Want to get Into cheap powder coating my cast bullets help

[horsemen61]

Ok guys I have a bunch of 148 grain wadcutters just dying to be shot yet I have no lube or sizer so I want to start powder coating them A WHAT do I need on the cheap and B how do you go about doing it thanks horsemen61

 

[41 Mag]

Well it don't get much easier than this first link,

Powdercoating update.... now cheaper!!

And if you REALLY want the down and dirty on it you might spend a while here as well,
Coatings-and-Alternatives

Hope that helps....

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I agree with 41Mag and the first link. I read it on TFL too. I am gearing up to start casting and I really like the idea of coating them this way.

Pretty neat how he used the static charge from friction in the plastic bowls to get the powder to stick. They turned out decent too IMO.

 

[horsemen61]

Thanks guys

 

[BBQJOE]

I've had really great results with this.

Sorry, lots of reading, but you'll catch on real quick.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?204174-simple-Hi-Tek-coating

 

[Reefinmike]

A $3 bottle of liquid alox? Unless you are trying to shoot dead soft cast lead in high velocity stuff like 9 or 40, Id stay away from powder coating... just seems like a whole lot of work to finish out a hundred boolit lot. I cast 600/hr with my lee mold and can have them lubed up in less than three minutes.

Just my humble opinion... if you just want the pretty bullets, then go for it!

 

[hartcreek]

Polygonal rifling is the problem

If you have a gun with polygonal rifling powder coating is the way to go.

 

[towerdog]

I bought an Eastwood kit and a few colors of powder. Small items you can use a toaster oven. check Craigslist for ovens gas or electric. You will need a well exhausted place to spray it.

 

[LT.Diver]

You still need to size them, no?

 

[kelbro]

Size with a Lee push through sizer, or not. Depends on the size and whether it expands your case too much to chamber.

 

[oldpapps]

"148 grain wadcutters just dying to be shot yet I have no lube or sizer so I want to start powder coating them A WHAT do I need on the cheap and B how do you go about doing it thanks horsemen61"

The biggest cost is the oven. (I tried to use the one in the kitchen... didn't get very far with that.)
Bought a $19 unit at chinamart and an oven thermometer.
Next non-consumable is a Number 5 plastic tub. One with a dome in the bottom works better. I have used 'Dream Whip' and butter tubs. The Yogurt ones all seam to have flat bottoms.
Next is the powder, Harbor Freight is cheap, go for the Red, it works best. (1 pound will cover several square feet of surface, I spill more I think.)
And last, 'Non-stick Aluminum foil'. (I get multi bakes on the same layer of foil.)
The HF Red powder has been adding a 0.001 inch coating, so that's 0.002 larger than the as cast drop diameter. If that takes your size over where the finished round will chamber, you will need to size. Oh, don't forget to bell the case mouth so you don't shave the bullet as it is seated.

 

[horsemen61]

I already have the toaster oven guys

 

[horseman1]

Please let us know how it works out for you. I dont currently cast my own, but would like to someday. I bought some already coated from Falcon Bullets to see if I would want to go to the trouble of doing it myself sometime. I'm in the middle of moving, so it will be a while before I can load them up. Good luck!

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

A $3 bottle of liquid alox? Unless you are trying to shoot dead soft cast lead in high velocity stuff like 9 or 40, Id stay away from powder coating... just seems like a whole lot of work to finish out a hundred boolit lot. I cast 600/hr with my lee mold and can have them lubed up in less than three minutes.

I would also guess there are a few other reasons to powder coat over lubing. Like smoke (indoor range Taboo) and different colors to color code bullets. If you have calibers that can cause confusion color is a great way to easily tell a 9mm in a Makarov from a 9mm Luger or a 38 from a .357 . Then there is the occasional leading.

 

[jcwit]

A $3 bottle of liquid alox? Unless you are trying to shoot dead soft cast lead in high velocity stuff like 9 or 40, Id stay away from powder coating... just seems like a whole lot of work to finish out a hundred boolit lot. I cast 600/hr with my lee mold and can have them lubed up in less than three minutes.

Some think reloading itself is a whole lot of work. Let alone casting.

I'm always open to new ideas and new methods of doing things, well mostly.

 

[Dr.Zubrato]

I always click these threads because they're super interesting, but I prefer the look and convenience of 45/45/10 and the beautiful look of lead boolits.

BTW, I've been shooting thousands of rounds thru my g19 with no issues or leading. The smoke is probably the biggest issue, but it can be mitigated with powder selection.
As it happens, I use titegroup with lead bullets and holy jesus does that combo smoke, looks like cowboy SAA shooting Sure is cheap though!

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

I shoot 9mm and have been getting into casting. I used the Lee 125gr tumble lube bullet, which drops at .357. I have tried to get straight LLA to work, but I am getting leading in the last inch of barrel and abysmal accuracy.

My results with powder coating have been much better so far, with seemingly acceptable accuracy and no leading. Only problem I've had is when I bake the coating on, it is removing the added hardness of water-dropping them, making the bullets pretty soft. I may adjust my alloy, but I have a lot of this mix and I would like to figure out if it will work. Point is, keep in mind you may lose some hardness when you bake if you are relying on water dropping.

 

[LubeckTech]

A $3 bottle of liquid alox? Unless you are trying to shoot dead soft cast lead in high velocity stuff like 9 or 40, Id stay away from powder coating... just seems like a whole lot of work to finish out a hundred boolit lot. I cast 600/hr with my lee mold and can have them lubed up in less than three minutes.

Just my humble opinion... if you just want the pretty bullets, then go for it!

For USPSA, IDPA and other action pistol events conventional cast bullets just don't cut it for me. Besides the smoke no matter what I try for lubing be it Alox or any brand or recipe of lube after about 100 rounds thru a semi-atuo I start to get malfunctions. I had resigned my self to plated bullets until I started coating. Now by using the polyprophelene bowl tumble method I am producing inexpensive cast bullets that don't gum up my gun. It is more work BUT I have more time than money!! Using Lee Push thru sizers I can size (pre and post coat) coat and bake 500+ 9mm in a couple of hours.

There is a forum area dedicated to this subject at Cast Boolits.

 

[Coffeeguy]

I agree...Do a Google search for "Piglet Method" and you'll get all the info you need. If you want "pretty" bullets you can use 2 or 3 parts acetone to 1 part powdercoat by volume, and either use a dropper to squirt the mixture over each bullet or dip them using tweezers. The piglet/tumble method gives you some ugly bullets but they shoot just fine. I run them through a sizer just to keep them uniform, and they're just as accurate as anything jacketed or plated. Lots less smoke than using Alox or any wax-based lube, and keeps my barrels very clean.