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Saeco Lead Hardness Tester
A precision instrument to accurately determine the hardness of a bullet casting alloy.
A SAECO Lead Hardness Tester will pay for itself many times over by allowing you to convert inexpensive scrap lead of unknown composition into casting alloy of known and reproduceable hardness. It provides a standard by which you can check the quality of purchased cast bullets.
The SAECO Lead Hardness Tester measures alloy hardness by determining the depth of penetration of a hardened steel indenter into a bullet. Relative hardness of the bullet is read off a vernier scale.
Relative Hardness:
- Pure lead: 0-1 SAECO; 5 Brinell (approx.)
- 1:20 tin/lead: 6-7 SAECO; 10 Brinell (approx.)
- 5:5:90 tin/antimony/lead: 7-8 SAECO; 15 Brinell (approx.)
- 2:6:92 Taracorp/Metallico magnum shot alloy: 8-9 SAECO; 16-17 Brinell (approx.)
- 5:10:85 Linotype: 9-10 SAECO; 22 Brinell (approx.)
The vernier scale is calibrated in arbitrary units from 0 for pure lead up to a SAECO hardness of 10. We have found that a SAECO hardness of at least 6 is required for medium velocities in handguns and a SAECO hardness of over 8 for Magnum handgun and gas check rifle bullets. As a point of reference, wheelweights vary in composition and hardness but usually test between 7 and 9, while linotype registers approximately at 10.
This is an indispensable tool for anybody serious about bullet casting.
Product note: The lead hardness tester will not measure the hardness of lead shot because of the small size of the pellets; only lead projectlies/bullets. The user can melt down lead shot to form a larger projectile and then use the hardness tester, but regular lead shot/buckshot is too small to use the tester.
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