Ran some tests with powder coated bullets to see if leading would accur



POWDER COATED BULLET
400 GN CAST
65 GN VARGET
BNH 12-14


1 2160
2 2148
3 2156
4 2132
5 2137
6 2141

18 shots were fired in total with this load and there was no leading!!!!!!!!!!!
i think my days of useing lubed cast bullets is comming to an end

I believe the powder coating is superior to traditional lubes, without a doubt.

My only concern is this; application of powder coating requires that bullets are heated just below their melting point, and then dropped in water to cool. If the alloy contains antimony, it causes the alloy to harden significantly.

I prefer my bullets on the softer side, even with antimony. Lyman #2 is the hardest alloy I care to use for hunting, and I am not sure I could adjust my alloys to account for the hardening that would occur if powder coating.

Depending upon the intended use of the bullets, it may not matter for you. If you do intend to use for hunting, I would be interested in knowing what alloy you use to keep the bullets at their optimum hardness for reliable expansion.

mike
have a look at my post...BNH was 12-14
that is an extremley soft composition to be shooting at a velocity of 2150

my mix consisted of clip on ww 11 lbs stick on ww 4 lbs and range lead 4 lbs and 1 lb of lino...this is pretty close to a LYMAN N0 2

the bullets came out of the mould with a harness of about 14 BNH, but softened to about 12-14 after having two powder coatings applied...THESE BULLETS WERE NOT HARDENED / WATER QUENCHED

im not sure what would happen to the powder coating if it was heat treated and then quenched....but why bother heat treating when i can get a velocity of 2150 with bullets that have got a BNH of 12-14 and dont cause leading, and will expand , but even if they dont the big flat nose does a pretty go job

My next project will be to get another mould made, but with a hollow point....i think this will be extra effective on game at a vel of 1500 fps which im running my 416 at, , and at 2150, i will have to wait and see what it does

I missed the BNH number! I better get new glasses!! Sorry about that.

Now you have me thinking about trying PC on my cast bullets... or at least some of them. I am relatively new to casting, and have finally began getting some good results using caste in my 35 Whelen rifle, my .357 Mag, and 40 S&W pistols.

I am certain that I have read about some who use PC, and they water quench after the 2nd heating which melts the powder coating evenly. But, this may be done because they want to harden the alloy, while coating the bullets, both at the same time.

not mine. I roll them for 30 seconds, then into the oven for 20-30 minutes at 400-degrees. The larger bullets, like 375 and up take 30, smaller are good at 20 minutes.

The PC penetrates to the near-molecular level.

Look at the cast bullets forum. Guys have been recovering them, and the coating appears to be ironed into the rifling grooves.

One Kroil patch and done.

I have a friend who has had excellent results using this PC method in his 300 blackout.

M 98

How do the velocities reported with powder coat compare to the same load with cast/lube?

Eric

ERIC
pretty much the same , except after one shot the barrel was grey in color from leading , i think i posted some results in another post about the difference between coated and lubed bullets...no difference at all in my three rifles

Good to know. Thank you

I just started powder coating my conicals and my balls (12-10-8-4 bore--no comments, Biebs) Leading seems to be nil but I will shoot for the summer and present my findings for my bpe and bore rifles.
Cal

Can someone tellme what the chemical composition of powder coat is ? Epoxy?

There different types. Some cross-link as they melt and others are stable polymer dust that just melts. There are polyurethanes, polyesters, polyester-epoxies and pure epoxies. Depends on the useage and desired final properties like UV resistance, corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and what not. That said, I don't know what if any of that is better or worse for bullets. I would think polyurethane or polyester would be good choices for performance and price.

I have been buying and shooting Missouri Bullets coated with Hi-Tec. Putting them through revolvers and pistols as well as my 450NE with reduced loads. Pistols and revolvers that use to have leading problems are no more. VERY HAPPY with the product.

I'm not water quenching mine... I'm still faily new to casting, and this is only my 3rd try at PCing. Yesterday I ran a few with pure lead for the 480 ruger.

Big soft 400 gr bullets at 800 or 900 fps just seem like something fun to shoot.

If I use lead bullets, I use coated only. Never seen any leading in .460 Rowland or .500 S&W I use it in.

I buy them coated already. Here in Europe, it is made by company "Ares Slovakia".

http://bulletin.accurateshoote...llets-from-slovakia/

These are 200 gr (green) and 250 gr (yellow) coated HC bullets for .460 Rowland next to other bullets I use.



Jiri

Gents:
I shot a bit of powder coated bullets in older double rifles this past summer. Not as much as I wanted but I was building an addition to my house and spent most of July in Zimbabwe. What little shooting I did no, I noticed no leading in the bore and no difference in accuracy. I, too, am done with the traditional grease grooved and lubed bullets. My RCBS lube and sizer machine may see its last days.

Now, a question:

The slowest part of the process of powder coating is placing the bullets on the oven's tray from the plastic tub I coat the bullets in. I can't use my fingers as I lose much of powder on the bullet. Pliers, even spring loaded light duty pliers, are slow, some bullets slip away and fall and need to be recoated, and the pliers still remove some of the powder. Any ideas for a quick and easy method to place the coated bullets in the oven whilst keeping most or all of the powder on the bullet?
Thanks,
Cal

Cal,

what velocities were you reaching with the bullets?

Eric

quote:

Originally posted by ELeeton:
Cal,

what velocities were you reaching with the bullets?

Eric

1300 to 1900 fps.
bpe 450 and 500
bore rifles, 12 10 8 4 bore
nitro 600 ne.
Cal

I just discovered powder coating today on a few other sites. Go to YouTube and search Elvis Ammo powder coat bullets. He is doing small batches. Preheating bullets then agitating them in plastic container where the powder is located, pouring out on a screen to separate powder from bullets. Then straight in the oven. 20 minutes total for 30 cal bullets.

This is too good not to investigate.

Matt

Thanks, Matt. I just cast and sized bullets in .500, .577, .600, 12-bore, 10-bore, 8-bore, and 4-bore. I will spend the long weekend powder coating and I will look to the info you suggested.
May 6 is the next shoot.
Cal

Cast Boolits has a good sub-forum dedicated to Alternative coatings. PC is a big part of that.

Cal, I am shooting in the velocities you sited. Maybe not quite to the top but over midway. I have no leading at all with a 40 to 1 cast using an over powder card and a lubed felt wad.

Thanks, Dave.
It's been -20 here and when it warms up a bit I will begin to powder coat.
Thanks all for your tips.
Cal