Powder Coating and the Paradox

06 June 2020, 22:38

470Evans

I have owned a Holland Paradox for the past 12 years and have had success loading for it.

The one frustration I had was in practicing after 3 or 4 shots in a barrel leading would become a problem. I tried coating with Alox with poor results having the best results by wrapping the slug in Teflon tape but would still get leading.

Typically when hunting I never shot more than one or two slugs so I just learned to live with it at the target range.

I recently got into casting for a 45 Colt. In learning about that I discovered powder coating as a way to avoid leading as well as eliminating the need to lube the bullets.

After having success with powder coating the handgun bullets the idea hit me to try it on the Paradox. So I cast some of the big slugs, powder coated them and after sizing them in my push through die loaded some rounds this am and went to the range.

I couldn't tell any difference on the target and best of all experienced no leading.

Target shown was at 50yds, think I pulled that 4th shot a bit left. When I was younger I could see the target better, it's hell getting old!

06 June 2020, 23:24

cal pappas

This is my second year oiowder coating and I absolkutely love it. I sold my RCBS lube and size machine and tossed my pan lube setup in the burn barrel.

I agree about Alox lube. The first 1/10th of an inch down the bore and it's gone so is worthless.

Being a traditionalist I like the looks of gray lead so I tried powder coating with the color gray and also clear. The problem was that I could not see the amount of coverage. Now I use black and do so in all of my double rifle bullets: nitro express, black powder express, and the bore rifles.

Good luck in your shooting.
Cal

_______________________________

Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
www.CalPappas.com
www.CalPappas.blogspot.com
1994 Zimbabwe
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2013 Zimbabwe
2013 Australia
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2019 South Africa
2019 Botswana
2019 Zimbabwe vacation
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______________________________

07 June 2020, 03:13

Rockdoc

What a great idea and they look so cool!

Love to get another paradox.

07 June 2020, 03:58

cal pappas

Try one of Buckstix's paradox crimpers.
C

07 June 2020, 14:35

fairgame

DIY powder coating? Please explain the process.

07 June 2020, 14:50

Zephyr

Cal have been shooting coated bullets through all of my pistols for the last few years with the same success you have mentioned I have been purchasing mine through Missouri Bullets as I just do not have the time to cast

07 June 2020, 16:15

cal pappas

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
DIY powder coating? Please explain the process.

It's easy, simple, and inexpensive.
Buy a pound of powder from the company Powder by the Pound (they are on the internet).

Place a small amount of powder in a heavy plastic food container with the bulkets and cover.

Shake it for 20 seconds. The powder sticks to the lead via static electricity. Then, I dump the powder and coated bullets into a screen that is over a second container to catch the powder.

I empty the bullets from the screen onto a small pan. Place the pan in a small toaster oven (not your wife's toaster oven in the kitchen) and heat at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minuets. Do this outside.

Empty the pan of not coated bullets into another pan and start on your second batch.

Please note: I size my bullets before coating.

That's it. So simple even a monkey can do it (that explains my success). No more lead deposits in the barrel. Cleaning the bore is simple and quick. Powder is available in a variety of colors but I avoid clear and gray (as mentioned) so I can visually notice a good coating.

It's 3am and I'm up visit the long drop. In the am I will give you the type of powder that works best for me as it adheres to the lead better than other powders. This is important as many powders are meant to be applied via a spray gun and adhere poorly via the shaking in a plastic container. We want a powder that will adhere via static electricity.

07 June 2020, 20:18

470Evans

Below is a picture of my powder casting equipment:

I do it the following way:

- Cast the bullets

- drop them in the plastic container with a few tablespoons of powder

- close the lid, swirl till I get tired of swirling, maybe 30 seconds

- dump the bullets out on the wire screen over the other plastic container to let the excess powder drop off and be reused

- dump them on parchment paper and put in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 min

- size the bullets after powder coating

There are different ways I have read people do it but they all follow the basic method.

One thing I have read that is consistent is to use a plastic container to swirl that has the triangle with the "5" inside of. It apparently denotes a type of plastic that generates the required static.

The RAL powders from Powder by the Pound are what I used. There are multiple colors to pick from.

07 June 2020, 20:56

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
DIY powder coating? Please explain the process.

It's easy, simple, and inexpensive.
Buy a pound of powder from the company Powder by the Pound (they are on the internet).

Place a small amount of powder in a heavy plastic food container with the bulkets and cover.

Shake it for 20 seconds. The powder sticks to the lead via static electricity. Then, I dump the powder and coated bullets into a screen that is over a second container to catch the powder.

I empty the bullets from the screen onto a small pan. Place the pan in a small toaster oven (not your wife's toaster oven in the kitchen) and heat at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minuets. Do this outside.

Empty the pan of not coated bullets into another pan and start on your second batch.

Please note: I size my bullets before coating.

That's it. So simple even a monkey can do it (that explains my success). No more lead deposits in the barrel. Cleaning the bore is simple and quick. Powder is available in a variety of colors but I avoid clear and gray (as mentioned) so I can visually notice a good coating.

It's 3am and I'm up visit the long drop. In the am I will give you the type of powder that works best for me as it adheres to the lead better than other powders. This is important as many powders are meant to be applied via a spray gun and adhere poorly via the shaking in a plastic container. We want a powder that will adhere via static electricity.

Thanks I was thinking more along the lines of small car parts etc.

07 June 2020, 22:58

cal pappas

The powder that works best for me is RAL 9005 in jet black (it comes in many other colors.

I have one pound of clear and about 1/2 pound of a black that I will give to anyone here. Just cover the cost of a medium flat rate box.

Cal

08 June 2020, 01:16

Dutch44

Cal, I'd like to accept your generous offer. I wil use it on pistol bullets as I have two revolvers that really lead badly with any combination lead to tin. Let me know the cost of the medium rate and I'll get that off to you tomorrow. Thanks again.

08 June 2020, 01:40

cal pappas

quote:
Originally posted by Dutch44:
Cal, I'd like to accept your generous offer. I wil use it on pistol bullets as I have two revolvers that really lead badly with any combination lead to tin. Let me know the cost of the medium rate and I'll get that off to you tomorrow. Thanks again.

Medium rate is 15$.
PM your address and I am going to the post tomorrow and will send it off then as I only go once a week.
Cal

08 June 2020, 16:28

Roscoe Stephenson

Nice shooting! What's your load? Black or smokeless?

I really haven't had trouble with leading in my 10b Paradox shooting black powder.

Curl

quote:
Originally posted by 470Evans:
I have owned a Holland Paradox for the past 12 years and have had success loading for it.

The one frustration I had was in practicing after 3 or 4 shots in a barrel leading would become a problem. I tried coating with Alox with poor results having the best results by wrapping the slug in Teflon tape but would still get leading.

Typically when hunting I never shot more than one or two slugs so I just learned to live with it at the target range.

I recently got into casting for a 45 Colt. In learning about that I discovered powder coating as a way to avoid leading as well as eliminating the need to lube the bullets.

After having success with powder coating the handgun bullets the idea hit me to try it on the Paradox. So I cast some of the big slugs, powder coated them and after sizing them in my push through die loaded some rounds this am and went to the range.

I couldn't tell any difference on the target and best of all experienced no leading.

Target shown was at 50yds, think I pulled that 4th shot a bit left. When I was younger I could see the target better, it's hell getting old!

08 June 2020, 17:30

470Evans

Hello Roscoe,

I'm using Unique in this load.

I have enjoyed your videos shooting your Paradox on YouTube.

10 June 2020, 13:32

Nakihunter

Andrew

Check Youtube. https://www.bing.com/videos/se...lets%26FORM%3DVDVVXX

Plenty of info. Small hobby batch of 50 or 100 bullets to semi professional operations out of the garage.

No reason you cannot do car parts.

I was surprised how easy it was. My problem was getting powder in NZ. I called a major paint company rep and he sent me 1 kg for free. That is enough for 10,000 of my 470 bullets!

http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/1051008342/p/2

One other key point, some powders require 2 coats. Black is one of them. Some use a liquid solvent.

I suggest sizing before and after PC. I did a lot of measurements. The PC is 0.001 inch thick. So you get 0.002 inch increase in diameter.

What a problem I had with my first 20 bullets, pan lubing, felt wads, cardboard wads etc. One shot had the wad sticking to bullet base and shooting way off. 2 holes on paper at 25 meters!. Sticky hands. Messy!

Now with PC, not a problem.

I even did the torture test with a hammer and beat the crap out of a few bullets. The PC is surprisingly resilient.

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
DIY powder coating? Please explain the process.

10 June 2020, 19:33

Omnivorous_Bob

quote:
Originally posted by Nakihunter:
I even did the torture test with a hammer and beat the crap out of a few bullets. The PC is surprisingly resilient.

I did the same. The only things I've found that scrapes it off are a thick stack of phone books or shooting into a sand berm. I've found fragments with coating still on them after hitting steel targets. Great stuff.

I use a few different colors to denote different alloys and loads (red=full power, green=practice/plinking, Purple=Pure lead full power). Even I can keep track of that.

11 June 2020, 01:10

cal pappas

Just bought a 20-577 Holland and Holland.
Will cast and powder coat today, load tomorrow,and be shooting it on the weekend. Pics to follow shortly.
Cal

12 June 2020, 03:49

Dutch44

Cal, powder arrived. I sent cash so let me know when it arrives. Thanks again. Mike

13 June 2020, 22:36

cal pappas

quote:
Originally posted by Dutch44:
Cal, powder arrived. I sent cash so let me know when it arrives. Thanks again. Mike

Mike:
Cash arrived today. Thanks and enjoy the coating process.
C