Sorry but I was wrong.

[aspangler]

I made a comment in another thread that I didn't like the PC boolits. I was wrong. I have done some research and bought some HF Red, did the shake and bake and loaded them in 9mm. They look good but haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Now that the confession is over (LOL) I have a question. How do you get the rifle boolits like 6.5, 30, 8mm to stand up on the base without falling over trying to put them in the oven? I haven't tried them yet other than just setting them up and trying to move them. They fall over very easily, especialy the 6.5 mm. Any suggestions?

[popper]

Move one at a time or use washers at the GC shank.

[Smoke4320]

Noe 311-247's about as long as you are going to see

I have my trays setting directly on the top of the oven .. Shake then stand on trays
move oven rack about 1/3 out
move tray directly down to oven rack.. Nice and slow ..
Most times I will have none -1 or 2 to fall over . stand those back up
slide rack back slowly and I'm all good
have more fall over sliding rack back if jerky motion Slow and steady is the name of the game

when spraying (instead of shake & Bake) Going from spray area to oven is more difficult ..

[Smoke4320]

6.5's will be an issue because the small base and tall bullets
This will sound completely backwards but will work nicely if you don't mind a ring around the nose (appearance only will NOT affect accuracy)
glue some hex head nut to your trays
then cover with NON stick foil
punch thru foil at the nuts.. S&B bullets then stand nose down in the nuts .. You will end up with a small ring around the nose where bullet touches the foil and nut .. no big deal
I started PC by spraying this way .. Nose was totally uncovered .. had PC rings/flashings around the nose and they Still shot very very accurately

[aspangler]

Thanks guys. Keep 'em coming.

[slim1836]

Take a sample of boolits with you to Home Depot and pick up "Fender Washers", they are larger than the standard washers and hold boolits steadier. Check for fit or drill out as necessary.

Slim

[jcren]

163289

Stand up the bullets then set the oven on top of them. Those are just 38's but I also do the Lee 230 grain 30 cal boattail.

[Smoke4320]

163289

Stand up the bullets then set the oven on top of them. Those are just 38's but I also do the Lee 230 grain 30 cal boattail.

That looks like a great solution .. what does that Rig cost and what is it called

[jcren]

It is a nu-wave oven. Brand names are about $100, but amazon and eBay sell simular rigs from sunbeam and the like for under $50. Now I have boards covered in foil that I just set the hood over so I can cook one while I set another. The silicon mat guys could probably do it right on a table.

By the way it is infrared and convection and I now set bullets as close together as I can without knocking them over with no problems. Pic was one of my first attempts.

[Smoke4320]

so that white base is not actually needed for safe heating the bullets ?

[jcren]

No, the base is plastic with a pizza pan type thing in it. I just set it over foil wrapped mdf now.

[DerekP Houston]

ohh I look that idea jcren! Once my toaster oven craps itself I may get one of those pricier models.

[Smoke4320]

Just might be something I add to the arsenal of PC equipment

Assuming you still use the same 400 degree and 10-15 minute cook time ?

[jcren]

Actually this model is supposed to max out at 385, but it has a timer that I just set for 20 minutes and let it heat up and cut itself off and cool. I have several recovered bullets with pc still on em. 20 minutes from cool may be overkill, but why mess with what works.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Ever look up in big box stores and see a grated grill over head on the lights? I bought a big piece for a few bucks at the local building stuff store.

Brought it home, and cut a piece to just fit inside the 11/13" tray in my convection oven. I set the grill on the tray, put a bullet in each, then open the slideout tray from pre-heated oven, set the tray on carefully, and lift the grill off and slide it back in, then close the door. Even the 311247 NOE's stand at attention for the duration. I let them cool to room temp out in my shop (55-degrees or so) then set the grill back on and remove the tray. When I take the grill off, all of them are still standing, and I can just size and place in my Dillon translucent ammo boxes.

Yeah, I know, it's a bit anal, but I am batting 100% to date. Any bullets that do fall over can easily be righted inside the grill. The openings measure .580". That will even let me do cast for my 550 Gibbs and my .577.

Next up on the list are some of those 140gr 6.5mm bullets from my Lyman mould for my old 6,5x55 Swede. They are about 1.3" oal. I am rebarreling my OM70 Target from '06 to 6.5-284 and that mag box length will let me seat them waaaaaaaay out.

[NavyVet1959]

So far, I've just been dumping the bullets out on a wire mesh after using the ASBBDT method and putting up with the occasional wire line on the bullet. I've considered using some 1/8" thick aluminum plate and drilling a matrix of holes in it and putting the noses in the holes when I finally get around to trying the electrostatic HF gun method.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I haven't coated 30 cal yet but I decided the nose doesn't need coated just the bearing surface so I was going to try to drill tapered holes in a plate and coat them upside down. But may be pretty tedious drilling that many holes haven't decided on material yet might have something at work I can repurpose for the task.

[Dragonheart]

I would suggest you start by using silicon mats to cook on as the bullets have a lot less tendency to slide. I can carry a tray of 30 caliber with a gas check base (which would be about 7 MM) across my garage and slide the tray into a hot oven without the domino effect. Other than that try loading your trays in a cold oven.

[tomf52]

I have found that by taking the nonstick aluminum foil and carefully crumpling it up and then carefully uncrumpling it and smoothing it out to the point where it resembles a coarse alligator skin appearance I can just dump the bullets onto the tray and just see that they are separated. The bullets are supported by the higher ridges of the foil and no marks are left after cooking them. The foil is reusable many times. Once you learn this method it is extremely easy and fast.

[Motor]

I made this. You can use what they call hardware cloth too. Probably much easier. I've baked them laying on their sides too. They don't look as nice but still work fine.

BTW: Welcome to the club. :)

Motor

[NavyVet1959]

I made this. You can use what they call mechanics cloth too. Probably much easier. I've baked them laying on their sides too. They don't look as nice but still work fine.

"Mechanics cloth"? Haven't heard that term before. Is that the same thing as "hardware cloth"?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-4-in-x-2-ft-x-5-ft-Hardware-Cloth-308231HD/204331884

[Dragonheart]

Laying the bullets on their side will work, but at the sacrifice of a flat base in the bullet. A flat base bullet is more accurate because a bullet is steered from the base.

One of the reasons a cast bullet is not as accurate as a jacket or gas checked bullet is the base varies due to the cut sprue. When bullets are powder coated and cooked base down the coating tends to even out the imperfections of the base and create a flat base. When bullets are cooked on their side this does not happen because the powder flows to the lowest point. But bullets cooked on their side will load and shoot, so if accuracy is not a requirement it is a faster process.

[greenhornet-1]

163289

Stand up the bullets then set the oven on top of them. Those are just 38's but I also do the Lee 230 grain 30 cal boattail.

What is the model # on this oven?
Thanks!!!

[pergoman]

I have experimented with boolits dry tumbled and baked 3 different ways. Method 1 was dumped on NSAF, method 2 was dumped on wire mesh trays, method 3 was standing on their bases on NSAF. Method 3 was the slowest by far. Shooting 9mm, 40, and 45 at 25 yards from several guns, all off sandbags I found no difference in group sizes. I will not be spending any time standing my pistol bullets up.

[Motor]

"Mechanics cloth"? Haven't heard that term before. Is that the same thing as "hardware cloth"?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-4-in-x-2-ft-x-5-ft-Hardware-Cloth-308231HD/204331884

That's what I get for using my memory. Your right. I fixed it. :)

Motor

[NavyVet1959]

That's what I get for using my memory. Your right. I fixed it. :)


I was just thinking that maybe it was just a different term they used for it up in your neck of the woods.

Like how a sandwich on a long crusted roll might also be called a sub, submarine, hogie, po-boy, hoagie, hero, or grinder, depending upon where you are located in the country.

[OS OK]

I would suggest you start by using silicon mats to cook on as the bullets have a lot less tendency to slide. I can carry a tray of 30 caliber with a gas check base (which would be about 7 MM) across my garage and slide the tray into a hot oven without the domino effect. Other than that try loading your trays in a cold oven.

Yeah but…"can you do the Texas two step with a twirl or two for good measure before you get across the shop…and without knocking anything over?"
Now I find out you not only have an impeccable shop but you are talented too…whats next down there in Katy?

OS OK….:bigsmyl2:

[Dragonheart]

Yeah but…"can you do the Texas two step with a twirl or two for good measure before you get across the shop…and without knocking anything over?"
Now I find out you not only have an impeccable shop but you are talented too…whats next down there in Katy?

OS OK….:bigsmyl2:

Hey, when you are 68 just getting across the three car garage without tripping over your own feet is an accomplishment and extra points for not dropping the tray. I will leave the two step and twirl for the young guys.