Powder Coated Bullet Question

[Johnch]

I have powder coated and shot thousands of pistol bullets
But I looked , but didn't see a answer question I have

Out of a reclaimed Hard Pistol range lead , seems to act like 75/25 WW and Lino
As a LOT of the pistol shooters are buying Hard Cast
I have just cast and Powder Coated a 1000 or so of the Lee 155 gr bullet designed for the 7.62 x 39 from that alloy
I installed the GC before powder coating and plan to see if the bullets need a 2 sizing ( I bet they will , but I will check first )
If it matters , I used a John Deere Green that Dad got me from the local John Deere dealer about 6 or 7 years back

The question is how well dose the powder coating stand up to velocity ?
I already use that bullet cast from that alloy
But lubed with a standard lube
Loaded to full power rifle loads with AA1680 with almost no leading in the AK 47
The leading was just in the last inch or so and didn't seem to be a problem

Also I was thinking of also using the same Powder Coated bullets in the 308/7.62x51 in my FAL
I have tried that GC bullet but with standard lube at full velocity using H4895
But got leading till I reduced the powder charge about 15% ... to about what the Youth loads that I found for 150 gr Jacketed were

Will the Powder Coating stand up to Full loads ?
Or should I expect to just use the reduced loads ?

Thanks
John

[slide]

You are going to get a lot of different answers. The best way is to try it and see for yourself. Work your way up and shoot one round,inspect your bore and continue. That way you will know for sure. A lot will depend on what type of powder coat and whether it has been cured properly. Most of your polyester powders are around 26 bhn. A copper gas check or jacket is around 35 bhn.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have spent the last 6 months testing powder coated boolits in various rifles, 22 Hornet, 222Remington, 223 Remington, 243 Winchester, 25/303, 250AI, 270 Savage, 7mm Mauser, 30.06, 303 British, 338 Win Mag, 45/70 and many different pistol rounds.

Firstly the 22 Hornet with 40gn non-gaschecked boolits - 2380fps before groups started to open
223 - 55gn RCBS at 2860fps with good accuracy
243 - 90gn Lyman at 3180fps
25/303 - 2811fps with 100gn RCBS

From my testing so far, it would seem that powder coated gas checked boolits can be safely driven up to the suggested starting loads in most manuals

[Smoke4320]

Bad *** Wallace .I would agree my testing shows the same or in some calibers even slightly better
Now that is with correct curing temps, correct bullet to bore fit ect.
You do your reloading correct the pc will hold up.

[charlie b]

Yes, the PC bullets will take some pretty impressive velocities without leading the barrel.

Your problem will be accuracy in some rifles. I can shoot pretty small groups with my .308Win up to about 2000fps (Lyman #2 with gas checks). If I run them faster the groups start to open up. It is a 1:10 twist barrel. This also depends on what range you shoot at and what accuracy you expect. I consider it poor accuracy if it is 2" at 100yd. Goal is less than 1" on every group.

[Johnch]

Thanks
I guess I will just load 5 in the 7.62 x 39 and see
I just sized some to .310 and those will be 7.62 x 51 and 300 Blackout , so I will just load 5 bullets each
But the 300 Black Out I plan on starting at 1200 FPS so I was not worried about those bullets leading

John

[cwlongshot]

Just remember all guns and there barrels are different. Some copper foul aweful. Some just a lil
More then others. Some will foul with PC. Its not necessarily the PC!!

As for velocities. In my guns that I have tried. Plain base have been pushed past 2000 with no issues.

Good luck findin out is the FUN PART!!

[jsanch03]

Do you have a Lyman M die? In your first picture it looks like you’re getting a little shaving of the bullet. The Lyman m die flares the case neck enough to prevent the bullet from shaving the lead or coating. I use it to load my 308 and 7.62x54r without shaving. Also helps load the bullet straighter. I’m thinking accuracy would improve also since the bullet wouldn’t be disturbed


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[Conditor22]

jsabch03 -- that looks like the first lube groove to me.

I've pushed GC, properly coated, and sized 223 boolits over 3200 fps just for fun.

I normally stay at the lower end of the spectrum

[charlie b]

duplicate

[405grain]

Last year I loaded up a couple of hundred rounds of 7.62x39 with that same Lee 155 grain boolit. These were in Lyman #2 alloy, air cooled, gas checked, and powder coated with Smoke's signal blue, and sized to .312". I was using 19.0 grains of IMR-4198. I don't have a chrony, but these should be somewhere around 1800 fps. They shot great in my SKS, and were more accurate than steel case fmj's. I had no problems with the powder coat.

[Cucumbermonkey]

I have powder coated and shot thousands of pistol bullets
But I looked , but didn't see a answer question I have

Out of a reclaimed Hard Pistol range lead , seems to act like 75/25 WW and Lino
As a LOT of the pistol shooters are buying Hard Cast
I have just cast and Powder Coated a 1000 or so of the Lee 155 gr bullet designed for the 7.62 x 39 from that alloy
I installed the GC before powder coating and plan to see if the bullets need a 2 sizing ( I bet they will , but I will check first )
If it matters , I used a John Deere Green that Dad got me from the local John Deere dealer about 6 or 7 years back

The question is how well dose the powder coating stand up to velocity ?
I already use that bullet cast from that alloy
But lubed with a standard lube
Loaded to full power rifle loads with AA1680 with almost no leading in the AK 47
The leading was just in the last inch or so and didn't seem to be a problem

Also I was thinking of also using the same Powder Coated bullets in the 308/7.62x51 in my FAL
I have tried that GC bullet but with standard lube at full velocity using H4895
But got leading till I reduced the powder charge about 15% ... to about what the Youth loads that I found for 150 gr Jacketed were

Will the Powder Coating stand up to Full loads ?
Or should I expect to just use the reduced loads ?

Thanks
John

Have the same Lee312-160 cast with straight wheel weights. Powder coated 2x with mix of smoke's powders, gas checked and sized to .311(dont have a bigger sizer). 20.5gr of RX7 which is Lyman max. 20 rds, no leading in 20in bbl. OAL, cant recall, but it was .01" over what the lyman book says.

[markmars]

I have spent the last 6 months testing powder coated boolits in various rifles, 22 Hornet, 222Remington, 223 Remington, 243 Winchester, 25/303, 250AI, 270 Savage, 7mm Mauser, 30.06, 303 British, 338 Win Mag, 45/70 and many different pistol rounds.

Firstly the 22 Hornet with 40gn non-gaschecked boolits - 2380fps before groups started to open
223 - 55gn RCBS at 2860fps with good accuracy
243 - 90gn Lyman at 3180fps
25/303 - 2811fps with 100gn RCBS

From my testing so far, it would seem that powder coated gas checked boolits can be safely driven up to the suggested starting loads in most manuals

What distance where you checking accuracy at?