is anyone doing this at home? i just did my first experiment plating my own cast bullets. they did plate. one better than the other. i have 2 mini tanks (plastic cups) using 2 different recipies. both turned out with some black soot looking stuff on them, and the surface was quite rough. they held up fine to being sized dry. but that is as far as i have gotten so far. if anyone else is doing this, i have 2 initial questions, 1) what causes the soot, and 2) is there a way to make the plating smoother?
copper plating cast
- Thread starter x_wrench
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Just my opinion. My research on bullet plating a couple years ago concluded that it was labor intensive, expensive initial set up, and time consuming. With a lot of experimenting and practice it may have been OK (for home plating on a small basis), but not for me (I already cast, lube, alloy my lead, and powder coat so I don't count my time doing any as a waste). It could be fun for some that "just wants to know"...
41 Mag
Member
My friend did about a month of research on it rooting through who knows how many post and video's on youtube. In the end I don't think it quite got to the point he was looking for as he hasn't set up the equipment to do it yet.
Looks simple enough using some of the rotary tumble set ups. The key thing seems to be getting the current set up properly and having the one lead in constant contact with the majority of the bullets in order to get a good current flow. Other then that come back every half hour or so and check the diameter to see how much plating is occurring. Going by what we looked at, this seems to take around 2 hours or so to get a good coating depending on the initial diameter of the bullets. Most of the ones we saw were nice enough looking, but who knows what was done from the time when they came out of the bowl until they were shown up close and in hand as finished.
I would think they would need to be tumbled in corn cob to get the fine polished look of the commercial ones, but like I said we only got to the initial research before I started doing a little powder coating and that seems to be just as fast and work just as good.
Looks simple enough using some of the rotary tumble set ups. The key thing seems to be getting the current set up properly and having the one lead in constant contact with the majority of the bullets in order to get a good current flow. Other then that come back every half hour or so and check the diameter to see how much plating is occurring. Going by what we looked at, this seems to take around 2 hours or so to get a good coating depending on the initial diameter of the bullets. Most of the ones we saw were nice enough looking, but who knows what was done from the time when they came out of the bowl until they were shown up close and in hand as finished.
I would think they would need to be tumbled in corn cob to get the fine polished look of the commercial ones, but like I said we only got to the initial research before I started doing a little powder coating and that seems to be just as fast and work just as good.
Jesse Heywood
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I had a lot of experience in plating parts, but no bullets. What I can relate that plating is an unforgiving process. Purity and consistency of the base metal is essential. Also needed is a clean surface, which is where the use of acids plays an important part of the process. This probably why you are getting the "soot". And the smoothness of the plating is dependent on the smoothness of the base metal.
After three strikes I will say you have one thing in your favor, copper can be used as a base coat for plating most metals. Provided the surface has been prepped.
After three strikes I will say you have one thing in your favor, copper can be used as a base coat for plating most metals. Provided the surface has been prepped.
heymarine1833
Member
would it be easier to moly plate your lead bullets instead using the neco plating process?
the big reason i am pursuing the plating avenue is because of the horrid leading i get shooting my 44 magnum revolver. i have tried over sizing the bullets as much as .003", using gas checks, shooting just 44 special loads. 50 rounds = way, way to much scrubbing the bore to get the lead out. i have to believe the base problem is hot gasses melting the lead in the forcing cone. one of the reasons i say that is there is lead there also. and i can not think of a way to stop that. other than shooting plated or jacketed bullets. this is the only firearm i own that i have problems with. and i do have other revolvers. i have put so much time and energy into shooting lead from this, i have just given up on it. if i am not successful with the plating, i will probably just sell this gun. its a S&W626 with a scope. its just to expensive to shoot 250-400 rounds of jacketed ammo in this for fun.
jmorris
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First thing I tried many years ago was a powdered moly coat. Bullets looked beautiful but the results were a complete disaster. Looked lie black spiderwebs down the bore.
I tried plating a few years ago.
Post #12 in this thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=707641&highlight=Bullet+coating
This is the method I use to this day. The lead can completely melt inside the "sack" and it still holds up.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=713642&highlight=Bullet+coating
I tried plating a few years ago.
Post #12 in this thread.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=707641&highlight=Bullet+coating
This is the method I use to this day. The lead can completely melt inside the "sack" and it still holds up.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=713642&highlight=Bullet+coating
heymarine1833
Member
for all my .357 and .45acp target loads, i use the moly plated lead. same technique as with jacketed using the neco system(hardened steel shot mixed with their moly) works great. www.neconos.com do not get much leading if any using moly plated bullets. however....for lead removal in the barrels, use this...50% white vinegar and 50% hydrogen peroxide. plug muzzle side with your finger and pour this solution into your barrel. wait 30 seconds or 60 sec...doesnt matter really and pour off solution. run patch down barrel and all the lead will come out. repeat as needed but usually one or two treatments is all you will need. follow up with a light coat of oil or clp. saves oodles of time and no scrubbing! strange yes but really works well
blarby
Member
Given your reasons, powdercoat would be much more to your advantage in all regards : labor, cost, and quality.
Blue68f100
Member
Sounds like your have a reduction in bullet size before it reaches the rifling. May want to have the forcing cone checked and the cylinders. I have shot 1000's 357 mag using 2400 and get no leading. Powder selection comes into play here too. Some powders run a lot hotter than others.
If I had a choice of plating vs coating, I would choose the powder coating since it will be a faster process.
If I had a choice of plating vs coating, I would choose the powder coating since it will be a faster process.
that was were i started years ago. making sure the cylinder throats were not smaller than the bore size. then a friend told me to check the forcing cone. he said that some of them left the factory looking like they were carved with a chain saw. he was correct. i spent a couple of days after work trying to smooth that out. i stopped with 320 grit, so its not like i was trying to make it a mirror finish. that did help. but not enough. the barrel changes bore size where it goes thru the frame. its at least .001" smaller (it was several years ago) but i am getting leading there also. which is why i believe its a problem in the forcing cone. the leading gets worse past the barrel restriction, go figure. i have no idea what kind of expense would be involved having the barrel cut back 3 threads, to have a new forcing cone cut into it, but i know it would cost more than just selling this gun, and replacing it with something else.
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