Isit worth Powder Coating apart from purely cosmetic reasons?

[P Flados]

... I'm seriously starting to wonder if gaschecks are even needed anymore for rounds under 2000fps....

I use mostly plain base and have no application where I am even trying to go faster than just a little over 2000 fps.

Some boolits intended for use with gas checks shoot fine without. Some on the other hand seem to be more accurate with the check. My 7 TCU is definitely more accurate with the check installed on my Lee 128, but I think this may be more of the bullet staying better aligned in the case neck at my desired COAL.

The one application where I see a gas check as strongly recommended is for gas guns like the AR-15. In 300 BO guns and in a 357 Max AR, I had lead deposits in the bolt area when shooting without gas checks. This tells me that the base of the bullet was being gas cut as the base travels over the port. These applications also seem to have more than typical flyers. Again I attribute this to the same bullet base damage described above.

[jdgabbard]

I use mostly plain base and have no application where I am even trying to go faster than just a little over 2000 fps.

Some boolits intended for use with gas checks shoot fine without. Some on the other hand seem to be more accurate with the check. My 7 TCU is definitely more accurate with the check installed on my Lee 128, but I think this may be more of the bullet staying better aligned in the case neck at my desired COAL.

The one application where I see a gas check as strongly recommended is for gas guns like the AR-15. In 300 BO guns and in a 357 Max AR, I had lead deposits in the bolt area when shooting without gas checks. This tells me that the base of the bullet was being gas cut as the base travels over the port. These applications also seem to have more than typical flyers. Again I attribute this to the same bullet base damage described above.

I was referring to the general use of powdercoated bullets. I haven't found an application where I need a GC due to speed issues when PCing. Sure, AR type rifles can also benefit from this. But I'm not normally shooting cast out of my AR type rifles. If I had a 300blk maybe....

[Hick]

You asked for one good example, and I have several: I have a plain based spire point 175 grain mold that I use with my Enfield (303 British). Lubed it is OK, but powder coated I can drive it to a faster velocity than with lube and it is very, very accurate-- the rifle loves it. 30-30 Lyman 311410 (another plain based mold) with PC it runs much, much better than lubed. With an extra cost of PC to bump up the size to 0.311 the same bullet is great in my CZ-527 in 7.62 x 39 (it has a 0.311 barrel). I had an old Ideal 321-427 single cavity that shot so-so in my 32 WS. Its a gas check mold. Drilled out the mold to make it plain based and it shoots so much better with PC. Add to that, I don't have to keep spending money on Gas checks to get to higher velocities (checks are more expensive per bullet than PC).

[dverna]

You should try both methods and see what works best for you.

I will never PC but that is what works for me. I may be “wrong”, but I can live with it.

Too much to discuss to get into it here. In the end, no one really cares. Do what is best for your needs.

[35 Rem]

The fact that you don't get any smoke with PC is enough to make me steer clear of it. I love the smoke especially from my single action revolvers. But then I only shoot outdoors on my farm.

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

I powder coat just because I can...

[atfsux]

For me, the biggest gain is in keeping my health. Because the lead is completely encapsulated, there is no longer (or at least very little) atomized airborne micro lead particles created and dispersed in the air with the muzzleblast. At an indoor range is where this is most greatly realized as a benefit to preventing accidentally inhaling and ingesting lead. But even on an outdoor range, when the wind is blowing back in your face.

[8mmFan]

I have not started PC’ing boolits yet. That said, I do intend to get to it eventually. My reason for wanting to go that route is that I have always thought that you could get higher speeds with softer alloys without leading. I am down to a fair amount of pure lead…and not much else. Am I wrong that powder coating allows you to push a soft boolit a little faster, all else equal?

8mmFan

[THE_ANTIDOTE]

I stopped caring about bullet hardness once I started powder coating. I only had roofing lead at the time when I started casting and was scared into believing I was going to foul up my barrel and worse..."KENTUCKY BALLISTIC" myself. I obtained materials to harden my bullets, but have not seen much of a performance difference between my pure pc lead and the hard pc lead but I only shoot 1100-1800 fps. Expansion is not real important to me anymore either as anything that is hit with my .44, ..454, .460, 45-70/90, or 500 is going to feel it regardless. Depending on what I am shooting at seems to determine my bullet expansion for the most part. I would have to catch a few bullets in mid air to see what/if any differences there would be prior to hitting the target. So, I now just shoot soft lead with a good coating of powder coat. If I was to go back to hard bullets...babbitt would be my choice again.

[jsizemore]

For me, the biggest gain is in keeping my health. Because the lead is completely encapsulated, there is no longer (or at least very little) atomized airborne micro lead particles created and dispersed in the air with the muzzleblast. At an indoor range is where this is most greatly realized as a benefit to preventing accidentally inhaling and ingesting lead. But even on an outdoor range, when the wind is blowing back in your face.

What about the lead from the priming compound? You didn't mention it.

[Oldfeller]

Here is my figuring on the choice of PC or greased lead.

If I were starting over, I'd be PC all the way. There are advantages to PC apart from just cleanliness, but that single point is an important item to many of us who are now "more afraid of lead poisoning" as we are older and "more frail" health-wise.

My main point between the methods is equipment cost. A push through LEE sizer for each caliber plus a beat up toaster oven and some dime store pans and parchment paper is a lot cheaper than lubriciser dies and a lubriciser, lube sticks and a heater rig. Cost of store bought stick lube vs cheap easy to use powder coating is about a wash, but the main costs that creep into either system is buying the upper level "neat stuff" that is available for both systems.

Flexibility to bulk up a bullet's size (and multi-coating undersized bullets) is worth mentioning. Using much softer lead is another.

Plus, shooting greased lead requires a learning and experience curve that powder coating from the get go simply does not make you scrabble to climb up that learning curve when you are just starting casting.


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< What about the lead from the priming compound? You didn't mention it. >

Hey, unless you shoot a lot in un-ventilated indoor ranges the vaporous lead from primers going off should be very much diluted by the powder blast itself putting a little bit of lead out inside a massive discharge of powder gases that get intermixed with a matching HUGE volume of plain clean air such that if you are outside it simply isn't much of a concern.

If you can't smell it anything, you are "thin enough" to not have much danger of lead poisoning.

Anyone that shoots is going to be exposed to this potential source of lead so if you see a cloud of gunsmoke, don't breathe it in. Duh.

[charlie b]

And if you buy the NOE bushing sizer system then it is a real bargain since you can easily pick the exact size you want for each gun.

[racepres]

I personally do Not PC.. I like my (old lubri-sizer) Method. My fresh sized and Lubed Boolits, get very lightly dusted with Motor Mica, which I learned Years ago... No Sticky!
But, I have a couple arms which require over sized projectiles...so, I do Plan to try PC just to result in a Slightly Larger Projectile. If it ends up simpler than "other" methods.. so be it

[Finster101]

And if you buy the NOE bushing sizer system then it is a real bargain since you can easily pick the exact size you want for each gun.

Yes sir. I had a couple of Lee push throughs but when I needed a couple of new sizes I went with the NOE setup. While initial kit is a bit more adding size bushings is dirt cheap and I believe more true to the claimed size.

[jdgabbard]

Yes sir. I had a couple of Lee push throughs but when I needed a couple of new sizes I went with the NOE setup. While initial kit is a bit more adding size bushings is dirt cheap and I believe more true to the claimed size.

Lee's new bushing system for the APP press can also be used with any of the breech-lock presses. I use their adapter for the APP mounted in an older Challenger press. Works great, and their bushing are only about $11/piece over at Titan. Sometimes they're even less... MUCH more economical than buying $30-40 sizer dies from Lyman or RCBS....

[owejia]

Long term storage, pc boolits do not oxide, can be stored with out worrying about becoming a toxic lead hazard. Have found lead balls and unlubed boolits that were stored long term in the leather ball pouch that were covered with the white oxidation. Before casting my own, bought boolits from Missouri Bullet company, the blue lube used on their boolits would harden and come out of the lube grooves over a long period of time. Pc stays on if applied correctly.

[beemer]

I can use PC to increase the diameter of a bullet. When I have to leave ammo in a car, mostly handgun ammo, there is no chance of lube melting and running into the powder. I have two molds that look the same loaded, one is heavier, use color coding. Powder coating doesn't stick to a seating die stem like TL. It doesn't collect grit and is cleaner and is easier to clean a bore. Probably a couple other things.

I don't use it for everything but it is another valuable tool in my box and I like options.

[Handloader109]

Lee's new bushing system for the APP press can also be used with any of the breech-lock presses. I use their adapter for the APP mounted in an older Challenger press. Works great, and their bushing are only about $11/piece over at Titan. Sometimes they're even less... MUCH more economical than buying $30-40 sizer dies from Lyman or RCBS....

This is surely the way. I sold off all my std Lee sizers and bought same number of new APP bushings and paid for the press with the profits. I PC all my handgun ammo and I can push cast 22tcm ammo to 220fps and zero leading with only PC

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[Oldfeller]

Guys, got a direct link to this stuff?

Finding sub components for LEE presses is time consuming and I am never sure I have located the specific bits you are talking about.

[schutzen-jager]

in my experience powder coating is time consuming + expensive + shows not one single advantage in any way over properly applied liquid alox + most conventual lubes -