How long can I wait before powder coatng and sizing

[bigmike13]

How long can I keep cast bullets before I powder coat and size them? I want to cast a bunch over a few days and there might be a minute before I can get the PC stuff together.

[RED333]

Mins, days, hours, weeks, months and years as far as I know.
I have cast and coated in the same day, coated some year old cast and both worked well.
As long as the cast has not oxidized if will work.

[torker]

I casted some today, I sized and PC them within 3 hours after the pour. No ill effects. I even had some that were a couple months old, and did the same to them. I posted the results in Pics only post here. I don't see any problems with your situation. Welcome to the Jungle!!! This stuff is very addicting...

[OnceFired]

I learned something today. I didn't think the cast boolits had *any* expiration on them at all. Oxidizing is a problem?

[Jupiter7]

I keep all mine in airtight containers. I've had certain alloys oxidize in as little as 1wk if left in open air. Still have some from that batch as loaded ammo that was in ammo box in house, look freshly cast.

[petroid]

Some oxidation will happen, depends on heat and humidity. Usually not a problem, rinse them with mineral spirits before PC and you should be good to go. I size before and after PC. Fat boolits made fatter by PC are just a PITA to size. I would think if you size within a week after casting, any age hardening should be kept to a minimum as well.

[TheDoctor]

I have been wondering about this. The lead will start oxidizing immediately, the question to me is, how much is too much? Being a low volume shooter, I can afford the time to be a perfectionist. Had a batch of about 500 I cast the other week. Due to my day getting interrupted, could not coat that day, and it rained for the next four. Not knowing how long it would take for an "excessive" amount of oxide to form, I re-cast that batch before coating them. Not sure if that was necessary. Do mineral spirits actually remove oxide from lead, or does it just de-grease it?

[gpidaho]

I coated some last week I cast in 1998, no problem. GP

[shaggybull]

I had some 44's that were cast sometime in the past...10 years maybe....they were lubed but undersized for my pistol. I cleaned them with mineral spirits and PC's them now they fit.

[ipijohn]

I just put boolits in an ammo box after they are cool with a desiccant bag and PC when I have time. They are always bright and shiny when I take them out to PC and size.

[mdi]

Yep, I too have PCed bullets cast over a year ago (and some commercial cast that I bought 6 years ago). Part of my PCing method includes cleaning with acetone, but I have successfully coated some that were as cast and sitting around for several months/years (?)...

[oldpapps]

If the lead is clean, any age will do. If it is not clean, clean it and coat.
However, 'hot' lead will hold more powder and may cause thicker coatings.
I've coated at 5 degrees above with winds blowing 5 to 10 MPH with gusts to over 20 MPH (it was cold!). I was concerned that my little chainmart oven wouldn't be able to keep the needed temps. It did and I got very suitable coverage.
I've coated but not very long, on a dead still day with measured temps of 103 degrees. As soon as I got the needed test bullets coated, I headed for the house and air conditioner.
My first coating didn't go well. The bullets, 178 grain 308 CG, had been cast in the early 1980s and had been sitting around in an open bucket getting who knows what all on them. The powder puddled on the bullets The second try, I had ran out of non-lubed bullets and had to wash the lube off first. This time I used HF RED and got a heavy coverage.
I routinely cast, size with a LEE Hand Press and push through sizing die (this is my habit and I don't think is necessary but I still do it) and coat and sized again, all in the same setting. I cast and cook under my car port for good air flow.

As I see it, the hardness of the cast bullets may/will change with age but that doesn't have any effect on the powder coat or when it can be put on.

Enjoy,

OSOK