Powder coating bullets

[gnappi]

I've been casting a L-O-N-G time and the things that bothered me about it were having the waxy mess and sizer heaters to leading barrels and smoky sessions at the range.

Last year I started powder coating my .45, .40 and .357 Sig bullets and have been loading the .40's and .45's ever since. They are clean to handle, and do not smoke after firing. I'm also quenching them after the baking which by all accounts hardens the bullets substantially, and they do not lead the bore. As bonuses I don't have to use a heated base or buy lube any more. I can use the wax lube I have on hand as flux.

This week I started loading my 357 Sig rounds and this winter I'll start casting and coating for my .223 and .308. At least one thing I'll be immune from supply when / if the next panic ammo buying spree comes.

For anyone who is casting, powder coating is easy and inexpensive to try.

Anyone else PC'ing their cast bullets here?

 

[WestKentucky]

I read a lot before jumping into the casting game. I coated from the start. Sadly I jumped in at a bad time and can’t find molds, and the one mold I did find I have plenty bullets for and I’m hesitant to cast and coat more until I get better stocked on other things. Casting is easy enough, coating isn’t bad, but I had trouble with things sticking early on. I think it’s dialed in now, but between burning wax paper and melting bullets it was a slow start.

 

[gnappi]

Use silicone baking sheets instead of parchment paper, you'll be GTG.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

Use silicone baking sheets instead of parchment paper, you'll be GTG.

Agree 100%

I read a lot before jumping into the casting game. I coated from the start. Sadly I jumped in at a bad time and can’t find molds, and the one mold I did find I have plenty bullets for and I’m hesitant to cast and coat more until I get better stocked on other things. Casting is easy enough, coating isn’t bad, but I had trouble with things sticking early on. I think it’s dialed in now, but between burning wax paper and melting bullets it was a slow start.

I had issues with the powder sticking in the beginning too. A quick rinse in acetone fixed that.

 

[AJC1]

In my experience PC is the only solution. Cost to get started was a major factor which pushed me to start. After buying all the gear to lube traditionally I'm surprised you switched. How are you sizing?

 

[bluejay75]

Fine mesh strainers work great for baking bullets. Also allows you to shake off excess.

And buy good powder. HF might be cheap but it’s unreliable.

 

[.38 Special]

Lots of PCers here. As a survivor of the copper wash fad and the graphite fad and the Danzac fad, I'm not going to jump onto the PC bandwagon until there's a bit more data. Get back to me in 2035 or so.

 

[gnappi]

I don't like changing dies and depths so the sizers are in 9mm, .40, and .45. I use three Star sizers on a custom aluminum plate I designed and had made for me. Heat is no longer necessary so they can be closer together. I also had special PC dies made that are shorter without lube holes. The older dies with holes are harder to push the PC'd bullets through.

.38, there's a LOt of data out there and MANY pc'ing. See https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php

 

[blue32]

I only PC for 9mm. Not worth the hassle for anything else.

 

[forrest r]

Been pc'ing bullets for awhile now, started testing in 2013 and liked the results so I started pc'ing 99%+ of the bullets I cast since 2014.

I still use traditional lube & sizer on occasion along with tumble lubing. I also tumble lube my pc'd bullets on occasion. I only do this with rifle bullets.

I look at pc as another tool in the bag of a reloader.

 

[gudaki]

I have started powder coating my cast bullets as well.

 

[.38 Special]

.38, there's a LOt of data out there and MANY pc'ing. See https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php

That was also true of moly, but I still haven't got that one gun completely clean.

 

[Bayou52]

I’m a recent pc convert. Pc’ing is a game changer.

At first, I fell victim to the HF stuff. Worthless for pc’ing bullets IMHO. I was left with severely leaded barrels with this brand. Eastwood pc paints, on the other hand, work very well for bullets. I use the Ford light blue. No smoke and zero leading.

I started with silicone baking sheets at first but switched to cheap and disposable parchment paper. After many baking sessions, pc paint was accumulating on the baking skeets, in my experience.

I like to stand the bullets up during baking and I use 50 count ammo boxes to do that. Just load the pc’ed bullets in the boxes upside down and flip them over onto the parchment paper. Lift up the ammo box and all 50 bullets are standing up separated.

Sizing is after pc’ing.

For smaller based rifle bullets, a silicone mini ice tray works perfectly for keeping the pc’ed bullets separated in the oven.

Pics:






Silicon mini ice tray are easily obtainable. I think there are 150 or so slots in each one.






Bayou52

 

[AJC1]

I’m a recent pc convert. Pc’ing is a game changer.

At first, I fell victim to the HF stuff. Worthless for pc’ing bullets IMHO. I was left with severely leaded barrels with this brand. Eastwood pc paints, on the other hand, work very well for bullets. I use the Ford light blue. No smoke and zero leading.

I started with silicone baking sheets at first but switched to cheap and disposable parchment paper. After many baking sessions, pc paint was accumulating on the baking skeets, in my experience.

I like to stand the bullets up during baking and I use 50 count ammo boxes to do that. Just load the pc’ed bullets in the boxes upside down and flip them over onto the parchment paper. Lift up the ammo box and all 50 bullets are standing up separated.

Sizing is after pc’ing.

For smaller based rifle bullets, a silicone mini ice tray works perfectly for keeping the pc’ed bullets separated in the oven.

Pics:

View attachment 1007377


View attachment 1007378

Silicon mini ice tray are easily obtainable. I think there are 150 or so slots in each one.






Bayou52

Look more smurfs... I love em

 

[bersaguy]

Indeed, Eastwood Ford Light Blue is the jam. I like using non-stick aluminum foil, crumpled up and then spread back out. Shake and bake for 20 min, Lee push thru sizer and good to go. I have a pound each of Carnuba Red and Carnuba Blue if anyone needs it.

 

[slugford]

I want to get on this train. Very new to casting and using Lee TL molds. I want to cast some keith bullets and shoot them in my SBH and 1892 in 44 mag. I dont have any lube or sizing dies. Still need to slug my barrels but the next step i hope is a sizing die then powder.

Are folks using gas checks on powder coated bullets or is it not necessary if sized .001 over?

 

[bersaguy]

No gas check needed with powder coat.

 

[bullseye308]

I have been powder coating for a couple years now, but only for 9mm. My 357 and 38 get tumble lubed. I have been using the HF red and am on the second pound with great results. I plan to buy some colors from Smoke on cast boolets when I run out.

 

[BJung]

I've owned a few molds and a lead pot for years but avoided casting because of the additional press and wax mess associated with it. Just before the pandemic I discovered PC coating and started buying molds. And so, I am well supplied except for maybe some HP pistol molds. I suppose I can convert my standard Lee molds to hp if I wanted to. I use non-stick aluminum sheets and change them out every so often. Left over parmesan containers #5 and styro-foam is sued to built the static charge. Yes, I've tried HF black and it's terrible. I don't stand my bullets up and rest them on their side. My water cooled PC bullets are resized but I let them sit for atleast a few weeks before resizing and seating them. The reason is that your bullet hardness changes in time. Beware of your lead temperature, It will effect the weight of your bullet. Recently, I've jus been making ingots. When I start casting, I add 1/4 of a set of 4 ingots to a pot to cast to stabilize my mixture. The only exception will be with .22lr lead bullets I acquired that is mostly lead or pure lead. I'll add 2% tin to that to make some nice .45 - 230gr bullets.

 

[gnappi]

I want to get on this train. Very new to casting and using Lee TL molds. I want to cast some keith bullets and shoot them in my SBH and 1892 in 44 mag. I dont have any lube or sizing dies. Still need to slug my barrels but the next step i hope is a sizing die then powder.

Are folks using gas checks on powder coated bullets or is it not necessary if sized .001 over?

For rifle loads some are using gas checks but at pistol velocity it's not necessary. I have a .308 GC mold but I have a LOT of jacketed bullets I won't need to worry about trying GC's for a very long time.

 

[Bayou52]

I want to get on this train. Very new to casting and using Lee TL molds. I want to cast some keith bullets and shoot them in my SBH and 1892 in 44 mag. I dont have any lube or sizing dies. Still need to slug my barrels but the next step i hope is a sizing die then powder.

Are folks using gas checks on powder coated bullets or is it not necessary if sized .001 over?

I use gas checks with my cast rifle bullets - 30-06, 32 Win SPL, and 30 carbine. I have not used gas checks for my 357 mag and I get no leading. If you are loading full charged 44 mag, I’m not sure about those as I don’t cast them. After shooting some without gas checks, it would be advisable to inspect your barrel for signs of leading.

Bayou52

 

[Iwsbull]

I gas check for my 454 Casull only because it was designed for one and is more accurate with the check on it. I have leaned on the 44 pretty good with no leading and am beginning to head into softer BHN numbers with hollow points and so far have nothing but good to say about accuracy and no leading.
The biggest thing is get quality powder because a pound of it will coat lots of bullets. The extra cost is forgotten once the results and lack of headaches Is realized.

 

[doubleh]

Fine mesh strainers work great for baking bullets. Also allows you to shake off excess.

And buy good powder. HF might be cheap but it’s unreliable.

HF red worked fairly reliably so of course it disappeared. Their other stuff is junk. I found Eastwood red to be top notch and not being interested in having an assortment of different colored bullets that is all I use.

 

[bluejay75]

HF red worked fairly reliably so of course it disappeared. Their other stuff is junk. I found Eastwood red to be top notch and not being interesedt in having an assortment of different colored bullets that is all I use.

Like you I settled on one color…that’s NOT a color. Everything gets clear. Goes on white so you can see the coverage. Goes on easier than any color. But you won’t get hung up on tiny imperfections. And besides, it’s actually the clear part of the powder that gives the slick finish.

 

[rsrocket1]

I powder coat and no longer quench after the baking process. I can only speak for myself and you will have to try it out for yourself but try to simply let the bullets cool down without quenching to see if it makes a difference. I simply let the bullets air cool and put them into a box for sizing and experience no difference in performance.