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Thread: Powdercoating bullets for semi-auto service rifles, Recommendations?

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Powdercoating bullets for semi-auto service rifles, Recommendations?

    I have read a lot of information on powdercoating bullets for bolt action rifle but not much for semi-autos. I am interested in bullet recommendations and PC techniques for AR-15/Mini-14, M1A, M1 Garrand and Carbine.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I PC everything! Never any problems, as long as the gun does work! Just follow the rules on here about PC'ing and you should be fine in anything that shoots boolits.

    Stick with PUBLISHED load data for the cal you are loading and follow good re-loading practices.

    Good luck handling those teeny pills for the AR15!!!! I quit that long ago. Way to small to mess with. I just buy FMJ's by the bulk and load those rather than messing with trying to coat 223's anymore.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    Re the M1, anyone know how fast you can push a PC bullet in one? Can you get the full 2800 fps or so? And do you have a problem putting a gas check on them, or do you even need one?

  4. #4
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    With PC I GC over 1800 fps. You can GC before PCing - just don't contaminate the boolit.

    Using an alloy with some copper, PC's and GC I gone over 3200 fps with 223's.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnho View Post
    Re the M1, anyone know how fast you can push a PC bullet in one? Can you get the full 2800 fps or so? And do you have a problem putting a gas check on them, or do you even need one?
    Sure you and launch them at 2800 fps but I doubt you'll have an resemblance of accuracy PC or not . Another thing to remember PC will increase the dia of the bullet and also on the nose portion , if you have a bullet that just kisses the lands if it's a bore rider it may end up too big after you PC and that combo don't work well for auto loaders .
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I have in the past used pc for a garand but no where near 2800 fps. I found down around 2000 fps much more accurate. I have started using hytek on them and like it as I can do larger batches. The 311299 works good.
    jim

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    I push 168gr GC PC to 2700 in 308W with accuracy in AR10 (several OPs do the same). Imho, bore of M1 will make a difference.
    Whatever!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by koehn,jim View Post
    I have in the past used pc for a garand but no where near 2800 fps. I found down around 2000 fps much more accurate. I have started using hytek on them and like it as I can do larger batches. The 311299 works good.
    +1 on this. I use the RCBS 165 SIL w/Smoke's Clear in my Garand and, at around 2050 fps, it will match ball accuracy out to 200 yards.

    Bill
    "I'm not often right but I've never been wrong."

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    "Scarlet Begonias"

  9. #9
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    I powder coat for my SKS with no problems. I just had to adjust for a charge that would cycle the action, it was pretty close to max load. But the PC'd boolits don't affect function or accuracy at all.
    That is max load in the Lyman cast bullet handbook. No where near max for J-word bullets.
    Last edited by tankgunner59; 05-16-2020 at 06:37 PM.

  10. #10
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    my experience too. The lee 55 with a gas check and pc wouldn't lead up a barrel even at 2800fps but it is far from match grade accuracy. More like minute of barn door.
    Quote Originally Posted by RU shooter View Post
    Sure you and launch them at 2800 fps but I doubt you'll have an resemblance of accuracy PC or not . Another thing to remember PC will increase the dia of the bullet and also on the nose portion , if you have a bullet that just kisses the lands if it's a bore rider it may end up too big after you PC and that combo don't work well for auto loaders .

  11. #11
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    I have, like Jim said above, found the 223s to be just a little too much of a pain to make it worth the effort in an AR platform and just purchase bulk jacketed bullets. However The Noe 314-129-SP sized .310 before and after powder coating runs real slick in my Blackout upper.Never any leading or feeding problems with the bullet seated to the crimp groove and lightly crimped with the Lee collet crimp die. Over 17gr. LilGun sort of mimics a 7.62X39 round. Gp

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    i size and seat the GC first (push through), then PC, size again. shoot cast in almost all my semi's, romanian dragunov in 7.62x54, zastava m76 in 8mm mauser, ar15 in 50 beo, 450 BM, 458 socom, 7.62x39, 300 BO, 6.8 SPC, 223.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master armoredman's Avatar
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    I powdercoat 7.62x39mm myself, but I don't drive it to insane velocities either, no problems, have run them through SKS, vz-58 and now a BREN 2 MS pistol with decent luck. 21gr AA 1680 gets me about 1750 FPS, IIRC. Boolits are double coated and then sized/gas checked.
    Last edited by armoredman; 05-17-2020 at 01:37 AM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master JMax's Avatar
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    Remember RPM and rate of twist, M1s I believe are 1 in 10.

  15. #15
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    the 130 rcbs spitzer gas checked 30 cal is my go to bullet in the 300 bo and 308 ar10s. It probably would work well in the 762x39 too. It would be easy to get 312 but coating after installing the check. That and many mini 30s are 308 anyway. I run them at 1900 fps out of my blackout and get 2moa accuracy at a 100 yards out of my bo and am sure with some time and load development (that was the first load I tried) I could carve some off of that.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Don't know about 2800, but I fired some plain based PC bullets in my M1 and underestimated the velocity I would get with the load. Velocity was well over 2000. I managed to recover one of the bullets from the range and the PC was still in great shape. So-- I think you might be able to get up there but have not proved it.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Conditor22 View Post
    With PC I GC over 1800 fps. You can GC before PCing - just don't contaminate the boolit.

    Using an alloy with some copper, PC's and GC I gone over 3200 fps with 223's.
    Never used copper alloy. Could you point me in the right direction for information about how to do this please?
    Sounds pretty interesting to put it mildly.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    Newtire: To add a little copper in your alloy, mix in a little copperhard babbit. Be careful not to over do it as too much copper will cause spout freeze if using a bottom pour pot. I lucked out and a friend gave me twenty pounds of this babbit from an old machine shop that was closing. Gp

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Sounds like engine main, rod and cam bearing material.?

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by gpidaho View Post
    Newtire: To add a little copper in your alloy, mix in a little copperhard babbit. Be careful not to over do it as too much copper will cause spout freeze if using a bottom pour pot. I lucked out and a friend gave me twenty pounds of this babbit from an old machine shop that was closing. Gp
    Be careful is right. If you get too much you will be diluting it with more non-cu alloy. Felix and I played around with cu babbit years ago and wound up making some cu rich ingots (diluted from the original babbit) to add to other alloys. Even ladle pouring can be a little challenging as it tends to 'sheet' as soon as it hits the air while coming out of the spoon. Water dropped and aged it's HARD.
    It ain't rocket science, it's boolit science.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check