🐔 Mesh trays led me to change PC method

[308Jeff]

This is my first attempt at PC, ever.

Ran them in the vibratory tumbler for about 4-5 minutes. Coverage looked great. Decided to use the wire mesh tray from BB&B.

After they were done, some of them were stuck together HARD. Had to pry them apart or give them a decent bing on the floor to separate them.

I like things to be perfect, but I knew I wasn't going to get that result using this method.

What do you think, okay to shoot?



These are bullets that OS OK sent me, by the way. Hope I didn't do them a serious injustice.

[DerekP Houston]

hopefully one of the more informed members of this method will speak up. I had similar problems with rounds sticking together or leaving large imprints from the mesh tray. I'm still standing mine up by hand on silicone mats....it is cumbersome and time consuming though .

Run a few through a sizing die and see if it doesn't smooth out the edges for you. I've shot some pretty ugly coated rounds and had no issues so I'm just a pit persnickety I think.

[OS OK]

I like that purple...sizem and getem stuffed in some brass!

[edp2k]

What is the name of that metallic purple PC paint and where did you get it?

This is my first attempt at PC, ever.

Ran them in the vibratory tumbler for about 4-5 minutes. Coverage looked great. Decided to use the wire mesh tray from BB&B.

After they were done, some of them were stuck together HARD. Had to pry them apart or give them a decent bing on the floor to separate them.

I like things to be perfect, but I knew I wasn't going to get that result using this method.

What do you think, okay to shoot?



These are bullets that OS OK sent me, by the way. Hope I didn't do them a serious injustice.

[fredj338]

I stand mine up in the baskets, any small marks are on the base, doesn't seem to affect accuracy & no flashing from setting them on a solid mat.

[308Jeff]

I like that purple...sizem and getem stuffed in some brass!

Will do!

[308Jeff]

What is the name of that metallic purple PC paint and where did you get it?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[MyFlatline]

Looks good Jeff.

Most of what I cast for are rifles, I worry about the blemishes on the sides. I stand mine and on some I have tray's made so I can spray them. May be overkill but it's working for me right now.

[308Jeff]

As maniacal as my OCD is, I have a feeling I'll end up spraying at some point as well.

[MyFlatline]

As maniacal as my OCD is, I have a feeling I'll end up spraying at some point as well.

Mostly for the gas checked 35 and 30 cal.s



.380 casings pop riveted to a sheet of aluminum sign board for the .35..The .30 cal was tougher to match the gas check diameter, ended up using 270 casings flared a touch. I keeps the powder of the check area and eases the installation of them. I tumble the 44's and 45's and stand on non stick foil on aluminum sign board.

Might be over kill but has been working well for some years now, I'm quite happy with the results.

[jcwit]

I care less about a little missed PC on the sides if the bullet. Next one going down the tube very unlikely to have missed PC in the same place.

Coat em, load em, shoot em!

[Walter Laich]

This is my first attempt at PC, ever.

Ran them in the vibratory tumbler for about 4-5 minutes. Coverage looked great. Decided to use the wire mesh tray from BB&B.

After they were done, some of them were stuck together HARD. Had to pry them apart or give them a decent bing on the floor to separate them.

I like things to be perfect, but I knew I wasn't going to get that result using this method.

What do you think, okay to shoot?



These are bullets that OS OK sent me, by the way. Hope I didn't do them a serious injustice.

If you let them cool they will stick together and be difficult to separate.

Once I get the mesh tray out I use a piece of plywood on top to allow me to turn the tray over, place on cookie sheet and slide the plywood out

then slide the cookie tray back and forth which will cause the bullets to roll and separate. doesn't pull coating off when they're hot

Sometimes a few will stick even after doing this and using my gloves I'll break them apart. probably takes as long to do as to read about it.

In the off-chanced some are still stuck when I go to size I use a single edge razor blade to cut between them. Usually one or two per cooking cycle.

[308Jeff]

Good tips, Walter. Thank you.

[runfiverun]

I'm most impressed that someone found a use for 380 and 270 brass.

I like that purple color too.
I think I could mediate it down with some of Randy's Dark grey to mimic a Dr.Pepper can perfectly.
lord help me if Littlegirl found it though I'd be powder coating everything she owns.

[lpel]

I am still very, very new to this process.

Just wondering if any of you have tried quenching in cold water after they come out of the oven? Most seem the separate very easy using this method. They dry very quickly once put on an old towel.

Just wondering if there is a down side to this method that I am not aware of. I have only tried this a couple of times. So far mainly casting for my 357 and 44 Marlin levers. But I sure enjoy PC so far.

[CASTER OF LEAD]

I have ,and still do water quenched right out of the oven. I do it mainly when i am doing a large amount of boolits in a single session. I only do so because it helps me speed up the process, and for that reason alone. (I stand mine up on their bases to bake) As far as any down side to PC , i have found none. I Powder coat all my pistol boolits . I have several different ways of traditional lubing, but i figured why not learn PC also. There is still nothing like the smell of traditional lube on a cool morning at the range. - CASTER

[2wheelDuke]

Mostly for the gas checked 35 and 30 cal.s



.380 casings pop riveted to a sheet of aluminum sign board for the .35..The .30 cal was tougher to match the gas check diameter, ended up using 270 casings flared a touch. I keeps the powder of the check area and eases the installation of them. I tumble the 44's and 45's and stand on non stick foil on aluminum sign board.

Might be over kill but has been working well for some years now, I'm quite happy with the results.

I was thinking about sacrificing some .38spl cases for that. Run them in the 300blk or 7.62x25 die to neck them down. The blk collet crimp may squeeze them down enough to hold the GC shank on a .30 bullet.

[DerekP Houston]

If you let them cool they will stick together and be difficult to separate.

Once I get the mesh tray out I use a piece of plywood on top to allow me to turn the tray over, place on cookie sheet and slide the plywood out

then slide the cookie tray back and forth which will cause the bullets to roll and separate. doesn't pull coating off when they're hot

Sometimes a few will stick even after doing this and using my gloves I'll break them apart. probably takes as long to do as to read about it.

In the off-chanced some are still stuck when I go to size I use a single edge razor blade to cut between them. Usually one or two per cooking cycle.

Ahh, that was most likely my mistake, I thought the coating needed to cool before handling so I let the tray sit and cool down for a bit. Will give this another try when I get back next weekend. The dump and bake benefits of hitek is the main reason I switched over to it, and I bought just way too much powder catalyst.

[OS OK]

I noticed that elvis ammo dumps his trays straight from the oven into a bucket filled with water...he said that it breaks them apart and only a few remain stuck together.

[MyFlatline]

I was thinking about sacrificing some .38spl cases for that. Run them in the 300blk or 7.62x25 die to neck them down. The blk collet crimp may squeeze them down enough to hold the GC shank on a .30 bullet.

Hope it works for ya. I tried a few different things before I stopped on the 270's. I do more 35 cal. than anything.