Isit worth Powder Coating apart from purely cosmetic reasons?

[braddock]

I've kitted myself out with the gear to powder coat boolits but I'm starting to wonder if I've done the right thing.
I've seen a fistfull of youtubes where PC loads were tested alongside identical loads except that the latter were plain lubed (in most cases it was with Lees liquid alox) and the PC loads were always significantly down on velocity and showed no improvement in accuracy.
I wanted to PC my boolits in 30 cal and 357 formy three carbines and tbh I'm having serious second thoughts.
Can anyone convince me that these youtubes were bs or why they aren't bs and liqid alox is the way to go.

[Finster101]

It is to me. Cleaner on my hands when loading mags, no smoke from lube and being capable of faster velocities if desired. I hated the mess of using a lube sizer and handling the boolits afterward. Don't understand the claims of PC being down on velocity.

[2TM101]

I powder coat everything for Smokeless now. Not only cleaner shooting and cleaner handling, especially in the case of tumble lubed stuff, but you wind up touching lead a lot less. Powder coated bullets also don't lead the bore, at least significantly. I have recovered the bullets downrange and all of the powder coating is still on them, so I don't see where any lead could have come off.

I DO pan lube for black powder carts but thats for powder fouling and not leading. Now I have seen cases of bullets powder coated, pan lubed AND have a gas check on them. Apparently it gives you a velocity advantage to do all three but I have no idea how much.

[Nines&Twos]

I have one mold in particular that drops a gorgeous little 200g bullet measuring .4505-.451
P/C makes this large enough to shoot extremely well and I don't have to fool with clumsy beagleing methods or lapping out the mold.
The only place I have seen P/C be a nuisance is with a snug bore rider. I got rid of all my bore rider molds long ago and problem solved.
I wouldn't go back to lubing a cast bullet if I was given a new Star for every caliber. ..but to each his own.

[Thumbcocker]

I can see where it would be viable for someone just getting into casting on a limited budget. If I was just getting started I would look real hard at it.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[fordwannabe]

I have a lyman 45 still bolted to my bench but it may well rust in place. I have not seen a velocity decrease at all, in most of my boolits it has increased the velocity for the same charge. I also love the ability to custom size each mold due to powder thickness. I was just handling some red lubed 50-90 bullets for my friends rolling block. It reiterated why I love PC, sticky gooey messy bullets. I have LOTS of different powders for PC but I but the clear about 3 to one for all the others. AND with PC I can use lead bullets in my suppressed guns without worrying about lead buildup.

[Bass Ackward]

Better than 70 years ago, Speer taught us the benefit of a “jacketed” bullet. It eliminates almost everything you need to know or understand outside of reloading and molding. All we did was trade jacketed material that we couldn’t apply ourselves to one we can.

[Kraschenbirn]

While I pan-lube for all my BPCR calibers, I've been powder coating everything else for several years without encountering any disadvantage. In my experience, accuracy is about a 50-50 toss-up (I zeroed a new scope on one of my .308s this morning and my 200-yd groups with PC'd boolits averaged just a smidge under 3" CTC.) and, regardless of what's on YouTube, my (rifle) MVs actually chrono 2%-3% higher with PC.

Bill

[405grain]

braddock: Though youtube videos can be very informative, there are also videos that claim that the pyramids were built by space aliens, or that you can make a birthday cake using nothing but peanut butter and mayonnaise. you'll find just as many videos for powder coating as you will against it. There are lots of benefits to powder coating. You'll have to decide if it's the right process for you. Second guessing something even before you've tried it will only hold you back from the enjoyment of adventure and discovery. Give it a shot and see if you like it. Better yet, if you have facilities to do both lubed and powder coated bullets, make both and do your own side by side comparison to see which works best for you.

[Walter Laich]

living in The Republic I can say our summers are a mite warm. PC doesn't melt like the lube did.

also machines stay cleaner without the lube getting all over them

[Nines&Twos]

also machines stay cleaner without the lube getting all over them

No kidding...who misses a loaded up seating die? Not this guy.

[jdgabbard]

Man, I wasn't sure about it either. It seemed like a lot of hassle, and extra equipment to deal with, not to mention adding another step... Then I did it......

Let me tell you, THIS IS THE WAY. You don't have to mess with a lubesizer, top punches, or figuring out which lube works best for which bullet. You don't have to worry about as much lead exposure since the bullets are coated. That means you can touch them without having to worry about washing your hands ever few minutes, you can shoot them at indoor ranges without upsetting the range officers, you don't have to worry about your tumble lube picking up debris.... The list really does go on and on...

You cast, you tumble in a your powder with some airsoft BBs, bake at 400-415 for 30 minutes after getting to temperature, then use a push through sizer. If you need a gascheck, seat your checks then run through the sizer. I'm seriously starting to wonder if gaschecks are even needed anymore for rounds under 2000fps....

Lots of people are holding out, but the truth is THIS IS THE WAY.

[2TM101]

While I pan-lube for all my BPCR calibers, I've been powder coating everything else for several years without encountering any disadvantage. In my experience, accuracy is about a 50-50 toss-up

And the follow on question is at what point do you need powder coating AND a gas check. I just watched some videos on how to make plain base gas checks and put them on. Almost looks like what we used to call half or quarter jacketed bullets. But no specific numbers given. I was hoping to find something like "powder coat is good to 1800 fps, add a gas check and good to 2400" or some such. Or just gas check =+?fps.

[Bazoo]

The main attraction to me for PCing is: It will bump the diameter of a slightly underside bullet, and that it will allow you to shoot lead bullets through a gun with minor dimensional issues without leading.

It may be cleaner, but, that isn't an issue for me. I generally use lubed bullets anywhere I can.

[braddock]

braddock: Though youtube videos can be very informative, there are also videos that claim that the pyramids were built by space aliens, or that you can make a birthday cake using nothing but peanut butter and mayonnaise. you'll find just as many videos for powder coating as you will against it. There are lots of benefits to powder coating. You'll have to decide if it's the right process for you. Second guessing something even before you've tried it will only hold you back from the enjoyment of adventure and discovery. Give it a shot and see if you like it. Better yet, if you have facilities to do both lubed and powder coated bullets, make both and do your own side by side comparison to see which works best for you.

You're dang right. I should have thought that myself.I'll give it a swing as I have time to knock out a couple hundred 358 and 309 boolits on Thursday, just hope I get the mix of pure lead, range lead and linotype just so.

[porthos]

well, i don't mind getting my hands dirty; and, my bullets go as fast as i want them to go.....

[Finster101]

well, i don't mind getting my hands dirty; and, my bullets go as fast as i want them to go.....

HEATHEN !

[P Flados]

I found Powder coat a valuable tool and use it for all of my higher power cast bullet ammo.

I have been able to obtain zero leading loads with powder coat for full power 44 magnum, 357 Maximum, 357 Magnum, 9mm, 327 Fed, 300 BO, 30 Herrett, 7 TCU. For these applications, my attempts at using tumble lube did not achieve zero leading.

Tumble lube is much easier and I use it for lower power level stuff. This is mostly for 45 ACP, 38 Special, 380, various 32s, low power 9mm (one specific gun), and "mouse fart" loads in 7 TCU & 30 Herrett.

On the flip side, it took a bunch of effort to get leading free performance in 9mm even with PC. Some magnum revolvers can also be problematic. If your bullets are too small and cartridge pressure is high enough, blow by past a PC bullet can still result in bad leading.

[charlie b]

I use PC on all my pistol bullets. No need for gas checks at the velocities I shoot (..357mag).

For rifles it depends on the bullet. My bore riders I like to PC, but, it takes a lot more work, cast, size body, size nose, PC, size nose, size body. When sub-MOA is the goal sometimes it takes more effort.

OTOH, my most used rifle bullet is a 'std' shape (XCB) and is convential lube (RCBS sizer). Much faster to make them.

Accuracy is a toss up. I've shot PC and conventional sized the same with the same loads on same day. My most accurate load has been the PC bore rider, but, it is just barely better (even out to 500yd). Most would not notice the difference unless many rounds were fired.

[Hillbillyhunter]

I like coated bullets for all of the reasons already stated. I don't see going back. I do still load uncoated bullets, but usually only when I get them in an estate or yard sale find as part of a bigger package.