More powder coating

V

Vance

New member
Rangefinder over on castboolits had described his method of using a tumbler to coat bullets with powder paint. I decided to try it. You put about a 1/4 cup of Laquer thinner in the bowl, about 100 bullets in the bowl, turn the tumbler on, then sprinkle the powder over the bullets (about 1 tbs), let it run for a few minutes until coated. Well, I needed to do 2 coats to get good coverage and it is extremely messy. Didn't take pictures of them, they don't look very nice. looks like someone coated them with snot.

I also read on cast bullets of someone dry tumble coating bullets with powder paint. I decided to try that also. I cleaned up the tumbler and dried it out. I put about 150 bullets in the bowl, sprinkled a tablespoon of powder over them and turned the tumbler on. Within 3 minutes, all the bullets were evenly coated. Almost as good as the electrostatic gun method. I use a pair of needle nose pliers to put them on my baking trays covered with non-stick foil and baked them and they came out great. I think I will be changing to this method as it is cleaner than the es gun method and easier. You also only need to do 1 coat.



These are from a Lee 6 cavity 452-228-1R mold and have been sized. As you can see the bases get covered so that will satisfy the people who were concerned about that.
 
those DO look good! Been playing with the dry-tumble a bit as well, but it's taking 2-3 times to get good coverage. I think it's not liking the thin, dry mountain air around here--just won't adhere at all without a little lacquer thinner involved. But that goes on smooth as glass for me.
 
I sprayed some 358156 today. They turned out pretty good.
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And then, I was starting another tray, and the neighbor's kid was squirrel hunting along the fenceline between us, about 100' away from where I was casting and spraying today, and he shot a squirrel right as I was putting a tray in the oven... so I jumped and knocked them all off the nuts. (I stand my bullets up on small hex nuts to minimize flashing from the powder on the tray.) So, not wanting to spray em all again, I dumped the whole pile of em and the powder into a butter tub and dry tumbled em. I dumped them out and fished the bullets out of the powder with some needlenose pliers and stood them on some non-stick foil. They came out a little bare in spots, so I repeated it. The second time, they coated fairly complete and I do believe that they would be fine to shoot. They look just like the ones I was making when I was Piglet coating (wet tumble), which shot well. But they didn't turn out as smooth as yours, Vance. Maybe because I got 3-4 kinds of powder mixed up in there.:confused:
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And here they are next to the ESPC ones. Sprayed is on left, tumbled on right.
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Both will shoot just fine....
 
I have been reading the dry tumble coating thread over on cast boolits and some are finding out that some colors do not do well in the dry tumble method. I used Virginia Tech Orange from Powder by the Pound in my example and they did good. I have 4 other colors from Eastwood to try. Black, Matte Black, Red and gray. The ones I find that don't do well in dry tumble coating I will just use the es gun to apply them. Otherwise I think I will stay with the dry tumble method as I find it less messy and easier.
 
I'm getting back into reloading, and bullet casting after a 8 or 9 year hiatus. So I may have missed something in those years. But I do have to ask. Why?
 
"after a 8 or 9 year hiatus. So I may have missed something in those years. But I do have to ask. Why? "

The coating of polyester (some other materials are also used as carriers) protects the cast lead or the barrel. With the end results of no leading, no lube, no need for gas checks.
The powder is cheap and a pound will cover something on the order of 50 sq feet of surface.
The coating methods include: electrostatic spraying, shake in paste, dry shake 'n' bake. What ever the coating method, the powder must be cured by baking in an oven. Times and temperatures vary depending upon the carrier and to some extent color.

Any color can be used. Some of the more common ones are cheaper. Red, white, black and yellow from Harbor Freight are less than $5 a pound.

The process is easy/simple and effective. The bullets will still need to be sized but not lubed (no lube smoke when fired).

Some controversy has came up. Some think that the coatings may damage the barrels and point to the coloring agents, carbon black and silica. I have seen a number of statements to this effect but no evidence, so far. For me that jury is still out. I can't see how more damage can be made when comparing to using 'chore boys' to scrape lead out of a barrel.

I'm in the process of modifying a mold to make a (in my mind) better bullet for use in the .300 Blackout. Some claim no coating failures to 3200 FPS. I'll find out in a week to 10 days, using a .308 Win bolt action rifle.

I don't think powder coating will replace jacketed bullets or raw lead bullets, only supplement them. It is a lot easier than 'paper patching'.

I hope this helps you get caught up.

Enjoy, that's what it is all for.

OSOK
 
If folks don't just use it for clean bullets, hands and dies; eternal storage of lubed bullets at any temp with no puddling or cracking of the "lube", no smoke, no leading, and for the unlimited colors they can produce,.... they will use it just so they can buy the cheaper and more available alloys of stick-on wheel weights and range scrap and shoot that just like it was water-dropped WW or commercial ingots, and get better expansion due to shooting the softer stuff at the higher speeds.:)

And... don't forget all of those Lyman molds out there that already drop .001-.002 undersized... they are now perfect for the job!;)
 
Thanks for the info Oldpapps. Looks like I may have to make room for a toaster oven on my bullet casting table. That is if it will work. Doubt I'd have much luck talking the wife into baking booklets in her oven in the kitchen.:eek::D
 
If you value your life, DO NOT use your wifes toaster over or regular oven for powder coating. Get a toaster oven all your own for the shop. The powder coating outgasses while baking and it will leave a coating inside the oven that your wife will not appreciate.
 
Cheapshooter,

My first baking was in the kitchen oven....

I will not be doing that again!
No wife but my daughter lives with me and she was not happy. She says it smells. Couldn't prove it by me.

The process isn't difficult. My next to the youngest granddaughter thinks it is fun. She is the best shot of the group (5, all girls).

OSOK
 
Yep, I'm gonna watch the adds, or check the garage sales and flea markets for a Westminster oven. Plus the exhaust system I mentioned on another thread for my casting table.
 
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