How I coat my tall rifle bullets...

B

Beagle333

New member
This isn't fast and it isn't for anybody who has had too much coffee or possibly has a cold and might be sneezing... ('easy to turn this into a game of dominoes).

First I stand them all on my tray of nuts. Nuts are not needed for this, since I'll be transferring them, but I already have it for my pistol bullets and it provides a ready-made grid.
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Then I spray them, using my custom made professional spray booth and equipment:
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The first tray of sprayed bullets:
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Then I transfer them to the very nearby waiting oven, which is not yet hot, since this takes a while and isn't easy when it is hot. I use the smooth-jawed needlenose pliers. They don't make any marks on the bullets.
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Here is the first batch of 80, moved into the oven and stood on the tray.
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And here is the tray of nuts, ready for the second batch to be stood and sprayed on it:
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The second tray.... sprayed and ready to transfer to oven:
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A fully loaded oven. That's 160 rifle bullets at a time for me. It will easily hold another tray, but I don't have the nerves to try it.
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Note the position of the thermocouple. It will precisely control the temp, right at bullet level:
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And.... once it gets to exactly 400°, I start the countdown and give em 10 minutes of baking time.
And here are the results!
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Perfect... every time.
Now... to load it up again and do another batch.
 
These were unusually tall 8mm and .270 bullets that I coated today. I usually just coat my .30 cal and 8mm and all of my pistol bullets right on the tray and move the tray to the oven... but these tall ones are very tricky and much easier to move them one at a time. I don't coat/shoot very many tall ones, so it isn't like I'm feeding a AR with this method.
 
It was a good day. I coated a lot of rifle bullets. It's not fast, but if you have a whole beautiful afternoon to sit in the yard.... it's fun too.
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This is more of Smoke's orange/brown and SD Copper mixed. I like this mixed color.
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After the powder starts to flow.... 10 minutes will do ya. I have never had any fail. :)

Longer doesn't hurt. I read often of some guys who bake for 30 minutes, even up to an hour, but I don't think it's needed. I forgot some one time for about an hour and they looked the same afterward. I think that once it is cured.... it is cured.
 
I tell you what, since your so "GOOD" at that, and OBVOIUSLY have far more patients than I do, how about I send you up some 6.5's I have to try out. ;)

They are only an inch and a quarter long with a quarter in base on them. As good as you are, that should be a non issue. Just spray and bake. :D

Oh these are simply for testing anyway, so me and tangolima will both be more than happy with only a dozen or so done up to measure....




Oh I forgot I have that new gun now to try out. Maybe I'll just use it after I super glue some down to the foil so they CAN'T fall over. Yea now that is a thought for sure. Heck that super glue is about as good as duct tape if you know what your doin.....
 
I have never tried standing anything smaller than the RCBS .270's, and they are tricky!

Today I had a little of Smoke's signal blue in the jar and put 3 scoops of zombie green (not Smoke's) in there with it and coated a few more trays. It made a nice mottled pattern.
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Left to right zooms:

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Too cold here for me, But man do I need to get on a Jag.
I like that copper color you have.
I may need to get some copper. To hide what they are at the indoor range.
When they see the red ones I have to explain for 30 minutes what they are before they let me shoot em.
Copper color would just allow me to shoot.:D
 
This stuff looks pretty close to copper! :)
The name is SD Copper and Smoke4320 sells it. But it doesn't tumble, it must be sprayed.
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