What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I loaded N320 with 160gr 9mm today. I found it impossible to find a load. My reloading manual, has nothing. VV website, nothing for 160gr. I had to read reviews on the Bayou website and the Enos forum. I'm scared.

I will find out how they shoot next weekend.

View attachment 354064
I run 3-3.1 gr N320 under a 150 gr blue bullet so you probably only need like 2.8 gr to make PF with those 160s?
 
Went thru my scrap lead and found 95% is pure lead. Question is how to harden in with no scrap pewter on hand. I can mix some with higher antimony stuff I have that will gain me 30 lbs. Second one is just a shot of wheel weight shot a bunch and they are 3% to 4% antimony.
Nice! I used an XRF extensively at my last job for screening soil for heavy metals. Always made sure to have good trigger discipline
1208B05B-FA18-4CC5-80A7-8E27AEE2F508.jpeg
 
I printed it out. Thanks will have to start saving Babbitt instead of scraping it never thought of it before. Will have to go to one of the casting classes in the future. I need to find a way to bring the several hundred pounds of pure to non magnum pistol range

Went thru my scrap found out 95% is pure lead which leads me to how to bring the hardness up with no scrap pewter on hand. I can mix some in with the higher antimony stuff but not much maybe 20lbs. Second shot is wheel weights
Can you explain what we are looking at
Which sample do you want to modify?
What type of bullets are you casting?

The first alloy ( left image) looks alot like Lino type which is very hard 20 bhn ?

Secound alloy is not pure either and is pretty hard as it sits at around 10-13bhn and looks like chilled shot alloy ? pure lead will come in around 8bhn

Chilled shot alloy will cast nice bullets for almost any non magnum loads. Depending on your load pressure it might be on the hard side.

How much do you have of each alloy? What hardness are you looking for?
You might be better off selling some of that lino type and buy some tin to blend with the Chilled shot alloy?

I have been making a FAUX #2 alloy with wheel weights and pewter I know its not perfect but would love to get it shot with the Xray gun to see.
My alloy is close to 5% Tin 3% Antimony 92% lead Real Lyman #2 is 5%, 5%, 90%

you can add 3lbs of your Hard alloy (lino type) to 10lbs of pure to get it up to about 12bhn ? water quench for harder ?

to get close to lyman number 2 you still need tin ?

this blend will make up 10 lbs of close to #21588595789366.png
 
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You can go online and look up recipes for #2 alloy. The usual ingredients are lead, wheel weights and lino type. I have all 3 and will trade you wheel weights and/or lino type for plain lead. My son uses it to cast for his muzzle loaders. You'll have to meet me at HSC because this stuff is too heavy to ship.
you can cram 70lbs in a USPS flat Rate box ?
 
you can cram 70lbs in a USPS flat Rate box ?
If you can it wont be in it when it arrives.
When I buy 3k 150 gr blue bullets, they ship in a medium (or large? can't remember) flat rate USPS box. Weighs about 64 pounds. No issues yet. They do use pieces of cardboard inside to reinforce the box and also use a crap ton of strapping tape.
 
If you can it wont be in it when it arrives.

I recently had mixed results for the flat rate box. I think they were the same size box. I got ~66 lbs of cast bullets of different calibers with no issue. Then got ~2000 55 gr .223 (~16 lbs.) and the box was split open and some bullets were lost. The .223 vendor gladly replaced the missing bullets.
 
I recently had mixed results for the flat rate box. I think they were the same size box. I got ~66 lbs of cast bullets of different calibers with no issue. Then got ~2000 55 gr .223 (~16 lbs.) and the box was split open and some bullets were lost. The .223 vendor gladly replaced the missing bullets.
Usually poor packing. The more the contents can shift the easier the box fails.
 
The online vendors set bulk quantities to be able to ship in that box. I think there's a 65 lb or so limit.
USPS limit is 70lbs total. Vendors have it figured out pretty well that packaging , tape, buffing material is going to add up to a few lbs.
So stuff 65lbs in the box and you should avoid being over weigjt.
 
Well, I finally did it. After thousands of bottleneck cases, I got my first stuck case while sizing .223, and man was it stuck. That case must of been hiding while I was lubing all the cases.
.
I was going to try the drill and tap method, but I couldn't back the decapping/neck sizing pin back far enough to clear the flash hole. I was concerned I would damage the pin given I would have to drill and tap deep enough to get enough threads.

Therefore, I chose to hammer the case out of the die by banging on the decapping pin. Then I had to cut the case to free the pin. Not terribly difficult to do, but I was concerned at each step that I would do enough damage to need to buy another die. The die appears to be working fine after inspection and reassembly.
 
Can you explain what we are looking at
Which sample do you want to modify?
What type of bullets are you casting?

The first alloy ( left image) looks alot like Lino type which is very hard 20 bhn ?

Secound alloy is not pure either and is pretty hard as it sits at around 10-13bhn and looks like chilled shot alloy ? pure lead will come in around 8bhn

Chilled shot alloy will cast nice bullets for almost any non magnum loads. Depending on your load pressure it might be on the hard side.

How much do you have of each alloy? What hardness are you looking for?
You might be better off selling some of that lino type and buy some tin to blend with the Chilled shot alloy?

I have been making a FAUX #2 alloy with wheel weights and pewter I know its not perfect but would love to get it shot with the Xray gun to see.
My alloy is close to 5% Tin 3% Antimony 92% lead Real Lyman #2 is 5%, 5%, 90%

you can add 3lbs of your Hard alloy (lino type) to 10lbs of pure to get it up to about 12bhn ? water quench for harder ?

to get close to lyman number 2 you still need tin ?

this blend will make up 10 lbs of close to #2View attachment 354107
I was looking for a recipe for the hard type to mix pure lead with. To get to non magnum pistol. Also what to mix with pure to get there
 
You can go online and look up recipes for #2 alloy. The usual ingredients are lead, wheel weights and lino type. I have all 3 and will trade you wheel weights and/or lino type for plain lead. My son uses it to cast for his muzzle loaders. You'll have to meet me at HSC because this stuff is too heavy to ship.
Very generous offer
 
Well, I finally did it. After thousands of bottleneck cases, I got my first stuck case while sizing .223, and man was it stuck. That case must of been hiding while I was lubing all the cases.
.
I was going to try the drill and tap method, but I couldn't back the decapping/neck sizing pin back far enough to clear the flash hole. I was concerned I would damage the pin given I would have to drill and tap deep enough to get enough threads.

Therefore, I chose to hammer the case out of the die by banging on the decapping pin. Then I had to cut the case to free the pin. Not terribly difficult to do, but I was concerned at each step that I would do enough damage to need to buy another die. The die appears to be working fine after inspection and reassembly.

I'm using the Lee die. If I get a stuck case I hammer it out using a lead hammer to minimize damage to the top of pin. I place the brass rim in a vice. Then I use a 1/2" wood chisel to slice the case down from the mouth to about 3/4 down the length. The chisel goes thru it like butter. Small screw driver to pry the shell open and its off. Takes me well under a minute.
 
your doing it wrong that’s why...[popcorn]
 
I'm using the Lee die. If I get a stuck case I hammer it out using a lead hammer to minimize damage to the top of pin. I place the brass rim in a vice. Then I use a 1/2" wood chisel to slice the case down from the mouth to about 3/4 down the length. The chisel goes thru it like butter. Small screw driver to pry the shell open and its off. Takes me well under a minute.
About the same here - soft face hammer then use a tubing cutter to get the pin out
 
I recently had mixed results for the flat rate box. I think they were the same size box. I got ~66 lbs of cast bullets of different calibers with no issue. Then got ~2000 55 gr .223 (~16 lbs.) and the box was split open and some bullets were lost. The .223 vendor gladly replaced the missing bullets.


I've had brass shipped to me and they seem to always be broken open and missing stuff.
 
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