Coated Bullets..Tried them? Liked them?

Coated bulletets yes, no, or maybe...

  • Have you tried coated bullets?

    Votes: 14 70.0%

  • Did you like them?

    Votes: 15 75.0%

  • If you haven't tried them would you?

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • Do you coat your own?

    Votes: 11 55.0%

  • Would you even shoot cast lead bullets coated or not?

    Votes: 6 30.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
W

Wreck-n-Crew

New member
Me, a few buddies and several people on TFL, THR, Castboolits, Seem to be switching and even coating their own. Since I started casting my own bullets I decided to coat them. I am that much of a fan now! So I thought I would do a survey to get an idea of just how many reloading people are switching!

So what do you think about them either way?
 
I aint tried them. I would if I had some, but I dont and am not set up to do it.
I rarely shoot jacketed bullets in anything.
All of my cast loads are perfect and are absolutely clean in my guns, so I cant even justify switching to coated boolits.
 
I have used commercial coated lead bullets of several brands. Most but not all the coatings have worked pretty well. The current crop of Hi Tek coated products are good and there are some proprietary coatings that look and perform similarly.

Powder coating seems like an interesting DIY if you want to cast bullets and shoot them at rifle velocities. I have read of one brand doing it in bulk which must take a substantial industrial type setup.

I am pretty well out of casting my own. I never did bulk pistol bullets, just uncommon rifle calibers, anyhow.
 
I started coating my own about a year ago. In handgun loads they are just as accurate as non coated cast bullets. In my rifles they are not quiet as accurate as the non coated bullets but there not off by much.

I like the process because it only takes about an hour once your set up to coat,bake and size and your ready to load vs. waiting on the tumble lube to dry and it's slightly less messy handling the bullets but my TL bullet using my own mix is fairly clean compared to straight old Alox.

There are still some occasions where I'm going to shoot just plain old tumble lubed cast lead bullet until I get the bugs worked out and get the same accuracy.
 
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I cast and powdercoat bullets for all of my handgun ammo. They do seem a bit more accurate, and they leave the bore shiny and clean.
 
they are so great, you can push them to higher velocities without having to deal with absolute perfect bore sizing. they are accurate, they are smokeless and they work up to mid rifle velocities. and it's darn easier.....cheaper too
 
I'm guessin' that a checked box means a "yes" vote? I have used Precision coated bullets (Hi-tek?) in my 45 ACP and 9mm (mebbe 2k total) and they do what the manufacturer says; no leading, no fouling, and same accuracy. I also cast bullets for all my guns and have been powder coating for about 18 months, and I like the results...
 
Always looking for a cheaper way to shoot (more), I saw some listings of powder coating and thought I would try it.

Over the years I have settled into a pattern with what I regularly load and shoot in each weapon. Greased/lubed lead in most .40 S&Ws, same for .44 Mags and only greased/lubed lead in .45ACPs. All rifles, .223/5.56, .308/7.62, 30-06, .303 Brit and .375 H&H got jacketed bullets.
I had played with cast in .308s with poor results (my opinion) and .375 H&H with good results with slower bullets, I shoot so few of them, lead had little impact (on my pocket).

Here comes the .300 AAC Blackout. I started with all jackets. But then I looked hard at lead for it. I tried to coat some 180 grain RN. The coating was very poor, it puddled. But when fired, the carrier/Polyester worked great. The nose shape didn't suet me, so I ordered a 155 grain Lee mold, Lee C312-155-2R. The day it arrived, I shipped it off to have the butt shaved. It returned and drops 130 grain flat base bullets. I had the gas check step and just a very little of the lower drive band removed. With several changes in powder coating I have settled on PBTP Clear. I use these bullets in the BlackOut, .308 and to a small extent, '06.
During this time I tried coating my .430 240 grain LSWC slugs for my .44 Mag. They work very well but my heavy load (2400 powder pushing lead at 1238 FPS) is as much as I need and raw lead isn't leading any of my 44s. So what is the advantage of powder coating them? My lead .40 S&W are loaded to match my jacketed loads and do not lead, no gain there. I have no reason to change from my standard .45 ACP loading in lead.

I have cast and powder coated a few 285 grain .375 slugs but have not gotten around to testing them yet. Some time on down the line, I will try my little 30s in the .303 British, I may double coat or just not size them.

Final thoughts.
If what I have does what I want, why change.
If something better comes along, evaluate and change if it is an improvement.
So far, I have yet to find any reason not to use powder coated 30 cals. Or to not continue using raw lead lubed .40s or .45s. Coated .44s and .375s are still being evaluated for special uses.

If you don't like em, don't use em or complain about others doing so. No skin off of your nose unless you are in the jacketed bullet business (but then if you are, why are you messing with anything and not trying to catch up with the demand?).

Enjoy and load with care,

OSOK
 
I'm about half and half. I do coat all calibers that I shoot, but I also lube some of them too. My prep equipment consists of 7 lubesizers and two coating ovens. :)
 
The Harbor Freight black coats very well and looks great when sprayed, but be aware that it won't dry tumble. It'll just fall off the bullets.
 
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The Harbor Freight black coats very well and looks great when sprayed, but be aware that it won't tumble. It'll just fall off the bullets.
Click to expand...
Man Im glad you said something...was about to add some colors soon! Thanks.;)
 
oldpapps said:
Here comes the .300 AAC Blackout. I started with all jackets. But then I looked hard at lead for it. I tried to coat some 180 grain RN. The coating was very poor, it puddled. But when fired, the carrier/Polyester worked great. The nose shape didn't suet me, so I ordered a 155 grain Lee mold, Lee C312-155-2R. The day it arrived, I shipped it off to have the butt shaved. It returned and drops 130 grain flat base bullets. I had the gas check step and just a very little of the lower drive band removed. With several changes in powder coating I have settled on PBTP Clear. I use these bullets in the BlackOut, .308 and to a small extent, '06.

OSOK
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I am also considering using .300 black out coated bullets for 30-06. Missouri bullet company has 235gr coated rn with bhn=20. Seems a good candidate for experiment. What muzzle velocity did you load your rounds? If don't mind sharing. Thanks.

-TL
 
I have been shooting coated bullets since '03. I started out powder coating my own tried copper plating and now use the hitek coating.
 
tangolima,

This is from my spread sheet. It doesn't copy/past very well.

300 Lt cut 30 130 LtGun 17.5 2124 DSA 2.03 in

308 Lt cut 30 130 748 45 2616.8 600
308 Lt cut 30 130 748 45 2877.4 M1A

30-06 Lt cut 30 130 748 45 2656 03-A3 3.085


I have had 'bullet pulls' when running my test loads in a Garand. What a mess. 2 to 4 rounds do fine, then the bullets are slip out in the belly :( I've tried seating them way deep, with stiff role crimp and I am not happy with the results, yet. I'm using a Lee 'Factory Crimp' die on my 300 Blacks and have had no problems. For the .308/7.62s, I think the magazine in the M1A is short enough to block the bullets from being pulled and in the bolt actions, there is no problems at all. Note the velocity spread between the 16 1/2 inch Rem 600 and the 22 inch barrel of the M1A.
These are medium to light loadings in my weapons. Velocities are at 10 feet with over 15 test samples averaged.

Load with care,

OSOK
 
Thanks, OSOK. I sent you pm lest I would steer the thread off topic.

For the original discussion, yes I use coated bullets for pistol loads thus far. Just started explore their use for rifles. They perform well in pistols. Results for rifles have been mixed and to be determined.

-TL
 
yes I have tried them and yes I love it.

Main reason for me: For pistol bullets I can run them through my bullet feed dies just as well as jacketed bullets.
For my 32 cal mold that drops at .312 and I need .313. I can coat and shoot as cast.

I also coat my .223 bullets for my AR with good results.
 
Adding a little size is a great benefit of coatings. I have some older Ideals that cast just a little bit small (or at least the alloy and temp I cast at, makes them drop a little small), and also I have a Mauser that slugs .327 and it's hard to find a mold over .326 :)
 
Over time more and more of my reloading buddies were having elevated lead levels show up in blood tests to the point where their doctors became concerned. It got me thinking about getting away from raw lead bullets at about the time that coated bullets became commonly available. I get my coated .40s from SNS Casting and because of the overall results have gone to coated entirely. No more handling lead,no more leading in the barrels,easy barrel cleaning,less smoke in the indoor range and not enough accuracy difference to matter in the action type shooting that I do. One side effect is that SNS is redesigning some of their bullets without a lube groove so now they have new bullet profiles in 165 and 180 to play with to see if they load/perform differently from the old profiles. More fun for the mad scientist. At a one cent per bullet price more, I am 100% happy to go coated.
 
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