midland man
Member
so spray painting lead bullets? has anyone here tried that and how'd did it work for you, what kind of spray paint used, accuracy, etc? thanks! 
spray painting bullets anyone tried this??
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ArchAngelCD
Member.
To what end? I have never heard of any one painting bullets but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done.
What are you using as a "spray paint"?
I have never tried spray painting bullets. Paint is a coating that uses a evaporating carrier to distribute the pigment across the surface. I would be concerned that the pigment would be removed by the mechanical stress of engaging the rifling and foul the barrel.
I have never tried spray painting bullets. Paint is a coating that uses a evaporating carrier to distribute the pigment across the surface. I would be concerned that the pigment would be removed by the mechanical stress of engaging the rifling and foul the barrel.
OP
OP
midland man
Member
not sure, way I understand it is they are spray painting them to make them keep from leading I guess but I never heard this before until I read this on a another forum! so I wondered if anyone has done it on this forum?
clearcut
Member
Some folks are using high temp automotive epoxy but I think powder coat is tried and true.
CC
CC
OP
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midland man
Member
i'm not yet just saw where someone else is doing this so wanted to see if anyone else is doing it and their thoughts about it!
ArchAngelCD
Member.
It's possible the person on the other forum was mistaken in thinking powder coated bullets were painted instead. The Hi-Tec coated bullets I am using work very well in preventing leading.
*orgive me, forum, but I have sinned...
I'm completely stupid, but I have a 1911 barrel from Sarco that only cost me $20
so I use it for experiments just like this. Put it in my Springfield 45acp and try things.
I only tested 100 bullets with Krylon barbeque paint. Result:
The barrel looked the same as 100 lead bullets with wax lube.
I couldn't tell the difference. Nothing bad. But nothing good.
Couldn't tell the difference between traditional wax and barbeque paint.
Sooo...
I draw no conclusion. 100 bullets is too small to conclude.
But at least it didn't explode in my hand, didn't leave crud,
didn't leave 10,000,000,000 pounds of lead deposits in the barrel.
I saw no clear advantage, but saw no detriment.
I think 100 bullets is too small to conclude.
It's a free country*. You decide what you want to do with your gun.
*At least for the next 3 years 265 days.
I'm completely stupid, but I have a 1911 barrel from Sarco that only cost me $20
so I use it for experiments just like this. Put it in my Springfield 45acp and try things.
I only tested 100 bullets with Krylon barbeque paint. Result:
The barrel looked the same as 100 lead bullets with wax lube.
I couldn't tell the difference. Nothing bad. But nothing good.
Couldn't tell the difference between traditional wax and barbeque paint.
Sooo...
I draw no conclusion. 100 bullets is too small to conclude.
But at least it didn't explode in my hand, didn't leave crud,
didn't leave 10,000,000,000 pounds of lead deposits in the barrel.
I saw no clear advantage, but saw no detriment.
I think 100 bullets is too small to conclude.
It's a free country*. You decide what you want to do with your gun.
*At least for the next 3 years 265 days.
Ants,
Go over to Castboolits and look in the coatings and alternatives forum. You'll see several years' worth of experience and hundreds of users' experience with powder coating. Less than a teaspoon's worth of $5/pound powder coat, some non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper, a used Cool Whip tub and a $5 toaster oven from Goodwill and you'll have beautifully coated non barrel-leading bullets. Of course the #1 priority is properly fitted bullets to your barrel but a properly fitting PC bullet will not lead a barrel. Time spent powder coating: I spent 2 hours on Sunday afternoon coating 600 .40 cal bullets and another hour on the push through sizer to get them to 0.401". Unfortunately that will only last me about 3 shooting sessions because I've been on sort of a 40 S&W tear lately.
Pics from earlier coating sessions:
Go over to Castboolits and look in the coatings and alternatives forum. You'll see several years' worth of experience and hundreds of users' experience with powder coating. Less than a teaspoon's worth of $5/pound powder coat, some non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper, a used Cool Whip tub and a $5 toaster oven from Goodwill and you'll have beautifully coated non barrel-leading bullets. Of course the #1 priority is properly fitted bullets to your barrel but a properly fitting PC bullet will not lead a barrel. Time spent powder coating: I spent 2 hours on Sunday afternoon coating 600 .40 cal bullets and another hour on the push through sizer to get them to 0.401". Unfortunately that will only last me about 3 shooting sessions because I've been on sort of a 40 S&W tear lately.
Pics from earlier coating sessions:
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Jesse Heywood
Member
And some there have sent thousands and thousands of rounds down range testing the various coatings. Some have tested spray enamel with poor results. Powder coating is their recommended product, red seems to be the best flavor.
Perhaps the OP is thinking of powder coating? But, I have read of folks painting cast bullets with "appliance paint" with mixed results. I have powder coated a bunch of cast bullets, dry tumbled and electrostatic sprayed for my revolvers, pistols, and a couple rifles with excellent results; clean handling, clean shooting, and cool looking...
GBExpat
Member
I use the powder coat procedure described by rsrocket1. Here is a pic of a tray of .44s and .45s that I snapped as they cooled after removing them (replacing them with another tray of bullets) from the toaster oven that I had setup on the patio.
Sunray
Member
Powder coat is baked on paint. Isn't spray paint though. Kind of suspect spray paint would come off in the mag, never mind the barrel when fired.
Krylon barbeque paint is made for Al.
Krylon barbeque paint is made for Al.
OP
OP
midland man
Member
wow I love them green bullets!!I use the powder coat procedure described by rsrocket1. Here is a pic of a tray of .44s and .45s that I snapped as they cooled after removing them (replacing them with another tray of bullets) from the toaster oven that I had setup on the patio.
OP
OP
midland man
Member
nice work there!!Ants,
Go over to Castboolits and look in the coatings and alternatives forum. You'll see several years' worth of experience and hundreds of users' experience with powder coating. Less than a teaspoon's worth of $5/pound powder coat, some non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper, a used Cool Whip tub and a $5 toaster oven from Goodwill and you'll have beautifully coated non barrel-leading bullets. Of course the #1 priority is properly fitted bullets to your barrel but a properly fitting PC bullet will not lead a barrel. Time spent powder coating: I spent 2 hours on Sunday afternoon coating 600 .40 cal bullets and another hour on the push through sizer to get them to 0.401". Unfortunately that will only last me about 3 shooting sessions because I've been on sort of a 40 S&W tear lately.
Pics from earlier coating sessions:
wally
Member
I've seen people spray paint the bottoms of brass cases so they could be sure to get only theirs back and not mix in any "random" brass. I'm happy to reload random brass
As an alternative to lube powder coating may be OK, depends on if its more "lubericative" than abrasive under high pressure/velocity. I don't really care about the color of a bullet, although I think the recent Tula "silver" 9mm are pretty cool
As an alternative to lube powder coating may be OK, depends on if its more "lubericative" than abrasive under high pressure/velocity. I don't really care about the color of a bullet, although I think the recent Tula "silver" 9mm are pretty cool
bullseye308
Member
I think where the confusion is from is that some use hvlp and spray their powder coat on and for someone who has never envisioned the concept it is easy to mistake spraying the bullets with spray painting the bullets.
But I could be wrong.
But I could be wrong.
Jim Watson
Member
I read of someone trying enamel on bullets. It did not work well as a lubricating coating.
GBExpat
Member
I think that it comes down to ... you can shoot cheap(er) lead bullets without having to mess with the lube (to include to larger clean-up chore) or worry about leading in the bore ... in addition, the PC bullets can make some interesting-looking cartridges.
Thank you for setting up and doing the experiment.
It's nice to have preliminary confirmation that paints formulated for high temperature exposure will not immediately foul the barrel. Your result could unlock the door to further experimentation with the idea.
#1 reason is so you don't have to spend $200 on a lubrisizer and the requisite dies. There's some evidence out there that PC lead bullets can be cast softer thus more likely to obturate and seal without leading. Plus if you need to size, a $20 lee sizer kit will do just fine after PC is baked on. And some people swear that PC will actually help remove any existing leading if correctly sized bullets are used.
And it looks cool.
Federal and some others are marketing their own version of 'polycoated' bullets now
http://www.federalpremium.com/ammunition/handgun/bullet/syntech/american-eagle-syntech/
Here's their laundry list of features:
Features
• Polymer-encapsulated Syntech® bullet prevents metal-on-metal contact in the bore, eliminating copper and lead fouling, while extending barrel life
• Exclusive lead-free primer formulation provides the most reliable, consistent ignition
• Clean-burning propellants minimize residue and fouling
• Significantly reduces the required frequency of cleaning
• Absence of a copper jacket minimizes splash-back on steel targets
• Less perceived recoil
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