Boolits Designed for Powder Coating

[shoot-n-lead]

if "pretty good" is good enough, then that's all good and well for you. I prefer to strive for the next level.

Strive all you want...and my will still shoot as well as yours...tough pill to swallow...but, oh, so true.

[old-ager]

Since mold makers sell molds specifically targeting "lubes" it makes sense for them now to make molds targeting "powder coating." Smart vendors will offer such. I've suggested this to Lee. Since my Lee 124 boolits are working with very soft lead, I'm ok for now, but having more surface area available to bite the rifling might be a good thing. Curious if anyone here has noticed improvement after grinding off the "micro grooves."

[Drew P]

Strive all you want...and my will still shoot as well as yours...tough pill to swallow...but, oh, so true.

Sounds like a challenge to me. Send me some and I'll send you some and we can do some real world testing.

I just ordered this mold, it's back in stock!

https://www.mp-molds.com/e-shop/mold...no-lube-groove

[reddog81]

I powder coat all my bullets and have the NOE 9mm Hi-Tek design, but don't really feel compelled to search out any more PC designed / groovesless molds. There are lots of traditional design out there that work already. If anything I'd prefer slightly smaller versions of some of the traditional designs so that when I powder powder coat the final diameter ends up at .358/.359 which would make sizeing slightly easier or optional if in a hurry.

I don't think more bearing surface just for the sake of more bearing is necessarily a good thing.

[Moonie]

I have a straight sided mold and I will say the boolits do rain from it easier than most of my others.

[P Flados]

I Love my flat side boolit molds!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been playing around with making my own straight sided molds. Started with 60 grn plinkers in 30 and then made several for my 327 (55, 90 & 110 grn). They really do cast much easier (drop right out) with very low reject rates. I use the shorties (60 gr 30 and 55 gr 32) for offhand practice at 30 ft. Off bags, the 30s will stay in one ragged hole at 30 ft from my 10" TC Herrett barrel. Between the two guns, I have sent many hundreds of the shorties down range with BLL for lube with no lead buildup at all.

These are by far the easiest high volume boolits I make.

For heavier 327 loads (still just target shooting, but I need some bang - flash - smack as practice for shooting my 357 max offhand), my ASBB HF Red coating allows me to load as hard as I want with no leading.

I also played around with some 0.224 stuff but could not get it to work in my old 10" 222 barrel.

[fredj338]

if "pretty good" is good enough, then that's all good and well for you. I prefer to strive for the next level.

I don't think it is a next level just diff level. There is no evidence that a grooveless bullet is more accurate. Shifting weigh to the rear, not really as the bullet is shorter. It's just another way to skin the cat. A bullet with grooves will have slightly less pressure than a solid bullet, less actually bearing surface. So just diff.

[Smk SHoe]

I have a .40 cal slick side from another mold maker. Most of the time cast, cut sprue and turn upside down. bullets fall out. don't even have to open the mold blocks. and they PC up really nice. not getting rid of my grooved molds but it is another way to skin the cat.

[popper]

All my rifle moulds are semi-grooveless, all pistol are normal grooved. They all do great and all are from Accurate (rifle are custom designs). I only coat or T/L. I can use a softer alloy for HV rifle as no grooves to collapse.
Edit: I have the same 168gr GC mould in 'grooveless' and standard for my 308W. I will state I can use a 'weaker' alloy for the 'grooveless and get same accuracy. Difference is about 1% Sb. That's at jacketed fps. So yues there is an improvement but is it worth the cost of 'new' mould - up to you.

[P Flados]

My new toy. A 165 gr for my 30 Herrett and IHMSA. I made this one the easy way, I used a Lee "blank" mold. I will probably do the other cavity as a 100 - 110 spitzer for chickens / pigs with the 30 Herrett.

[Walter Laich]

Well if I was holding any stock in lube groove companies I'd unload them pretty quick!

I followed your advice and put all my funds from the lube groove companies into buggy whips!

[Dragonheart]

My primary interest is in handguns and I have a number of 9mm & 45 APC loads that out of a Ransom Rest will print under 1.5" at 25 yards using PC bullets with lube grooves. Maybe a non-grooved bullet could tighten that up some, but I don't shoot any better than that and I can't see retiring a mold like my H&G #68 just to buy a new mold.

However, what I believe we need is some under size rifle bullet molds designed for PC bullets that take into account the build up of the coating. With existing molds to size the band and then body to fit the chamber, you have to move a lot of metal, which does not benefit full power loads that are accurate at distance.

[2011redrider]

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/..._campaign=0317

Found this test, a bit limited, but, groved bullets came out w smaller groups.

[308Jeff]

Sounds like a challenge to me. Send me some and I'll send you some and we can do some real world testing.

I just ordered this mold, it's back in stock!

https://www.mp-molds.com/e-shop/mold...no-lube-groove

Did you receive it, and how do you like it if so?

[djgoings]

I would like to see more mold manufacturers making molds that are about .002" smaller than standard ones. For example .450" instead of .452", which would allow very minimal sizing after Powder Coating.

[Moonie]

I would like to see more mold manufacturers making molds that are about .002" smaller than standard ones. For example .450" instead of .452", which would allow very minimal sizing after Powder Coating.

I've found that Frankford Arsenal mold release spray will do exactly this for all your molds and allows you to go back to full size anytime you wish.

[Phlier]

I've found that Frankford Arsenal mold release spray will do exactly this for all your molds and allows you to go back to full size anytime you wish.

Very sorry to revive such an old thread, but...

I have a mold that is throwing 0.005 over size. It should throw .358, but is throwing .363. If it was just two thou smaller, it'd be usable. Does the Frankford Arsenal Mold Release Spray really give you a full two thou smaller bullet? This would truly be wonderful... I love the mold, but the fact that it requires two-step resizing is keeping it on the shelf gathering dust.

[Dragonheart]

Philier, it would be worth a try. When I want to make sure I get an easy release for molds or castings or just to keep the sprue plate and mold clean I use "ANTI-SEIZE TECHNOLOGY 17041 Graphite Spray Dry Aerosol Lubricant, (Net Weight:12 oz.) I purchased it on Amazon. It appears they no longer carry this product, but I would think another vendor selling liquid spray graphite would work as well. I have never measured the build up and doubt it would go .002" unless you do multiple coats.

[Phlier]

Philier, it would be worth a try. When I want to make sure I get an easy release for molds or castings or just to keep the sprue plate and mold clean I use "ANTI-SEIZE TECHNOLOGY 17041 Graphite Spray Dry Aerosol Lubricant, (Net Weight:12 oz.) I purchased it on Amazon. It appears they no longer carry this product, but I would think another vendor selling liquid spray graphite would work as well. I have never measured the build up and doubt it would go .002" unless you do multiple coats.

Thanks, Dragonheart, I may just give it a try. I do have some graphite-in-suspension spray I could use. But I've been a bit concerned about the possibility of closing off the vents if I use enough of it to noticeably decrease the boolit diameter.

Nothing lost by trying it, though.. mold is just gathering dust anyway.

[stubshaft]

I have a Mihec 358-140 NLG mold. After heating up the boolits release from the mold in a heartbeat. It is amazing how much easier they fall out without the grooves.Attachment 252250