Testing PC?

[brewer12345]

I am about to start trying to PC with Smoke's powder. I know about the smash test, is there any other way I should test them? Do you test every batch, or only as you are getting technique down?

[454PB]

Shoot em'

[Eddie17]

Smash them, if they pass then your good to go to the final test of load an shoot!
Smokes powders are A+ great! I really like the clear. Coats on in tumbling white, bakes to a clear coat.
Again great powder��

[Conditor22]

There is one more test that no one does and they should. test to see if the PC is fully cured.

this is done by placing baked boolits in a container with some powder you are going to shoot them with for (I'm guessing here 2 weeks to 6 months) to see if the PC is fully cured. IF the PC is fully cured it will not be affected by the powder.)

Smoke recommends baking for 15 min at 400 degrees, that means 15 min AFTER the boolit has reached 400° to achieve full sure, not 15 min (or 10 I don't remember) total time in the oven.
Check out the thread http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?370234-Most-people-ARE-NOT-baking-PC-long-enough
or do your own research, notice that ALL manufacturers state to bake for XX min AFTER metal temp reaches XXX° or for Eastwood AFTER the PC starts to flow.


PS chrome coats dark grey and bakes -- well chrome :)

[fredj338]

Every batch I pick a defective looking bullet out & smash it totally flat. I have yet to have any coating failures. The shooting verifies all is well.

[cwlongshot]

https://oimg.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/Temp%20stuff/sporting%20pics/Bullets/Casting/Powder%20Coating/20FC3002-C852-4E00-BC85-C6C45CBC373E_zpsqaaggq1q.jpeg

It shouldnt peel flake or in any way come off. (Without removing lead)

CW

[Dragonheart]

The smash test tests the bond and elasticity of the coating, but does not indicate the hardness of the polymer. An undercured bullet will pass the smash test.

Charlie Darnall of Freechex actually came up with an idea that is quick & easy. And that is to take a very sharp blade, like a utility knife, and holding the blade at a 90 degree angle to the bullet, lightly scrape the side of the bullet. If the coating scrapes off easily then it is not hard. The other test is scraping the bullet with pencil lead of known hardness: a good hardness for PC is equal to 2H or better.

If you are loading for accuracy then weighing the bullets will quickly cull out those that are not completely filled out. Yes, the is somewhat anal, but when I develop and Ransom Rest test loads I am not going to have my efforts ruined by loading imperfect bullets. Actually it goes pretty quick if you have a digital scale like an RCBS.

[midnight]

I weigh all my cast and cull before coating. Usually its +/- one grain but I may expand that with very heavy bullets or 4 cavity molds. No matter how well a mold is made, cavities vary slightly. Even the last batch with one of Miha's 4 cavity HP varied +/- 1.5 gr.

Bob

[flydad]

Dragonheart is right the scrape test , I call it is a very good indicator of the cured state of the powder coating. even better than the smash test.