BEST TOOL STEEL GRADE FOR AIRGUN SLUG MOLDS

[waffenspectr]

Hi,

What will be the best toolsteel grade and hardness for airgun slug molds?

also, what the allowable tolerances for the slug molds?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Mike_Lenardon]

I would use M2. It is a high carbon steel, good machine-ability. Very stable size wise so it can be finished prior to heat treat. It is about 26 to 28 rockwell in its soft state. For cast pellets I would not harden it, if you're swagging them I would vacuum harden it to 58/60 rc and double or triple draw. As far as tolerances go, based on pellet selection for head size I would say +.01mm/-00 (+.0004"/-00)

 

[steve-l]

I think steel is the wrong material. I would use AL7075 simply because it absorbs heat much better allowing faster cooling. Now swaging dies are of course a different story and hardened steel is the right answer, but aluminum is far better for casting molds.

 

[DesertSilver]

I think steel is the wrong material. I would use AL7075 simply because it absorbs heat much better allowing faster cooling. Now swaging dies are of course a different story and hardened steel is the right answer, but aluminum is far better for casting molds.

Plus 1!