Getting after the pistol bullets

[lightman]

Welcome Back! It looks like you have been busy!

[Beast of Burden]

Yes, your workspace is waaaay too organized! I lube some and PC some, just depends on how I am feeling. I bought the cheapo Harbor Freight PC gun which actually works pretty well. As mentioned before, if you try PC, use a better quality powder than what HF offers.

[jsizemore]

White Label BAC and Carnuba Red both require some heat. I got a 1" slab of aluminum under each sizer with a cartridge heater and PID for control. Thermocouple is on the other side of the sizer from the heater. Still takes some time to to heat soak the the sizer itself so I use a hair dryer to speed the process. PID temp readout lets me know when it's warm enough.

[Apple Man]

White Label BAC and Carnuba Red both require some heat. I got a 1" slab of aluminum under each sizer with a cartridge heater and PID for control. Thermocouple is on the other side of the sizer from the heater. Still takes some time to to heat soak the the sizer itself so I use a hair dryer to speed the process. PID temp readout lets me know when it's warm enough.

Could you elaborate more on the cartridge heater and PID controller. I have never heard of these before.

[jsizemore]

I use a 30watt version of this:

https://www.omega.com/en-us/resources/cartridge-heaters

You can go to the Stickys in the Casting Equipment Forum and find bunches of stuff about PID controllers. It's basically a digital temp controller with the ability to learn the bestest way to to keep whatever at the temp you want. I used a REX-C100 with relay output to send power directly to the cartridge heater. I used an old computer power supply box for the build. Ive got maybe $25 into the whole build. I've got another that controls my PC convection oven. And another that controls my bottom pour lead pots for casting. I bought the stuff for that one from Auber's. Still using the same thermocouple I got from them too. Good Stuff!

[Apple Man]

I use a 30watt version of this:

https://www.omega.com/en-us/resources/cartridge-heaters

You can go to the Stickys in the Casting Equipment Forum and find bunches of stuff about PID controllers. It's basically a digital temp controller with the ability to learn the bestest way to to keep whatever at the temp you want. I used a REX-C100 with relay output to send power directly to the cartridge heater. I used an old computer power supply box for the build. Ive got maybe $25 into the whole build. I've got another that controls my PC convection oven. And another that controls my bottom pour lead pots for casting. I bought the stuff for that one from Auber's. Still using the same thermocouple I got from them too. Good Stuff!

Thank You but that seems to be more complicated than I want to get into. I've been placing a 100 Watt light with a metal shade against the luber for 20 min and it really warms it up well. The luber as all of my presses/lubers are on steel plates and that also holds some heat. I can get a good 200 bullets lubed before you can feel the heat going away but can get 300 done at a time.

The BAC lube works well doesn't seem to smoke so much for pistol boolits paired with Clays powder. It is not stick when handling which I like.

[sutherpride59]

I know the feeling, I'm slowly dipping my toe back into the waters of bullet casting again. I made 500 45 acp boolits last week and I plan to make more this week. I did go to the dark side and start to PC my boolits so I suppose the ole star sizer is soon to be on the chopping block.

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

Nooo, keep your STAR sizer. I was just about to sell mine some time ago and now that I powder coat my bullets it has become my dedicated sizer. I ordered the STAR bushing adapter and a mess of bushings for all my calibers from NOE BULLET MOLDS and could not be any happier. I have 4 different size bushings for my 45-70's and will make 100 bullets, size 25 to one size, 25 to another, and so on all in one sitting with minimal work and tools. It really changes things if you no longer need it to lube...you can skip that and just use it as a push through.

[Apple Man]

Well after reading all the hype here, I ordered a new MP mold yesterday. 4 cavity brass in 452-200 based on the Hensley and Gibb #68.

Every body says brass really throws good boolits.

[jsizemore]

Hensley & Gibbs doesn't do too bad either.

The Star lubesizer does fine just sizing PC. I had to increase my bake time to 30 minutes to make sure the coating was dry before sizing. I size not long after they come out of the oven, about time they are easy to handle barehanded. Slip on through the sizing die with little effort or strain on equipment. Feels like sizing 22 Hornet brass in a Rock Chucker.

[Walter Laich]

as far as PCing bullets

living in Houston in the summer can make a mess of even the hard lube on bullets

couple of observations about it

something new for me to learn--find it to be fun
I don't individually place PCed bullets on a tray--I just dump a single layer on my mesh trays and then dump them into a metal pan after cooking. give them about a minute to cool then rock the pans to keep bullets from sticking together

I did lube in the old days (1960s) but I like this

VERY HAPPY OTHER LIKE TO LUBE--whatever floats your boat