a trick for tumble powder coating

[repeat]

Hotspur I went with a slightly larger hardware cloth.
Plastic b b's fall through easy enough

[Jon.Moore]

I buy my powder and BB's from "Smoke4320" here on castboolits, I've never had coating problems AT ALL! I always get 1-3K coating on my booits. I use the bent tweezers from Harbor FT, and pick the bullets up by the groove and stand on non stick trays from "Bed Bath & B". One thing to pass on,, I don't think you can put "TOO" much powder in your bowl for S&B method, but too little paint will not cover well.. I'd say 4 table spoons is MINIMUM amount. bake at 400 for 10 minutes AFTER oven hits 400 degrees! I also use the sizing die from NOE Bullet molds and an old loading press- everything for one caliber for under $50.00! I sold off ALL my old bullet sizing and lubing tools after I found this! I can do 30-40 bullets each time I load the bowl.

[Tripplebeards]

Tips, use fresh powder and turn your central air on to kill the humidity before PCing.lol

Smokes blue and clear are the easiest to get a good coat for me...

[RedStar Raider]

Tips, use fresh powder and turn your central air on to kill the humidity before PCing.lol

Smokes blue and clear are the easiest to get a good coat for me...

Very nice looking boolits!!

[Theunsb]

I concur, I shake, dump, bake, load, shoot.

Most of the time i load as cast even.

Course, I'm far from being a bulls eye competitor.

jcwit thank you for your comment only sizing I do extra.

Question if I may please: Dampness penetrating the loaded ammo risk compared to lubing and result in squib loads over say a year or more storing?

[jmar254]

Here's a little thing I put together, haven't had a chance to use it yet. Container says 5 PP, the grate is from a stove vent I picked up from the Habitat for Humanity store for $5. Made a baking tray as well, with enough left over for other PC projects. I'm looking at sticking a piece of metal over a 1/3 of the grate so I can pour the boolits out without dumping the PC with them. I'll let you know how it goes. If it works may go bigger or round.

[Dieselhorses]

Yea, mowed this morning, got to cut down the dying cedar tree this afternoon. Then to WW for BBs.

Decisions, decisions... Seems there is always something that needs to be done. I've been guilty of prioritizing my bullets

[mongo404]

What is the top end on fps with out gas check for the powder coating?

[Grmps]

I've heard of people going up to 2,100 fps. I keep them under 1,800 fps w/o GC.

I think it would depend on the gun, barrel length, and alloy

[mongo404]

Ill be loading for a 9 super open gun. Needing around 1400fps. Hitech hasnt performed very well.

[popper]

Mongo, check with the Aussies that use it for gun games for assistance.

[Grmps]

Mongo do your hitek coated boolits pass the rub and smash test?

[scotner]

Ill be loading for a 9 super open gun. Needing around 1400fps. Hitech hasnt performed very well.

I am in the early stages of casting for the 357 Sig 125 grain. Starting out at 1300 FPS across the chrono with no sign of problems yet.

[Ed in North Texas]

The next door grandson picked up Airsoft Black BBs from Wally World, only they were the 12s, not the heavy ones. Interesting that these things had so much static charge that there were some sticking to the "1" PTE container when it was turned on its side. Haven't tried using them (I picked up the heavy ones on another trip), but when I get a round tuit I will try them to see if the static charge helps them do the job.

[AndyC]

Ok, you lot have convinced me to try this; one order of black BBs and some HF Red is en-route.

[Tripplebeards]

Ok, you lot have convinced me to try this; one order of black BBs and some HF Red is en-route.

Your going to be disappointed with the HF results. That PC grabs as well to my boolits as a cowboy does to a greased pig.

[Tripplebeards]

I noticed yesterday that less is better when it comes to adding PC with BB’s. I was raining on and off all day here With high humidity and I successfully evenly tumble coated 20 lbs of boolits. I used Smoke’s clear PC. When I started I have some spotty build up after timbling and outing my boolits in a separate container. I believe my conventional oven temp is off as I experimented last year with temps in 5 degree increments and found 455 degrees melted my PC the most even. I baked my batches at 455 degrees and then tried a few at 460 degrees at 20 minutes. All the uneven lumpy spots melted perfectly even and feels like smooth glass. The good part about high humidity and clear PC is it doesn’t go on as thick as it dose on a below zero winter day with zero humidity so my GCs snap on very easy by hand. All my boolits are as smooth as glass. I’m sure if I would have tried a color PC I would have got different results.

When I got down to almost no PC in my container my boolits coated more even so I didn’t have to bounce the excess off in another container. I always separate in 1 grain increments and then PC by color code. This time I separated and PC’d all my boolits in clear. I’ll have to make sure my zip lock bags don’t test open or I’ll have to weight them again. IMO clear PC covers more even and smooth for better, more consistent, long range accuracy VS colors that some times leave lumpy, uneven finishes when tumbling on high humidity days.

[cpaspr]

Ed (or anyone else)

Have you tried the .12gm Black BBs yet? I'm in the rainy PNW, so if they have more static generating capability, I'll get them rather than the .25gm Black BBs.

[joe leadslinger]

cpasper I also live here in the PNW you might want to try Poly beads available in craft stores.

[robbyPGP2014]

Ido not mea to hi-jack or change this thread, but has anyone tried heating the bolts before they coat them? I discovered by accident,(I think)that when I heat the to about 100 degrees F that I seem to get more even coverage.