New guy introduction

[Col Tom]

Hello, all. And thanks. Everything (what little) I know about casting and coating bullets has come from those of you active on this forum. While I've watched (lurked?) for longer than a year, I've just started producing powder coated bullets. Today I left some Harbor Freight reviews, so I thought I should intro myself here. Please move my post if it's in the wrong place.
In short, I've smelted range lead from my local range. Cast bullets for 380 Auto, 9mm Luger, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP cartridges using the Lyman Mag 25 furnace, Saeco & Lyman molds. I then ESPC using the Harbor Freight gun and HF powder coat paints. I cure powder coat in a Hamilton Beach countertop convection oven. I reload cartridges on the Hornady LnL AP press, using mostly Bullseye and TiteGroup powders over Federal primers (I've been reloading for about 3 years). It took months for me to get it together, but I've had good results and virtually no problems because I've followed what worked, and what didn't, here on Castboolits. So, thanks! I'll try to load a photo, but I'm new at this forum contributor thing.

[Col Tom]

Here's a photo of some samples. The powder coat is a mix of HF Matte Black and Red. I'm going to try the HF White & Matte Black to get a gray. I haven't done it yet because thus far I've only reproduced what I learned has worked for others on Castboolits.

[RP]

Good to see someone saved themselves some trouble learning form others that have shared their ups and downs fine tuning coatings. Those bullets look good to me nice work.

[Dragonheart]

Why try to re-invent the wheel? I am more than willing to use ideas from others, just temper with your own logic.

[retread]

Welcome. You are right, this place is a wealth of information. I too did a lot of "stickie" reading and post reading before I chimed in. Again welcome aboard.

Jay(retread)

[ryokox3]

Welcome Col Tom,

The boolits do look nice. Not sure if you will get a gray with Black and white rather than a speckle, but then again they will shoot just the same regardless of how your powders behave. A speckle effect might even look nice.

[Col Tom]

Appreciate the welcome. This evening I tried a 3:1 powder coat mix of HF white and HF matte black. Applied to 225 gr Saeco RN that I size at .451 for 45 ACP cartridge loads. They came out mostly gray with a bit of a speckle. I like the look and will probably use as my standard coating. I baked about 100 bullets at 400 deg for 20 minutes split between two trays. The upper tray bullets took on a brownish tinge. I'm guessing they were too close to the heating element. Otherwise, all went well.

[dilly]

I've done the HF black and HF white mix before myself. I was able to get it to tumble, though reports say that I'm in the minority there. It can be made to look like an acceptable color neutral coating that doesn't draw any attention, for those who dislike the colors. Looks about like lead to people who don't really look carefully at the range.

You having any trouble getting the loaded rounds to feed reliably? Sometimes my powder coated stuff gets to thick at the nose and causes me grief in the semiautos.

[Col Tom]

No problems yet, but I have very limited experience. I've only fired 100 122gr Saeco RN. Very accurate. Fed reliably. No leading or powder coat residue in barrel. But I played the odds by using my Ruger SR9. It's been 100% as long as I've owned it. The real test will be running the rounds through my Kimber Solo--that's a finicky gun. As far as the gray powder coat, I'm going for a low cost neutral powder coat color myself. The HF white/black mix didn't adhere as well as the HF red/black mix, but it worked well enough. I read enough troubles with tumble coating that I went straight to ESPC from the beginning. I'm sure higher quality powder would be easier to work, but I'm OK with Harbor Freight. I'm trying to make real the myth that I'm saving/will be saving money by casting and reloading.

[badbob454]

nice work and welcome aboard... now to share your knowledge , and carry on

[Walter Laich]

♫ Ground control to Col. Tom, ♪

Welcome to the fun and games