powder coating bullets

[DUNITALL]

I am new to this powder coating and have a few questions. What is the advantage of powder coating bullets? Will it leave a coating on your gun?

[k4swb]

Best answer I can give is to do what I did. Go to YouTube and search for powder coating bullets and you will find all the info you need.

I was amazed at the process and results.
I used to cast a ton of bullets a while back and I wish this had been available to me then.

[noelf2]

I use them but I don't make them.

[NINEX19]

The short answers to the advantages are:

1) ability to use lead bullets in place of jacketed or plated for big cost savings

1) completely eliminate the use of any type of lube on the bullets (huge cost savings and mess)

2) no barrel leading (even at rifle velocities when quality PC is used and correctly applied)

3) If you like tinkering and being creative, it adds fun and color to your hobby.

[maillemaker]

I did it just recently. It is very easy.

I bought a cheap toaster oven from Walmart for like $25. And I bought a wire mesh basket for about $10. I bought 1 pound of red powder coat from Harbor Freight.

All you do is swish the bullets around in the powder in a tupperware container for a minute, then dump them into the wire mesh basket, so that all the excess powder falls onto a sheet of cardboard underneath. All the extra powder (which is most of it) goes right back into your storage bottle again, minus whatever stuck to the bullets.

Then I use tweesers to set each .45 bullet base down on a sheet of aluminum foil on the baking tray, and then you bake them for like 20 minutes. I forget the temp now.

However, you probably will need to size them after powder coating. Before, I was using Lee Alox (xlox) to tumble-lube them. The problem with the Alox is the lube is all over the nose of the bullet, which then gums up the feed ramp of the gun. So I was individually wiping each bullet nose with a rag dipped in mineral spirits to get it clean. The powder coating eliminates that. But the Alox bullets could be shot as-cast.

It's possible my PC bullets could be shot as cast, also, but I sized them.

And if you are going to size them anyway, you may as well use traditional bullets and lube and size them at the same time (I have a Lyman 4500 Lubrisizer).

I think I'm reloading with about 4.5 grains of Bullseye as I recall. When I did a test, factory Winchester ammo was the most accurate in my Ruger P90, followed by my as-cast Lee Tumble-Lube Trunacted Cone alox bullets, followed by the same bullet powder coated and sized to .452.

Aside from the worst accuracy (with the only load/size I tried), the bullets work fine and are less work than Alox with nose cleaning.

Steve

[NINEX19]

Aside from the worst accuracy (with the only load/size I tried), the bullets work fine and are less work than Alox with nose cleaning.

Interesting. How much worse? As you suspect, I would say that you will probably have to work up loads again compared to your Alox loads.

I have actually had the exact opposite experience in that I get some of my most accurate rounds with powder coated bullets in my lever actions and revolvers. However, I only use jacketed bullets in semi autos ("feed ramp") so I do not have an opinion on that aspect.

[maillemaker]

I only reload .45 ACP, and I never did any load workups. I was solely interested in stockpiling plinking ammo. It's good enough for shooting paper plates at 20 yards or so.

I can't say exactly how much worse they were. Not much.

Steve

[T. O'Heir]

Powder coating is baked on paint without the oil or water. Pros and cons was debated here last August. Supposedly reduces the amount of lead in the air of indoor ranges. Expensive stuff that Hi-Tek paint. $39.95US for 15 ounces. The mixing liquid is worse at $36.00 per half litre(16.5 ounces). Goes a long way though. No coating inside either. Needs ventilation and chemical protective clothing and eye protection.
Instructions say:
"20 grams (309 grains) of powdered coating to 100ml (3.3-3.4 ounces) of acetone."
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=578591

[kraigwy]

I dont powder coat but I trade lead for powder coated bullets have and have shot 1000s of them, in 38/357, 45 and 44s, even some rifles.

I've never had any problems with leading or powder coat left in the gun. You can shoot them about as fast as jackets in pistols.

Heck of a lot cheaper too (esp if you get them for nothing).

[Zeroed]

Is powder coating mainly, or just for plinking targets, and not for hunting?

[dahermit]

Is powder coating mainly, or just for plinking targets, and not for hunting?

Powder coated cast-lead alloy bullets can be used for anything that an equivalent conventionally lube cast-lead alloy bullet can be used for, including hunting. The only different thing that I have heard from other powder coaters is that, because powder coated bullets must be baked to cure the powder is that heat-treating of the bullets becomes problematic. The heat for curing the powder, allows heat-treated bullets to lose their hardness that was there due to heat treating.

[maillemaker]

Lead alloys do not appreciably harden or soften with regards to heat treatment.

Steve

[DUNITALL]

Thanks to all. I should have checked the internet but when I got older I don't remember to good HA. I have ordered paint from Eastwood and a prep cleaner and am going to cast some 44 cal. black powder bullets and give them a try. I will let you know how it works out. Not sure if I will have to resize after coating but if I do I will have to order a special resizer because my mold is 200 gr. 450 and lee has a resizer for 451 and I don't know if that would work or not. Any info on the resizer would help.

[dahermit]

Lead alloys do not appreciably harden or soften with regards to heat treatment.

Sorry, you are wrong. Lead alloys that contain arsenic (as in chilled shot, wheel weights), have been hardened via heat treat for years.

http://www.lasc.us/HeatTreat.htm
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sear...archid=4486086

[bedbugbilly]

Go over and take a look on the CastBoolit site - you'll find quite a bit about it if you take the time to look through the threads and there is on dedicated to PC.