powdercoating cast bullets

4

.44RF Express

Inactive
hi guys,
just a little question.
anyone here tried powdercoating cast bullets?
and if so how did the bullets work / foul and so on

cheers
Roger
 
I PC almost all of my home cast bullets, it works great. I've done the hammer smash test and hardly any flakes off. Ive recovered shot bullets and the PC stays on even where the lands/grooves bite into the bullet. Fouling is almost zero for me, would be better if I took more time to perfect bullet alloy.

This is only on pistols so far. Have not tinkered with rifles just yet.

You can see some of my results here. These are all done with a PC gun, but in the interest of speed Ill probably mostly stick with shake and bake.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=582372
 
I will never EVER go back to lubing bullets. It's just too easy to powdercoat and not worry about leading. I even PC my x39 bullets for my CZ carbine.

Powdercoating even allows shooting lead through my polygonal barreled Kahr. It's just amazingly versatile.

Word of advice, skip using the Harbor Freight powder, it's junk. You can order the good stuff online, or find a local powdercoating shop and ask for a few baggies of various colors to see what works best. I find the blue, green and red have the best coverage, but I haven't tried mail order powder yet.

No need to get all expensive, some small #5 containers with screw on lids, a cheap used toaster oven, parchment paper and powder is all you need. Shake and bake!
 
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Yes it does work, and is effective, however; I have been unable to get my process to the point where I can make as many bullets anywhere near as quick as a sizer/luber. I don't have any leading problems with casting for numerous calibers/guns, so it hasn't been very high on my list of priorities.
 
Yes it does work, and is effective, however; I have been unable to get my process to the point where I can make as many bullets anywhere near as quick as a sizer/luber.
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I agree. However, I have my own home range that is unheated and thus do not shoot (well, today I did, but it got to 55 degrees) during the Michigan Winter. So, I have been doing my casting and powder coating this Winter and will shoot them up starting in the Spring. Inasmuch as I am retired and have little to do in the Winter, the relative slowness of the powder coating process to just size and lube them in my luber is not a factor. However, if I was in a big hurry to get some bullets ready in the Summer, I might be tempted to go back to using NRA Alox 50/50, which I still have a sizable stash of. But, the guns sure stay a lot cleaner without that black, greasy sludge associated with grease lubes. It is noteable that I do not use cast bullets in the few rifles that I still have, except for a WWII .30 Carbine. Powder coating rifle bullets have a few inherent factors all there own that might preclude powder coating, but for handgun bullets, powder coating seems to be the dominant technology.
 
I think Dahermit nailed it. There can be.....nuances with PC that can be troublesome with riffle bullets where pistols are more forgiving. Namely inconsistent coverage which can lead to wobbling bullets. Over pistol ranges youd be hard pressed to see any detriment where as in riffle distances those inconsistencies are magnified.

Dahermit and Iraiam, what set up are you using for lube/sizing? Ive only tried pan lubing which flat sucks and tumble lube whch I find to be a mess as well not lubing good enough.

A though. I wonder if a couple PC bullets after a round of lube bullets would lead to a cleaner bore.
 
Dahermit and Iraiam, what set up are you using for lube/sizing? Ive only tried pan lubing which flat sucks and tumble lube whch I find to be a mess as well not lubing good enough.
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Speaking for myself, I have used various versions of the Lyman lube sizer over the years as well as an RCBS. I prefer the Lyman version because of the ratcheting pressure handle...I could never get used to the RCBS with its push through pressure handle. I still use the Lyman to size (with the pressure handle backed off), my powder coated bullets because I still have all the dies that I need although I suspect a Lee Push Through setup would be a tad faster.
 
A though. I wonder if a couple PC bullets after a round of lube bullets would lead to a cleaner bore.
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I shoot mainly handgun now and the big advantage I have found with Powder Coated bullets is that there is not that greasy gunk that forms on the gun and inside the action of the gun. Just recently I decided to eliminate my stash of hand loaded .45 ammo that had bullets lubed with NRA Alox 50/50...about 800 rounds, so I could re-load them with Powder Coated. When I neared the end, the Colt Combat Commander SXE .45 began to malfunction...erratic ejection. When I tore the gun down, I found both the firing pin tunnel and the extractor tunnels filled with that greasy carbon. Shooting Powder Coated bullets is more like standard Hard Ball...very little fouling.
 
Dahermit and Iraiam, what set up are you using for lube/sizing? Ive only tried pan lubing which flat sucks and tumble lube whch I find to be a mess as well not lubing good enough.
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Yes, pan lubing is no fun. I have an RCBS sizer/luber. I have a 1/4" drive ratchet dedicated to the lube pressure adjustment. A couple years ago I added the small heater under the base. It softens the lube a little and makes it flow easier.
 
I will also point out, very little smoke with powdercoated. My tumble lubed bullets would smoke so bad the guy next to me asked if it was blackpowder.

This becomes a flat out problem in an indoor range. One I visited had very little ventilation and a mag of rounds fogged the entire bay so bad I couldn't see the target.
 
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