Sodium silicate

[Halldad68]

I'm fairly new to reloading an was wondering if anyone has ever heard of using sodium silicate as a thin coating over lead bullets to stop barrel leading?
I tried searching but got nothing.

[RickinTN]

I'm not familiar with sodium silicate, and I know there are several "sodium" compounds. It's been several years and my chemistry is a bit rusty but I'm wondering if I want any of the sodium compounds in my barrels?
Rick

[303Guy]

Welcome aboard, Halldad68.

A quick search came up with sodium silicate in low concentrations is a corrosion inhibitor. That's when dissolved in water as a component of detergents such as washing powder. My PC is too slow tonight to look any further. Sugar soap which either has sodium hydroxide or sodium silicate in it is a great rust inhibitor. I'm not sure what it does when heated. Soaps are somewhat slippery and have been used as lubes before.

Oh, it's not the sodium that corrodes or causes rust but its salts (like chlorides in sodium chloride).

[Iron Whittler]

I worked at a plant that made sodium silicate. The stuff would eat ss pumps for breakfast. Very sticky and abrasive. YOU DO NOT want this stuff in you barrels!!! Iron Whittler

[lavenatti]

Sodium silicate is what they dumped into engines to ruin them when obama was buying up all the used cars during cash for clunkers.

It's also known as waterglass. It's the liquid that comes with those "Magic Crystal" growing kits.

You can make it by dissolving glass in molten sodium hydroxide. (I wouldn't)

Fun stuff but I don't think I'd want it in my barrel.

[dondiego]

There are many better ways to "stop barrel leading". Keep reading here.

[opos]

In another hobby I have we deal with rusty old engines that often have lots of leaks in the water system....often we put some "water glass" in the cooling system to plug up the tiny pin hole leaks...I'd hate to put that any where near a chamber or bore on a gun...bet it would make a huge mess. It's the original "stop leak" (along with egg whites).

[gray wolf]

Well I guess we answered that question--Eh.

[bangerjim]

We used to call it "water glass" and was used for protection of various things....but NOT in guns!!!!!!!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_glass

Forget that brain fart.

Stick with Powder Coating! No leading.....excellent protection........simple to do.

banger

[JSnover]

Instead of applying sodium silicate to your boolits, apply an oversized slug to your bore.