Powder coating

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  • Last Post 04 February 2018
99 Strajght posted this 26 January 2018

Just read an article in the Handloader about powder coating bullets. Is it that easy? If it is I am going to try powder coating. Anybody found any problems with powder coated bullets?

Glenn

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GP Idaho posted this 26 January 2018

Glenn: Love the stuff. And yes, it is easy. So easy in fact that it's pretty hard to mess it up if you follow a few simple rules. I've been coating for a couple of years and would be happy to help you get started. PM me with questions if you like. Gp

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99 Strajght posted this 26 January 2018

Thank You. I can't wait to get the stuff together and start coating.

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David Reiss posted this 28 January 2018

Glenn,

I read that article also and he sure make it sound easy. I have heard many accounts of it going well, but the few time I tried it was a mess at best. Please try and document your progress here on the forum, with some photos and if all goes well, I think a FS article would be great. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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358156hp posted this 28 January 2018

It is easy enough to do. I use PC primarily for blasting ammo, but I am seeing reports of decent accuracy at long range as well. I'm still waiting to see somebody try bench rest with PC to finally answer the accuracy potential question. Being an ADHD Luddite, I won't be getting rid of my Star, or quit conventional lubing entirely. I just see it as an option for short range stuff at this point. If you want quick positive results, select polymer powders that are either completely opaque, of just use simple plain clear poly PC. Some guys like the Harbor Freight red because of its low cost and easy availability, but after reading some of the results with it I simply went with poly, and have had acceptable results from the start. One of my favorites is called "Carolina Blue", and it covers really, really well. I cannot bring myself to simply dump my carefully cast bullets on a screen for baking, and instead stand each one upright on its base for baking. Since I have a PID, I use it to regulate the heat on the toaster oven that I use for heat-treating and curing powder coat.

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99 Strajght posted this 28 January 2018

Where can I get Carolina Blue?

Glenn

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BigMan54 posted this 28 January 2018

I've been thinking about this more & more. There is a place called EASTWOOD that sells a color that sorta shows up as a clear/grey color. It looks like nothing has been applied to the bullet.  I've been pricing Toaster ovens too. 

What issue of handloader is that story in ? I checked all last year & couldn't find it. 

It would be kinda neat to send my Bro-In-Law some lime green or powder blue 9mm bullets. The old codgers he shoots with would raze the dickens out of him.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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99 Strajght posted this 28 January 2018

Handloader #312 Feb. 2018. I am at the same stage. Around here they call them Lipstick bullets. They are red.

Glenn

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BigMan54 posted this 29 January 2018

I found a guy on Cast Boolits that sells bunches of 250 .44 RNFP . I'm going to get some, just to try them.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Bohica793 posted this 29 January 2018

I powder coat and traditional lube.  I have found that humidity during the powder coating process causes issues with the smoothness of the coating.  I am waiting for my new shop to be built so that i have an environmentally controlled room in which to coat before I start back using it.  I had excellent results with accuracy when I did use it in 45-70 and 7.62x54R.

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GP Idaho posted this 29 January 2018

Good Morning All: One of the things most often mentioned about powder coat is that folks are turned off by the looks of brightly painted bullets. This just doesn't need to be a problem. Semi-gloss clear is one of the very best choices you can make for good coverage and ease of application. When the bullets are coated clear they look just like one's lubed with 45-45-10. The most important thing is to use quality powders, don't cheap out by using Harbor freight junk unless you plan on using an electrostatic gun.  HF powders are the same quality as the rest of their fine products, powder is very inexpensive buy the good stuff. A good way to get started is to contact a vendor over @ Boolits who's handle is Smoke4320 He will get you headed in the right direction. ( He has the Carolina blue)  I've also used the Eastwood gun and their powders and they work good., favorites are clear and mirror black. For everything and more that you need to know about powder coating, Hy-Tek and other coatings go to the "Coatings and Alternatives" threads @ Boolits. A lot of use have put a lot of work and testing into the process and it's all there for the reading. Enjoy the day. Gp

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BigMan54 posted this 30 January 2018

I'm getting more interested.  Can you mix conventionally lubed bullets with powder coat ?

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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GP Idaho posted this 30 January 2018

Mr.54:  If you mean firing them in the same range session, then yes, no problem. If you mean can you powder coat bullets that have been lubed, then NO.  Any amount of lube or other oils on the bullets and the coating will fail. If a bullet must be sized before coating I use the Lee or Noe push through dies dry or if sizing more than a thousandth or two I use Dawn dish soap as the lube as it will rinse off clean. You don't need to, but you can lube the bullets over powder coat if you like. I don't like to do more than one coat of PC, so if the coverage isn't perfect on the first coat, I sometimes lube them up and shoot them other than recast them.  Gp

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BigMan54 posted this 30 January 2018

GP,

Thanks, I have been reading up on Cast Boolits "Coatings and Alternatives" and watching a few you-tube videos.

My concern was Shooting up the last of conventionally lubed bullets and then being able to switch to powder coat in the middle of a match. My last concern is satisfied.

Now all I have to do is figure out if I'm going to load PINK or PURPLE bullets for my Partners next match.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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nosee posted this 30 January 2018

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nosee posted this 30 January 2018

Hi-TekLubeSupercoat.

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nosee posted this 31 January 2018

Hi-Tek Lube Supercoat,bayoubullets. Production .223 targets,Match#1-2018.Works for me.David a. Pape sr.--NOSEE.

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David Reiss posted this 31 January 2018

David,

Can you tell us more about your coating technique in some detail. I am interested, but would like to know if and how much your process is different from others in this thread. Also add any tips you may have.

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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John Alexander posted this 31 January 2018

David has been shooting coated bullets in CBA postal matches for a couple of years and often doing well. In addition to the targets above he told me this morning that his score target for the March 1 postal target was a 99.  Both group and score targets will either win or place very high in the postal matchs.

David is shooting a 223 in a Savage Rifle in production class.

I would like to hear from others who are trying for accuracy with coated bullets. David has shown that it can win matches.

Great to see a CBA member trying something different and making it work.

John

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nosee posted this 31 January 2018

I tried the Hi-Tek because of leading in a new Tikka. I used lots of other lubes,the used savage in .223 did not lead, both sluged.223.Another cast bullet shooter said Hi-Tek would work, and it does.On these targets for match 1, I uped the velocity to 1800,also a shooting friend said me shooting bench was shakie. So i used a more stable rest, i shoot hunting class with the Tikka, and it is not as good as the savage in production, my just be ME? With coating i have learned to coat very lightly, a little goes a long way. I tumble 50 bullets to a lite coat, bake 10 min. at 400, after they are dry, let them cool and if need be coat some more. The bullets i shoot the targets with were coated and baked 4 times. It is time consuming but it beats working,and the product is not very pricie,i,ve got 3000 bullets from this 8oz. and have a third left. NOSEE

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OU812 posted this 03 February 2018

Nosee,

     WOW !

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