18-20 BHN can be brittle depending on the alloy. Pure linotype leans toward brittle. 50/50 range scrap and Linotype water quenched will show a BHN in the mid to high 20s, maybe even cracking 30. Yet these bullets are tough and not brittle in my experience.
Karamojo Bell used nothing but solids his entire career and is reported to have claimed no soft nose bullets ever polluted his barrels. Granted they were jackets solids but a non expanding bullet is a non expanding bullet, lead or jacketed.
A flat point, hard cast bullet is an effective game bullet.
