Let's talk Brinell Hardness for a moment

[D.B. Cooper]

So I've been buying projectiles from Missouri Bullet Co. for a while and have been generally happy. I've pretty much settled on their .430 200 grn RNFP bullet for 44 Spl in my 4" Redhawk.

I've noticed that they sell a Brinell #12 (which is what I've been buying), marketed for Cowboy action shooting, and they also sell a Brinell #18. They're the exact same price and they use the exact same photo on their webpage.

Is there any reason why I should buy one over the other?

I'm pretty much entirely shooting paper and steel, but if the #18 projectile is more versatile (game or self defense), I would like to hear about it. If the #18 is too hard to shoot steel safely, I'd like to hear about that.

Ideally, I wouldn't mind having reloads I could train with, and keep in the gun for self defense. (I can't find commercial, i.e. Hornady Critical defense or Federal HST, anywhere up here and it cost too much to ship loaded ammo.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

MBC has a short description of the hardness, if you haven't read it.
As long as you're not getting much leading with the 12 I would use it. The 12 will expand more in your barrel, which is usually preferred. The big issue with leading is a loose fit in the chamber.
An article worth reading. http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_7_Leading.htm

 

[MEHavey]

Actually, softer is much better/more versatile/more hunting-expansion useful/more forgiving of diameter mismatch.

Always go as soft as you can for general and/or thin-skinned applications up to/including black bear.
And BN greater than 12 isn't needed much past 15 (#2) for critters that would better match copper solids anyway.

 

[Dudedog]

I have used both the 200 SWCs in BHN 12 and BHN 18 as well as the 158 SWCs in 12 and 18 in .357
For anything less than MAX loads in .45 the 12s shot better.
In MAX loads it was to close to call between the 2.
In .357 the 18s seemed better when I was loading on the top side of the load range, but low or medium the 12s where better.
In .44 Special I would say stick to the 12s.
If you had a .44 MAG the 18s might be better.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

I have used both the 200 SWCs in BHN 12 and BHN 18 as well as the 158 SWCs in 12 and 18 in .357
For anything less than MAX loads in .45 the 12s shot better.
In MAX loads it was to close to call between the 2.
In .357 the 18s seemed better when I was loading on the top side of the load range, but low or medium the 12s where better.
In .44 Special I would say stick to the 12s.
If you had a .44 MAG the 18s might be better.

I do have a 44 mag, but almost all I shoot in it are these 44 spl reloads. About the only time I use it as a magnum is when I'm in the field camping, hunting, etc., and then I carry HSM brand ammo. (In fact, I have 4 lbs of H110 because I was going to hand load a replicated HSM cartridge, but quickly realized I never shoot magnum cartridges, so that was the end of that. Now the powder cans collect dust.)

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've shot 12 BHN to about 1,100 fps with no leading issues.
There are 2 things I stress to people who are new to casting or loading cast bullets.
1. Having the proper fit is more important than BHN
2. Too hard of a bullet will cause leading as fast or faster than too soft of a bullet