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Thread: Powder coat sizing question

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    Powder coat sizing question

    The one on left is sized to .358.
    After one coat it measures .360.
    The one on right is run through sizer again and in .358
    Did I take the coating back off?
    Should I shoot the .360?
    I have one batch in oven now with a 2nd coat on them.
    I don't want to damage my brand new Smith & Wesson 686 plus

    Edit, added picture
    Last edited by compass will; 01-22-2023 at 03:43 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    I can't see any pictures, but I size with a push through sizer after PC with no damage to the PC.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    After 2 coats, they measure around .367. But sizing them in Lyman crings them back to .358, so it must be excruding them.
    2nd picture is after sizing

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Not sure what powder you are using but from what I see it doesn’t look good. I’ve never had to put two coats on.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    It's a mix of harbor freight white with some fishing lure blue. Real powder is next

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Most throats on a 686 are .357. If you use the .360 in a mag case and crimp behind the front band it may not fit the cylinder. You could seat it deeper and back off on the powder. The powder coat looks different than most?

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Rp-'s Avatar
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    I agree that your powder doesn't look very good. Maybe it's just be a use it's a white powder but it looks very thin and splotchy. I highly recommend getting some good powder from smoke. All colors I've tried of his have been great.


    As for sizing, I size after powder coating. No need to do the work twice. The powder coat should not come off the bullet but rather squeeze down with the bullet. I don't know what sizer you are using but I use a lee sizing die for mine. You can see where the driving bands actually compress a little but the powder coat is definitely still there.

    Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    I use a Lyman sizer, I just cleaned the lube out of it. For some reason I thought it was sizing by cutting, but now I see it's more of sizing by extruding. Got 500 PC, now time to set up the reloading press
    This white PC looks like it has a lot of clear in it.
    Thanks everyone.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
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    FWIW in future.
    1. Get some good powder (Eastwood Ford Light Blue or Extreme Chrome easiest to work w/) or Smoke's -- whichever most available.
    2. Clean the Lee sizer with a paper towel/mineral spirits (or just tight paper towel if not ridiculously fouled)
    3. Put a reeeeeeeeeealy small dab of case sizing lube on thumb/forefinger and just grease/roll the PPC'd bullet between them before sizing.

    .
    Last edited by mehavey; 01-23-2023 at 10:55 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    I don't use lube when sizing my PC bullets and most press through with little effort. Am I damaging my Lee die?

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    No. It just takes more force to get them pushed through.

    Yes, sizing could be considered a type of extrusion.

    I usually size the bullets before and then after PC. That way the tough part of sizing is done before the PC is applied. The second sizing step kinda 'irons' the PC onto the bullet.

    I would also highly recommend buying powder from Smoke or use Eastwood Ford Light Blue.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    405grain's Avatar
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    This entire problem is easily solved. First, suspend the container of Harbor Freight powder coat above an open trash receptacle, then release. Then go to the vendors section on this site and purchase some good powder coat from Smoke. Eastwood Ford light blue also works good. Once you try some quality powder coat you'll never want to struggle with the Harbor Freight stuff again.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...owder-For-sale

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    This entire problem is easily solved. First, suspend the container of Harbor Freight powder coat above an open trash receptacle, then release. Then go to the vendors section on this site and purchase some good powder coat from Smoke. Eastwood Ford light blue also works good. Once you try some quality powder coat you'll never want to struggle with the Harbor Freight stuff again.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...owder-For-sale
    As a noob myself, I'll second this. I tried harbor freight white and black PC because it was cheap and available same day. The white didn't stick at all and the black hardly did either. I fought it for a while, then decided to order Eastwood Ford Blue. Works like a charm, no fuss whatsoever and it doesn't come off when I size the boolits after PCing. I use the plastic tub shake method to coat them by the way.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    this entire problem is easily solved. First, suspend the container of harbor freight powder coat above an open trash receptacle, then release......

    roflmao

  15. #15
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    This entire problem is easily solved. First, suspend the container of Harbor Freight powder coat above an open trash receptacle, then release. Then go to the vendors section on this site and purchase some good powder coat from Smoke. Eastwood Ford light blue also works good. Once you try some quality powder coat you'll never want to struggle with the Harbor Freight stuff again.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...owder-For-sale
    Not quite true. I have used several containers of HF Red for Powder Coating Rifle Boolits using the shake and bake method with great success in both coating and accuracy on several thousands of boolits.


    But


    HF Red is Unobtanium and No longer available at any of their stores or on the Web Page.


    Other Harbor Freight colors - Just take the money you were going to spend and send it in the mail to me. Then we will both be happy with the results - myself with my surprise windfall and the Shooter with missing the frustration of failure using the Harbor Freight White, Black, or Yellow Powder Coat Paint for boolits.
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    MUSTANG: I agree with you. A long time ago when I first started out powder coating, HF red was the "go to" powder. It worked kinda OK, and I used it on a lot of boolits. According to the internet, none of the other HF colors worked for a hill of beans. My choice in powders was forever changes once I used some of Smokes signal blue. It was light years ahead of the HF powder. The HF red is no longer available, so that means that all that's left at Harbor Freight are the colors that don't work. I've used several of Smoke's colors, and have had good results with all of them. I've also used Eastwood Ford light blue and it works great. The only powder that I haven't had any luck with is Eastwood mirror green. The green powder isn't even sticking to the black airsoft BB's in the tub (yes, it's the correct type of tub). I'll try mixing the mirror green with one of the blue powders that I know will work and see what happens. This is odd because I've read that others have had good results with mirror green. I guess that sometimes people can have different results with the same powders.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Rp-'s Avatar
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    I've got a bottle of h.f. red we can talk about if you're interested. Hardly used any before I switched to smokes powder coat.

    Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy compass will's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    This entire problem is easily solved. First, suspend the container of Harbor Freight powder coat above an open trash receptacle, then release. Then go to the vendors section on this site and purchase some good powder coat from Smoke. Eastwood Ford light blue also works good. Once you try some quality powder coat you'll never want to struggle with the Harbor Freight stuff again.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...owder-For-sale
    I took this advice, Just ordered 3 colors from Smoke.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy Rp-'s Avatar
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    His colors are great. Just make sure you have the right plastic container and you'll be good to go.

    Smokes instructions are a bit more detailed than mine. He uses plastic bbs and cooks longer. I just shake them until coated and then bake about 400 degrees for about 15-18 minutes. It works for me. Your milage may vary, but give it a try.

    Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy

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    After reading many posts here I started with Smoke's powder and saved myself a bunch of aggravation.

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