Hi-Tek experiment, questions?

I have some Hi-Tek coated 9mm bullets with two coats of paint on them. They pass the smash test and acetone wipe test. They are cast from range scrap and are 11 BNL hardness. When I shoot them through my comped pistols I am getting lead deposits in the comp ports. These bullets have been sized to .357" for a .355" slugged KKM barrel.

I'm going to take some of these Boolits and then add one additional coat to one batch and two additional coats to a second batch of Boolits. Therefore batch one will have three total coats and batch two will have four total coats of HT paint on them.

Question, if I add one more coat of HT will it stick since the load bearing surface of the Boolits have been sized?

I am doing this to see if more coats of paint will eliminate leading in my comp ports.

Should I size the bullets again? After adding additional coats of HT?

Additional coats will stick if surface is not contaminated. I have noticed gas port in AR cuts the base when soft alloy is used. Maybe the same problem?
I use AC isocore & 2 coats green liquid, no leading with 4gr WST. Do you get barrel leading or just comp? I got very minor leading at the crown when using a flash hider.
My comment is that comps have high pressure vents that can cut lead if it is soft. Presently testing to see if HT & PC will stand up to this problem. Coating may not help much. Yes, size after last coating.

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Originally Posted by igolfat8

I have some Hi-Tek coated 9mm bullets with two coats of paint on them. They pass the smash test and acetone wipe test. They are cast from range scrap and are 11 BNL hardness. When I shoot them through my comped pistols I am getting lead deposits in the comp ports. These bullets have been sized to .357" for a .355" slugged KKM barrel.

I'm going to take some of these Boolits and then add one additional coat to one batch and two additional coats to a second batch of Boolits. Therefore batch one will have three total coats and batch two will have four total coats of HT paint on them.

Question, if I add one more coat of HT will it stick since the load bearing surface of the Boolits have been sized?

I am doing this to see if more coats of paint will eliminate leading in my comp ports.

Should I size the bullets again? After adding additional coats of HT?

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Is this in a button bore barrel or polygonal? Also what FPS are you shooting them at? These answers will help...

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KKM barrel with Button bore rifling. 4.2 grains of WSF under a 120 Lee TC bullet at 130 PF, minor load.

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Originally Posted by igolfat8

KKM barrel with Button bore rifling. 4.2 grains of WSF under a 120 Lee TC bullet at 130 PF, minor load.

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Ok, so pistol isnt the issue... i usually coat thinner then spec and have been running 3 and even 4 coats to ensure i dont get leading at that PF

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Just curious, what game/division are you shootings comped minor loads in? Getting a thread protector to screw on instead of the comp might be an easy fix. I can't imagine 4.2 gr of WSF is doing much to drive a comp.

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Originally Posted by retrobass

Just curious, what game/division are you shootings comped minor loads in? Getting a thread protector to screw on instead of the comp might be an easy fix. I can't imagine 4.2 gr of WSF is doing much to drive a comp.

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Compensator...? ESP, i do have a threaded barrel on my VP9 but im only using a protector. I see 1025 FPS using 135gn cast with ~13 brinell hardness. Titegroup 4.3grn (from memory, not near my books).

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We don't have divisions at our club so you can run anything. Yes, the comp works surprisingly well at 130 PF. I don't get any barrel leading just lead build up in comps. I have several comps and they all have build up.

If I use one coat of Smoke's powder coat I don't get any build up in my comps.

your getting a touch of gas cutting I'd say.
if the brake is getting enough gas pressure to work then you got enough pressure to gas cut the base of the bullet.
an extra coat or two might stop it.... or it might not.

question.
is the leading your seeing fine little blobs?
if so it's vaporized lead being deposited.

if it's a fine haze kind of like antimony wash I'd say your getting the cutting further up the barrel.

I run 2 coats on 16 BHN hardball alloy. Gun it STI TruBor 38super at major power factor. Zero lead in the barrel or comp

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Originally Posted by igolfat8

I have some Hi-Tek coated 9mm bullets with two coats of paint on them. They pass the smash test and acetone wipe test. They are cast from range scrap and are 11 BNL hardness. When I shoot them through my comped pistols I am getting lead deposits in the comp ports. These bullets have been sized to .357" for a .355" slugged KKM barrel.

I'm going to take some of these Boolits and then add one additional coat to one batch and two additional coats to a second batch of Boolits. Therefore batch one will have three total coats and batch two will have four total coats of HT paint on them.

Question, if I add one more coat of HT will it stick since the load bearing surface of the Boolits have been sized?

I am doing this to see if more coats of paint will eliminate leading in my comp ports.

Should I size the bullets again? After adding additional coats of HT?

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Have you pulled any of your loaded bullets to see what the da is? 11 BHN is pretty soft for 9mm I run 6-2-92 alloy with 2 coats of Hi-Tek.

The lead build up is a washcoat over the entire interior of the comp. It is lead. I can scratch it with a sharp point and tell. I agree that its likely gas cutting because I have to replace my [aluminum] comps twice a year due to the holes through the internal baffles geting enlarged. I shoot >15K rounds a year so these are not just plinking guns.

I have pulled bullets and they are still .357" dia so no swaging is taking place in my loading process. I've been down that rabbit home before ;)

The only thing that I have not played with too much is bullet / lead hardness alloying. I've pretty much always shot pure range scrap. I've always thought that softer was better to allow for better bullet obturation and bore sealing with softer alloy. Perhaps I will experiment with some harder alloys.

the 9's seem to do better with a bit harder alloy.
you might get away with just simply water dropping them.
I add linotype at an 8 to 1 mix with my normal alloy getting it up to 3-3.5% antimony.
the diameter might be a bit small too, I run my 9's at 358 that extra .001 can be the difference between cutting and not cutting.
unfortunately in some gun's it's also the difference between chambering and not chambering.

Make sure the lead alloy is not contaminated after casting
1st coat go less than 1 mill per pound of boolits.
if/when the first coat passes, go 1 mil per pound on the second coat.
Hi-Tek is more like a stain and adheres into the pours of the lead.
All you really need is 1 coat, 2 is better for looks

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Originally Posted by Grmps

Make sure the lead alloy is not contaminated after casting
1st coat go less than 1 mill per pound of boolits.
if/when the first coat passes, go 1 mil per pound on the second coat.
Hi-Tek is more like a stain and adheres into the pours of the lead.
All you really need is 1 coat, 2 is better for looks

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I still don't believe I agree on this point. It's a polymer coating so wouldn't be sealing the pores with the polymer rather than seeping into the lead? The color is just along for the ride. I certainly don't know this as fact but it was just my understanding of the stuff.

Kraken Fan #69

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Originally Posted by runfiverun

the 9's seem to do better with a bit harder alloy.
you might get away with just simply water dropping them.
I add linotype at an 8 to 1 mix with my normal alloy getting it up to 3-3.5% antimony.
the diameter might be a bit small too, I run my 9's at 358 that extra .001 can be the difference between cutting and not cutting.
unfortunately in some gun's it's also the difference between chambering and not chambering.

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Yeah, I've tried .358 and they won't chamber in my pistols.

Tag to see where the conversation with Hi-tek, compensators and heat treating. I have a 9mm carbine with a QD mount for a suppressor and shooting Hi-tek unsuppressed caused lead buildup. Not bad. I could scrape it off, but enough to know I don't want to do that with the can on.

I may consider baking them for 20 min and dropping into water on the second coat. Alloy is about 95/3/2.

I have coated two batches, one with 3 coats of HT and the other with 4 coats of HT, same range scrap alloy that I've been shooting. I have not shot them yet because my comps are soaking in vinegar/peroxide to get the lead cleaned out. As soon as they are clean then I will shoot these two batches and see if there are any lead deposits from these two new batches. If leading is still present with the additional HT coats of paint, then I will try a harder alloy next. Ill report back my findings in a week or two.

Are the bases of your boolits getting covered, I ask this because years ago I shot IPSC open division with a 38 super and found my 124 jacketed, but not complete copper jacket,[base exposed] bullets over time loaded up my compensator with lead enough to cause the gun not to come out of battery when fired, [1911 single stack]. Soaked it in vinegar peroxide mix and dug out the lead, presto, off to the races again!
Just a thought.

Yes, I am getting 100% coverage but thanks for asking.