Something Different- Hi Tek coated Monoliths

[SAndy37]

We manufacture a very accurate brass monlith 5.56 bullet in 55gr. We also are working on using Hi tek on our handgun bullets out here in the third world. Attached pic is some coated (LHS) and uncoated(RHS) 5.56 Monos. Initial test results were pretty special. We had thought that there might be a difference in performance- and we were right- the HI Tek coated monos were faster (+80fps average), more consistant (61 FPS ES vs 167 fps ES over 20 shots) and noticeably more accurate than the raw brass. (No measurement done- that is purely an observation over 500 of each in a range session) We were pretty surprised- we did the exercise because we could, and not because we expected such a great improvement, as early on we saw a lot of the coating being scraped off in seating the bullets. A small adjustment in the seating process (add one M- die) eliminated that and got us to these early results. (For the record, 3 coats of an early black powder- 2X, added marginally to diameter, from 0.2235 to just under 0.224)
The biggest issue we have found is trying to clean up the machined brass as the process uses soluble cutting oil- acetone works but is a disposal hazard. We found that a run through a domestic dishwasher with dishwasher powder and the machine set on maximun solves that problem.
I hope this adds to the conversations here- I have benefitted so much from the input of other participants in this forum as a lurker that I felt its important to share some of the obscure results we have achieved in the interests of stimulating new conversation and as a small contribution to the exceptional community here.

[SAndy37]

Pic of the early prototype 5.56 brass monolith, obviously before coating.

[475AR]

Very interesting, I have thought I might try to coat jacketed bullets to see if there was a benefit to it. I have coated swedged lead bullets that have worked great, I am also testing some bullets that I sized before coating just to see if it works? I think experimenting is a fundamental part of reloading (as long as it is done safely.) I love all of the out of the box thinking done on this site and when people share their experiences. Guess I will have to coat some jacketed bullets and experiment some.

[HI-TEK]

Very interesting, I have thought I might try to coat jacketed bullets to see if there was a benefit to it. I have coated swedged lead bullets that have worked great, I am also testing some bullets that I sized before coating just to see if it works? I think experimenting is a fundamental part of reloading (as long as it is done safely.) I love all of the out of the box thinking done on this site and when people share their experiences. Guess I will have to coat some jacketed bullets and experiment some.

Many years ago, one of the commercial caster guys here coated with Hi-Tek both Jacketed ammo and Plated ammo. It worked just fine and, no Copper residues were inside Barrels. Unfortunately, rifle use in Aus. is very low volume and not much demand for coated jacketed ammo, so commercial guys dont do it.

[runfiverun]

why do I get on here and read this stuff.
I have been swaging bullets for next springs varmint shooting for the last few days and I was sitting there thinking about giving this a try.
I wasn't sure I could get the Hi-Tek to stick to the jackets well or evenly.

[SAndy37]

why do I get on here and read this stuff.
I have been swaging bullets for next springs varmint shooting for the last few days and I was sitting there thinking about giving this a try.
I wasn't sure I could get the Hi-Tek to stick to the jackets well or evenly.

We are baking up a new batch as I type this. The secret seems to be in getting the swaged bullets properly clean and oil and contaminant free first. We are using a domestic dishwasher on the most aggressive cycle and it seems to work, you really need to find a way to flush the contaminants away and washing in a bucket or similar will just reapply them from the meniscus when you tip them out.
this batch- second coat baking and done in 1.02, 1.01....minutes is looking much better- we have had to adapt the measurement of hi tek solution to the higher surface area and lower density of these bullets a bit, but thin, dry coats are working very well in this batch. Also, our agitation on application of the solution to coat has been moderated to reduce the amount of existing coating that gets bumped off compared to lead cast bullets.

[runfiverun]

the swaging lube is a pain to get off.
I use a mineral spirit wash to cut the lanolin down then tumble in media in my wet system tumbler.
I think a second wash with acetone and a grease cutting detergent wash might do the trick.

[dikman]

An interesting problem. Removing lanolin isn't that easy, it's a very good lube, and for coating you obviously need the surface squeaky clean! There are some very good industrial solvents available these days, unfortunately they all tend to be what might be considered as on the "nasty side" of things as far as hooman beans are concerned.
Perhaps a 3-stage system might work - gasoline , then mineral spirits/paint thinners/acetone (all or one of the above) and a final tumbling wash?

A dishwasher sounds good, albeit an expensive bit of kit for the home brewer. Using the one in the kitchen might not be a good idea? (Although after the final wash it might work ok).

[runfiverun]

lanolin isn't really a grease or oil it's more like a wax.
the mineral spirits seem to cut it pretty well but there is always that little bit left.

[RP]

So it sounds like hot water and soap may be the trick along with flushing as a dishwasher will do. So boiling them with some added soap and letting it over flow to remove the wax ? like cleaning the lube out of a sizer.

[runfiverun]

the dishwashing soap might have something to do with it.
I have used citric acid to strip moly coating off bullets before, then spun them through the pin tumbler to finish the job.
maybe the higher phosphorus content?

maybe some low suds Tide in the wet tumbler would do the job?

[HI-TEK]

the dishwashing soap might have something to do with it.
I have used citric acid to strip moly coating off bullets before, then spun them through the pin tumbler to finish the job.
maybe the higher phosphorus content?

maybe some low suds Tide in the wet tumbler would do the job?

To remove greasy/oily residues, I would try laundry washing machine powder in very hot Water, (may be boiling hot), and rinse off well. You may have to use several new mixes of hot laundry wash powder/Water mixes, to re wash and rinse again, so each new wash is progressively removing any trace residues.
A couple or three washes with a hot washing solution should do the trick, (hopefully).
Will be interesting experiment at least.

[RP]

I was tumble cleaning my brass with had to much lube on them and got a black gunk on the brass that just was plain nasty. Instead of dawn I used cascade and it cleaned right up. Also when I worked on cars if the transmission cooler leaked into the coolant system it would make a real nasty mess regular flushing did nothing. But you could fill the system with water and add some cascade to it and run the engine until it got up to temp then drain. Most of the time about doing this two times all the oil would be gone out of the system.

[SAndy37]

Some eye candy for a Tuesday... Hi Tek coated brass projectiles..

[Ausglock]

Sweet....

[dikman]

Look like the ends of my wife's rolling pin .

How do the aerodynamics compare to a "conventional" shape?