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Thread: Powder source

  1. #1
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    buckwheatpaul's Avatar
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    Powder source

    I have never powder coated any boolits but I am considering doing it! The method that I am going to use is the dry shake method but all the reviews I have never seen any source or what specifically I need except "Smokes" and I did not find that source in the vendors section.

    Can anyone tell me what kind of powder I need and possible sources ..... I thank you in advance and if I failed to ask the right questions please let me know.....Paul
    When guns are outlawed only criminals and the government will have them and at that time I will see very little difference in either!

    "Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems man faces." President Ronald Reagan

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...-4320-s-Corner

    he can set you up with a starter kit of bb's and powder. some people like eastwood powder and powder by the pound but to get you going cheep just get a starter kit from smoke, he lists the powders that tumble good.
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  3. #3
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    I haven’t used it yet but yeah, Smoke’s powder is highly reputable. He is 100% recommended by me to do business with.
    R/Griff

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    Eastwood has mail order, sells thru Amazon and there may be a store close by. YouTube “Loads of Bacon” ... he reviews a lot of Eastwood powders. Decent product for shake and bake.

  5. #5
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    check some sticky threads on Forum: Coatings and Alternatives

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-powders-don-t

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
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    Getting going shuld be very inexpensive. Do you already have the rest of the stuff you need? Y'know oven (thrift shop) shakers, some way of handling them like tweezers, oven mitt etc.?

    One generous member here sent me a sampler of powders that worked for him, I figure I can pay it forward... When you're ready to go, PM me and I'll send you a bit of my three fave colors I've used with GR8 success with contact info and some BB's to try.
    Regards,

    Gary

  7. #7
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    Huskerguy's Avatar
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    Does anyone know the actual brand name of smokes powder?

  8. #8
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    Mine said ‘Bacon Grease’
    The color, that is.

  9. #9
    Boolit Man
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    powder by the pound

  10. #10
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    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    Smokes is the way to go

    he has tested all of his to be sure they shake and bake

    quality result with minimum effort

    . . . just saying
    NRA Life
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  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    Another vote for Smokes! I used his RAL 5005...Signal Blue this weekend came out great!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...owder-For-sale

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Yes, nothing but Smokes powders in my stuff.

    BTW, Has anyone calculated how many boolits you can PC with a lb of powder? I know it would vary with which boolit you're coating, but it seems like it's a ridiculous number.

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub
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    Just as a side note, if you find a powder that doesnt work for the shake and bake method, just save it in an air tight container for later. Because if you do get into this hobby, you may eventually get into the ESP method and then you can use almost any powder/color and the ones you save now can be used then. JMTCW

  14. #14
    Boolit Man
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    One more thought on powders that don't work very well. I had someone give me some Zombie Green and Hot Pink powder. Both were terrible and wouldn't coat. I threw them on the shelf and ordered some from Smoke. I tried mixing 1/3 Zombie Green and 2/3 of his yellow green - great coating! I tried 1/3 Hot Pink with 1/3 red and 1/3 white and came up with a funky mottled pink that is great at 9mm speeds! I just couldn't bring myself to waste powder!

  15. #15
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    mvozz you stumbled on another great reason for mixing powders. You usually don't need that much "good powder" to get the "bad powder" to behave and mixing/blending powders (nothing like using wet paint) can give you all kinds of interesting results

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

    blikseme300's Avatar
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    I second getting powder from Smoke as what he sells will work with shake-n-bake. I own a custom coating business and have access to many powder choices but recommend that folks that want to start get powder from him as there are too many variables and it is simpler to get the tested product from him and avoid head aches.

    I use an ESPC gun for all my coating so can use powders that won't work with shake-n-bake but that is just my choice. I don't coat for pistol and all my rifle loads are near factory in velocity so I need to be picky and stand them up. The mass production coating methods don't attract me as I can easily beat their production using my Star sizers with collators.
    Liberalism is the triumph of emotion over intellect, but masquerading as the reverse.

    I don't know how we ever shot maximum loads before P/C come along and saved us all. R5R

    "No mosque in the United States flies an American flag."

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Doubles Shooter's Avatar
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    Another vote for Smoke's powder for shake and bake. I did a small run today to try out the new PID. I just got two more sample packs from him. Sadly I only had one clean Ziploc container left so I picked yellow/green to try. It worked great along with the black, signal blue, and traffic orange in the past. I'm sure the rest will work as well.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    My HF red is almost gone.

    I shopped around and decided on Prismatic. I really did not find anything for less and I found no complaints for Prismatic.

    One pound of RAL 4005 Purple and two of Ford Dark Blue. Cost was under $12 per pound plus $6.95 for shipping.

    It was chilly, wet & rainy so I decided to wait for a more normal day for a first try.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    I'm going to have to delve into PC myself, girls seem to like pink and purple lol
    Cargo

  20. #20
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    yup all ive ever used is smokes and it works great and i have no need or desire to try something that might not work.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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