Im going to try PC but..

[buck1]

I have been reading and am starting to go cross eyed, ha!
A few questions....

When shooting PC boolits do you use the same load data you used with traditional lubed boolits?

Any pressure issues?

Do you have to lube the PC boolits when sizing them (lee sizer die)? if so with what?

Does my container need to be the #5 recycle type?

From what I have read and seen, the proceedure is ..

Warm bare boolits .
Dump in to the container with some powder .
swirl and shake a minute or so .
Dump in to screen basket/ tray and sift off excess powder.
in to oven for 20 min at 400 DEG F.
cool slightly.
knock boolits off of basket/tray and break any that have stuck together apart.
size then load.

Sound about right? Any tips?
Thanks in advance....Buck

[Lakehouse2012]

Have you also read up on Hi-Tek? It would be worth knowing it exists. IMO its better performance than PC, though it requires learning a bit more about process. But when done right, its worth the effort.

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[farmerjim]

What Lakehouse2012 says.
I do both. Hi-Tek is faster even with 2 coats, but does have a steeper learning curve. I find that both preform well. PC is thicker and can be a problem in chambering on some boolits. It is a help when some molds cast too small. If you try Hi-Tek, the number 1 mistake is putting the first coat on too thick. Go thinner than than recommended.
You do not need to lube most boolits when sizing, but a little bit helps.

Your container does need the 5 on it.

I never warm my boolits, but some do.

No pressure issues, but all rules for cast boolits still apply. You may get by with a slightly softer lead.

I see some dump on a screen, but I stand all of mine on a baking sheet with non stick Al foil or silicone bake mat. They do not stick together this way, but others say they work fine even with the marks on them.

I do 15 min at 400 in my oven, but this varies some between ovens. Do the smash test. If the coating comes off, it was not cured enough.

Tip: Use Smokes powder, it is much better than HF.

Good luck

[Kraschenbirn]

<Do you have to lube the PC boolits when sizing them (lee sizer die)? if so with what?>

You may or may not need to lube. I know that's not exactly what you wanted to read but you probably won't know that you need to lube until you really need to lube. I've never needed to lube any PC'd boolit using a Lee push-thru die...but the only 'push-thru' I use is a .311 for my .30 cal. rifle boolits (.308 Win, .30-40 Krag, .30-06, and .30-30). All the rest, rifle and handgun, get sized in a Lyman 450 and that's where the "may or may not" comes in. If I'm not certain...like I'm working with a boolit I've never PC'd before...I'll always lube until I develop a 'feel' for that particular boolit.

So far as a lube, some folks just work some 'soft' bullet lube into a rag and roll their boolit across the rag, just like lubing cases and others have reported good results using spray-on case lube. Personally, I prefer the pad method only I use electrician's wire-pull lube...inexpensive, dries fast, and leaves no sticky residue to be cleaned off.

Bill

[quiver]

As far as lubing coated bullets I tend to use a small amount of Imperial Sizing Wax every fifth bullet or so, or when it starts to use more effort to push through the die. It depends on the die though some are easier to push through than others. As others have said all the usual rules of reloading and of loading cast bullets apply. There has been noted less pressure involving coated bullets probably because of a lower coefficient of friction in comparison to bare lead.

[buck1]

Great help guys! Thank you so much!! I will also look in to hi-tek.

[dverna]

Another option is BLL. No oven needed.

[Walter Laich]

I tried to look at hi-tec but pictures no longer show

[flyingmonkey35]

I have been reading and am starting to go cross eyed, ha!
A few questions....

When shooting PC boolits do you use the same load data you used with traditional lubed boolits?

Yes same load data. Then work it out for your gun.

Any pressure issues? No

Do you have to lube the PC boolits when sizing them (lee sizer die)? if so with what?

No but it won't hurt.

Does my container need to be the #5 recycle type? Yes

From what I have read and seen, the proceedure is ..

Warm bare boolits .
Dump in to the container with some powder .
swirl and shake a minute or so .
Dump in to screen basket/ tray and sift off excess powder.
in to oven for 20 min at 400 DEG F.
cool slightly.
knock boolits off of basket/tray and break any that have stuck together apart.
size then load.



Yes. BUTT. Results will vary based on humidity in your location. Blackairsoft BBS help create static. But may not be needed in your area.


Sound about right? Any tips?
Thanks in advance....Buck



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[Lakehouse2012]

There is a thread on hitek, last time i checked it was 800 pages long. But its the greatest thread ever! The owner in Australia and distributor in the US, both hang out on it daily and answer any question they can. They both really stand behind their product!!!

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[gregtu]

There is a thread on hitek, last time i checked it was 800 pages long. But its the greatest thread ever! The owner in Australia and distributor in the US, both hang out on it daily and answer any question they can. They both really stand behind their product!!!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Yes, they probably do stand behind their lube/coating as I would if that is where my living came from and in the reality of a new world of cheap PC.

[bstone5]

I do both Hi-Tech and powder coat. I powder coat all cast bullets and use Hi-Tech for buck shot.
With an automated Master Caster I cast thousands of bullets at a time. Powder coat is applied with a Harbor Freight electronic spray gun and cure the powder in a commercial bench top convection oven. Have coated thousands and thousands of cast lead bullets. For me the sizing of the coated bullets with a Lee sizing die and a manual single stage press took a lot of time and effort. Took a old Lee single stage press that I purchased here and an air cylinder from EBay put together an air powered sizing press. The air operated press has made sizing the coated bullets a lot easier. A little lube on the bullets will ease in sizing the bullets. A very little of your favorite lube is all that is required.

[glockfan]

Yes, they probably do stand behind their lube/coating as I would if that is where my living came from and in the reality of a new world of cheap PC.

not even in the same league, HITEK don't compete against PC simply because both products are completely different: powder coat is actually a polymeric capsule enclosing the lead core , which actually add to the boolit diameter .

hitek is a ''solid stain''' which adhere to lead, then on baking , penetrate the surface and underneath to form a capsule as well ,but it isn't a polymer , it doesn't add much to the diameter of the boolit even after 2 coats. the amount of products it takes for 2 coats is much less than powder coat, the amount used VS the price per pound is comparable if not less .

[Mxrick55555]

I use cast/ plated bullet load data for powder coated bullets but find that the velocity is usually higher than shown in the book using the same load as a cast or plated. I assume the powder coating is a slicker coating than the others and produces less friction going down the barrel which in theory means pc bullets should be easier on the barrel. That’s the way it plays out in my head anyways.

[Grmps]

Most manufacturers recommend 10 - 15 min @ 400°
MAKE SURE YOUR OVEN IS REACHING 400°!! 99.9 % of countertop ovens temperature setting is off up to 100°
Set an oven thermometer (or 2) in the middle of the shelf you will be baking on.
Let the oven come up to heat and adjust the setting until the thermometer (s) in the oven read 400°
This should be done every time there is a big change in temperature where the oven is located.

If you get most of the excess powder off the boolits you should get minimal sticking

some people like using the Airsoft BB's that Smoke sells, in the container with the PC, the BB's help build static and also help keep a more even thin coating.

I do Hi-Tek and PC, I reserve HiTek is for large batches of bullets (30 pounds or more and because it is more of a process [not a hard process but like everything else you need to follow the instructions]

Most commercial casters that coat their boolits us Hi-Tek

[gregtu]

Took a old Lee single stage press that I purchased here and an air cylinder from EBay put together an air powered sizing press. The air operated press has made sizing the coated bullets a lot easier. A little lube on the bullets will ease in sizing the bullets. A very little of your favorite lube is all that is required.

I would love to see a detailed explanation for how to set up this air operated press. Is there a detailed explanation here that describes how to set this up? If not, can you explain? It really sounds like a winner.

[fredj338]

I use the same data as my lubed lead bullets. Often vel will be a tiny bit higher.
I use the ziplock screw on lid containers for shaking. I like the idea the lid wont pop off. I do not warm bullets but in higher humidity, maybe that works better. I pluck bullets out & put them into plastic cartridge box jigs so they stand nice on flat bases. Just seems to give a better finished product & not terribly time consuming. I only bake 15m total time @ 400, then size the next day or two.

[buck1]

Great help guys! I think i will get my feet wet with powder coat on some low vel 45 lc and then try the hitek and move up to mag vel/ pressure in my 44 mags. Again Thanks so much for the help!!

[farmerjim]

I would love to see a detailed explanation for how to set up this air operated press. Is there a detailed explanation here that describes how to set this up? If not, can you explain? It really sounds like a winner.

Here are some youtube videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zbImsdkbg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7pAfvKHMEI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myh9u3ZAF2Y

[buck1]

Well I finally got my feet wet.
Got in Eastwood copper penny and silver rally wheels.
The copper penny coated very easy and the silver took about 2 min of shaking in my #5 container. Baked for 20 min at 400Deg.
The copper penny boolits were glossy and tried to stick together but not too bad.
The silver ones were very different. They came out touching but not stuck together at all. They never got sticky not at all. They poured from my tray as easy as they poured in.They also felt sand blasted, not smooth at all.I then cooked them for 30 min with no change.
Both boolits passed the acetone and hammer tests.
I sized them and the sized portion was smooth as glass then. I loaded these 255 gr 45 LC at starting loads 15 rds of each color. They shot fine and no leading and pressure signs were very low. The copper acted as I expected but the silver threw my for a loop being rough and no signs of sticking when just dumped in the tray to cook.

[Grmps]

"Color: Rally Wheel Silver
Gloss Level: Semi-Gloss
Cure Temperature: 400 Degrees
Cure Time: 20 Minutes after flowout
Powder Type: Polyester TGIC
Finish: Smooth"
This is a horse of a different color
You need to watch the boolits in the oven and when the PC gets shiny/flows then you bake for 20 more minutes

this PC should be smooth :veryconfu you have pictures?

[buck1]

215540
The silver ones never got shiny or flowed like the copper did. They do have a touch of gloss but have a texture of fine sugar or sand blasted type texture.