Soft bullet test

I usually employed hardcast bullets but since l have always had excellent results with zero 185 hp lead ( loaded with 4.2 be), l thought I would test softcast. These were cast from spent pellets with tin added. They cast well with hardness ranging from 5, as expected, to as high as 9 when more tin was present or other bars got into the mix.

Care was needed to avoid distortion of the base or diameter during seating . I used Hornady 454 Casull dies for a minimal resize.

I found they shot well and didn't lead but I got an unexpected problem. They have less barrel resistance and hence when loaded with 4.6 of 231, l got much lower velocities and pressures (75 fps typically) l also got malfunctions.

I'll test again wih faster powders and heavier loads. Comments/Thoughts?

Stay around 10-13 BHN for almost lead bullets in handguns. I "assume" this is for .45 Auto.
You control swagging down the bullet OD not with a larger sizing die, but an expander plug that gives a case ID (not case mouth flare) that is 0.001-0.002" less than bullet diameter. Measure the sized case ID and the sized case post-expansion and determine is you are in the 1-2 mil range that is optimum. If so, use the standard sizing die. If the ID is not changed, then the ID is most likely too large to really be able to grip the bullet.
Did you try to push the bullet into the case after seating to verify that the case tension was good enough?
Wouldn't less barrel resistance mean more velocity since there is less loss due to friction?

Bruce,

I assume your Zero 185 HP are swaged.  Do you know the hardness?  I would take a swaged bullet and one of your soft-cast, put them base to base and crush in a vice.  Look at base distortion and evaluate which is softer.  It may be that "soft" isn't the issue, but perhaps something else.

All the swaged bullet companies I contacted reported 10-13 BHN, with most being 13 BHN. Heck, if they wanted to, they could swage 18-22 BHN alloy.
None use "pure" lead as so many seem to think. Zero only makes swaged lead or jacketed bullets.
Soft also means easier to expand and seal the bore...

So the Zero hp lead and these 2% tin bullets both test out at 9 bhn.

Loading 4.0 BE worked just fine with the cast.