simple Hi-Tek coating

[Petander]

I'd like to report something interesting:

I cast a bunch of 615 grain 50 cal bullets and was kinda hurrying up to get them done. So I didn't weigh them but did the math in my head... wrong.

I used 8 ml of coating for 5 lbs of bullets,three times. I noticed they were swimming... but I went on,coatings were good looking... I found out the real weight the day after. My coating was a mix again, 2 ml Tru Blu, 6ml TMG Gold Original. I like these greens I'm getting.

The thing is,smash and wipe and scratch and bite and whatever test I do, this coating has bonded perfectly and is just thicker than usual. Approx. 002". Looks good,elastic,glossy,as you can see. Tough coating.



I sized and loaded some today, 1100 fps, almost 50 k psi, working fine and clean.



My first coat was absolutely too thick. No problems whatsoever with this mistake.

[Elkins45]

Slide, I am not aware of what CCI may be using. If they are US based may be Donnie can shed some light on these folk. I looked at loaded ammo with Red colour on alloy. I have not seen any Blue ones.

I’ve seen them in the store. They appear to be powder coated.

[slide]

I won't be buying any of them. I have heard some bad reports on the federal syntech. Why buy when you can do it yourself and get better results! Just curious.

[Burnt Fingers]

I highly doubt that CCI is using Hi-Tek.

The blue just came out and is totally different, and there is no white.

Most likely some sort of industrial polymer coating.

[HI-TEK]

I’ve seen them in the store. They appear to be powder coated.

Hi Elkins45
I looked at CCI home web page. They are in US. The advertising was done as a video by a retailer.
I noticed that the Red ( which looked very much like the Red Hi-Tek254, but I do not think they are) has speed restriction on package of 1235ft/sec. The Blue, (not Hi-Tek) had a lower speed recommendation of 1070ft/sec on package.
I wonder why speed restrictions apply to these?

[HI-TEK]

I highly doubt that CCI is using Hi-Tek.

The blue just came out and is totally different, and there is no white.

Most likely some sort of industrial polymer coating.

Burnt Fingers,
I am amazed, how new "polymer coated casts" suddenly appear, no test reports about their performance, or if they actually do what is required, no accuracy figures and no historical performance results and no safety data.. just a pretty coated alloy.
The Hi-Tek TRUBLU, was advertised about 4-5 months ago, it seems, that CCI did not take long to launch their "Blue" Polymer coating.
It simply amuses me how Hi-Tek has caused such accelerated launches of "alternate" products by several companies since the introduction of Hi-Tek to USA about 7-8 years ago.
Hi-Tek coatings may have made some realise, that this is the way ammo market has to go,
despite Hi-Tek being on the market some 25 plus years outside of the US.
With speeds as listed with CCI, I really don't know, but it seems to suggest, that they may have some concerns, but why should any lube or coating have speed restrictions?.
With Hi-Tek, speeds are not restricted and have worked at over 3000ft/sec.
As others said, with Hi-Tek, you simply coat your own, and it works. Simple....

[slide]

Joe, scroll down in this forum until you come to a thread titled pulled bullets show hi tek removed. Never seen anything like it.

[HI-TEK]

Joe, scroll down in this forum until you come to a thread titled pulled bullets show hi tek removed. Never seen anything like it.

Thanks Slide,
I had previously not subscribed to that thread. Now I do.
I did reply. From what I can see, the coating was shaved by case. I saw a deep grove/ring just below remaining coating. That is suggesting to me that inside edge of case had a sharp edge/ring. When coated cast was pulled, that sharp edge shaved off coating with Lead.
There seems also a reduction of diameter of the cast where coating/Lead was removed.
What I don't understand is, where did the shaved material disappeared to, as it was stated that no residues were inside case?

[Ausglock]

People rarely tell you the full story.........

[Gremlin460]

IPSC rocks... If we were meant to shoot groups, We would be ISSF....(No Way in hell)

Rubbish , when the zombies come, I aint running from window to window to get em all!

[RydForLyf]

I too have the Tru Blu green problem. I’ve spoken to Donnie and just can’t get it to pass the wipe test when blue. My oven is forced air and PID controlled. I also have a thermocouple in a bullet. I start a 2 minute timer when bullet internal temp hits 365. When pulling them out internal temp is near 390. Tomorrow I will attempt to hit internal temp of 180C (356 F) and keep it cooler to see if I can get a true Auburn blue as I too an am alum like Avenger442.

I have a second problem with my green tru blu 9mm Lee 120 gn TC bullets (sized .357) leading badly in a G17 at first magazine. Alloy is COWW with 20% Linotype. I can shoot this all day in my G35 Lee 175 gn TC @.401 without a problem, but have never been able to get the 9mm to shoot clean with hard cast. I really thought HI-TEK was my way out of JHP, but so far, this 9mm round keeps kicking my butt.

Grasping at straws in Georgia

[HI-TEK]

Joe, scroll down in this forum until you come to a thread titled pulled bullets show hi tek removed. Never seen anything like it.

I looked ad a new post, where I saw smash tests. They were just fine.
However, the revelation that there is a groove in casting, is now starting to confirm, that whilst loading, the case seems being folded inwards into that groove forming a lip with inner edge being inside that groove. This inner edge, is far smaller in diameter to the cast, and when cast is pulled, the inner edge of case simply becomes a shaving tool to shave Lead with coating.
There seems to be no other explanation why alloy is shaved clean, and why shaved area is smaller in diameter to the rest of the cast... What is of concern is, that the initial comments was that the case had no residues. I continue to wonder, where is the material that was shaved from the cast when it was pulled? That material needs careful examination to reveal things.

[RydForLyf]

Replying to Avenger442

Oven temp 390

5 lbs of bullets going in at 65F room temp.

Removed at 7:30 and they’re green.
Internal bullet temp hit 365 at 5:30. Went 2 minutes more as instructed.

Tomorrow I’ll shoot for 180 internal (356) and try pre-heat.

Something has got to give as I’ve seen the pictures. This one just seems tricky.

[HI-TEK]

Replying to Avenger442

Oven temp 390

5 lbs of bullets going in at 65F room temp.

Removed at 7:30 and they’re green.
Internal bullet temp hit 365 at 5:30. Went 2 minutes more as instructed.

Tomorrow I’ll shoot for 180 internal (356) and try pre-heat.

Something has got to give as I’ve seen the pictures. This one just seems tricky.

Can you advise, about internal bullet temperatures?
Is temperature probe inserted into coated cast or plain Lead?
If your probe is in plain Lead, the actually coated cast can be at greatly different temperature.
Where is your probe located in your tray. Can the heating element burn coating with radiant heat?
The coating you are using, was pre tested several times over about 3 months, by different people and before it was sent to the US.
The baked coating which remained Blue, came out of the oven at 195C. (383F)
I don't know or understand, why suddenly such results are totally different now.

[Ausglock]

I

I have a second problem with my green tru blu 9mm Lee 120 gn TC bullets (sized .357) leading badly in a G17 at first magazine. Alloy is COWW with 20% Linotype. I can shoot this all day in my G35 Lee 175 gn TC @.401 without a problem, but have never been able to get the 9mm to shoot clean with hard cast. I really thought HI-TEK was my way out of JHP, but so far, this 9mm round keeps kicking my butt.

Grasping at straws in Georgia

What dies are you using? I can run 2,6,92 alloy sized .357 in a G17 and a G34 all day.
But use a Lee FC die and I get leading within 5 rounds.


As for the Blue. drop your temp and increase the time. Be sure that the heating elements are no closer than 4 inches from your casts. radiant heat will cause green easily.

[Avenger442]

Thanks for posting as requested RydForLyf.

I have not gone back to testing the blue after first go around. Been doing a lot in my spare time lately. I'm going to give it another go with some fresh acetone, fresh cast and lower time sometime soon. My last temp was 190C on the PID so I'm not sure I can lower the temp any more and still get 180C. My oven has shields to prevent the coils from directly heating bullets. And I'm using two K probes mounted in two coated bullets for temp sensing. I need to check Trevor's 4" from those coils. I may not be able to get that in my oven on top and bottom coils.

Joe before you say it, yes I understand 180 C for two minutes.

And Trevor that FC is factory crimp right. I don't shoot 9mm but have been thinking about it lately. And I don't own a Lee factory crimp die so that is good to know.

[Ausglock]

Yep... The Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die... ruins more cast 9mm rounds than anything else.

[kevin c]

As for the Blue. drop your temp and increase the time. Be sure that the heating elements are no closer than 4 inches from your casts. radiant heat will cause green easily.

That's good to know. My counter top convection unit isn't that big, and like avenger's, has elements above and below. Some experimentation may be in order.

[slide]

I have the tru blue. I baked it just as I bake all the other hi tek colors. It came out blue. RydForLyf can you describe your thermometer and thermocouple set up? I am trying to learn how to post photos but so far no luck. I have elements on the top and the bottom.

[Ausglock]

you can see in my oven where the tray of bullets is placed. this oven has top and bottom elements. one tray get baked in this oven. 195deg C for 12 minutes.


In this oven, there is an element around the fan at the back and one on the top that are active. 2 trays get baked at once in this oven. 200deg C for 7 1/2 minutes.


Both ovens get the trays turned 180 deg at the 1/2 time mark. This prevents colour variation due to hotspots.