Powder Coating Boolits

[bangerjim]

Joined the forum 2 years ago and read it regularly. I never have taken the time to post until now. I am amazed at the quality and variety of information available on this site. I originally found the site while looking for bullet swaging information. Powder coating bullets really intrigues me and I will have to give it a shot at some point. I am especially interested in .30 cal. bullets.

Don't think.......DO!!!!!!!!!! HA.....ha. (sorry....I sound like our "buddy"...Don't boo....vote)

I ESPC my 30-06's all the time. I do not shoot them at full jacketed loads, but at lower plinking loads. Some on here are getting up to very high rifle velocities with good success. I would rely on GC's! Period! (ooooops.....sorry again!)

But do not be afraid to try it. It is very easy and results are amazing. I just hated messing around with greasy lubes, concocting them over smoldering pots, and getting them to stick to the boolits right.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!

bangerjim

[xacex]

My Mosin like P/C boolits. I have been shooting 125 grain hollow points with 13 grains of red dot. With a scout scope set up it sure is a fun load. I have not done any real accuracy testing because it is accurate enough for clays and jugs at 100 yard. To much fun to stop and put them on paper.

[StromBusa]

My Mosin like P/C boolits. I have been shooting 125 grain hollow points with 13 grains of red dot. With a scout scope set up it sure is a fun load. I have not done any real accuracy testing because it is accurate enough for clays and jugs at 100 yard. To much fun to stop and put them on paper.

I have a 444 marlin with a scout scope s/u. Can't wait to PC some of them 444's. Fun gun. Ghost ring w/quick detach scout.

[russs]

Here is my first attempt to HF PC red my bullets. I dry sized the bullets tumbled them in HF PC red, dumped them on a tray and baked them at 400*F for 20 minutes. There were some screen marks so I PC'd them again and cooked them again but my tray was not flat and they layed together. I separated them when they came out of the oven but some stuck together. I re-sized the front group the next day ,no problem with the powder coat coming off. I think I may try aluminum foil coating the tray with a light spray of silicone spray for the next group.

[bangerjim]

DO NOT under any circumstances use ANYTHING like silicon or pam as a release agent. I have tried it and it wicks up on the boolits and prevents any powder from sticking!

Silicon is the worst thing you can have on any surface you put a coating on. Paint, lacquer, varnish, powder........all will not stick with even the slightest trace of silicon!

Just use non stick foil.....NOT the standard stuff. Amazing stuff. I get 3-4 coats B4 I have to replace it.

Be warned. From lots of experience!

bangerjim

[russs]

Thanks Bangerjim,
I was thinking I would spray the foil not the bullets, tumble coat the bullets then dump them on the sprayed foil after coating the bullets,then cook. I didn't think it would wick into the PC before baking.
I will take your advice and get some non stick foil instead.
Russs

[Beagle333]

It will definitely wick up during baking. Not just before. Once it gets hot, it flows everywhere, even up a boolit.

[C. Latch]

It will definitely wick up during baking. Not just before. Once it gets hot, it flows everywhere, even up a boolit.

Even my thick 'lithi-bee' lube did so. Put a dab on the very bottom of a bullet and when you're finished baking the entire gas check shank is uncoated. It's pretty hard to precisely control, too.

As a side note......in regard to the use of nuts as spacers to sit the bullets on, other than cosmetics, is there any reason you couldn't sit the bullets nose-down on the nuts and have incomplete coverage of the meplat (like the partially covered bases in the pictures above) in exchange for a perfect base/band coat? It might not be pretty, but if it worked and didn't hinder accuracy, so what?

[popper]

Latch I tried that but you really have to watch the ridge buildup on the nose, wouldn't chamber on some.

[Beagle333]

is there any reason you couldn't sit the bullets nose-down on the nuts and have incomplete coverage of the meplat (like the partially covered bases in the pictures above) in exchange for a perfect base/band coat? It might not be pretty, but if it worked and didn't hinder accuracy, so what?

It would work, ...... and if you can move a tray of boolits stood nose-down on some little nuts without toppling at least 90% of them, I'd salute you!
But yes, you can do it that way if you can pull it off. The nose, nor the base need be coated. Only the sides where they contact the barrel. Either way, nose down or base down, and you still get a good coat all the way to the bottom of the driving bands, you're good!

Now, as for standing the boolits with the nose down inside the nut, does exactly as Popper said... makes a ridge that will definitely be a hindrance to straight flight, if it will even load.

[Beagle333]

I tried standing some down inside some larger nuts in the beginning. The boolits on the right show what is under the foil.


But the PC wicked down into the foil and made a mess of the nose.

[prickett]

I separated them when they came out of the oven but some stuck together. I re-sized the front group the next day ,no problem with the powder coat coming off. I think I may try aluminum foil coating the tray with a light spray of silicone spray for the next group.

If you shake the tray immediately after removing from the oven (i.e. while still 400F), they break apart very easily and don't tend to leave marks.

[Oreo]

Nose down with hollow points on silicone-rubber coated metal posts. Boolits go nowhere till you want them to, and the bases get a uniform coat.

[popper]

Nose down is how I did pistol T/C boolits - works great. Nose actually got covered down to meplat and seater die got rid of ridge problems. Still have a bunch loaded but I'm using HiTek now. Nose down mounted in some 9mm cases was what I tried for rifle - not so good. They shot OK when they didn't cause chambering problems. They were the RD311, big meplat.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I just ordered some Super Durable Wet Black from Powder By the Pound. Anyone try some of their super durable paints yet?

[prickett]

Make sure to update http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-powders-don-t with the results of your Super Durable Web Black tests please.

[C. Latch]

Are any of the other powders cheaper than HF?

[Maximumbob54]

Are any of the other powders cheaper than HF?

None yet I've found but All Powder Paints does have some that aren't far off if you order them in serious bulk. I'm looking at one that if I order 50# of it then it's less than $7 and I would have powder for a goooood long time. I'm going to order a pound of it first to test it though.

http://www.allpowderpaints.com/

They do have some nifty colors but all the powders I've tested so far pretty much all work the same if you get the coverage well enough. The ES gun of course works on all of them but not that many I've tried do the dry or wet tumble as well as the HF black wet and the HF red dry.

[Oreo]

Is there any sign that polyester or polyurethane powders work better then the other?

I even saw an "acrylic" powder. it was a clear for car rims. Anyone know if that would be any good?

[bangerjim]

Are any of the other powders cheaper than HF?

Not unless somebody dies and leaves it to you in their will.

banger