powder coated bullets?

[ncrobb]

I must have been under a rock for a while. What is the deal with powder coated bullets? Is this used in stead of lube? Any advantages or disadvantages?

 

[06ackley]

Yep use powder coat instead of lube.I have been doing this for a couple months and the greatest advantage I have found is no leading at all.Plus you can have some cool color bullets.

 

[J.Johnson]

Somewhere on this forum is a long and fairly well detailed thread about these powder coated bullets ... how
to do them up, and quite a bit in the way of instruction. I'd recommend that thread become a "sticky," it's
that informative. - DixieBoy

I think this is the thread you are talking about DixieBoy.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=210768

I'm really starting to think I need to try this!

 

[powder smoke]

Ya sure sounds interesting, I shoot lots of cast bullets in my SA's. A winter project for me. ps

 

[Kanook]

Since the lead is now covered in the "Hardened Powder Coat", I wonder if it's still considered "Expanding" for use in hunting?

Next question, if it sheds on impact of bone and some is injested, is it safe in small amounts?

I'm probably over thinking this, but trying to explain to Mr. Green Jeans that it's legal could pose a problem.

 

[mikld]

I haven't hunted with my powder coated bullets but I've been on a Coatings and Alternatives forum over at Castboolits.com for quite a while and have read that the PCed bullets retain much of the plain lead bullet characteristics, such as expansion. In my experience though, many lead bullet shooters rely on bullet shape over expansion...

 

[Kanook]

I guess I worded it wrong. Any lead bullet is considered expanding even if it doesn't, If I powder coat it and no lead is exposed, would the DNR still consider it expanding?

I will get it in writing from DNR, but keep in mind the people enforcing the law in the field don't always understand the law.

 

[ncrobb]

Very interesting, thanks for the link. I've never cast but this is cool reading.

Robb

 

[Jim Puke]

Too time consuming for me...but it is interesting.

This is a very informative thread, if you are interested...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?209151-Powder-Coating-101-Electrostatic-Method

 

[ncrobb]

Thanks Jim Luke, another interesting read.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

It looks like a lot of work to me. I cast bullets a couple hundred at a time and size and lube the same way. If I want 500 of a certain one,that just means I take a couple days to get -er -done. No spray equipment or oven to buy. Interesting concept though.
Are there any shooters who have tested PC for bore wear?
When tumble coating, can you get by with just one coat or do they need several as the guys on youtube do?

 

[sixshot]

I'm pretty sure I've lubed my last bullet. I've been powder coating since I bought my first bottle of paint from Harbor Freight in December & I've just finished it after doing right at 12,000 bullets. The bottle cost me $3.99. Now, I haven't shot all those bullets but my barrels stay clean, there's no smoke, velocity is a tick faster, accuracy is usually a bit better, my guns stay cleaner & I"m probably $50 ahead just in the cost of lube if you figure about $4 a stick.
Its really quite simple, just pick up a used toaster oven for less than $10 & start PC some bullets, you will be very happy with the results. I don't think barrel wear is a factor at all, its still a cast bullet with 1-2 thousandths thickness of PC that is much softer than a jacketed slug, I would be very surprised to hear of any additional wear from the paint.
I only apply one coat using the shake & bake method with a cool whip bowl & some air soft pellets, then place them on some non stick foil & place in your oven. I have several photo's on here somewhere.

Dick

 

[06ackley]

I am only doing the tumble coating for now and I only do one coat.Works for me unless it is super humid.I probably wont ever lube another pistol bullet again and am now working on powder coated in my 358 Winchester.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Interesting! You must wet the powder somehow to get it to stick to the bullets? Yes/no?
The one I saw on Youtube, the guy made a slurry out of PC and paint thinner to cover the bullets and he said they needed several coats.
Then handling them to set them on the foil for baking does not rub the powder off? I may have to give it a try.

 

[06ackley]

Nope the powder is dry.You can use air soft bb's in a cool whip bowl,add your bullets and shake for a couple minutes until they are coated.Then put in an oven and bake.Or you can get a harbor freight powder coat set up and spray them.

 

[J.Johnson]

Hey, no problem DixieBoy! Glad to do it.

I just find this powder coating very interesting. I don't cast yet but plan to in the future. I am starting to wonder if it is even worth the trouble of buying a lubri-sizer. What do you guys doing the powder coat method think? Will you use the sizer with conventional lube again?

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

What does the air soft BB`s do , help distribute the PC? I know nothing about Air Soft. Can they be found easily. How about cost?

PS, I goggled Air Soft BB and find they are quite cheap. I have never looked for them in any sporting outlet but assume they can be found at any of the larger stores.
Cool !!! I will be giving PC a try. I wonder if PC will be outlawed by SASS for Cowboy Action Shooting. :?:

 

[06ackley]

The bb's help make static to make the powder stick.I got mine at wally world and I got the black ones.Some guys have had problems with the other color bb's for some reason.Tomorrow I am going to the range to try some root beer colored bullets out of the 358 Winchester.My daughter likes to help coat them and mix colors to see what they will look like.

 

[32shooter]

I recently received an e-mail that Missouri Bullet Company is selling now selling coated bullets. I may have to give them a try. http://www.missouribullet.com/faq.php

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Somewhere on this forum is a long and fairly well detailed thread about these powder coated bullets ... how
to do them up, and quite a bit in the way of instruction. I'd recommend that thread become a "sticky," it's
that informative. - DixieBoy

I think this is the thread you are talking about DixieBoy.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=210768

I'm really starting to think I need to try this!

J. Johnson - I forgot to thank you for this. Thanks! - DixieBoy

I don't know how I missed that thread, interesting as all get out to me.

I have been using Powder Coated bullets with some of my 9mm and .45 ACP loads for years now. I started out with Bayou Bullets ( http://www.bayoubullets.net/coated-bullets/ )
and now also use SNS Casting ( http://www.snscasting.com/ ) excellent gold colored bullets. The price is right from both makers and they seem to fly straight. I encourage any and all interested to try their produces as I know they work and if those inclined would want to get into making them from scratch they will have a control group and a head start to work from.

 

[cleardatum]

this is absolutely fascinating to me. i read that the booolits are ~.002 larger. do they need sizing after powder coating? i can't wait to try this. this, and slicing my bread.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

this is absolutely fascinating to me. i read that the booolits are ~.002 larger. do they need sizing after powder coating? i can't wait to try this. this, and slicing my bread.

The ones I get from Bayou and SNS are sized the same as normal cast bullets, .001" over. The bullets are sized before coating in the process used by both companies. They get a good cleaning after sizing and before coating, the coating adheres to the base metal very well.