Funny how we think we're open to new ideas when we're not.

[AbitNutz]

I saw the pole of who is doing PC/Hi-Tek vs traditional lubrisizing. There are some comments in there about how they have been doing lubrisizing for 40 years, I know what I'm doing, it works and I'm not going to change. Well, I hate to admit it but that is how I felt. I have a ton of experience and money invested in lubers, heated bases, dies even lube sticks...and now, since I tried HI-Tek, they are going to see less and less use.

What caused me to change? Not my adventurous intellect that enables me to evaluate and turn on a dime...it was the fact that I couldn't make traditionally cast and lubed bullets run through my bullet feeder reliably. I was about to consign my wonderful GSI bullet feeder to jacketed bullets only...until I tripped over the Hi-Tek coating website. There it states that it enabled cast bullets to run through a bullet feeder. I called them, got as much information as I could, bought it, tried it and it worked!

We're off to the races! Not only does it work through a bullet feeder, it works period. I don't know yet if it works as well as traditional in rifles. I haven't gotten that far but in pistols, I believe it does. In fact, in some aspects it is superior. I don't get leading out of either method but I did get significant lead shaving in ported barrels with the traditional lube-size. I get much less, almost none with Hi-Tek.

This is the price I pay for being an old curmudgeon.

[Walter Laich]

I think your schedule also plays a part in trying something new: if you're under the gun to get something finished, like ammo for a deer hunt, you're not going to have the inclination or time to try out a new method. I would include family and work in this category too.

Pretty much anything new has a learning curve which is a nice way to say your production will fall off until you master the new method.

[Tackleberry41]

There are some opposed to anything 'new'. I used to go shooting with a guy who simply refused to use cast bullets in anything. Even when he sees the results I can get with cast bullets. He gave me a big box of 200gr he had bought for his 45, not sure why he bought them to begin with. They were some generic SWC and he owns glocks. So gave me the box, fine free lead. And another time he gave me some lee 230gr 30 cal somebody has cast up and gave him to try. Wouldn't touch them for use in his 300AAC. Tho good he didnt as they would have leaded up a gun real quick. All cast way undersize.

Me, Ill try most anything, never know if it will be better or not. But wont know unless you try. I tried various methods of PC with poor results. Finally got shake and bake with the right powder to work. But I do have plenty of time to mess with such things being retired.

[gwpercle]

I was surprised at the results, when I checked conventional lube was ahead.
If I were a new reloader I would go with it. I have a good bit of money invested in my lube-sizer, and all the dies and punches that go with all the boolits I cast . This equipment, materials and process have been long paid for and I have my methods down . Everything works for me .
I just don't feel the need to dump all my equipment and start buying new stuff and reinventing my methods and materials.
I'm an old dog and just not up to learning new tricks...it works , so I don't feel the burning need to fix it. People that stand in a line for hours just to get the latest and greatest new I-phone will probably be all into this new technology, it is the latest and greatest right ?
Gary

[JSnover]

I'm not opposed to it. My method works well, it's cheap, simple, and effective. I actually like the PC idea but at this point I'm more interested in buying dies and brass for my next rifle than starting up a powder coating operation.
Maybe one of these days...

[PaulG67]

gwpercle, JSnover and I have much in common, we have a lot of equipment that we have been acquiring over the years and it works.
I don't get any leading to speak off and my guns also clean up spotless with minimum effort.

[bstone5]

I have made cast pistol bullets for many years.
Cast with hand molds and a Lee pot for many years.
Used a Lyman sizing machine to size and lube the cast bullets for many years.
Got a Star sizer also many years back for sizing and lubing bullets.

Tried powder coating bullets when it first can about.
Got a Master Casting machine and ran the machine in the manual method for a few years.

Read about automating the Master Caster on this site, automated the Masrer Caster.
To coat and size thousands of cast bullets has lead me to using powder coat with the electric gun and purchasing a commercial convection oven.

The choice to lube or coat is a choice each individual has to make based upon which works best for their individual situation.

For me coating is best due to the large volume of cast bullets made a time with the Automated Master Caster.

My sons and a few friends like the powder coated bullets, I do not sell the cast bullets as a business, all of the bullets are used by my family and a few friends who help with the casting and coating of bullets.

We all look for lead to feed the casting machine and have regularly have a lot of lead from plumbers and shops that make lead enclosures for medical applications.

[swheeler]

Variety is the spice of life!:drinks:

[Yodogsandman]

I'm in a different situation than most. I've powder coated as part of my job for 37+ years. PC'd boolits for about 3 years. I am all set up at home to ESPC and ASBDPC. I also have lubrisizing equipment, 3 RCBS Lubers and all sorts of sizing dies. I also shoot mostly rifles. PC did not give me the accuracy that I was used to. I did work up the loads, too. Now, I would only use PC to increase the size of boolits from undersized molds that never did shoot any good (mostly Lyman). I'm sure it's fine for pistol bullets and low velocity rifle rounds, too. I've been using Ben's Liquid Lube, a tumble lube, exclusively almost since Ben announced it. It's fast, easy, doesn't lead and gives better accuracy than all the lubes I've tried. I can Lee push thru size 500 pistol boolits and tumble lube with BLL, all in under 2 hours (1 coat). Rifle boolits (3 coats) take longer but, the accuracy is well worth it.

Some day I'll revisit using PCing, hoping more refinement will be done towards real rifle accuracy with it.

[dverna]

There needs to be a reason to change. If lubed bullets do not work in a bullet feeder, then another option is needed.

But if lubed bullets work and meet expectations, there is little incentive to invest in something new or take the time to master it. If I shot a lot indoors, coated bullets could be a good option. But at this point, lubed bullets do all I ask.

Don Verna

[JSnover]

In a hundred years or so, some young guys will rediscover the lost art of powder coating and try to figure out how those old guys did it way back then.

[jimb16]

I don't know about you guys, but I look at the application then decide which way I'm going to jump. Sometimes I try both ways and then make my decision. I'm pretty open-minded about it and try to give all available methods a fair try.

[W.R.Buchanan]

My reason for getting into this was because I got sick of buying plated boolits and especially when the company was so far behind I couldn't get any. I have lots of lead and pistol boolits are easy to cast and you don't have to be "That" particular about how they look. Those paper targets or steel ones will never know the difference, and at Semi Auto pistol distances accuracy is never the real problem why you missed. Also I like the way they work in my Rifles as well and the big ones work really well with Cast, but some of my moulds drop small and I see P/C as a good way to bump them up a couple of thou..

No leading in Glock barrels is one less thing to worry about. I didn't get much, if any, with Cast and Lubed but you still had to lube them and I did have to check often, and didn't with the plated boolits..

These are cleaner and look better.

I got into it for those and probably the "something new" reason as well, but so far I'm <$100 in the whole process and all I will have to get from now on is powder. I can get that from my Paint guys for practically nothing.

It is a good thing to try if you are adventurous, and the boolits are definitely attention getters.

One thing you need to understand is that "Change is Inevitable" and some places won't allow open lead boolits much longer, CA being one. and if you think your state is exempt from that, you are living in the dark. It is only a matter of time and if Hildegard gets in, which is likely, we will see Gun Regulation and EPA regulation against lead like we've never seen it. She'll do it with Executive Order and there won't be anything we can do about it. You think Obama was bad? he just taught her all the tricks, and she's not dumb.

She is a pure Socialist and both Her and Bill are absolutely sure that they can make it work because they know all the mistakes the previous failures have made, and think they are smarter. The operative word being "Think!" But the real point is that "change is inevitable." and there ain't nothin' you can do about it.

Randy

[Abenaki]

Powder coating is just a passing fad!
Kinda like smokless powder!!!!


Take care
Abenaki

[JSnover]

According to our unofficial CB poll, about half of us are doing it. I'd call that a favorable response to a new concept.

[Dragonheart]

The biggest problem with powder coating is not having the molds, sizers, swages etc. made for that purpose. We are having to contend with the same basic mechanics that began when the first bullet was cast.

[NyFirefighter357]

I'm new to the game. I don't even have casting equipment yet beyond making ingots. For me my reason to cast is in NY and other places it is getting harder & more expensive to buy bullets. I believe that it's never going to get better and may get far worse for all of us. I don't shoot a lot but don't want to be without or don't want my kids to be without ammo either. I really plan on casting the bullets for long term storage and think pc might be a better option and high storage temp. may melt conventional lube. I've also thought about the Alox/liquid wax hard lube, I'm not opposed to any lube. I've even pondered PP, but I don't have time for that! I may get a lubrisizer as well. But I think at this point it would be easier for me to shake-n-bake for the results I want. Pistol accuracy is very good & rifle accuracy is good for most. As well pc bullet speeds can be increased. Just my 2 cents. Jason