How to do the base of bullets

[fiatdad]

I decided to try to do powder coating, but have a few questions.
Do the bases need covered ? and how is it done?
Will pc stick to the bullets if they are just tumbled? and what is wet tumbled?
I picked up a HF gun at an auction and it has HF black powder.
Thanks
Nick

[oley55]

never used/tried an ES gun and am more than happy doing shake n bake with a quality powder from Smoke4320 in swap n sell. Many just dump in a pile and bake but I always stand mine up. I find the 20-25 minute bake time is how long it takes to stand up a full tray of bullets, so zero time lost or wasted. The bases get coated during the shake application and the bases get cooked and remain covered during the bake process on silicone mats.

If you are after some of the super cool colored/painted or long pointy rifle bullets ES application may be appropriate. I highly doubt your cheap HF powder will work well tumbling. Never tried wet application of PC powder but have seen plenty of posts suggesting it doesn't work well.

[GregLaROCHE]

You will probably have to coat the bases and then stand them up and stand them up to coat the rest.

[Hootmix]

Try spraying vht ( i use the black) spray paint on your tray (or whatever you use) a few minutes before standing your bullets, (have bullets coated) it will coat the bottom's. As said, the bottoms will get coated w/ your powder, "HI MARKS" for Smoke4320 powder.

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[Finster101]

Depends on the caliber. Anything but magnum pistol boolits just get stood up on a foil sheet in a pan and sprayed. I don't worry about the base. Magnum caliber pistol and subsonic rifle get shake and bake so the base is coated. Supersonic rifle gets whichever I feel like doing because I prefer to gas check the after PC. That HF black powder you have will work fine in the ES gun but does not tumble well, for that I would recommend getting some from Smoke a vender on this forum.

[Walter Laich]

shake and bake here: bottoms get coated that way

[Net]

I also 'shake and bake' and I get a good coating on the bottom. (dry tumble, no beads)

[Krh1326]

Guys, I’m working on a little project.
I had been using Eastwood PC, and both copper bbs and air soft bbs, in the 4” diameter Ziploc screw lid containers. Some colors worked nice, some… do not. Shake and swirl, shake and swirl.

I bought the smaller tumbler, from HF. I cut a 12” diameter circle of plywood, drilled a 1/4” hole in its center, then used 4” hole saw, to make 4 holes in the plywood disk. I removed the bowl from tumbler, then installed the disk, on the shaft that held the bowl and lid. Those ziploc containers fit firmly into the 4” holes. Load up containers, whatever colors I want, turn it on, walk away.
My coating is 100% better and quicker now. No tired arms, lol, and no baggies to mess with.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I am not sure about HF black. There is a rumor circulating that it contains an abrasive that will tear up a barrel.

[Hootmix]

Krh1326, cool ideal, like thinking ideals. Keep "thinking".

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[oley55]

Guys, I’m working on a little project.
I had been using Eastwood PC, and both copper bbs and air soft bbs, in the 4” diameter Ziploc screw lid containers. Some colors worked nice, some… do not. Shake and swirl, shake and swirl.

I bought the smaller tumbler, from HF. I cut a 12” diameter circle of plywood, drilled a 1/4” hole in its center, then used 4” hole saw, to make 4 holes in the plywood disk. I removed the bowl from tumbler, then installed the disk, on the shaft that held the bowl and lid. Those ziploc containers fit firmly into the 4” holes. Load up containers, whatever colors I want, turn it on, walk away.
My coating is 100% better and quicker now. No tired arms, lol, and no baggies to mess with.

interesting idea. I have been trying to come up with a method of doing large batches that don't waste powder. My saltwater marsh, high humidity unconditioned garage seems to mess up any leftover powder. No matter how I store it the next time I get around to doing another batch it just isn't as nice as when first used it. I am always conscious of the humidity factor and I quickly seal up the leftover powder the moment I am done sifting, but it's never the same and will usually result in a somewhat lumpy or blotchy finish.

[fiatdad]

Doesn't
the powder coat make the base to large to set the gas check?

[rosewood]

Doesn't
the powder coat make the base to large to set the gas check?

I myself have never powder coated a gas check boolit. Not sure. I have continued tumble lube the gas checked boolits and powder coat the plain base boolits.

Rosewood

[rosewood]

The bases get coated during the shake application and the bases get cooked and remain covered during the bake process on silicone mats.

Tell me about this silicone mat. Never used one, but sounds like a good idea, where can I get one?

Thanks,

Rosewood

[Net]

I use a silicone cooking mat (aka silicone baking mat) that I cut to fit on my tray. I got mine from the big box store in the home-good section. IMO, it works much better than non stick foil.

[Finster101]

I am not sure about HF black. There is a rumor circulating that it contains an abrasive that will tear up a barrel.

I have shot two jars of it that I purchased when I got the ES gun. I did not notice any detriment to my guns. I did not buy more when it ran out only because it does not do shake and bake very well.

[Finster101]

Doesn't
the powder coat make the base to large to set the gas check?

I have not run in to that issue.

[oley55]

Tell me about this silicone mat. Never used one, but sounds like a good idea, where can I get one?

Thanks,

Rosewood

https://www.amazon.com/silicone-baki...one+baking+mat IMO it doesn't make much difference which and buying expensive is just a waste. I came across some really cheapo black silicone mats and they work just as well as some other more expensive ones and after a few years they show no signs of failing. Cut them to fit your basket/tray. On occasion I wipe mine down with acetone to clean off old baked on powder with no harm to the mats.

[rosewood]

Looks like some mats are smooth and some have a grain to them. Does that grain end up on the boolit?

Thanks!

[Rapier]

Just make a C formed needle nose pliers, so you can pick up the coated bullets.
Make a 1/4" hardware cloth box, cut corners in, about 1", thread corner together with with stainless wire, turn the box upside down, round the holes with a round steel punch. Put the powder and air soft BBs in a wide mouth, sealable, jug, so you can reach into the jug and pick out the bullets by the ojive. Set the bullets nose down in the holes in the hardware cloth, no gas checks. Bake ast 400 for 20 minutes, allow to cool, size to groove diameter, using case lube. I use a PC double coat to do 2,500-2,600 fps. in ARs without fouling.