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Old June 13, 2011, 09:44 PM   #1
TennJed
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lead bullet terminology

I am new to reloading and I have gotten some lead cast bullets from someone who is getting out of casting and loading due to health reasons.

I have some questions as to what some of the terms are he used to describe his lead. What I have received is:

38 cal
158gr cast SWC Lee Tumble
162gr cast WC duracast

45 cal
200gr SWC Lee Tumble
230gr CWC Duracast

Does the SWC and WC stand for semi-wadcutter and wadcutter? What is CWC. Is the Lee Tumble and Duracast the brand of equipment he used to cast.

Is there anyway to be sure if this is hard or soft cast (I want to avoid leading). I have sent him a message but thought I would ask here while I am waiting.

Thanks
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Old June 13, 2011, 10:40 PM   #2
Civil War Life
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There are lead hardness gauges available.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=731364

Kind of expensive so I don't have one and I don't cast modern bullets so have no need for one of these.
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Old June 14, 2011, 08:17 AM   #3
reloader28
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Your right about semi-wadcutter and wadcutter. I dont know CWC is.
I think Duracast might be a brand name, but Lee tumble lube bullets have small little lube grooves for a softer, more liquid lube and you dont have to size them.

If you can scratch the bullet easily with a finger nail, its fairly soft. If you push pretty hard on it and basically only make a mark, its considered hard. If you get a hardness tester, you will see a wide range of hardnesses.
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Old June 14, 2011, 09:34 AM   #4
Unclenick
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Possibly Cast Wad-Cutter to distinguish it from swaged, but that appears redundant since they already mention cast WC's. Conical Wad-Cutter also occurred to me, but I don't know how that would differ from a semi-wadcutter, which normally has a conical section. I'd call or email Duracast and ask them.
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Old June 14, 2011, 07:36 PM   #5
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Duracast is a commercial cast bullet company. Their alloy is probably hard, typlical of commercial CB sellers. As for leading, fit is king to prevent leading, meaning the bullet size in relation to barrel rifling size should be .001-.002 larger. For revolvers, the bullets should be the same size as the chamber throats which hopefully are larger then the barrel rifling size. Bullets should also have a good lube. The only way you are going to know if they lead is try them. A copper choreboy pad (make sure its copper) will easily remove any leading in the rifling; just wrap some strands around a brush and go to it.
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