Reeder Custom Guns - Brinell Hardness

Is a Brinell hardness rating of 15 hard enough to not lead the barrel?

So, a simple yes or no won't work. Velocity, barrel groove diameter and smoothness, bullet diameter, throating, powder burn temp, on and on...

Lots of folks know more than me, but experimenting is the only answer I can accurately give.

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But don't pooch your lip if it happens. There is a huge difference in power pressure curves. It can push it suddenly very hard or progressively through the bore. The difference between say Bullseye and 2400. You "could" make it lead if you tried, with both. Or say a .357, make both work perfectly.

That alloy slug is being forced from a stop to very high speeds to slam through a "funnel" forcing cone or throat into spiral rifling. The rifling cut into the metal and it's malleability mandates how it handles the spiral forces. It can shear, or with roughness, smear to leave debris behind. Begin the journey too fast and it will shear being pushed faster than the alloy can adapt. Or if the alloy is too hard it can break rather than bend. A progressive push is better than a sudden kick.

I have my own witches brew recipe that I've found over the years that works for me. I have absolutely no idea as to the hardness number and frankly do not need another element to cloud my fun. Then of course I can add a gas check or powder coat to add resilience if I think it necessary for the application. I am experimenting with almost pure lead and powder coating now to get subsonic expansion with no leading. Old BP revolvers did it 150 yrs. ago with naked pure lead balls.

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I have not shot a lot of things with pure lead balls, but the few things I have .. or have seen shot with them from handguns ... leads me to believe the ball initially flattens/expands when it hits flesh, then progressively the "nose" wears off and it gets a smaller front-end profile, making the entrance wound larger than the exit wound.

I saw this on animals I shot and on one guy shot with a Colt .44 Army.

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history. How many folks these days get capped with a Cap & ball revolver? I figure it would really be nasty, that charcoal and sulfur ball, with all the smoke and fire, and a bit of lard for good measure.

I've had my BP sixgun go supersonic with some loads making that "crack" rather than a boom. I figure they work better today than they ever did. You only have to ALWAYS remember to snap a cap or two after cleaning and prior to loading. That lube will sure kill a cap/nipple channel.

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he recovered but they basically had to clean all his insides ... the ball went through his bladder .. lots of intestine .. he wore bags for quite a long time after the rest of him was pretty well healed.

The ball exited his back .. missed the kidney and the spine .. bounced off the kitchen table and up through a cupboard door and stopped in a loaf of bread.

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WHAT WORKS FINE IN ONE SIXGUN OR RIFLE MAY NOT IN ANOTHER OF THE SAME KIND. E-X-P-E-R-I-M-E-N-T YOURSELF.

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in that order. In my 38 Spl and 45 Colt loads I'd say yes. . .

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everything. 15 Brinell is decent hard as wheel weight at one time were 12 0r less. What are you calling "leading"? A light wash is not bad Gas checks help
Slow an hard with out good fit can lead. Good fit example =.410 in a .41 mag. .411 can also work
Think caliber diameter or cal diameter + a 001

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Brinell Hardness

Lots of factors involved in that question...

Huey is right. It's probably ok at modest speeds.

Pure Lead Balls from a sixgun

You superficially told me that story once. It probably made

It was pretty bad ...

HUEY IS TOTALLY RIGHT!!! ALSO

Yes. Probably. Maybe. Or No. But not necessarily

late add on but bullet fit is pretty much