Air soft BBs Purpose?

[doulos]

What is the purpose of these that aids in coating the bullets? Is it static? Are some types better than others for this? Is it absolutely necessary?

[BK7saum]

Yes, they help build the static charge.
Some are better than others.
I dont believe they are absolutely necessary but they sure help and also cushion the boolits from beating on each other during the "shake"

[Daver7]

Ive been getting along fine without them.

[charlie b]

I use them as a cushion to keep from beating up the bullets. The added benefit is the extra static they create.

[Walter Laich]

I use them too. Black ones are supposed to be the best

with them I can swirl for 30 seconds, shake the bowl up and down 4-5 time and then pour bullets, powder and BBs in a plastic colander that I have drilled out the openings to allow the BBs to pass through.

a bit of swriling in the colander and the powder and BBs are in a larger catch-bowl underneath and pour bullets onto my wire trays.

about a minute from initial swirling to next one

[Smoke4320]

it helps develop the static needed for real good coverage especially in hi humidity times. I have PC'ed in an unheated garage, door open in a rain storm no issues

[doulos]

Thanks
Is there a type or "brand " that is superior?

[agcannon]

I use the black bb's. bought powder and bb's from Smoke4320. JD green. Followed smokes instructions, and never had an issue from my first batch onward. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[charlie b]

No brand specific. Better are ones that are not shiny. Best I have used are the black ones. I also just add a pack to my order with Smoke.

But, I have also used the big plastic jewelry beads from Hobby Lobby when I was in an 'experimenting' mood. They worked.

[stubshaft]

When I started out PC'ing bullets I bought some of the BB's and found that I get better results WITHOUT them.

[agcannon]

Never tried it without out the bb's. only been pc'ing a year or so. might try without next time.

[charlie b]

There ya go! Some people like them. Some don't. Take your pick.

[BJung]

I use pieces of styrofoam cups than the bbs to build static charge.

[Dancing Bear]

I use pieces of styrofoam cups than the bbs to build static charge.

Well that's an idea to try out.

[Beerd]

I use pieces of styrofoam cups than the bbs to build static charge.

me too.
appears to do the job.
..

[PULSARNC]

When i started the powder coat thing i tried a variety of colored bbs . I could not find the black ones locally . finally gave up and ordered black from Amazon . The black ones , for whatever reason give a higher static charge .

[GregLaROCHE]

I tried some once and didn’t see much difference, so I stopped using them. Mine weren’t black. Maybe that had something to do with it. Nevertheless, I get along fine without them.

[rsrocket1]

The static electricity build up actually occurs when the powder makes, then breaks contact with the lead. The BB's present a point contact between the powder and something else as opposed to a "line" contact when the sides of 2 bullets touch each other. With a good hard shake (making and breaking contact with the powder), in dry weather and with good fresh powder, there is really no need for the BB's. In fact here is an early tumble with some fresh Harbor Freight Red with nothing more than Lee 401-175-TC's in a 1 Gallon Ziplock bag:

https://images3.imgbox.com/a1/09/aLLCDznc_o.jpg

https://images3.imgbox.com/70/63/k6ZbiOAJ_o.jpg

Since my move out of the dry central California valley, I've done some coatings in humid Texas using this instead of a Cool Whip container:

https://images2.imgbox.com/c6/8a/UQ64qEsn_o.jpg

It lets me shake more violently without ripping the Ziplock bag or breaking the Cool Whip container.

https://images2.imgbox.com/48/cf/VfACxHGW_o.jpg

https://images2.imgbox.com/32/9d/IKJHJb8I_o.jpg

I may try some shakes without the BB's but they don't hurt and they don't slow down the process of grabbing the bullets with gloved hands and dropping them into the bullet trays. I pour out the bullets/BB's into a pie pan and they are easily picked up.

[Rapier]

Black, air soft pellets, do work well.
1)Make a hardware cloth box, turn the edges diwn, SS wire the corners together,
2)use a round punch to male 1/4" square holes into round holes.
3)Make a spring loaded set of needle nose pliers into rounded pincers by heating the prongs red hot and forming the tips only to touch.
4) Shake in a big mouth air tight jar. Air tight is imperative, dry powder absorbed moisture, moisture messes up static cling.
5)Pick the bullets up and out by the ogive, using the pincers only thus the big mouth.
6)place bullets in the hardware cloth box nose down, leaving the bearing surface and base unmolested.
7)Bake at 400 for 20 minutes after the oven reaches 400.
8)Size to the actual groove diameter, for your gun, your gun, using case lube.
Do not use gas checks up to 2,700 fps. You can double coat for use in the AR system.

I have shot mixed plain base and gas check bullets, powder coated, with no checks. Could not tell any difference in two 5 shot groups at 50 meters.

I use Eastwood powder coating for chrome on cars. I have found the powder coating for chrome to be quite durable when shot in ARs.