PC baking techniques

[GregLaROCHE]

I have great luck standing up my .45-70 slugs to bake them. However, .30 cal and smaller start to be a pain. I have tried the pile method and just laying them one layer at a time, but haven’t gotten the results I like.

Has anyone found a different and efficient way to load boolits into the oven. Is there some sort of jig that can be used? I’m open to all ideas for boolits that are much longer than they are wide.

Thanks

[RKJ]

See if they have a silicone baking pad that will fit them. I've used one for 23 and it worked good. I'd bet Amazon or Walmart would have something.

[GregLaROCHE]

See if they have a silicone baking pad that will fit them. I've used one for 23 and it worked good. I'd bet Amazon or Walmart would have something.

What do you mean exactly about a silicone pad that will fit them. I do happen to use a normal flat silicone pad to stand them on. Is there something else? Maybe with holes in it? Even with the pad I get imperfections more than I feel are acceptable when they are on their sides.

[sparky45]

Here's what I did yesterday. Coated with "shake and bake" method and placed on a drilled out block of Cedar wood covered with aluminum foil, nose down. Worked great!

Attachment 230176

[reddog81]

There's a sticky thread in this sub forum that has many ideas.

I use the same cheap metal tray that came with my toaster oven, but I've had bullets fall over. If I'm real careful I can load them into the oven with out having any tip over. The non stick Reynolds wrap needs to be in pretty good condition also.

[popper]

Silicon mats that look like a waffle grill. She gave me one, next try is baking standing on the hot plate till flow, then after cool, dump on silicon mat and oven cook.

[Oily]

Look an amazon for silicone trivets. You will see the ones that have square or octagonal indentions on both sides. They measure about 7"X 7". The square ones with 20 holes along each side are perfect for 30 cal. They are roughly 3 holes per inch. The ones with 4 holes per inch will fit 22 cal maybe 243

[MUSTANG]

I use Silicone Trivets for .30 Caliber Cast Boolits. I size the boolit and seat the gas check, then Powder Coat (Tumble) then use a set of forceps to place the Boolits in a cell - I space them so there is an empty cell on each side so no boolits will touch another. Works well for me.


I prefer the ones with an octagon shape such as this for .30 Caliber boolits:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These square ones work well also; but they are not my first choice.

https://www.amazon.com/silicone-mult...HPVB2X5ED7GWFC

[Oily]

Thanks for the info on the ones with octagon trivets MUSTANG!! Couldn't find those when I purchased mine with square shape. They work pretty well but the octagon looks like it would hold 30 cal better. Been trying to use the square for LEE 8MM Karibiner without gas check, but they try to pop out untill the trivet heats up.

[GregLaROCHE]

I use Silicone Trivets for .30 Caliber Cast Boolits. I size the boolit and seat the gas check, then Powder Coat (Tumble) then use a set of forceps to place the Boolits in a cell - I space them so there is an empty cell on each side so no boolits will touch another. Works well for me.


I prefer the ones with an octagon shape such as this for .30 Caliber boolits:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These square ones work well also; but they are not my first choice.

https://www.amazon.com/silicone-mult...HPVB2X5ED7GWFC

Well I never thought there would be silicone trivets, let alone so many different types I ordered several and will see what works best.

Thanks to all for the info. I never would have thought of it.

[Oily]

You will have to use forceps or heavy tweezers to get the boolits into the cavities but once there they will stay upright. A great way to cure your 30 caliber. You can size and install gas checks and then coat and bake. Lot of innovation and research here on this site.Thanks to all of the pioneers that made PC possible for everyone.

[MR45]

I cut the Bottom off plastic trays from the boxes of ammo
Then stand the tall Bullets up in the trays on a flat top hot plates with nonstick aluminum foil
Then turn the hot plate on at 400 for about 20 minutes then they’re done works great for me
No oven is needed
Don’t forget to remove the plastic tray
Mike

[GregLaROCHE]

While I have everyone’s attention, what about gas checking PC boolits. I have been doing it after PCing, because to size and gas check my boolits, I lube them. If this is done first, I risk the powder not sticking to the boolits. I had that problem once before and rinsing twice with acetone wasn’t enough for the powder to stick. If I don’t lube, don’t I risk having lead gauling in my sizer?

Thanks

[scotner]

Assuming they are long enough you can use wire screen to hold them.

[GregLaROCHE]

I cut the Bottom off plastic trays from the boxes of ammo
Then stand the tall Bullets up in the trays on a flat top hot plates with nonstick aluminum foil
Then turn the hot plate on at 400 for about 20 minutes then they’re done works great for me
No oven is needed
Don’t forget to remove the plastic tray
Mike

That’s a really interesting way to do it. Especially for someone just starting and wanting to keep costs down. I wonder if anyone else has tried it.

[BHuij]

I started powder coating with 9mm bullets. I would shake them in the plastic container and then insert them nose down into an empty 9mm ammo tray. I could then place the oven tray on top of the ammo trays, invert the whole thing, and I’d have 50, 100, or 150 bullets perfectly spaced and standing on their bases ready to bake.

When I started doing .223 bullets, I ended up 3D printing a similar “ammo tray” type thing that holds 150 bullets or so. Works great. Just have to be really careful moving the tray if the bullets are tall or narrow enough to easily tip over.

[fredj338]

Assuming they are long enough you can use wire screen to hold them.

I have used a sim practice coating 6.8 bullets for my spc.

[popper]

I tumble, then cook on a hot plate just to get flow. I started using the ammo tray (nylon) to drop the 30 cal rifle into, flip on the oven tray (texas license plat is flat) for final bake. Place cooking tray in oven and remove nylon ammo tray. None fall over. Nylon won't take over 350F before it flows so it must come off.


Trying another test. Place hot PC boolit base down is shallow water for 15 sec. to see if I can harden the base and keep the nose air cooled (soft nose).
edit: Cooling the base seems to work, more tests needed but sample base is harder than AC and nose is same as AC.

[Time Killer]

I also use a plastic ammo tray to place and keep my bullets standing up until I set them in the toaster oven. You can find pistol trays with no bottoms and they work perfect. Just remember to remove the tray before starting the bake. I forgot one time I have a couple of nice momentos two melted trays with 100 30 cal bullets.

[Iron369]

I also use a plastic ammo tray to place and keep my bullets standing up until I set them in the toaster oven. You can find pistol trays with no bottoms and they work perfect. Just remember to remove the tray before starting the bake. I forgot one time I have a couple of nice momentos two melted trays with 100 30 cal bullets.

Can you post a picture of what you do with a plastic tray? For some reason I cannot visualize how you get the tray out without knocking them all over. I bought a metal screen and bent it fit my tray, but I get small spots on my cb where the cb touches the screen. Doesn’t seem to cause any problems though.