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Thread: Well heck gonna try powder coating

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy rickt300's Avatar
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    Well heck gonna try powder coating

    It's time to do my winter bullet casting and thought I would try powder coating. Going cheap and will try the Harbor Freight red. I know which airsoft pellets to use (black) but what is a #5 plastic bowl? Hope to find one in Walmart in a little while.

  2. #2
    Boolit Bub
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    #5 plastic bowl refers to the type of plastic bowl. Turn the bowl over and look at the bottom. There will be a triangular recycle symbol and number. The number 5 indicates the type of plastic. People have found the #5 plastic works well for powder coating.

    If you have an old cool whip bowl hanging around give that a try. I have several for different colors and they seem to work well.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
    white eagle's Avatar
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    go ahead and order some of Smokes pc you won't be sorry
    I see alot of people having trouble with HF stuff
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Smokes PC is much better than HF. It is well worth the small extra cost.
    There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    Smoke all the way. He has sample packs of 1/3 pound each of 3 colors, the right bb's and instructions right on his page.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...owder-For-sale
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    Beagle333's Avatar
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    Smoke is the man. His powders are way out in front of HF powders in the quality race.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

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    Why do people want to have problems when doing something for the first time, start with tried and true to get experianced then go do experiments in frustrations after you know how it is supposed to work.

    Get smokes starter kit, everything is there and its proven

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Dragonheart's Avatar
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    Take advice from those that have been doing this sucessfully for years and get your powder from Smoke. Put the powder, bullets & BB's in a simple Cool Whip Container and shake it for about a minute. Stan the bullets on parchment paper, non-stick foil or better yet, silicon baking mats and place in a good toaster oven with a Taylor Oven Guide Thermometer. Cook at 400 degrees for a minimum of 10 minutes. That's all there is to it. Once you get to see perfectly coated bullets then work out your own process and experiment.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy rickt300's Avatar
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    This is more a initial test to see if I really think it is that much better than lubing. I was also hoping to be able to run a softer alloy by powder coating. First bullets will be 311291 for my 30-30 and a LEE 255 FN mold for my 45 LC Rifle.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Yes, it really is that much better. I have run test with PC pure lead at 1200 fps with no problem and range lead 10-11 average BHN at 3500+ with gas checks without leading just to see what the limits were. So the PC is not a problem, getting concentric cast bullets is the issue.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thumbs up for Smokes PC powder! 100% better then HF red!

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    I just started coating using hf red with some dots of HF black in it. It's working great. I'm not saying there aren't better coatings. That's foolish. This is going great for me though...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20180130_213600.jpg  

  13. #13
    Boolit Master sawinredneck's Avatar
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    If you have some styrofoam around add some of the bb’s to the mix, it helps the HF powder stick better.
    Quote Originally Posted by sniper View Post
    Irish Proverb: Never approach a Bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or an Idiot from any direction!

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    3 pack 1 quart with pinkish snap on tops at WM, $2. HF red works fine. ~4yrs ago I experimented with PC vs Recluse/LLA & other tumble lubes. PC is better, even in a MG Marlin. Soft alloy works but you have to balance it with the pressure & twist.
    Whatever!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    8 BHN in a 45 ACP, works fine with powder coat. HF red will work, have used quite a few pounds, yes there are better powders out there and you will want to upgrade once you get the hang of it..

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    Rickt300

    what part of The Republic do you call home?

    if you're in the Houston area would be happy to invite you over to see the process first hand. I'm in Cypress which can also be call NW Houston.
    NRA Life
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  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    Just did my first powder coat on LEE 405-459 HB with Smokes jet black. Cool whip container,25 gm black airsoft bbs, shake and bake @ 400 degrees for 20 min awesome coverage except where I knocked powder off with forecepts and bumbling. Easy peasy. Did use a convection toaster oven that held temp very well @ 400. Non stick AL foil worked great and boolits released easily. All I did was follow the instructions on this site and almost perfect results. I only did 10 for my first try and 6 were awesome with glossy black finish. Have read that black and bright colors are harder to get even coverage but I had excellent results on first try. Read the threads on coating and you won't go wrong

  18. #18
    Boolit Master dikman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickt300 View Post
    This is more a initial test to see if I really think it is that much better than lubing. I was also hoping to be able to run a softer alloy by powder coating. First bullets will be 311291 for my 30-30 and a LEE 255 FN mold for my 45 LC Rifle.
    I use Hi-Tek, but it doesn't really matter whether you use that or PC, there is no comparison between them and lubing, coated boolits are just so much better - far less mess and don't clog reloading dies!!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check