Do you lube or powder coat the cast boolits?

[Eddie1971]

Powder coating using the shake and bake method is made easier with more expensive powders. I found that Harbor Freight powder was finicky with containers and temperatures, whereas Eastwood powders, while a few bucks more, goes on perfect all the time for me regardless.

[Chainsaw.]

I lubed and sized since back in the 90's. I tried powder coating recently, because it's supposed "cleaner." That might be true once it's in the gun, but nobody seems to talk about what an absolute pig mess the powder itself can be in your kitchen or outside on a windy day.

What in the world is your procedure? Shouldn’t be messy at all. You spraying or shake n bake?

[Burnt Fingers]

I've used nothing but PC or Hi-Tek in the past few years. Maybe if I had been able to score a bottle of Johnson's wax I might have tried that. My results with PC and Hi-Tek have been outstanding.

[gwpercle]

I don't understand the poll... The numbers don't seem to add up.

Voters : 544

Lubers - 329
PCers - 234
Others - 47

If you add 329 + 234 + 47 = 610 why doesn't this add up to 544

Look at the percentages .....60.48 + 43.01 + 8.76 that = 112.13% !

In 1967 I was taught that
1.)you couldn't have more than 100% of anything
2.) If 544 people took the poll the number of voters can't be 610 .

Is this the "new math" or the new way votes are counted like in political elections.
My old teachers would be amazed to see 2 + 2 no longer = 4...
Call me numbers confused also...but it doesn't add up !

[Camper64]

It's a multiple choice poll.

Boxes usually indicate multiple choice where as circles usually indicate single choice.

[gwpercle]

It's a multiple choice poll.

Boxes usually indicate multiple choice where as circles usually indicate single choice.

I was taught to vote once...next time I'll vote for all three.

This is why polls don't mean doodly squat the numbers don't add up! Polls lie.

[unique]

Change Other to Both and then start over again.

[curioushooter]

I've lubed and paper patched. Every time I look into PC I am left wondering why anybody does it. Ruins an oven. Become dependant on particular coatings which can change (I keep bees so I always have wax). And there is sizing. Not every mold throws bullets right sized for every gun. My Lube-a-matic sizes and lubes at one pass. If I am going to handle bullets one at a time, which sizing requires, might was well as get it lubed, too. I spent years struggling with Lee tumble lube designs, not sizing, and pan lubing because I didn't want to spend $ on a lubrisizer or lubamatic...the answer is swappin' n' sellin' or ebay.

[gwpercle]

I've lubed and paper patched. Every time I look into PC I am left wondering why anybody does it. Ruins and oven. Become dependant on particular coatings which can change (I keep bees so I always have wax). And there is sizing. Not every mold throws bullets right sized for every gun. My Lube-a-matic sizes and lubes at one pass. If I am going to handle bullets one at a time, which sizing requires, might was well as get it lubed, too. I spent years struggling with Lee tumble lube designs, not sizing, and pan lubing because I didn't want to spend $ on a lubrisizer or lubamatic...the answer is swappin' n' sellin' or ebay.

I'm in total agreement with you.
My Lyman 450 was paid for in 1973 and one cycle of the handle pops out a sized , lubricated and gas check seated boolit just as pretty as you please .
Sure beats the sizing , powder coating , baking and sizing again song and dance.
Beeswax and Lithium grease , 3 to 1 ratio , always available .
Gary
Gary

[Burnt Fingers]

I'm in total agreement with you.
My Lyman 450 was paid for in 1973 and one cycle of the handle pops out a sized , lubricated and gas check seated boolit just as pretty as you please .
Sure beats the sizing , powder coating , baking and sizing again song and dance.
Beeswax and Lithium grease , 3 to 1 ratio , always available .
Gary
Gary

I don't size before I PC. Coat, bake, size. That's all it takes.

[curioushooter]

I don't size before I PC. Coat, bake, size. That's all it takes.

Still three steps instead of one.

I take a raw casting, place it in my Lube-a-Matic II, pull the handle, twist the screw (sometimes), and out comes a sized, lubed, and checked (if such a design) bullet.

If PC is anything like TL (tumble-lubing) it needs to re-done after sizing. If anything PC is worse because the layer is much thicker.

Another thing that I don't like about PC is that it anneals the bullet. After getting your alloy at the correct hardness now you are going to soften it in an oven?

Also, what about gas checks?

[gareth96]

As of today... I powder coat

[David2011]

Still three steps instead of one.

I take a raw casting, place it in my Lube-a-Matic II, pull the handle, twist the screw (sometimes), and out comes a sized, lubed, and checked (if such a design) bullet.

If PC is anything like TL (tumble-lubing) it needs to re-done after sizing. If anything PC is worse because the layer is much thicker.

Another thing that I don't like about PC is that it anneals the bullet. After getting your alloy at the correct hardness now you are going to soften it in an oven?

Also, what about gas checks?

PC is not like tumble lubing. The boolits should NOT be sized prior to PC. Some may disagree but when you size the boolit you polish the part where you most want the PC to stick. Unsized they have better tooth to hold the PC.

I do both but for competition loads in my opinion for my needs, PC is better hands down. Particularly in autoloaders, the action stays cleaner and there is no more smoke than from jacketed bullet loads. Neither of those is very important in hunting or slow fire situations where no more than 100-200 rounds is fired in a session but in high rates of fire with prizes at stake I have had the smoke block sight of the targets. At a high round count match it is also a real benefit to not have to clean the gun at lunch just to keep it running.

[white eagle]

Still three steps instead of one.

I take a raw casting, place it in my Lube-a-Matic II, pull the handle, twist the screw (sometimes), and out comes a sized, lubed, and checked (if such a design) bullet.

If PC is anything like TL (tumble-lubing) it needs to re-done after sizing. If anything PC is worse because the layer is much thicker.

Another thing that I don't like about PC is that it anneals the bullet. After getting your alloy at the correct hardness now you are going to soften it in an oven?

Also, what about gas checks?

you should try it before you condemn it
sounds like its a chore to get out of bed

[MaLar]

I voted other because BP loads get grease the rest gets mostly P.C.
Got me thinking of selling one of my RCBS Lube-A-Matic's

[bstone5]

I cast thousands of bullets with an automated Master Caster. I powder coat the cast bullets with a spray gun and cook in a commercial convection oven. Made an air cylinder press to size the cast bullets after powder coating. With the volume of cast bullets powder coating for me was he way to go so as to prepare several thousand cast bullets at a time.

[WardT]

So far only PC

[Lloyd Smale]

maybe its being counted in florida!!

I don't understand the poll... The numbers don't seem to add up.

Voters : 544

Lubers - 329
PCers - 234
Others - 47

If you add 329 + 234 + 47 = 610 why doesn't this add up to 544

Look at the percentages .....60.48 + 43.01 + 8.76 that = 112.13% !

In 1967 I was taught that
1.)you couldn't have more than 100% of anything
2.) If 544 people took the poll the number of voters can't be 610 .

Is this the "new math" or the new way votes are counted like in political elections.
My old teachers would be amazed to see 2 + 2 no longer = 4...
Call me numbers confused also...but it doesn't add up !

[curioushooter]

Clearly some folks do more than one.

[curioushooter]

Still waiting for a cogent reason why PC is better than lubing. I have one: bullets can be different colors to distinguish loads. Could be quite useful at silouette...still haven't seen at any the range yet.

Still wondering what is to be done with gas checks?

How/when is sizing done?

How is PC any any faster if you size one at a time?

It has been claimed that pc smoke less than lubed. I ask...what lube? Felix lube makes no noticeable smoke beyond the powder smoke. I'd expect the same from any beeswax-base lube...beeswax is used in church candles because it is so clean burning. Paint on the other hand makes nasty smoke when it burns...and it will, since it gets on the base.