Lee Precision's Lead Hardness Test Kit

A 5-minute video covering the basics of cast bullet hardness and demonstrating Lee Precision's Lead Hardness Tester.
Los Angeles Silhouette Club's Cast Bullet BHN Tester Experiment:
www.lasc.us/Sha...

[@jlag1953]

This is the best video I have viewed on how to use the Lee lead Hardness Tester. Very well done! Great clarity, closeups and explanation. You know how to make a proper tutorial video. Many thanks as I am just getting into casting bullets (still collecting the proper equipment).

[@TATVCanada]

Thanks for the feedback and welcome to the reloading community.

[@earlwarren2265]

I've used various Lee equipment since 1971 and really haven't had any problems with it. I have used the hardness tester for a few years now and it works very well. Excellent video on the use of it. Thanks.

[@TATVCanada]

They're a hit-and-miss company for me, but this is a definite hit.

[@archangel20031]

On every Die set (including every other Reloading tool I have) I replaced those cheap plastic boxes with those Plano waterproof storage containers you find in the fishing section of the sporting goods store. The smallest is for ammo in the rifle case, the second one for Die Sets, and the larger ones for bigger sets, like my Sizing dies, one for my Headspace Gauges, I even have one for all my shotgun Reloading bits and pieces for designing a load.

[@LoganBR100]

Congratulations!! More one tumb up. Thanks from Brazil.

[@TATVCanada]

Thank you and hello from Canada.

[@PRACERZ]

The real nice thing about the Lee tester compared to some is that you can test any size of lead as long as it fits inside the press. Others, you can test the bullet after it's made, which might be way too late. Love my Lee tester.

[@TATVCanada]

Yes it definitely proved me wrong I'll tell you that.

[@jolebole-yt]

You are correct. A small 1lb lead ingot will fit in the press for testing before you melt that ingot and cast your bullets.

[@gruntspy44]

You are my favorite canadian. Great quality of videos. How don't you have 10,000 subscribers?

[@TATVCanada]

I'm in my top five favorite Canadians, too, lol. KZbin is working pretty hard to keep us down; they just deleted another of my videos today.

[@brooksthornhill6897]

I've read in a handful of forums that you should wait 30 days post casting to measure the hardness of your bullets. Does Lee make this recommendation also?

[@TATVCanada]

I don't recall reading that, but with wait times the problem is going to be there are so many different alloys, and environmental factors that just saying 30 days (or any number, really) is going to be pretty arbitrary in my opinion.

[@DimaProk]

When I got my test kit first I almost returned it because it was impossible to take measurement hand held. A quick solution was to find a cheap funnel for a dollar, cut off 2/3 of the spout and insert the tool that can be slid up and down and cut a "door" in the side of the funnel, now I can actually use it! I shine a flashlight through the side opening to get nice visual.

[@TATVCanada]

That's a really, really great idea. I've actually started using one of those plastic 'tripod' things they ship inside pizza boxes to stop the lid from sinking down. It's silly, but it works.

[@jolebole-yt]

Great tool for testing hardness. Who cares they use cheap packaging. If the optic is broken, Lee will replace it no questions asked. Their support is top notch. Thanks for the presentation.

[@TATVCanada]

My pleasure.

[@hermankarl3397]

I adapted a cheap microscope stand to hold the 20x microscope. It's easy to read the diameter of the bullet and enables more accurate readings.

[@TATVCanada]

If you've got one handy, that sounds like a great solution!

[@hermankarl3397]

@@TATVCanada You can see my review and photo at: www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Lead-Hardness-Test/dp/B004Y6YH3W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25Q7C6U7YEBKI&dchild=1&keywords=lee+lead+hardness+tester&qid=1598820316&sprefix=lee+lead+%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1 The holder was only about $16. I don't know why it took me so long to think of it.

[@hermankarl3397]

@@TATVCanada I found it very difficult to use the 20x microscope to get an accurate reading of the indent. I solved that problem by adapting the microscope to an inexpensive microscope holder (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZF2VV48/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I happened to have a cap off a plastic pill container that was slightly larger than the holder. I filed it to fit the holder snugly. I drilled a hole for the microscope and used another cap to keep the microscope securely upright. It’s now easy to use and get an accurate diameter of the indent.

[@estebanvializ9985]

Thanks to your video I am going to get one. Thanks a lot.

[@TATVCanada]

Glad to hear you found it useful; it's a tool that lends itself to a whole new vein of research and development at a fraction the cost of other versions.

[@samzeng159]

Pretty dam cool portable hardness tester. I would never cast but this a neat video.

[@TATVCanada]

Yes, it's an interesting product.

[@chipstanley3057]

well done thank you!!

[@DimaProk]

You're comparing CUP to PSI in you 45 ACP example, it's not the same units, do you realized that? While there is no direct conversion I found one person who made correlation to convert loosely and also information from Missouri bullet company that suggests the optimum Brinell Hardness = CUP / 1279.8, so according to this calculation you only need BHN 13 for your bullets and that's on the high end, on the low end you only need 8.9 BHN. If you are using alloy with BHN 18 it might be too hard and cause leading because if you remember those LA club articles the author says it's actually hard lead that causes leading, not soft.

[@TATVCanada]

You are absolutely correct; I noticed that a week or so after publishing but figured there was a enough of a margin in there that it wouldn't post a risk. If KZbin still allowed us to add notations after the fact I'd go back and throw one in but they've removed that feature. In a future video I will be going into CUP, LUP and PSI and hope to address it there as well as the differences.

[@ridedivesurfridedivesurf5894]

Hi there, just wanted to say you put out a great video on explaining on how to use the tester. I know Lee are a very good brand and I have a lot of faith in there products. But over time would the tester need to be recalibrated? Is there a way to know that the lead tester is running true.? And how can you test to make sure it is running true?

[@TATVCanada]

As this system works based on spring pressure and material strength rather than using a conventional gauge or electrical components, I can't see it ever wearing out really. Maybe if you applied waaaaaaaaay too much pressure and somehow overcompressed the spring or damaged the ball, but otherwise I imagine it would last pretty much forever. In terms of making sure it's accurate or not; aside from the testing other groups have done (which has shown the Lee to consistently be the most accurate) you'd have to test it on a known alloy with an established BHN. Then you'd take the readings and compare them to that known value to see how close they align.

[@ridedivesurfridedivesurf5894]

Thanks for the reply. Keep up the good work

[@Magisktification]

Did they test any brinell testing equipment that is not made specifically for "bullets"/shooters. There might be other options. And as soon as someone makes something that would be specific for shooters for example that may also bring the price up. Had one at my old work. And the lens was in a microscope type of setup very easy to read but that kind of equipment is far more costy im pretty damn sure. Thanks for a good video.

[@TATVCanada]

They tried quite a few different devices; I believe one was not designed specifically for bullets.

[@jolebole-yt]

How long you have to wait after the bullet is casted to do a hardness test? From a casting book I read it says that after the casting the bullet will increase to max hardness after 2-3 weeks. Thx

[@TATVCanada]

I've got a bunch of videos showing how the bullet hardness will change over time you want to watch.

[@jolebole-yt]

@@TATVCanada Thank you!

[@sahmadi1000]

Can I use a Gun Smith Magnifier with 20 powder?

[@trevorreiten349]

What if the magnifier were threaded to fit in the press? After using the ball indenter, swap out to the magnifier. The projectile stays put in the cradle, and the magnifier is held stable in the press. Seems pretty straightforward to me. It'd be even easier with a turret press.

[@TATVCanada]

Loads of bacon makes a mount on thereloadersnetwork.com you may be interested in.

[@robbiekipping1124]

Well done.. inexpensive is not the same as cheap

[@TATVCanada]

Amen.

[@estebanvializ9985]

Which program can I get for my phone or PC to check the PSI? Like the one you showed in the video? Thanks.

[@TATVCanada]

The system I use is the Pressure Trace II by RSI.

[@octavioescott1022]

lee is awesome- people shit on lee but they make perfectly fine equipment

[@TATVCanada]

Most of it yeah. I've used a few things they made that were quickly returned.

[@tripplebeards3427]

The reading is a pain. I bought a microscope type holder for mine.

[@indiancreek1570]

I bet Elmer Keith just used his finger nail

[@normanmcneal3605]

Read Lee’s book. He explains lead hardness Unless you go above 1100 fps, it’s all moot. Lead wasn’t used , in the old age, it was used because it was potent. Modern people equate speed to result, because, they will not try old ways

[@TATVCanada]

I actually own, and have read it, twice. The only cartridges I use that are under 1,100fps would be .45ACP.