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**44 AMP** · April 6, 2007, 06:29 PM

Cast bullets can be found in a variety of hardness. For my pistol shooting, I like hard cast bullets. These are generally harder alloy than what is used for swaged bullets. The old "rule of thumb" is to use your thumbnail. Gouge the base of one of the bullets with your thumbnail. If you get a fairly deep gouge, the bullet is "soft". If you get a very shallow gouge, or just a bright scratch, then the bullet is hard.

Hard cast bullets lead less than soft ones, or swaged bullets. Hard cast are the only lead bullets suitable for heavy/high velocity loadings (unless you enjoy cleaning lead out of your barrel and off of your frame and cylinder).

April 6, 2007, 06:29 PM	#13
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,846	Fyi Cast bullets can be found in a variety of hardness. For my pistol shooting, I like hard cast bullets. These are generally harder alloy than what is used for swaged bullets. The old "rule of thumb" is to use your thumbnail. Gouge the base of one of the bullets with your thumbnail. If you get a fairly deep gouge, the bullet is "soft". If you get a very shallow gouge, or just a bright scratch, then the bullet is hard. Hard cast bullets lead less than soft ones, or swaged bullets. Hard cast are the only lead bullets suitable for heavy/high velocity loadings (unless you enjoy cleaning lead out of your barrel and off of your frame and cylinder). __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.