Powder Coat

[JRLesan]

Anyone ever tried powdercoating a pure lead bullet? If so, what were your results (not with the process; rather the performance)???

[Bnt55]

Pretty sure that has been done, I remember reading about someone on here that loaded for 45 acp with powder coated pure lead just to see the results. If my recollection isn't failing me, the results were very positive. I'm sure you could find the thread with a little searching, it was quite interesting and eye opening. I was thinking about PC some muzzleloader Lee REAL bullets for the fun of it and seeing what happens. If you run some tests be sure to post back the results

[ACC]

I would also like to know.

ACC

[cwlongshot]

You can powder coat any metal bullet you want. Why would you think lead or pure lead would have a problem powder coating?

They are baked at 400 below the melting point...

To answer the question, YES thousands of them... Zero issues.

CW

[charlie b]

The only real issue with pure lead is getting it to cast well. With round ball I could cast pure ok. But, bullets would have issues with fill out so a bit of tin was needed.

[JRLesan]

These are swaged, not cast. Originally I posted my query in the swaging sub-forum to try and limit the number of responses not dealing with my question. I'm well aware that the PROCESS of powdercoating will work just fine on a pure lead bullet but that was not my question...

[cwlongshot]

A better question to not confuse everyone might have been

Any issues shooting pure lead powder coated bullets?

I have done it and I have had zero issues. Zero fouling and good preformance.

CW

[osage]

Aren't commercial swaged coated with some type of lube that would need to be removed before PC?

[JRLesan]

Probably, but I swage my own...

[JRLesan]

Or, left in the swaging section where not so much confusion. I did not move nor was I given the option of editing so as not to confuse anyone...

[bangerjim]

PC, when properly applied and baked, will stick very well to any lead-based boolit. The quality of your boolit will influence the coating adherence and functionality. If the boolit is properly sized for your barrel, it just adds a slick grease-free lube-like coating.

I have seen no degradation in performance when using grease, ALOX tumble, pan, and PC coating over the years. I now PC 100% of my boolits with ESPC guns.

[cwlongshot]

I was sorting bullets yesterday and found a jug of Speer Swaged 38 HB wadcutters. I remember cleaning off all lube and powder coating them.

They coated and have shot just fine. Yes all trace of lube must be removed.

CW

[Kraschenbirn]

Not 'pure lead' but I powder coat 30-1 Lyman 457124s (400 gr. RNs) for my by reproduction Trapdoor carbine. Shooting BP, accuracy goes south after 4 or 5 shots from hardened powder fouling but with smokeless, no problems.

Bill

[truck driver]

Yes I powder coat pellets for my spring air rifles and so far have no problem with the coating and seems to have helped with accuracy.

[Walks]

Do you PC with hollow base up or down ?

[truck driver]

Walks I dry coat by the S&B method

[cwlongshot]

Do you PC with hollow base up or down ?

That would require my cheaters. So to be fair my answer is "YES". :)

CW

[Hickok]

I was sorting bullets yesterday and found a jug of Speer Swaged 38 HB wadcutters. I remember cleaning off all lube and powder coating them.

They coated and have shot just fine. Yes all trace of lube must be removed.

CWDid the same with Speer swaged .358 158gr HP's. Let them soak in acetone, wiped them off and PC'ed with Smoke's powder. Then sized in .358 sizer, and shot at 1200 fps in S&W 586. Worked perfect. No leading, grouped nicely.

[mehavey]

See
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?409893-Pure-Lead-amp-PC&p=5001471&viewfull=1#post5001471

...and...

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?411499-severe-leading-on-first-cast-boolits&p=5099015&viewfull=1#post5099015

[popper]

Just remember that pure sizes differently than hard.

[Outer Rondacker]

Yes. I got great expansion on water jug tests. No barrel leading. Pure lead.

I have also powder coated 00 buck pellets. Just for fun.

[murf205]

Jr, I didn't PC pure lead but most of my stash is range lead from a place that host a lot of muzzle loader matches and they prefer pure lead. I have never checked but I can lightly scratch it with a finger nail and I usually add 1 % tin to the mix for good fill out of the mold. I shake and bake a LOT of these boolits and have driven them at some velocities that are pretty high and, so far, no leading at all. BUT...remember, fit is king. Without a good gas seal, you will have leading. Sometimes I think that we over think the hardness of our mix.

[Dragonscout]

Maybe a weird question, but since I've never PC'd... I'm shooting lead in my 44 spec, and recover the bullets from the backstop. I take them back and start the recovery process in the melter. In y'alls collective experience does the pc burn/skim off as slag or does it affect the downline quality of the lead reloading material, or is /should this be a separate question? Thanks...

[cwlongshot]

As long as you skim it off no harm done.

[Smoke4320]

I shoot a lot of 98% pure lead and 2% tin (for good fill out and defined drive bands).
50 cal muzzleloader, 300 Blackout (anything I have shooting subsonic 308, 358 win) 2 hi end PCP airguns 22 and 30 cal and a 458 Texan
all very very accurately
This year I brought down 2 deer with the CVA Optima 50 cal muzzleloader with 98/2 bullets. Zero misses All exactly where I was aiming.

[charlie b]

Maybe a weird question, but since I've never PC'd... I'm shooting lead in my 44 spec, and recover the bullets from the backstop. I take them back and start the recovery process in the melter. In y'alls collective experience does the pc burn/skim off as slag or does it affect the downline quality of the lead reloading material, or is /should this be a separate question? Thanks...

Skim off. I know because of all the rejects I have remelted :)

[Smoke4320]

^^^Agree skim it off and toss as dross

[Tripplebeards]

I tumbled these pure lead lee REAL boolits. I don’t lube them and have zero leading in my muzzle loader. I didn’t try to make them pretty either. I let a PC thick and uneven PC build up on them so I could build up the diameter for a tighter bore fit. They go down the barrel with resistance from start to finish. Without PC they literally fall down my barrel. IMO it helped with accuracy.

https://i.imgur.com/RwoDnzK.jpg

[Charlie Horse]

Yes. I got great expansion on water jug tests. No barrel leading. Pure lead.

I have also powder coated 00 buck pellets. Just for fun.

Expansion. I would like to find a bullet that could be shot at high velocity out of a 10" 357 or 44 TC barrel that would expand on deer. A pure lead powder coated bullet might do that.

[charlie b]

Doesn't have to be pure lead. As mentioned, put some tin in there to help with casting.

If I still hunted I'd get one of the nice MP molds with HP pins. Then you could use just about any lead alloy and get expansion at those velocities. :)

We used to 'test' with wet newspaper. At the magnum velocities any SWC made with COWW expanded nicely.