Stupid question of the day - anyone ever PC muzzleloader bullets?

[Captain Skip]

As the title asks, has anyone ever tried powder coating muzzleloader bullets, particularly Lee REAL bullets?

Does it work?

[Sasquatch-1]

It might be OK to powder coat a muzzleloader bullet, but remember the lube is there to keep the fouling soft.

[Martin Luber]

Why? Rifle balls are patched as are single shot pistols. Revolvers should cut a ring when seated so only lead would contact the bore...no advantage from what l see. Change my mind.

[elmacgyver0]

I think you're talking about two different things.

[elmacgyver0]

For a front stuffer it shouldn't hurt anything.
For BPCR it shouldn't either, but you still need the lube.

[LAGS]

I have PC'ed the lead balls and sometimes REAL Boolits.
I still use lube on both.
The only time that PC ing might be useful is in a Smothebore barrel.
You still have to use lube or spit.
But you can shoot a larger ball that is the size of the bore and no patch.
But you might want to use an overpowder Wad and maybe a overball wad to keep the ball from rolling out of the barrel if you are moving around.
But PC ing the ball lessens the contact your hands have with lead when you are shooting.
But you will be handling the lead more when you try to PC them.

[Captain Skip]

Not talking about lead balls, I'm using the Lee REAL bullet mold for a conical bullet that is supposed to cut the rifling when loaded. When I shoot round ball I use a patch so that's not the question. The mold says to only use pure lead so I'm just curious if recycled lead, like wheel weights could be used if the conical bullet is powder coated. It's this mold: https://leeprecision.com/mold-d-c-54cal-380.html It looks to be a modernized version of the older mini-ball.

[725]

Shouldn't hurt a thing. Best to just go ahead and give it a shot. Might make loading a bit tighter. Use lube. Could help a slightly over-sized bore. I have one that has been "refreshed" and it would make sense to shoot powder coated. because the bore has been enlarged. Let us know if it improves your shooting.

[KCSO]

Any petroleum product will react with B/P fouling to make a tar and glue combination. This is why alox won't work for B/P lube. I can't imagine that powder coat would do anything but make a hard to clen mess. As long as you have to clean it out try it and let us know.

[Jackrabbit1957]

Here we are back to revolvers cutting a ring off the ball/ bullet. Has any one actually seen specific instructions from Colt or Remington or any other manufacturers that specifically say the ball has to have a ring cut off of it?? I set my pistols up to compress the ball into the chambers so no lead is cut off. I have had the lead ring bind cylinders it they happened to get caught between the cylinder and barrel. Also I think it effects accuracy on acount of shaving more off on one side. So if there are actual instructions from a cap and ball revolver out there on shaving lead from a bullet or ball please enlighten us all.

[redneck1]

Having your ball large enough to shave a ring off has nothing to do with accuracy , it's to have the cylinder sealed up to prevent a chain fire .

[Edward]

Any petroleum product will react with B/P fouling to make a tar and glue combination. This is why alox won't work for B/P lube. I can't imagine that powder coat would do anything but make a hard to clen mess. As long as you have to clean it out try it and let us know.

Powder coating works great , one advantage with conicals it increase diameter as needed /2 it acts as a jacket so you can shoot faster with soft lead (no GC) and not get leading . What's not to like (and pretty colors too !) /Ed

[Jackrabbit1957]

So once again, are there any instructions from the original manufacturers about shaving lead from a ball? You also get a good seal from swaging the ball into the cylinder without cutting pieces from it. Been doing for many years without having a chainfire. I really am wanting to know where this idea got started and if there's any real info on whether or not it really works not just because Henry or Bob says it has to be that way.

[Sasquatch-1]

Here we are back to revolvers cutting a ring off the ball/ bullet. Has any one actually seen specific instructions from Colt or Remington or any other manufacturers that specifically say the ball has to have a ring cut off of it?? I set my pistols up to compress the ball into the chambers so no lead is cut off. I have had the lead ring bind cylinders it they happened to get caught between the cylinder and barrel. Also I think it effects accuracy on acount of shaving more off on one side. So if there are actual instructions from a cap and ball revolver out there on shaving lead from a bullet or ball please enlighten us all.

On Pietta's website they have the recommended ball size for their revolvers. All appear to be larger than the cylinder diameter. The only one I can speak to is the 1851 army. Using the recommended ball size, I always shaved a ring. Where it doesn't specifically say to shave a ring, using their loading data would seem to show this to be the fact. I also greased the openings.

[Jackrabbit1957]

What I'm looking for is specific written factory instructions on shaving off a lead ring, no assumptions, no hearsay. I have never seen any specific instructions, don't mean they don't exsist, I just want to know where this idea got started. When I tune revolvers for folks about 1 in 8 customers want the chamber mouths beveled so it doesn't shave lead. As long as the ball is tightly compressed into the chamber and lubed there is little to no chance of a chainfire from that end. This is where using pure dead soft lead is important.

[dave951]

So once again, are there any instructions from the original manufacturers about shaving lead from a ball? You also get a good seal from swaging the ball into the cylinder without cutting pieces from it. Been doing for many years without having a chainfire. I really am wanting to know where this idea got started and if there's any real info on whether or not it really works not just because Henry or Bob says it has to be that way.

High speed video shot by some NMLRA guys proved chain fires result from poorly fitting caps on nipples assuming the ball is swaged into the front of the cylinder. All the grease on the front of the cylinder does is to keep fouling soft.

[dave951]

Back to powder coating. I've tried it in Civil War types of arms using real black powder. I saw no change in accuracy or fouling. Net conclusion- it can make pretty bullets but doesn't make them shoot better so why do it?

[Hellgate]

Some C&B revolver cylinder chambers (I have two Euroarms Remingtons that way) are chamfered and swage the ball when seated and there will be no ring unless the ball is way oversized.

[GregLaROCHE]

I have considered PCing some mini balls that don’t fit as tight as I would like.

[sledgehammer001]

Captain, I tried WW alloy for Lee REAL in a .50 rifle. Almost had to use a hammer to seat the bullet. Harder alloys are NOT so good for that type of bullet. And mine wasn't as accurate as pure lead either.
YMMV

[Jackrabbit1957]

This is my point exactly, cutting lead off the ball changes the weight and center of gravity possibly affecting accuracy. On the original subject of PC bullets, I have shot them through my ROAs, 250 grn 452 from Bear Creek. They shoot accurately enough but tend to leave a residue in the barrel that's hard to remove. Just something to consider when trying out something like this. I was able to hit a Jackrabbit or two around 70 ish yards with them. Clean up was not particularly fun.

[longcruise]

I have PCd some 50 maxi balls and had good results with and without lube. Either way, no big mess. I wipe between shots so no reason to use lube. It will enlarge the bullet. If it's tight without pc it won't fit with it. I sized them to 501.

[indian joe]

Here we are back to revolvers cutting a ring off the ball/ bullet. Has any one actually seen specific instructions from Colt or Remington or any other manufacturers that specifically say the ball has to have a ring cut off of it?? I set my pistols up to compress the ball into the chambers so no lead is cut off. I have had the lead ring bind cylinders it they happened to get caught between the cylinder and barrel. Also I think it effects accuracy on acount of shaving more off on one side. So if there are actual instructions from a cap and ball revolver out there on shaving lead from a bullet or ball please enlighten us all.

so ......a little taper on the chamber so it swages instead of cutting a ring? thats the other way of doing it - end result similar = a little flat around the centre of the ball

[indian joe]

High speed video shot by some NMLRA guys proved chain fires result from poorly fitting caps on nipples assuming the ball is swaged into the front of the cylinder. All the grease on the front of the cylinder does is to keep fouling soft.

I tend to agree but "PROVE" is a very big word in these circumstances

have had one chain fire in my life and it was the ONE time I neglected to grease the front end

I dont know which end caused the problem but two went off when one should have - first shot out of a new (second hand) gun and I didnt even realise until the hammer fell dead on number five (a .36 pocket - I loaded em all and fired four times)

front and rear end always a possibility for a flashover/extra discharge