Do you lube or powder coat the cast boolits?

[blikseme300]

I do both but pc more. If I want to go faster (over 2000 fps) I lube(PC also) and use Simple Lube. For some reason that lube(on PC) works for me at higher speeds, 1800 and above. I used to use Bens Red but Simple Lube won my affection in the long run.

My experience as well. Using lube over PC with PB CB's allowed me to load to much higher velocities in rifles. I voted other as there is no option for both.

[alamogunr]

I size and lube only. I'm retired and have whatever time is required and really don't need another process that requires materials and equipment. Besides, over time I've acquired 3 lube/sizers.

I also tumble lube, mostly handgun boolits to be shot at low velocities. It seems most of those are wadcutters.

[8mmFan]

I have only ever used tumble lube with straight Lee Liquid Alox, on every kind of bullet. Seems to have always worked well, though it is kind of messy.

[waco]

I have done it all. Powder coat has it's place for sure. Ever have a pesky Lee mold that you like everything about EXCEPT it drops boolits .001" too small? PC fixes that!
I still prefer to lube rifle boolits. I use a lot of BLL lately. If you have not tried this stuff you owe it to yourself.

[Doggonekid]

I have just sized and lubed for 40 years. I have been powder coating for 3 years. I still can't get away from sizing and lubing also. So I guess I am just anal because I lube and PC. I like they way they look and stack in boxes. They don't lead and they shoot straight. All my cast loads are for handguns. Never had problems with any of them.

[finstr]

I've only started casting a few years ago and tumble lubed the first few batches until I found pc. Powder coating definitely takes a little more effort but the results are worth it. I have found that really soft boolits are more accurate when PC'd and I don't have to be choosy at all about my alloy type. I don't search for Linotype or use strictly clip on weights. I have cast straight soft lead with great results as long as they're powder coated. It's like shooting plastercine lol. I think obturation is a key factor with really soft PC'd slugs. Plus the PC is very slippery so I can load em hot and not get into overpressure.

[JohnH]

I voted lube and other as you did not allow for tumble lube. I tried PC for while and find it both messy and time consuming. I was using the shake and bake method and found that I had to size afterward (or before) to get boolits to run through my dies right. As well, in the time that it take me to coat and bake a 100 boolits I can run 'em through a sizer and be loading. If I tumble lube, I can do it in the morning, do other things while they set up and then load that evening. PC takes constant attention and I can't tell that I get any better product for the work. All my schutzen is through handguns (1000 fps and under, mostly under) and rifles, bolt and lever guns at 1800 and less, mostly less. For the extra effort, I just don't get any benefit from PC

[pastorcurtis]

I fiddled around with various recipes for lube, various consistencies of alox + mineral spirits, slugging bores, reaming out sizers....never did get completely leading free bores on a couple guns I like to shoot....now I shake and bake powder coat, all is well, and I can use my beeswax for better things. For me, Powder Coating Makes Boolits Great Again.

Pastor Curtis

[vrh]

I Powder Coat all of my cast bullets. Cleaner and no leading. Can't say that about lubed cast bullets. Some people would still be happy with spears and rocks to throw. Me....I am enjoying this new method.

[6622729]

Online it seeming like powder coating is to becoming very popular thing with cast boolits. So, do you lube or powder coat your bullets?

I don't know if I agree with that. I think there is a lot of conversation and videos of PC because there is so much more to it. Lube is so simple.

[gloob]

PC only benefits my revolvers and blowback pistols by making less smoke. My solution is I shoot my revo's only outdoors. I don't shoot my blowback pistols. And I shoot tons of lubed boolits thru my Glocks and rifles. Out of locked breech guns and rifles, PC is not cleaner, at all, IMO. Difference is nil. Of course this is only if you size and load 'em right, and if you don't have defective barrel with a stricture or a loose chamber that lets out lube smoke before the case seals to the chamber. When you figure it all out, cast/jacketed... no difference.

[Engieman]

Both. Better with PC, still working out the bugs with HT. And still doing it the old fashioned way with the lubricant-sizer

[Down South]

I lube. I'm not having any problems with cast boolits so I don't plan to gear up for PC.

[alamogunr]

Glad to see that I'm not the only one that plans to stay in the lube camp. I've got enough "stuff" in the shop and really don't have room for any more.

[Down South]

Glad to see that I'm not the only one that plans to stay in the lube camp. I've got enough "stuff" in the shop and really don't have room for any more.

You did a good job of nailing my thoughts.

[retread]

I PC (ESPC) but at times I don't have the time to set up and bake so I go to my Lyman 450 and crank out some boolits to load. I enjoy both. Both shoot well. PC is a bit more time consuming (using ESPC) but what I like is the clean final product. No sticky fingers.

[dverna]

The one downside to PC for me, besides not having any problems with normal lubes, is that it should not be done indoors in an unventilated space. The last thing I want to do during good weather is coat bullets. I do almost all my reloading during the winter.

Don Verna

[Motor]

I haven't lubed a cartridge boolit since trying PC. After I shoot all my lubed ML boolits I'll try PC in it too. But that may take several years.

[BAGTIC]

I have been tumble lubing with JPW for about 35 years now. I don't know how many years I have left but I expect to be doing the same when my reservations get cancelled.

[gloob]

I am first to admit that not all of my guns will shoot cast bullets perfectly cleanly. Some leave fouling. And some guns (revos and blowbacks) make a lot of smoke with cast bullets. Rather than go thru trouble of powder coat, I shoot the guns that like cast bullets. I'm lucky that I prefer shooting these guns, anyhow.

I have tried powder coat on rifle bullets. Even here, I give up on cost/time/benefit. I rather stick to under 1800 fps for my main cast load and just buy jacketed bullets for full velocity. Considering effort/time, I might as well paper patch. In that I know I can make a full velocity load if I need to, but I'm not going to make that my bread and butter load for target/plinking/fun. I'm also not sure I can do any better than a premium jacketed bullet for say hunting (I don't have a 45-70!). If my cast loads are inferior, regarding terminal effect, why does it matter if they're slower? If they're accurate, I'm done. However far I can shoot them and w/e I could hunt with them, there's a limit, and that limit is fine.