Break in the coating where bullets stuck together

[Landshark9025]

Hey all,

I didn't find a thread on this so here goes.

Tried the "shake, dump, bake, splash" method yesterday. That's where you shake the bullets in coating sans ASBB, dump them out on a wire rack and sift the powder through, pour that onto a tray lined with silicone baking mat and then dump in water right out of the oven. It worked great, but out of about 1,000 I had several (10-12) "pairs" that were stuck together the entirety of their bearing surface. When broken apart I'm left with about a .080 line of bare lead.

Would you shoot 'em?

[jeepyj]

I don't think shooting would be a problem however my thoughts are if there is no coating on one side it seems that accuracy will be compromised. Wondering how did they sizeup? I'll be curious what others think.

[Landshark9025]

They sized fine. I don't know that it would make a ton of difference in accuracy. The "stripe" of missing coating is only about the width of a pencil lead. My greater concern is that as it runs top to bottom the whole length of the bullet- these are grooveless designs, it could start a leading process.

I could be wrong though.

I'd upload a photo, but for some reason it keeps getting an error.

thx

[jcren]

Shoot em. It would effect accuracy if you are shooting for precision at long range but should not have enough exposed lead to cause leading at moderate velocities. Mega max magnum might be a different story.

[popper]

Probably need to make your pics smaller. Shoot them. Bounce the tray while a bit when cooking helps.

[flydad]

That is the way i do it now and yes there are a few that stick . They do not lead the barrel and I can't tell any accuracy difference in 9 mm , 40 SW or 45 ACP. Those are the calibers I cast and PC for .

[Landshark9025]

Let's try this:

[stubshaft]

I seriously doubt it would affect accuracy or cause appreciable leading.

[wizofwas]

Simple answer, yes, I would shoot them. But in reality, it would depend on the mood I was in at the time I inspected them. I haven't got too of these ready to shoot, so I'll shoot them. Or, I've got a lot of these, I'll just throw them back into the pot to recast. Sometimes I just get pickier than others. It's up to you.

[40sand9s]

The ones I have stick together I just set to the side and keep for practice ammo. They work fine but just in case I won't shoot in a match. I can't tell a difference when I shoot them and the round is still more accurate than I am though so this may not even be necessary.

[Walter Laich]

Simple answer, yes, I would shoot them. But in reality, it would depend on the mood I was in at the time I inspected them. I haven't got too of these ready to shoot, so I'll shoot them. Or, I've got a lot of these, I'll just throw them back into the pot to recast. Sometimes I just get pickier than others. It's up to you.

glad you put this in words--that's pretty much how I do my culling

[fredj338]

Why I still stand them up, they stick together & sometimes enough to tear the coating off.

[Big Boomer]

If everything I've read about powder coating on these threads is true, there is powder coating underneath the places on the boolits where they are torn apart. In some 9mms I powder coated I had to pry them apart but with my fingernail scratching the surface, you could still tell there was powder coating under there. Big Boomer

[The Dar]

The color of powder coating is for us to look at. Your bullets that stick together and have pulled the color off should still have a layer of polymer coating them. Hold one up so that light will reflect in the bare spot. Is it shiny? If so, you have coating. I've never had a problem shooting bullets that were once stuck together.

[Driver man]

I shoot them like that but as Popper says give the tray a shake or two when baking and especially just as you take them out of the oven to break up any clumping.

[cwlongshot]

I agree shoot them.

Here what I have been testing. I now only coat enough for a single layer in my basket.

Then I adjust time backing off a few minutes when I find bad sticking.

I start with a 400 degree oven that's preheated as Im coating.

I temp check the bullets as they cook. Some go 24-26 mins others are done and out in 16-18 minutes. Orange II just cooked last night was 16 first batch but they stick and 14 second batch they still stuck and 12 for last batch. When I refilled the color I saw on the bag "10 min @ 400" DOAH, guess I need to pay closer attention.

Squash tests on all are 100% pass.



CW

[Smoke4320]

Choot 'em

[Willbird]

The color of powder coating is for us to look at. Your bullets that stick together and have pulled the color off should still have a layer of polymer coating them. Hold one up so that light will reflect in the bare spot. Is it shiny? If so, you have coating. I've never had a problem shooting bullets that were once stuck together.

Another way to check this might be an ohm meter, anodized aluminum is non conductive when tested, and if there is a polymer coating laying a multimeter probe on it and another "bare" spot should show a much higher resistance than bare alloy.

[Dutchninja]

size and shoot them, i have stuck ones all the time, doesn't affect anything accuracy, leading, or anything. I've shot THOUSANDS, (9mm, 357 mag, 44 mag, etc)

[dogmower]

When broken apart I'm left with about a .080 line of bare lead.

Would you shoot 'em?

yup, I do it all the time, no leading or other problems.