff and basicly gave it up...So now that I am trying again,I am buying the bullets make of 1 in 20 alloy...I haven't tried any yet due to the cold temps...
Anyway on to what I wanted to ask...Are you guys getting better results with the softer alloy or are you into the harder bullets.....Sorry for being so long winded....John  Alpine ny

Quote:


For Black Powder and Schuetzen muzzle velocities (app. 1100 to 1500 fps),  the softer alloys are almost universally favored.  At least 99% of the thousands of plain base bullets I've cast over the past twelve years have been 1/20 alloy, All purchased from Arthur Green, and I've had no problems.

That said, there is a potential advantage in having a range of soft alloys available.  By varying the amount of tin in the alloy, you can "adjust" a bullets as-cast diameter by 1/2 thousandth or so.  That can help achieve a more precise fit between that bullet and the throat of a particular rifle.

Above 1500 fps, I use straight linotype with gas checks.  I've had random encounters with "mystery metal" from time-to-time and it's never been a pleasant experience. 

JackHughs   

boats wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 4:02pm:


That is one small piece of info that would be very interesting to note across the board in our matches.

Is there a correlation between mixtures/hardness and scores.

Should be included in the equipment lists submitted with the scores and published on the board and in the Journal.

Can I assume that harder alloys are better for the smaller diamters?

Cat_Whisperer wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 9:22pm:


Harder alloys are better for higher chamber pressures and higher muzzle velocities.  Because the torque applied to a bullet from the rifling decreases as the bullet diameter decreases, a softer alloy will work just fine for smaller diameter bullets - provided the MV stays below 1500 fps.

JackHughs

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Last year, I cut over from my normal 1:20 and 1:30 bullets to this:
7 parts Pb and 3 parts Lyman #2 using WW's that have a Bhn of 15.4

Why? Dan Theodore did an article in BPC News about using a Pb: Sn: Sb alloy bullets that will be longer engraved on the bullet noses of 45 caliber reloads.
So why not try it for 38 & 32 caliber reloads

The alloy is 97-1.5-1.5
The initial Bhn is 8.2
After 18 hrs the Bhn is 9.8

I have shot this alloy in 32-40, 8.15x46R, 38-55, 45-70 and 45-90 with no leading.  They are accurate for good groups but I have not done any reload comparisons of the 7:3 to the normal alloys usually used

And could the old time cartridge manufacturers have been wrong casting 1:11 and 1:14 alloy bullets for Match reloads of the 45-70's?