Lead hardness tester.

[WCJ]

Hello all, do any of you folks use and have any suggestions for a lead hardness tester? I'm not looking for anything really expensive but one that with do the job ok.
Thanks, Walter.

[bobanderson]

I have 2. I've used the Lee, which is inexpensive, (at least when I got mine) consistent and repeatable but uses it's own values so you don't know the hardness compared to other methods. I created samples of each lead alloy and kept them for comparison to new lots. Worked great.

I recently got an LBT hardness tester, which is top quality. They're kinda scarce, but if you want the best...

[Lou Lou Lou]

I use the LBT Lead Bullet technology. Simple direct BHN read.
might be pricy if you can still get them

[Muley Gil]

Here's one. I've always used the thumb nail test myself:

Lead Hardness Tester for Sale (buffaloarms.com) (https://www.buffaloarms.com/lead-hardness-tester-standard-ctlt1.html)

[Rob FreemanWBR]

Been using the CCM Lead Tester for decades.

It is as a reliable, proven, no-cost lead tester!

Simply take your lead ingot and drop it onto a flat cement surface.

If the ingot clinks = hard lead. If it clunks = soft lead?

The Clink-Clunk-Method lead tester has worked incredibly well for me and countless other skirmishers for many years!

[Bob Hatfield]

I test a pound of the lead and mold out ten (10) .440 balls. If they all weigh 128 grains + or - a few tenths of a grain, and they pass the thumbnail test I assume it is close to pure. I always make sure the lead is up to temperature and the mold is making its best and most consistent balls.

Bob

[Hal]

I've had minies that did not expand properly and tumbled, relying on the thumbnail test. This was from cable sheathing that was supposed to have been dead soft. I have a Lee hardness tester, but it's a pain to use properly. For minies, I buy lead direct from the foundry marked 99.999 or something like that. I don't remember how many 9's, but it's pure.

[WCJ]

Thanks everyone for your answers.

[John Westenberger]

I haven't been casting bullets for very long, heck, I've only been shooting for 5 years or so. But I'll pass on what old timers have suggested to me, and what I do.

I've only bought large quantities of lead, to the point that in my few years in the organization I've only bought lead twice. The first was 100lbs, the second was 200. When I got each of them, I casted some for each of my guns (Musket, Carbine, Smoothbore, Pistol), loaded up, and went to the range. If it was more or less accurate than the other lead, I guess I'd make a note of what batch it came from. Otherwise, if it says pure, I trust it, and if it shoots, I don't worry about it.

Now, if you're buying lots of lead, or lots of little quantities, I'd understand needing a real tester, but I'd say it's easier to just buy it 100lb quantities, fingernail test it, and spend more time shooting than playing with lead hardness.