I wanted to try an RCBS 30 cal gas check Silhouette bullet. I found a company that sells them online lubed with conventonal lube. I contacted them and asked if I could buy 100 of them "as cast", no lube and unsized. Just the bullets and loose gas checks. They agreed to ship them like that and I was able to PC them with my own powder.
So... how much smoke was there when you baked them?
Yeah you can not PC a bullet that has been sized & lubed, no surface tension for the powder to stick to. You need naked/clean bullets for PC. If you want coated bases, either stand them on parchment paper or I use thins wire baskets.
EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol
boil the non-PCed bullets in an old pot with water and 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent.
a 1/2 teaspoon of lemishine/citric acid will also help, and will etch the surface a bit.
wax will float on top of the water and after boiling for 10 min pour the first few inches of water+wax off
outside into the dirt or into a bucket with a paper bag in it.
DON'T pour it down the kitchen sink or you will have a clogged drain since the wax will cool and stick to the pipes.
fully drain pot and put bullets on towel to dry.
PC when dry.
Xylene or acetone will penetrate skin. No need for either, and no need for the cost and waste of the solvent.
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 |