APPROXIMATE HARDNESS CONVERSION NUMBERS FOR STEEL*

Brinell
Indentation
Diameter
mm
Brinell Hardness
Number
Rockwell Hardness
Number
Tensile
Strength
(approxi-
mate)
1000 psi
Standard
Ball
Tungsten-
Carbide Ball
B Scale
C Scale
2.45
—
627
—
58.7
347
2.50
—
601
—
57.3
328
2.55
—
578
—
56.0
313
2.60
—
555
—
54.7
298
2.65
—
534
—
53.5
288
2.70
—
514
—
52.1
274
2.75
—
495
—
51.0
264
2.80
—
477
—
49.6
252
2.85
—
461
—
48.5
242
2.90
—
444
—
47.1
230
2.95
429
429
—
45.7
219
3.00
415
415
—
44.5
212
3.05
401
401
—
43.1
202
3.10
388
388
—
41.8
193
3.15
375
375
—
40.4
184
3.20
363
363
—
39.1
177
3.25
352
352
—
37.9
171
3.30
341
341
—
36.6
164
3.35
331
331
—
35.5
159
3.40
321
321
—
34.3
153
3.45
311
311
—
33.1
149
3.50
302
302
—
32.1
146
3.55
293
293
—
30.9
141
3.60
285
285
—
29.9
138
3.65
277
277
—
28.8
134
3.70
269
269
—
27.6
130
3.75
262
262
—
26.6
127
3.80
255
255
—
25.4
124
3.85
248
248
—
24.2
120
3.90
241
241
100.0
22.8
116
3.95
235
235
99.0
21.7
114
4.00
229
229
98.2
20.5
111
4.05
223
223
97.3
—
104
4.10
217
217
96.4
—
103
4.15
212
212
95.5
—
100
4.20
207
207
94.6
—
99
4.25
201
201
93.8
—
97
4.30
197
197
92.8
—
94
4.35
192
192
91.9
—
92
4.40
187
187
90.7
—
90
4.45
183
183
90.0
—
89
4.50
179
179
89.0
—
88
4.55
174
174
87.8
—
86
4.60
170
170
86.8
—
84
4.65
167
167
86.0
—
83
4.70
163
163
85.0
—
82
4.80
156
156
82.9
—
80
4.90
149
149
80.8
—
73
5.00
143
143
78.7
—
71
5.10
137
137
76.4
—
67
5.20
131
131
74.0
—
65
5.30
126
126
72.0
—
63
5.40
121
121
69.0
—
60
5.50
116
116
67.6
—
58
5.60
111
111
65.7
—
56

This table, which is based on ASTM A370-68, Table III, lists the approximate relationship of hardness values to corresponding approximate tensile strength values of steels. Some compositions and processing histories may deviate from these relationships. The data in this table do not represent hardness-to-tensile strength conversions for austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic stainless steel. If more precise conversions are required, they should be developed for each specific composition and heat treatment. Related Rockwell superficial hardness numbers, if of interest, may be found in ASTM A370-68.