Powder coating instead of "regular" lubing?

[-06]

Was at my bud's LGS and he showed me his different colored powder coated cast. Seems like a good way to go. Anyone use it--range reports please?

[Love Life]

Coatings and Alternatives forum.

[Bohica793]

Use it. Love it. 'Nuff said. See above forum for details.

[rhouser]

I discovered PC and BLL in the same week. I am playing with both. For me, at 100 yards from my SRH on front rest with rear bag and 6x setting on my pistol scope, I found the BLL to be significantly more accurate. I need to practice the PC technique and I am sure accuracy can get better.

I saw no difference in accuracy between PC and BLL using the same setup at 25 yards. I will try pc some more, but, for me, for now, BLL is the most accurate (tighter groups) method for my gun. BLL is also the easiest technique I have ever used.

My 2 cents, rch

[bangerjim]

Do a search on here! Check out the alt coatings area. We have been doing it for several years now. Once you do it you will NEVER use grease again.

[Yodogsandman]

Do a search on here! Check out the alt coatings area. We have been doing it for several years now. Once you do it you will NEVER use grease again.

I went back! I still use lube for all applications! I'm not convinced that powder coating fills any of my needs except possibly pistol/revolver boolits but, then BLL or another easy liquid lube will probably get the nod on those, too (faster and easier). When I get back to shooting handguns, we'll see.

I do like how pretty they make the boolits look but, I'm more impressed by real accuracy. Very few shooters have reached the accuracy levels with powder coated boolits that interest me. Check the theads, hardly any one can shoot them accurately on demand. As banger has said, this is only a few years into it now so, the technology is still in it's infancy. Powder coating has potential, a tweak here or a tweak there could change everything and more experimenters are needed.

I'm flexible and I'll continue to test powder coated boolits. They generate a lot of interest at the range and may bring in more shooters to casting.

[Schrag4]

I do PC for pistol, and I really like it since I shoot IDPA indoors. At those distances, I don't think you'll see a noticeable difference in coating choice. It's incredibly cheap to get into, to. The only "equipment" you need is an old toaster oven, for the most part, unless you apply the coating with an ESPC gun (which I do not). With a little practice, it's not hard to churn out quality PC projectiles.

I can't speak for rifle/long range.

[skizzums]

I have never invested in a "lubrasizer" type press. so I was stuck either ALOX or similar or pan-lube. pan-lubing works fine, alox is "okay" in very slow applications like .38spl and heavy 9mm. before I talk anymore, I will say that I understand with proper(perfect) fit to bore and proper(perfect) alloys, that almost zero leading can be achieved at most velocities with most calibers. All that said, I must say that I LOVE powder-coat. you don't need to worry about perfect diameter and different lubes, nothing leads. I couldn't get my 300BO to not lead no matter what I tried, powder-coated and than no problems. it really saves a lot of work and experimentation and I will NEVER go back to traditional lubes. powdercoat becomes a pain when you have long rifle bullets or very small 22cal bullets, only because staging the bullets for heating can be problematic. other than that, it's been a life saver

[bangerjim]

OP - if you are planning on coating long rifle boolits, check out some of the threads on here in the alt coatings area on how to use fender washers, wires, grommets, o-rings, etc to hold the GC base for coating. You will NOT be able to stand them on thier own and get them in the oven without the domino effect knocking most of them over!

I use fender washers and NSAF with great success for 30 cal.

[MBTcustom]

I went back! I still use lube for all applications! I'm not convinced that powder coating fills any of my needs except possibly pistol/revolver boolits but, then BLL or another easy liquid lube will probably get the nod on those, too (faster and easier). When I get back to shooting handguns, we'll see.

I do like how pretty they make the boolits look but, I'm more impressed by real accuracy. Very few shooters have reached the accuracy levels with powder coated boolits that interest me. Check the theads, hardly any one can shoot them accurately on demand. As banger has said, this is only a few years into it now so, the technology is still in it's infancy. Powder coating has potential, a tweak here or a tweak there could change everything and more experimenters are needed.

I'm flexible and I'll continue to test powder coated boolits. They generate a lot of interest at the range and may bring in more shooters to casting.

These are my thoughts as well.
Sure is pretty. Sure is harder to make shoot accurately.

[gpidaho]

Yodog! Say it's not true! lol I think I'm coming to the same conclusion. I've given this a lot of effort and have decided that PC's strong suit is with handgun boolits. The one thing that I still think is a valid use for PC on rifle boolits is as a sizing tool. We've all got pretty good at applying the coating where it's needed and keeping it off where we don't want it. As to adding girth to the boolit, it's so much easier than bumping, beagling and paper patching. Even when my rifle boolits are PC'd I get better groups if I hand lube the small groove ahead of the gas check. So in my mind, until someone makes a big step forward I'm not selling my Saeco lube sizer. Boolit lube is the number one thing I really hate in this hobby of ours. For lack of a technical term "It's just plain YUCKY" It gums up everything and is a complete PITA. If it hadn't been used historically and you suggested such a thing you would be roundly BOOOed off the stage. But until someone smarter than me comes up with the answer seems I'll be using some lube on my rifle boolits PC'd or not. GP

[Jupiter7]

OP - if you are planning on coating long rifle boolits, check out some of the threads on here in the alt coatings area on how to use fender washers, wires, grommets, o-rings, etc to hold the GC base for coating. You will NOT be able to stand them on thier own and get them in the oven without the domino effect knocking most of them over!

I use fender washers and NSAF with great success for 30 cal.

Dont tell me that, I'm stubborn. I shake and bake 245grn .30's and stand them up with hemostat, very, very carefully. They are PB'd so there is that.

[MBTcustom]

In all fairness, another very viable reason to PC is so you can use cast with suppressors. That's one area when you have a very real and pertinent need to NOT use lube, and the bullets will be going sub sonic so it's right in the spot where PC likes to run.

[jcren]

I prefer to take the oven to the bullets. Works great on my 230 grain 308's too.

[Geezer in NH]

Lubing is much easier IMHO. Tried it and after second try gave it up glad I got the oven at the recycle center (dump to us old guys) I like bens red and bens LL. cheap , easy and above all works for me. Thanks Ben.

[rhouser]

Seems like PC would also solve any "no exposed lead" rules if your indoor range has such a rule. I wonder about pc and glock barrels. Guess I need to do a search. rch

[bhn22]

I know some precision shooters who tried PC, and immediately went back to the sizers. They just didn't get the accuracy they were accustomed to getting before. Tim mentioned use of PC for "cans", and we do use it with sealed "cans" for obvious reasons, but we still stick with lube for even handguns. PCs almost there, but just not quite, at least for our needs.

[dilly]

Seems like PC would also solve any "no exposed lead" rules if your indoor range has such a rule. I wonder about pc and glock barrels. Guess I need to do a search. rch

Shooting cast bullets in Glock barrels can be done even without PC (assuming proper fit, lube, throat, and everything else). While all of these factors are still important with powder coated bullets, there is just a little more fudge room.

[3 gun Gus]

The old stand by NRA 50/50 lube is still tough to beat at 50 yds out of a tuned 1911.

Gus

[retread]

I prefer to take the oven to the bullets. Works great on my 230 grain 308's too.

Pardomn my ignorance but what is that contraption and where did you get it. Looks like the right thing for the job!