Anyone tried Enamel coating cast boolits

[USAF_Vet]

I know powder coating is big these days for cast boolits, and I'm working on my set up to.do.just that, but in the meantime, I've got a bunch if cast boolits sitting around just begging to be worked. I have no powder for my 9mm reloads at the moment, just a dozen or so ingots waiting to be cast. I've used high temp enamel to coat plenty of stuff, even have a toaster oven in the garage to properly bake it on for long life. I got to thinking that an enamel.coat would essentially do the same thing as powder coating.
Has anyone tried it?

I'll give it a shot if no one has any info, once I acquire some powder and get some ammo rolled out. Want to run some side by side tests with lubed cast, powder coated cast and enameled cast. But if its been done before and the info is out there, I may not need to spend the time and energy doing this.

 

[edfardos]

Isnt enamel harder than your barrel steel?

 

[rsrocket1]

Go over to Castboolits.com and read up in their Coatings and Alternatives section. If you have $4 and a Harbor Freight Tools store near you, you are well on your way. There are better powder coat powders for sure, but HF red is a good start.

Other items needed:
Toaster oven that gets a reliable 350-400F
non-stick Aluminum Foil or Parchment paper
Airsoft BB's
Container (#5 Cool whip, big Styrofoam box, Gallon Ziplock Bag, many possibilities).

 

[USAF_Vet]

Ed, I'd have a hard time believing an enamel spray paint is going to cure harder than the steel of a gun barrel. I don't think that's going to be an issue.

RS, I'm aware of the powder coat set up, as stated in the OP, I'm gathering materials to start powder coating. I haven't had the chance to get to any local Harbor Freight stores. Not close enough just to stop in for nothing but powder. Next parking lot sale they have, I'll stop by as there are a number of things they have on my wish list.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Here's a thread to read. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?235421

 

[oldpapps]

Not looking for a 'hard' coating. looking for something that protects the lead from the rifling.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=202350&stc=1&d=1409797976

The 'test' is to pound a bullet nose into body and not have the coating crumble or flake off.

The left one is Harbor Freight RED, center is PBTP NEON YELLOW and far right is PBTP NEON PINK. These all passed the test.

I push these (130 grain .311 bullets) at speeds over 2750 FPS and have NO leading or any other problem/s.

 

[jcwit]

AFVET, for 19 bucks if you could order 250 Blue Bullets and have them in hand in 3 to 4 days. At any rate that's how fast they got them to me.

http://www.thebluebullets.com/

 

[USAF_Vet]

Jesse, thanks for that link. Seems like it works, but isn't a vast improvement over any other leading prevention option. Not good, not bad, kinda middle of the road.

Oldpapps, exactly. Just looking for a way to prevent leading with my home cast boolits. PC is all the rage at the moment, but since I have no PC set up and plenty of various enamel spray cans, I was looking for an alternative based on what I already have versus getting set up with an all new method.

Jcwit, I cast my own, so buying some one else's boolits isn't in the game plan. Its not just about having colors, although color coding for different weights and powders is an idea.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have not heard of painting bullets.
You have the necessary, you can be the first to report on it.

Don't do many.

 

[GBExpat]

Anyone tried Enamel coating cast boolits

If has been or is being done, you will almost certainly find Threads about it at CastBoolits.

 

[Schwing]

Since I have not tried enamel, I can only speak from what I have read. I have seen on some other forums where people have tried this with poor results. As said above, if they pass the hammer test then they will work but the enamel chips off.

What is being done successfully is epoxy painting. The epoxy bonds better and seems to work as well as powder coating. There are also many more colors available.

 

[jcwit]

Jcwit, I cast my own, so buying some one else's boolits isn't in the game plan. Its not just about having colors, although color coding for different weights and powders is an idea.

As do I, was giving you the option of trying it to ascertain the results before investing in the materials and equipment to find out whether you like it or not. After all it's only $19 bucks, not even 6 gallons of gas.

Casting? I've been casting for over 50 years, I still try new options when made available.

 

[Elkins45]

As do I, was giving you the option of trying it to ascertain the results before investing in the materials and equipment to find out whether you like it or not. After all it's only $19 bucks, not even 6 gallons of gas.

Casting? I've been casting for over 50 years, I still try new options when made available.

Have you tested them yet? I'm curious to know what sort of results you get compared to traditional lubed bullets.

There were some guys at a local gun show selling 30 rifle bullets they had done. I was tempted to try some but since I already have an old toaster oven and there's a Harbor Freight store about 5 miles away from where I am today I might just drop $4 and try my own hand at coating.

 

[mdi]

I had read somewhere about enamel painting cast bullets. Being one to try anything new, I spray painted 25 .44 cal. bullets with appliance enamel. Didn't work. Leading (even with bullets sized to chamber throats, which works quite well with nekkid lead bullets), and messy fouling (burnt paint). Tried 10 more and attempted to bake coating. At 300 degrees for 15 minutes burned all the white paint to a ugly tan/brown. Gave up and continued with powder coating...

 

[Elkins45]

I had read somewhere about enamel painting cast bullets. Being one to try anything new, I spray painted 25 .44 cal. bullets with appliance enamel. Didn't work. Leading (even with bullets sized to chamber throats, which works quite well with nekkid lead bullets), and messy fouling (burnt paint). Tried 10 more and attempted to bake coating. At 300 degrees for 15 minutes burned all the white paint to a ugly tan/brown. Gave up and continued with powder coating...

The stuff I read mentioned a specific brand of engine paint. I sprayed a few 30 cal bullets and let them air dry for months. Didn't work...the paint scraped off when I seated them...didn't even try to load a second one. I had hoped to avoid the baking but no such luck.

 

[rsrocket1]

Powder coat works similar to thermal epoxy paint except there is no solvent to "melt" the paint and dry off. It's the heat that bonds the polymer to the bare lead. If you don't do that, you are doing something similar to spattering mud to the bullets. When the mud dries, the dirt sticks to the bullets, but it doesn't stick very well.

 

[jcwit]

Yes I have tested them and am really happy with the results. No leading what so ever. Cleaning consists of a solvent patch followed by a dry patch, then an oil patch if so desired.

The 9mm cal. has always caused leading for me, no other caliber has caused me problems, this includes 45, 40, 380, 30/30, 32, and others. And no it is not my pistol unless all 10 of my 9mm all have the same problem.

My suggestion is to buy a sample pack from one of the many vendors selling, good grief it $20.00 bucks to try them, and in some cases that includes the shipping right to your door. Then and only then will you know if in fact if it is for you.

 

[clearcut]

over on castboolits there are some guys spray painting with some kind of epoxy motor paint with some promising results but the HF red is so easy I haven't tried the paint @ 13.00+- a can.CC

 

[jcwit]

Plus you need an oven that has accurate thermostat to bake them at 400 degrees.

I would not use my home oven to bake lead bullets and then cook food in it.

 

[LAGS]

I think there is some confusion, between Enamel, and Enamel Paint.
Enamel will coat and seal as well as form a jacket around lead bullets.
Enamel paint is not really Enamel.
It is just a painted on coating that resembles enamel.
Powder coating is a synthetic substatute for Enamel.
Paint does not Stick to Lead.
But Powdercoating encases the bullet and actually forms a shell like a jacket around the bullet.
Powder Coat does in fact cause a heat fusion to the surface of the lead, where as paint will not.
I want to try Powdercoating on lead bullets, but leading is not been an issue with the loads that I shoot because of the hardness of the lead I use.
But I like colored bullets to designate different loads.
But I dare not go to China Freight as I am like a kid in a candy store buying everything they have. ( there are three within 15 miles of my house and where I work . )

 

[LiveLife]

Harbor Freight RED ... PBTP NEON YELLOW/NEON PINK. These all passed the test.

I push these (130 grain .311 bullets) at speeds over 2750 FPS and have NO leading or any other problem/s.

Woohoo!!!

Nuff said.