Coated bullets.

[Jscb1b]

Besides less leading, what are the benefits of coated lead bullets? Better accuracy, faster muzzle velocity, and or lower chamber pressures?

 

[s4s4u]

No lube, no smoke, less mess. Less friction may result in increased velocity and lower pressure, but lubed lead slides pretty easy.

Accuracy is a more complicated equation, so I wouldn't go that far.

 

[Jscb1b]

Thank you @

 

[contender]

I quit lubing my cast bullets long ago.

As noted,, less smoke, no messy lube, & in general, I have experienced a little increase in velocity.

Accuracy has never suffered when compared to identical bullets that were lubed. So, in my experiences,, the same or even better in general.

 

[Jscb1b]

Thanks!

 

[Caftman]

No waxy lube gunk on your hands, dies, or gun. Traditional lubed lead smears everywhere during loading and leaves residue/smoke. Coated ones keep things tidy, no sticky fingers, less buildup in the action, and guns stay cleaner after sessions, some say barrels look almost unfired after hundreds of rounds.

 

[GasGuzzler]

They look cooler
They store before loading much better
They store after loading better
The look cooler

I switched during Covid because working every other day gave me so much free time I had to fill it somehow. Sold (almost) all my lube parts/tools/supplies for massive profit and invested very little in PC. I still have several full cans of Johnsons liquid floor wax, a tub of Johnson's paste wax, a huge chunk of beeswax, and all the stuff I make case lube from (different than bullet lube). Covid pricing on an RCBS Lub-A-Matic used with a homebuilt heater/control was nearly $500!!!!! I'll never look back.

 

[contender]

I've kept my lubing stuff, "just in case" I need to try or test something. Sadly,, I had gotten low on lube & had just purchased 10 sticks of Veral Smith's Blue lube when I discovered powder coating. I still have them all!

I kept my sizer as well. You still have to size bullets after casting & powder coating,, depending upon the gun.

As noted,, I haven't had to clean off any excess lube/wax from dies & such in a LONG time. BIG plus to me!

 

[neilin]

I've kept my lubing stuff, "just in case" I need to try or test something. Sadly,, I had gotten low on lube & had just purchased 10 sticks of Veral Smith's Blue lube when I discovered powder coating. I still have them all!

I kept my sizer as well. You still have to size bullets after casting & powder coating,, depending upon the gun.

As noted,, I haven't had to clean off any excess lube/wax from dies & such in a LONG time. BIG plus to me!

How is the powder lube in reference to cleaning a gun after firing 250 rounds?
Back in the late 70’s I bought 1,000 .45 bullets with powder lube. There was way too much leading. A neighbor who took pity on me and ran them through his sizer luber with alox.

 

[peachhead]

all of that but you know what, they don't smell as good.
So I still use that lubrisizer.
Also I find coated bullets a PITA when seating. I'm sure that's just me, though.

 

[Cal30 1906]

For me the velocities I push them at without any leading was the main factor. I can still get great expansion using soft lead and very little clean up afterwards.

 

[contender]

"How is the powder lube in reference to cleaning a gun after firing 250 rounds?"

I'm not sure I understand the question.
Lubes are a wax & grease based lubricant to help seal the cast bullet to the bore. Powder coating is basically a powdered paint,, that you bake on.
I'm not sure I know what a powdered lube is,, unless it was a form of lube used prior to the use of powdered paint that is currently used.

I've shot hundreds of powder coated bullets w/o any noticeable fouling or build-up before I cleaned a gun. A bigger USPSA match can easily exceed 250 rounds in one day or a match. A traditionally lubed cast bullet may not be as forgiving.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I kept my sizer as well. You still have to size bullets after casting & powder coating,, depending upon the gun.

I think I bought dies, etc. for my Lee APP to take the place of the sizing portion that I don't always do anyway but I don't remember.

A traditionally lubed cast bullet may not be as forgiving.

This

 

[GypsmJim]

I have been casting and lubing my own boolits for 51 years. I decided to try coated. Before I invested in the oven and such I bought some 9 mm 38 and 45s.

My liquid alox boolits performed better. I did not switch.

 

[neilin]

I have been casting and lubing my own boolits for 51 years. I decided to try coated. Before I invested in the oven and such I bought some 9 mm 38 and 45s.

My liquid alox boolits performed better. I did not switch.

Did the coated bullets lead up more?

 

[Jakeintexas]

I use the MBC Hi Tek coated bullets in .38, .44 and .45. Seem to work fine and clean to reload with. Not seen any significant leading but I’m using the BH 18s and don’t drive them all that fast.

 

[contender]

Due to the coating,, (if applied properly) there isn't any leading. the lead is covered by the coating.
Plus,, it takes a lot to heat things up to where the coating would come off & allow any leading.

Many, many people who have chosen to try powder coated bullets,, have found that there are several benefits.
Less smoke.
No leading.
Easier clean-up.
Slight increase in velocities with the same loads.
They can use a softer alloy & still get a good seal & such, because during the baking of the powder coating,, the metal actually gets annealed.
The coating,, also allows an increase in velocity without the use of a gas check,, IN MODERATION.
And as mentioned,, a lot less messy in the reloading process.

That said,, all firearms are individual machines. Some,, may not find any benefits to the use of powder coating.
Then there are the commercial coated bullets as compared to our home cast & coated ones. That alone can make a difference as well.

Years ago,, I started trying commercial copper plated bullets from a few various makers. I found that I had good results with one brand,, over the other two I tried. A very noticeable difference. And then there was a noticeable difference in the plated, vs a jacketed bullet.
Point being; Try it and if it works for you & your guns,, you've succeeded in your quest. If not,, use what works in YOUR gun!

My personal experiences,, have proven that powder coating is NOT expensive, easy to apply, and for my guns has proven it's performances. I've taken whitetails & some small game with my personal cast & PCed bullets. Performance has been superb.
At a lesser expense than jacketed, along with a better choice of bullet design for my uses.
That is,, if you cast your own anyway!

 

[GypsmJim]

Did the coated bullets lead up more?

My cast bullets are "hard cast" and lubed with liquid alox. I get zero leading. They DO smoke. I size them properly and I get excellent accuracy.

The coated bullets also did not lead. They did not smoke (a positive I guess), but they smelled funny. I purposely bought the same weight and style as the ones I cast myself. The accuracy was not as good (a big negative).

Liquid alox is easier to apply and requires no extra equipment. A always clean my dies anyway, so there is no time savings there.

 

[neilin]

My cast bullets are "hard cast" and lubed with liquid alox. I get zero leading. They DO smoke. I size them properly and I get excellent accuracy.

The coated bullets also did not lead. They did not smoke (a positive I guess), but they smelled funny. I purposely bought the same weight and style as the ones I cast myself. The accuracy was not as good (a big negative).

Liquid alox is easier to apply and requires no extra equipment. A always clean my dies anyway, so there is no time savings there.

Thanks! I love the smell of smoking alox!

 

[Cal30 1906]

Due to the coating,, (if applied properly) there isn't any leading. the lead is covered by the coating.
Plus,, it takes a lot to heat things up to where the coating would come off & allow any leading.

Many, many people who have chosen to try powder coated bullets,, have found that there are several benefits.
Less smoke.
No leading.
Easier clean-up.
Slight increase in velocities with the same loads.
They can use a softer alloy & still get a good seal & such, because during the baking of the powder coating,, the metal actually gets annealed.
The coating,, also allows an increase in velocity without the use of a gas check,, IN MODERATION.
And as mentioned,, a lot less messy in the reloading process.

That said,, all firearms are individual machines. Some,, may not find any benefits to the use of powder coating.
Then there are the commercial coated bullets as compared to our home cast & coated ones. That alone can make a difference as well.

Years ago,, I started trying commercial copper plated bullets from a few various makers. I found that I had good results with one brand,, over the other two I tried. A very noticeable difference. And then there was a noticeable difference in the plated, vs a jacketed bullet.
Point being; Try it and if it works for you & your guns,, you've succeeded in your quest. If not,, use what works in YOUR gun!

My personal experiences,, have proven that powder coating is NOT expensive, easy to apply, and for my guns has proven it's performances. I've taken whitetails & some small game with my personal cast & PCed bullets. Performance has been superb.
At a lesser expense than jacketed, along with a better choice of bullet design for my uses.
That is,, if you cast your own anyway!

That is my experience as well.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Alox is sticky and attracts a lot of dust.

 

[gnappi]

All of the above PLUS I don't have to use the messy, gooey lube that needs to be heated in my sizers

 

[contender]

Gee,, you have (3) Star sizers there. NICE!

 

[gnappi]

Gee,, you have (3) Star sizers there. NICE!

I'm lazy and back when I used wax based lubes even with a heated base I had to heat up the die to pound it out. So when I found a sizer at a palatable price I bought it. When I went exclusively to powder coatings I did not need to have them spread apart so far and I genned up a drawing and had a machinist make the mounting plate for me.

 

[contender]

I never had to pound out lubed or coated bullets. I used a slightly smaller diameter bullet to push out the bullet at the end of a session. And,, I have a 1" long, 1/4" diameter rod piece I use for the same purpose. Otherwise,, the next bullet in the sizer pushes out the previous one nicely.

 

[gnappi]

I never had to pound out lubed or coated bullets. I used a slightly smaller diameter bullet to push out the bullet at the end of a session. And,, I have a 1" long, 1/4" diameter rod piece I use for the same purpose. Otherwise,, the next bullet in the sizer pushes out the previous one nicely.

I was talking about getting the DIE out of the Star not a stuck bullet, sorry I may not have been clear.

 

[contender]

Ahh, now I understand.

I use a deep well socket,, & tap mine out. Doesn't require much effort.

 

[gnappi]

Ah, softer lube I was OK with but the stuff I used was hard as chalk. I may still have some around if you want it PM me.

 

[contender]

Thanks,, but no thanks!
I haven't used lube since I started powder coating. I still have 10 new sticks of Verl's Blue.