ES coating worth the trouble?

[easilydistrac...]

I've tried searching for this and couldn't find anything, so sorry if it has been covered already.

I'm new to casting and have been PCing for 9mm and 300BO using shake and bake with good results. I'm looking to start casting for some of my other rifles (223, 6.5 creedmoor) and I'd like to PC. I realize coatings are just one of many variables in developing an accurate load, but it seems like there's not much data out there on PC in rifles so I'd be curious what type of accuracy people have gotten and what coating methods they use.

My question is, does ES coating offer more even coverage and thus better accuracy potential or are they just pretty?

[Boolit_Head]

I've been getting some clumping maybe due to humidity getting into the powder in my shaker bowl. I've been wondering if ES would get more even coverage.

[retread]

I mostly ES. It does give me a more consistent coverage and a nicer looking product but it does require a bit more time and effort. Is it worth it? Depends on the individual and how much time and effort one is willing to spend.

[Beagle333]

I do ES because it makes a perfect boolit every time. Always smooth with no marks or thin spots and shiny as a new motorcycle fender. But does it shoot better than one that looks like it was coated by stirring a bunch of em in a trash can with a fence post?.... Probably not, at least at regular pistol range distances.
I have never compared the two for accuracy though, so I can't fairly say that they are any more or less accurate.

[jeepyj]

I now only use ES and once set up properly in my opinion it is easily faster than shake and bake with less mess. Can't attest to which is more accurate but in my head if it is even all the way around it should fly straighter than something that has powder settled to one side. Again just my .02 worth

[fredj338]

I shake & bake but my friend does ES. ES seems like a lot more time & powder waste though.

[MyFlatline]

I do both, mostly spray the rifle bullets. In my mind it helps to have the more even coating.

[popper]

I don't see any real difference, depends on how well it's done.
This morning 172gr PB, ~1650 @ 50 yds. Sand bag in front and my hand at the butt. Better when I use a real front stand and rear bag. Oh, those are DTPC.
Attachment 218119
Edit: find a good 'flowing' powder. It needs to flow for good coverage BEFORE it cures. Smoke's red does well, black not so well, bacon grease is supposed to do well. HF red is OK. Any method to get the excess off without dinging the desired coating is needed. Don't know about 223 (only 30 cal rifle) but if the alloy is right, no leading.

[jeepyj]

I shake & bake but my friend does ES. ES seems like a lot more time & powder waste though.

I spray in a homemade powder coat box and can re-use the drop of what doesn't stick. Generally I'll get around 2500 to a pound of 38's or 9mm's. In 1hr and 45 minutes the other night I coated 1435 boolits. Honestly that's not even pushing it just putzing around.

[bangerjim]

I have 2 ESPC guns and use them almost for everything. I can get BBDT to give almost a perfect coat, but I prefer the spray gun for consistent and beautiful coats.

Just depends if you want to spend from $70-400 on a gun system.

[Hairy Dawg]

I never could get good coverage with DT. ES turns out perfect every time. It is time consuming the way I do it, but I recover most of the powder that doesn't stick to the bullets, and they look great. I have a hard time believing that there is any accuracy difference between the two methods.

[bstone5]

ESPC works well if there a large number of cast bullets to coat. I have a PLC controlled Master Caster and with the automated casting machine several thousand of the same bullet can be made in a reasonable amount of time. I cast over a weekend and powder coat and cook the cast bullets the next weekend. With this process thousands on bullets can be cast and coated over two weekends.
Over the last few years tens of thousands of bullets have been made and coated.

[easilydistrac...]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll stick to DT for now. I was really just looking for an excuse to buy an air compressor but I guess I'll fatten the piggy bank for some other toy.