Or break down and buy a hardness tester.
I don't understand the craze for wanting really hard pistol bullets. I always, always, got better accuracy with less leading with softer bullets, in both autos and revolvers. Going to gas check designs was needed in magnums, but I still shot soft bullets. There are a few things that are counter-intuitive to a lot of guys, I guess this is one of them.
have you used many plated bullets, and do you understand the problems with them?
Some guys love using dead soft pure lead bullets, but not me other than for very light loads. I honestly have never found a load that shoots better with pure lead than with something like WW alloy, and that's over a whole lot of loads in pistols and rifles. The results on paper are pretty evident; I'm not sure what you do differently but it's obviously different than whatever I'm doing.
I also have never found a plated bullet to shoot as well as jacketed or good cast bullets.
