What alloys are you using with Powder coated bullets

[cowpuncher]

Howdy gents,

I've seen several guys around here, particularly Bangerjim several times, state that they are mixing their alloys for powder coated bullets to be strong enough for a given caliber/pressure without water dropping. I've also seen several other guys who are water dropping. Also, just about everybody says that all things being equal - you can use a softer alloy when you powder coat your bullets than you could otherwise.

What I have not seen yet, is a thread where everybody lists what alloys they are using with a given pressure or caliber. Seems like that might be a really handy thread to have for newbies, and for the experts to compare and contrast what they are doing.

So guys, what are you using for a given caliber or pressure range? Also, are you water dropping it when you take the PC bullets out of the oven? I have just started powder coating, so I'm definitely not one of the experts, but I've gleaned enough to at least have my starting point for what I want to try:

38 special: (hollow points with Erik Ohlen modified Lee 358-158-RF bullets): 25:1 alloy
357 Magnum: (Ohlen modified Lee 358-158-RF Hollow points): COWW/Pure 50/50 and 2.5%/2.5%/95%
40S&W: Coww/Pure 50/50 and 2.5/2.5/95
44 magnum: COWW/Pure 50/50 and 2.5/2.5/95
45acp: 25:1, COWW/Pure 50/50, and 2.5/2.5/95

I'm not water dropping any of it, though I'm thinking about water dropping some for the magnum calibers just to see if I wind up with more accuracy when I start my loading. For now I'm just powder coating most of my stash.

So... what are you guys using?

[jabo52521]

I'm not near as precise as you are. For the last few months been using 90% COWW and 10% linotype for everything. Seems to work for me. No leading no fuss.
Jabo52521

[cowpuncher]

What is "everything?" Jabo? What calibers are you shooting in that alloy? What I'm wanting to do here is make a list of what alloys are working for guys with powder coat in different calibers, at different pressure ranges, etc. Also, are you water dropping those COWW+Lino bullets?

[RP]

PC is not a fix all for alloys for the most part it is a lube. The alloy will react to pressures with or without the PC softer to pure will still be soft after PC so pressures if high enough will expand the base of the bullet as it is being pushed. What PC is allowing is the shooting of softer alloys without the leading and fixing the leading problems others have had with some of their rounds. Plus it cuts the smoke if the smoke you are getting is from your lube gunpowder smoke will still be there.

I think to answer your ? you can shoot a softer alloy and avoid the leading they you may get with reg lead. DISCLAIMER some will not agree with my statement others will This is what I have found and with reading others results logic has lead me to this way of thinking and that's my only proof.

[cowpuncher]

What I am really looking for here is a list of calibers guys are powder coating for.... And what alloys they are having good luck with in those calibers. Thought it might be a handy thread to have around.

[iMigraine]

I'm using isotope lead with a Brinell hardness level of 8.5 to 9. This is for 9mm using Lee 356-125-2R which drops at 130gn boolits. Resized for my SA 1911 Range Officer at 0.3565 and loaded with 3.8 gns of Bullseye is giving me nice groups. Plan to try 0.3577 to see if any accuracy is improved. Water dropping doesn't seem to matter since I only add a little tin.

[marvelshooter]

Air cooled NOE 309-169FN cast from 50/50 mix of coww's and range lead in a .30/06 over 32 grains of h4895. No leading.

[twc1964]

Im using range scrap which tests to 9bhn, add a bit if tin and water drop. Im getting 10.5bhn and then i pc em. I use this in all my pistols, 38spl, 9mm, 45acp. Works fine for me.

[bstone5]

The 92-6-2 mixture is what I purchase from Lead Products here in Houston.
Usually get 300 pounds at a time cost varies from time to time.
Works for all the bullets cast with the automated Master Caster.
Purchasing a large amount at a time saves some on the cost and will last a few months.

[cowpuncher]

I'm using isotope lead with a Brinell hardness level of 8.5 to 9. This is for 9mm using Lee 356-125-2R which drops at 130gn boolits. Resized for my SA 1911 Range Officer at 0.3565 and loaded with 3.8 gns of Bullseye is giving me nice groups. Plan to try 0.3577 to see if any accuracy is improved. Water dropping doesn't seem to matter since I only add a little tin.

Out of curiosity, what kind of velocity are you getting with that load?

Thanks for the responses guys, hope some of the others chime in as well.

[robertbank]

I have been using WW alloy with some 50-50 solder added on just about everything I shoot. With PC my experience to date is limited to handgun shooting 38spl/357mag & 9MM. No leading to date. I have abunch of 44mag, 45Colt & 40S&W to shoot when time permits. I don;t expect any problems. I have quite a bit of 9MM bullets with HI-TEK coating that were giving me leading. I load them using GC's from pop cans and leading is eliminated. The HI-TEK issues were mine not the products. I went to the gas checks to solve the leading as I did not want to toss the bullets that were leading up the barrel.

Bob

[RobsTV]

Nothing changed here since switching to PC as far as alloy, but am able to skip the gas checks now.

Basically down to two alloys, pistol and rifle. Gave up on oven heat treated before switching to PC as seemed to only make accuracy worse, and not worth the extra trouble. While I do water quench PC boolits now, it is only to allow instant handling, not affecting hardness as they are not cooked long enough to matter.

Pistol is 2/1.5/96.5, 10.5 BHN. Used with everything from around 1200fps or less, 380acp to 40 S&W, and all HP's. Also just started testing 357 magnum in 3" J-Frame 125gr HP at 1500fps, no/GC.

Rifle is 2/5/93, 13.7 BHN. Used with 16" 300BLK at 155/1950fps no/GC, 8" S&W 500 at 440/1350fps no/GC, M1 30 carbine at 110/1800fps no/GC. Also use for 40 S&W in carbine, no/GC.

[ioon44]

I use 6-2-92 alloy for all my pistol casting, softer alloy will work in most cases but 9mm works a lot better with harder alloy.
I have used PC and HI-TEK coatings, over all HI-TEK is the better way to go.

6-2-92 is just easer for me to get and use and I can adjust it up or down if I want to.

[bangerjim]

What I am really looking for here is a list of calibers guys are powder coating for.... And what alloys they are having good luck with in those calibers. Thought it might be a handy thread to have around.

223, 9, 30, 38/357, 40S&W, 44Mag, 45ACP, 45LC......is that enough cal's for ya?

I cast, PC, and shoot a 10-12 alloy for all those cals. Perfect results. No WD here!!!!!!! All sub-sonic.

If I plan sonic loads I will up the mix to ~14-16 and PC.. Again......NO WD here!

Get a good hardness tester if you are really loosing sleep on your boolit hardness. And do not get lost in the weeds on hardness!

And.........get and use the free alloy calculator on here. I use it a LOT!

banger

[rsrocket1]

I use reclaimed shot from the trap/skeet range. Yes, I know it can be more valuable as shotshell shot, but at < 90 cents a pound, it is cheaper than scrounging around the for sale ads at >$1 per pound. Powder coating alleviates the need for caring about hardness in pistol rounds and while I do water drop the boolits from my mold, I only do this because with a 6 cavity mold, dropping them on a towel makes a big pile so fast that there is soon no more room to drop the boolits. The bucket of water and towel also acts as a nice reservoir to cool the mold every few drops.

[robertbank]

I use reclaimed shot from the trap/skeet range. Yes, I know it can be more valuable as shotshell shot, but at < 90 cents a pound, it is cheaper than scrounging around the for sale ads at >$1 per pound. Powder coating alleviates the need for caring about hardness in pistol rounds and while I do water drop the boolits from my mold, I only do this because with a 6 cavity mold, dropping them on a towel makes a big pile so fast that there is soon no more room to drop the boolits. The bucket of water and towel also acts as a nice reservoir to cool the mold every few drops.

Perfect.

Bob

[fredj338]

I use range scrap, about 10Bbhn, for all my handgun needs.

[Smoke4320]

I use 50/50/2 on all rifle rds less than 1600FPS ...98/2 over that and gas checks over 2000 FPS
about 10 calibers from 6.5 up to and including 45-70 and 458 socom
all my pistol rds are 50/50/2

[popper]

After experiments, large AC isocore with Cu for 9,40, 300BO, full jacketed fps, no GC. 3-4% Sb, Cu, As &. H/T for 308 ~2700 fps. Plan to test 2% Cu in a month or so.

[iMigraine]

Since I don't have a chrono I don't know. Eventually I'd like to get one but it's not that important at the moment. 3.8 gns of Bullseye is a mid range load from what I saw in the reloading manuals.