Is it possible, or "tactical black by accident"

[greywuuf]

Is it possible that I just iron plated some bullets ?

I have been messing about copper electroplating some other little buckskinning projects and was sitting at my desk last night looking over my recently cast bullets and noticed the small bottle of "Blue Vitrol" ( copper sulphate ) I had on my bench I happened to have a shallow plastic dish and a AA battery So in went a 370 Mihec Hollow point 503 the battery balanced on the bullet base ( bullet was nose down ) poured in a little solution and discovered I had no copper wire handy, So a paper clip served as the negative connection ... i walked away , to check back late.

instead of copper plating the paper click had turned a nasty kinda sooty black ( where it was in solution ) and my bullet has a fairly hard very dark grey coating ( it could just be a an oxide of the lead) but I guess maybe I moved some of the Fe from the electrode to the bullet. not sure what iron plate looks like. Don't plan to do anymore (at least not on bullets) but the appearance is interesting.

photo will follow after I feel like cleaning up my desk for a decent background.

Dan

ok a "ScotchBrite" pad hides most of the clutter. The one if middle is the experiment. it is lighter now after an attempt to buff it with a rag and toothpaste
also the outside two are as cast.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6287599971_26386de9b5_z.jpg

[waksupi]

Try reversing polarity and see how it looks.

[greywuuf]

Started that way and nicely plated my Steel electrode;p

not saying that I was not set up wrong it was late and I was only haf paying attention and for a while both leads were touching the bullet, so I most likely had minimal current after that. I might have to try it for real with my power supply and a decent container... but if it is possible to plate iron... I have USE for that ( no not bullets)

[JSnover]

If it's not iron but it's still more or less 'black' there's gotta be a market for that.


If you make it black, they will come...

[lavenatti]

Wait and see if it rusts. Not a much better indicator than that.

[white eagle]

for me
Component Your Value Standard Range Units
LEAD VENOUS 27 0 - 9 ug/dL
is it harmful?
I don't recall

[303Guy]

The iron will have gone into solution but it's the copper from the copper sulphate that got deposited. There will be a black layer under the plating too. You need nasties in your solution (like arsenic) to make it really work. Very dangerous without the correct facilities. I tried the same trick and still have the sample boolit somewhere. I didn't do enough to see if it really works in a gun.

[Dan Cash]

I did plate some pistol bullets several years ago. Got some nice copper coated slugs that leaded like crazy.