Been gone for a while, come back and you guys are painting boolits!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Wow,

I had been gone a good while taking care of my aging father. He passed and now I've been back a few weeks and see this new subject matter.

So what's the story on these powder coated boolits and it is the answer to getting fast lubricated boolits with no luber sizers? If so, are you guys lubing after sizing with Lee dies? Is it simple and inexpensive to get to doing this? How fast is the process?

Yes, I've read just enough to have a bajillion questions. Can someone please edumacate me?

[Beetmagnet]

You need a Powder Coating gun. Most get one from Harbor Freight (47$ with the coupon). Yes size them with the Lee sizers. You cure them in a toasted oven. And you need a air compressor. Its simple. So far it works great in all the pistols calibres that I have shot. It works in rifles, the question remains if they're accurate. I don't think enough people have posted results in all possible calibres to have definitive conclussions with rifle bullets. As far as pistols goes, it works enough that I will not be buying a lubesizer.

[prickett]

There are at least 5 different techniques.

Dry coated powder coating: tumble boolits in powder paint, bake (20 minutes at 400F for HF paint), then size with Lee pass thru sizer. My .45 ACP only requires one coating. (does not work with HF black paint - does work with all other HF colors). If you already have a dedicated toaster oven, this method will run you $6 for a lifetime supply of coated boolits.

Wet coated powder coating: tumble boolits in powder paint mixed with acetone or lacquer thinner, bake (20 minutes at 400F for HF paint), then size with Lee pass thru sizer. My .45 ACP only requires one coating (only seems to work with HF black paint - others have clumping issues). If you already have a dedicated toaster oven, this method will run you $6 for paint + $6 for lacquer thinner. You'll probably need several can of thinner to get thru the whole container of paint.

ES powder coating: (never tried this personally) spray boolits with powder paint, bake (20 minutes at 400F for HF paint), then size with Lee pass thru sizer. The challenge is being able to coat the entire boolit - usually requires 2 coats due to this. If you already have a dedicated toaster oven you'll need an ES gun + $6 paint.

Klass Kote: mix two part paint and let sit for 40 minutes so the paint components bond. Tumble boolits in the paint and let dry (can bake at 150F to speed up this process), then size with Lee pass thru sizer. May require two coats. If so, don't size until both coats have been applied. You don't need an oven, just the paint (around $40 IIRC for a pint each of part a and b shipped)

HI-TEK: mix two part paint with acetone. Tumble boolits in the mixture and let dry. Bake in oven for 10 (ish) minutes at 385F-400F. Repeat process. Size with Lee pass thru sizer. If you already have a toaster oven, it'll cost around $90 shipped for enough coating for 30,000 boolits (IIRC). You'll also need several cans of acetone ($6).


I find the first method the fastest, cheapest, and easiest, followed by the second method. Actual "hands on" time is VERY low for them - most of the time is spent waiting for them to cook. I find sizing to be VERY fast too with the Lee pass thru sizer. I adopted a technique I saw in this forum for mounting the sizing press upside down and that speeds up sizing even more.

[Beagle333]

HF spray gun. Use the ESPC method and it's "one spray-one bake, and you're done".... slick as can be, and lets me load really soft alloyed boolits and shoot them much faster without leading than any regular lube (that I have tried) will allow. 8-)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/PowderCoating/HF017_zpseff35e38.jpg

[JASON4X4]

I also use the hf gun and powder I have about 65 invested in the set up. I have not had any problems yet but there is one thread about the hf flat black wearing the barrel down.

[prickett]

HF spray gun. Use the ESPC method and it's "one spray-one bake, and you're done".... slick as can be, and lets me load really soft alloyed boolits and shoot them much faster without leading than any regular lube (that I have tried) will allow. 8-)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/PowderCoating/HF017_zpseff35e38.jpg

Those are too pretty to shoot!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Hmmm, a nice thing about powder coating is you can do aluminum gun parts with it as well. There are definitely decisions to be made. I have two boolit lube sizers, both are high dollar and selling one would fund this operation with hundreds of dollars to spare.

[Jupiter7]

I've tried the first 2 methods with 45acp and subsonic 300blackout. Harbor freight black is NOT the powder for these methods. I prefer the dry tumble as the learning curve is less and no need for laquer thinner or other harsh flammable chemicals. Sizing is a non issue with lee sizers and powder coat stays on. They seem to shoot as well as same load lubrasized in Lyman 450. I have run some through my 450 depressurized, definitely smoother looking but more effort, same results on paper.

[prickett]

Hmmm, a nice thing about powder coating is you can do aluminum gun parts with it as well. There are definitely decisions to be made. I have two boolit lube sizers, both are high dollar and selling one would fund this operation with hundreds of dollars to spare.

I suspect the classified section on this forum is filling up with used lubrisizers!

[jmort]

"I suspect the classified section on this forum is filling up with used lubrisizers!"

In the fullness of time, I reckon so.

[Beagle333]

I'm spreading the love between the two practices. Rainy days and night reloading is done with lubesizer, since I have no garage for spraying. On nice calm sunny days, I coat things. 8-)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/PowderCoating/PC-101035_zpsebabcfd4.jpg

[NewbieDave007]

I'm spreading the love between the two practices. Rainy days and night reloading is done with lubesizer, since I have no garage for spraying. On nice calm sunny days, I coat things. 8-)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/PowderCoating/PC-101035_zpsebabcfd4.jpg

I like that green. I love the bright colors.

[.429]

91794my first attempt at dry tumble :???: they look terrible, but i will probably see how they group anyway

[popper]

429 try separating the ones with cleanly coated rear drive band/base before loading, mark the nose of that group with a sharpie. Check the group size of the 2 batches. I think that will give you a better idea of the achievable performance. I already know you will get a little smoke and no leading.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

So most folks are buying the HF powder coat spray gun? Is there any performance improvement using other brands? How about the HF powder coating vs. other brands?

[.429]

I shot some of mine in the pic above. Horrible accuracy! About a 12" group at 50yrds

[Ken73]

Dave, I'd shy away from the HF matte black as mentioned above, there's some speculation that the "matting agent" in it is abrasive. Of course, you could also consider it fire-lapping powder coat, too! I actually started out using translucent topcoats - the picture in my thread is using those except the black, which is "super black" (super glossy.) There's so many places to get it from (online) that it's just a matter of picking what colors you like, really. I had a bunch of this stuff from powder coating car parts already, so it was an easy experiment for me.

I've also been told that the Sears gun I use doesn't work well - it works fine for me but others have reported having a lot of problems with it. I haven't had any of those problems but you should be aware of them, too. I have the HF gun as well and it works fine too. I don't think there's any "performance" advantage other than the method itself (ESPC) vs. other methods (dry tumble, wet tumble, fluidized bed) don't seem to cover as well or as evenly, making for ugly boolits.

FYI, I just size mine before, not really after I coat. I found that my boolits would just squeak through the (Lee) sizer dies anyway so I've only been pre-sizing mine.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Ken,

Thank you for the information. How's your accuracy been, both with rifle and pistol vs. other lubing methods?

[bangerjim]

Dave, I'd shy away from the HF matte black as mentioned above, there's some speculation that the "matting agent" in it is abrasive. Of course, you could also consider it fire-lapping powder coat, too! I actually started out using translucent topcoats - the picture in my thread is using those except the black, which is "super black" (super glossy.) There's so many places to get it from (online) that it's just a matter of picking what colors you like, really. I had a bunch of this stuff from powder coating car parts already, so it was an easy experiment for me.

I've also been told that the Sears gun I use doesn't work well - it works fine for me but others have reported having a lot of problems with it. I haven't had any of those problems but you should be aware of them, too. I have the HF gun as well and it works fine too. I don't think there's any "performance" advantage other than the method itself (ESPC) vs. other methods (dry tumble, wet tumble, fluidized bed) don't seem to cover as well or as evenly, making for ugly boolits.

FYI, I just size mine before, not really after I coat. I found that my boolits would just squeak through the (Lee) sizer dies anyway so I've only been pre-sizing mine.

I have not detected ANY wear problems with the matte black. There is no hard evidence by anyone on here that anything is being eroded by it in the barrel. PC is harder than lead and softer than copper. FMJ's have been proven to eventually wear out a barrel after many many rounds. Only thread I know of is just "doubting Thomas" "the sky is falling" evidence so far about black. (are you guys racist or what ) HA......ha!

Until there is hard provable evidence that black is abrasive, I will continue to use it in all my guns along with red and white.

I await anyone with viable proof of a different story and we all welcome the hard (no pun intended) information.

If you are trying the dry fumble method, the black will not work for some reason. Tried it and I could not get ANY color to even come slightly close the ease, quality, smoothness, and short time needed to use the ES gun method.

Let us know YOUR results!

bangerjim

[bangerjim]

429..............


Your "perceived" lack of accuracy is due to uneven coating and weight distribution from the heavy slopping of the PC. I too have tired the dry fumble method ended up with slugs looking like that and just threw them back into the melting pot!

This coating is not to just make perrrrty colored boolits. It is a functional integral part of the "system" that makes lead fly down a steel barrel with accuracy, just like greasy lubes. And, OMG, you KNOW how many types/ideas/opinions there on those!!!!!!!! :coffeecom

The coating thickness and evenness is very critical to accuracy & performance. That is why the ONLY way to get accurate repeatable slugs is use the ES gun method.

Most accuracy results posted have been for pistoles only...........not much on higher rifle velocities and accuracies. I am awaiting my trip up north to try my 30-06 with ESPC slugs soon!

banger

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Is it possible to buy a powder coat paint that is copper colored? Or mix up a batch that is copper colored and looks a lot like jacketed bullets?

This could be an advantage at the range if one didn't want to attract attention to one's reloads.

[prickett]

Is it possible to buy a powder coat paint that is copper colored? Or mix up a batch that is copper colored and looks a lot like jacketed bullets?

This could be an advantage at the range if one didn't want to attract attention to one's reloads.

Yes. There are all kinds of colors out there.

Found this one: http://www.shop.allpowderpaints.com/BRITE-COPPER-PMSCP98930.htm

and these ones:

http://www.eastwood.com/paints/hotcoat-powder-coating/powders.html?SRCCODE=GA050090&color=1056&creative=29103237540&device=c&gclid=CJqe2qmk57sCFcVFMgodRDEAHw&matchtype=b&network=g

[Digger]

With all the controversy over the "black" powder ..... with prickett's link he has provided (thank you sir) .
this outfit has a very promising "teflon black" that looks excellent .... ... time will tell ?
http://www.shop.allpowderpaints.com/TEFLON-SLIP-BLACK-TSSB39344.htm?productId=1026

[prickett]

With all the controversy over the "black" powder ..... with prickett's link he has provided (thank you sir) .
this outfit has a very promising "teflon black" that looks excellent .... ... time will tell ?
http://www.shop.allpowderpaints.com/TEFLON-SLIP-BLACK-TSSB39344.htm?productId=1026

That teflon black caught my eye too. But, just took advantage of HF's sale on powder paint, so I won't need any for half a dozen years or so :-) .
Would love to hear reports of how it performs.

[DRNurse1]

429..............


Your "perceived" lack of accuracy is due to uneven coating and weight distribution from the heavy slopping of the PC. I too have tired the dry fumble method ended up with slugs looking like that and just threw them back into the melting pot!

This coating is not to just make perrrrty colored boolits. It is a functional integral part of the "system" that makes lead fly down a steel barrel with accuracy, just like greasy lubes. And, OMG, you KNOW how many types/ideas/opinions there on those!!!!!!!! :coffeecom

The coating thickness and evenness is very critical to accuracy & performance. That is why the ONLY way to get accurate repeatable slugs is use the ES gun method.

Most accuracy results posted have been for pistoles only...........not much on higher rifle velocities and accuracies. I am awaiting my trip up north to try my 30-06 with ESPC slugs soon!

banger

Mr Banger Jim:

Why is the electrostatic method the 'only way to get accurate repeatable slugs,' in you opinion/ experience? I would love to try this but have not found the independent/ repeatable data to validate any method for accuracy.

One accuracy concern I have is the trailing edge exiting the muzzle along the entire circumference simultaneously to achieve maximum accuracy. I do not understand how any of the methods achieve this. Also, does the ES method miss the bases?

[iroquois]

Mr Banger Jim:

Why is the electrostatic method the 'only way to get accurate repeatable slugs,' in you opinion/ experience? I would love to try this but have not found the independent/ repeatable data to validate any method for accuracy.

One accuracy concern I have is the trailing edge exiting the muzzle along the entire circumference simultaneously to achieve maximum accuracy. I do not understand how any of the methods achieve this. Also, does the ES method miss the bases?


My thoughts as well. How do you spray the base/bottom?