Powder Coat vs HiTek experiment

[ghh3rd]

My first attempt with Eastman Ford Blue, 400 F for 20 minutes after the powder melted.

I did the dump in the basket and bake method and got some missing spots so did a second coat. Overall pretty good but still some bare spots on a few, probably where they were stuck to other boolits.



I also have some HiTek powder and acetone and will try that next after I cast some 454260 boolits, in an attempt to see which method works best for me.

By the way when I hear two coats of HiTek, does that mean two coats before baking, or coat and bake twice?

Thanks - Randy

[MyFlatline]

Randy, with the size of those bullets, I would stand them up on non stick foil or parchment paper, then it is a one time deal, good coverage no spots. A flea market pair of tweezers with the tips bent in do great.

Maybe one of these weekends you can drive up and see my setup and we can play..

Jim

[ghh3rd]

Thanks Jim. I agree that for these Lee 310 boolits I would probably stand them up to get a more perfect coating. These were some leftovers from a year or so ago and were test fodder. I hope to hunt with some soon and want the best boolit.

However for a few hundred 200 gr for the 45 I was hoping for a quick n dirty method that would allow me to feed the Walther with adequately coated short range boolits in bulk.

I may take you up on your offer sometime... I’d like to see your setup.

Ramdy

[MyFlatline]

It is all relevant to the oven. I scrounged a small wall oven for my shop. Takes a large cookie sheet..

[DAFzipper]

Look good to me. Shoot them. Tried one time to stand them all ip. Not in my DNA. Never had any problems with bare spots. I'd rather spend more time shooting than standing up bullets to make them look perfect.

Sent from my LG-H700 using Tapatalk

[Boolit_Head]

I also have some HiTek powder and acetone and will try that next after I cast some 454260 boolits, in an attempt to see which method works best for me.

By the way when I hear two coats of HiTek, does that mean two coats before baking, or coat and bake twice?

Thanks - Randy

From my reading Hi tek must be baked after each coat. I'm going to try it myself to overcome a issue with pc on some long rifle bullets.

[dansedgli]

Hitek is coat, bake, coat, bake.

Make sure its fully dry first.

[evoevil]

Didn't care for the Hitek, much prefer PC

[475AR]

Hitek is coat bake repeat. My process is coat then bake then coat and bake then size and do a last coat and bake. All coats are thin and I have not had any issues. I am planning to order some of the aqualube 5000 and may not need the 3rd coat. One of the things I like most about hitek is you coat your bullets then dump them out and let dry fully then I dump them on a pan with a silicone baking sheet and then bake and I never have issues with bullets sticking together or un-coated spots and I don't have to worry about powder coming off while moving the baking tray to the oven. One other thing is I can coat several batches of bullets and if needed store them (labeled with coat # and need to bake) until I have time to bake them and finish the process.

[ioon44]

One key to Hi-Tek is to make sure each coat is dry before baking, I find that 120 deg F for 30 min will guarantee the coats are dry.

I tried P C and found Hi-Tek to be the better way to go.

[farmerjim]

I like both PC and Hi-Tek. Hi-Tek is faster even with 2 coats. PC has more vibrant colors. All bore rider boolets are Hi-Tek because PC makes the nose too big to chamber.

[squidtamer]

I like both PC and Hi-Tek. Hi-Tek is faster even with 2 coats. PC has more vibrant colors. All bore rider boolets are Hi-Tek because PC makes the nose too big to chamber.

I'm sure this is my inexperience here talking, but why not just swage em' down a thousandth or 2 before coating?

Is there much of a difference in the PC vs HT cost per lot that it matters much? @ 100,250,500 boolits, etc.

[Boolit_Head]

Sizing before supposedly can introduce the possibility that the coating would not stick well and seperate.

[MyFlatline]

One key to Hi-Tek is to make sure each coat is dry before baking, I find that 120 deg F for 30 min will guarantee the coats are dry.

I tried P C and found Hi-Tek to be the better way to go.

You just confused the heck out of me,,,you cook for and hour total ( 2 coats), where PC is 15 to 20 ( 1 coat) but yet you say HiTek is faster. I must have missed sumthing..

[fredj338]

From my reading Hi tek must be baked after each coat. I'm going to try it myself to overcome a issue with pc on some long rifle bullets.

Yes, coat, dry, bake for 10m, cool a bit, coat, dry bake again for 10m. I size after baking, HT or PC.
I find HT easier to use but you bake twice. You can literally dump the HT bullets into a basket & bake them without bullets sticking together. When I PC, I stand them up on their bases. I use empty ammo trays as jigs & drop bullets in nose first with large tweezers, goes very fast. Turn the jig over & 100 perfectly standing bullets.

[fredj338]

One key to Hi-Tek is to make sure each coat is dry before baking, I find that 120 deg F for 30 min will guarantee the coats are dry.

I tried P C and found Hi-Tek to be the better way to go.

I just set my wet HT coated bullets in front of a fan for 10m & they dry fine. Then bake. More handling & baking time with HT but you just tumble, dump, dry & bake.

[jmort]

PC is like a jacket and can add .002"
Hi Tek is a coating and not significant increase in diameter
Clearly HI TEK is faster and easier
But, PC is fast enough for me.
As usual, use what you like. I do not see a clear advantage to either method and argument either way seems to be complete waste of time.

[razorfish]

I do not see a clear advantage to either method and argument either way seems to be complete waste of time.

The main advantage for me is that coated bullets run cleanly through my bullet feeders when I’m loading. The other advantages are the greatly reduced smoke when shooting and once they’re coated they be handled without getting lead on your hands.

For the record, I Hi-Tek my bullets. I won’t coat a batch less than 45 pounds. I can coat a 45 pound batch of bullets in about an hour so it’s not too big a deal.

[squidtamer]

Sizing before supposedly can introduce the possibility that the coating would not stick well and seperate.

I'm thinking you are assuming the sizing is lubricated, correct? Now I'm sitting here imagining trying to size after the fact.
Having not tried that ever, I'm now curious if that's even possible. Does it destroy the coating?

[Boolit_Head]

I size after PC all the time with no issues. The PC comes out looking polished.