How I powdercoat (PC) cast bullets.

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  • Last Post 04 May 2016
ericp posted this 06 February 2016

I've been playing with powdercoating pistol bullets for a while and have just recently started powdercoating rifle bullets.  So far I've done bullets for 32 mag, 41 mag, 45 ACP, and 45 Colt for handguns and 30 WCF, 7.62x54R, and 45-70 in rifles.  I've got some 38-55s loaded but haven't gotten a chance to shoot them yet.   Why powdercoat?   No leading- True with properly fit regularly lubed cast bullets but PC is more forgiving. Add diameter- PC adds about .0005-.002” depending on how heavy a coat you do or number of coats. This can help fit bullets to odd size bores.  You can increase nose diameter on nose riding designs and still size the body to your regular diameter. Clean handling- The bullets are actually slick to handle, they go through bullet feeders like poop through a goose. PC totally encloses bullets- I've been told some indoor ranges do not allow cast bullets but do allow PC cast.  Never been to an indoor range so this is hearsay. PC anneals the bullets- The bullets are baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and they end up around 8 bnh.  I'm going to make a wire casket and try quenching the bullets after they bake. 

In handguns most loads shoot as well or better with PC than conventional lube, not all though.  There is also generally a slight increase in velocity for any given load, usually 20-40 fps. In 30 WCF and 7.62x54R I had to work up new loads for PC bullets but once I did they shot as well as the conventionally lubed loads.  Both rifles have open sights and loads did about 2.5” which what these rifles will do with me behind the sights.  Both cartridges needed a slight increase in loads.  The 45-70 has not needed a change in load.  So far I've only shot the Gould bullet over 22gr. 2400.  This is a mild load that shoots well in my Marlin 1895.  I think the low pressure may be why it is less picky but this hypothesis needs more work. 

I did not innovate anything shown here, I've just been playing with what other people have figured out.  I bought my powder from Smoke4320 on the “Castboolits” webpage.

First step is to cast a pile of bullets.  These are Gould bullets cast of 4:1 wheel-weights:20/1. http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75281.jpg.html>http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75301.jpg.html>http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75311.jpg.html>

Pull them out to cool and size if you want/need to. http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75371.jpg.html>http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75381.jpg.html>http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/yooper2/media/IMG_75391.jpg.html>

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gpidaho posted this 07 February 2016

Eric; I've been posting here for quite some time about the benefits of powder coating. I PC about 9O% of my handgun rounds and about 75% of the rifle loads I shoot and have nothing but good to say about the process. If you have the room for it, ditch the vibrating bowl and the air soft BBs and invest in an electrostatic gun. You'll get rid of that orange peel look and get a glass smooth finish. It is my belief that the more smooth and even the coating the more balanced your bullets will be. In short range handgun rounds I believe this to be less critical than in rifle rounds. Gp

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Newt posted this 09 February 2016

I am a complete convert. All my handgun and rifle bullets are coated. I have started doing half jackets to try and see if it matters as far as seating depth and such is concerned. But that's only because I'm trying to get the most uniform ammo I can for the particular rifle, a M700 .223.

It's not a match gun, but on a good day has been getting right around 1” @ 100 with several groups coming in under 3/4". This was with full tumble coated bullets and a blind eye to the fact that a lot of my rounds had bullets seated crooked. So with the new setup and new understanding I hope to soon be able to post more on how well these coated bullets can shoot.

I doubt the old timers will convert. The only benefit I see as worth putting aside traditional lube is the lack of lube on things. I know people here have heard it all before, so no need to go into it again, but that is one area that sold me completely. Guess if I had hundreds/thousands tied up in lubersizers I might think different.

My personal goal is always try and find the most frugal way to enjoy something. I have nice things that I decided to go ahead and get along the way, but I first started with Lee loaders. Times were much simpler back then.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 09 February 2016

newt ... there are several of us that are interested in small bore cast ... i would love to see more details on your 22 targets and loads ... i am trying to get a 6mm together but may wind up with a 22 of some kind .

you have caught the attention of we small bore guys with your coated bullets ...

ken

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Newt posted this 09 February 2016

Ken Campbell Iowa wrote: newt ... there are several of us that are interested in small bore cast ... i would love to see more details on your 22 targets and loads ... i am trying to get a 6mm together but may wind up with a 22 of some kind .

you have caught the attention of we small bore guys with your coated bullets ...

ken

Ken, I'll be sure to do a full write up.  I've only been playing for the last month and a half with this gun.  Got it mid December and only ran jacketed in it.  After a couple of weeks I found a load that was consistent sub MOA with the occasional 1/2” group.  Not overly impressive, but considering in the past I always got excited for anything close to 1"+ groups it excited me. I decided instead of trying to pursue the one hole groups with jacketed I would go ahead and start cast bullet load testing.  Right off the bat I found that load that got 1"+- consistently.  The darn fliers here and there had me puzzled. Thinking it was my gas checks I started going down that road.  But somewhere between there and now I figured out it was my non concentric rounds. So, all of that to say, now I believe I have that issue ironed out and can get back to load testing........in between all the honey do's I have at home.  I should have something to share after this weekend though.   Shooting to me is more of an addiction than a hobby.  Can't tell if that's a good or bad thing yet.  

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billglaze posted this 09 February 2016

Ken:Speaking of small-bores, (no, not me in this case) I recently got ahold of a Savage 12 F class; it's in 6mm Norma BR.  Now, I'm kinda stuck for a neck-sizing die like the Lyman “M” die, which I've been using in different calibers for some time.  Lyman doesn't seem to make the die in 6mm BR, and my die for the 6mm Remington is way too long. Over time, I've kinda learned your extensive experience in such things; do you have a solution at your fingertips? Thanks in advance. Bill 

In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. My fate is not entirely in Gods hands, if I have a weapon in mine.

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Newt posted this 09 February 2016

Bill,

If your looking for neck expanders, the NOE makes them. I was under the impression that the Lyman “M” die was an expander and not a neck sizer?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 09 February 2016

bill ... the m die design is hard to beat ... however i make my own from cold rolled/stressproof ... so far i have never worn one out so they don't seem to need hardening ... i do use dry lube ... graphite mostly .

if you cant find one i could make you one if you give me your numbers ... i also use a tapered expander if i am shallow seating the bullets . just enough to start the bullet base . for deeper seating the m step design is the best .

ken

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billglaze posted this 09 February 2016

Kena and Newt: As always, thanks for the help.  I'll keep trying and keep my ears open for tooling.  I agree with both of your comments; actually the “M” die seemed in the past, to work well for me, inasmuch as I run it in until the powder-charged case will hold the cast bullet a tad bit deeper than the gas check.  I then finish seating it and the bullet slides very smoothly into the case.  Definitely not one of those seating conditions where you can feel each driving band entering the case mouth--bad, bad doggy!I'll also keep Ken's (as usual) very helpful offer in mind, not as a last resort, but because I hate to put him to the task of solving my problem!  We'll see where this goes; maybe we can help another lost soul in the future! Bill 

In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. My fate is not entirely in Gods hands, if I have a weapon in mine.

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ericp posted this 17 February 2016

Sorry for the long delay in getting back to this, work had me camping out in the desert for the past 8 days. Among other things I learned that this guy definitely does not belong in the desert, regardless of season.

GP, Somehow I'd missed your excellent posts on this subject. Great reading! You've got me looking into a spray gun. Honestly the photos greatly exaggerate the orange peel look but I'd like to get away from it.

99.8% of my shooting is done with open or receiver sights on leverguns, military surplus, or handguns so it is very interesting to hear about what people are doing with this process in modern scoped rifles.

Billglaze, I make my own M-dies on a small bench lathe. I made my first m-die style expanding plug on a drill press with files, emery cloth, steel wool and a lot of patience/frequent measuring. The bench lathe is definitely the preferred route.

Eric

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Myflatline posted this 04 May 2016

New Guy , Old Thread.. When I started casting, I went straight to PC'ing. All my rifles and the 357 and 45 in pistols. Love it and would not have it any other way. Have a new Lubrisizer, 2 years old that has never had lube in it. I spray and tumble. Once I figure out the picture thing, I'll share some of the trays and bullets.

Jim

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