Thread: Powder coating trays

Originally Posted by Driverman

Oven temperature is critical. I use an oven thermometer to get the correct temp. Most small oven thermometers are miles out. If you are about 15deg under your powder wont cure properly.

Yeah i was using a thermal point and shot type thing, i opened the door and took a reading without the glass in the way……ive no problem about being under at all!

Cheers guys, got some of that Eastwood stuff last week but wondered if there was a cheaper supplier around. Going to do some .358 casting this morning. The Mrs wants purple bullets for CAS so that's on the cards too, she even bought the toaster oven.....

I've just cast a bunch of 30cal bullets for my 30-30 with a mates Lee pot and molds. It's my first time casting and I haven't lubed and run the casts through a sizer die. This is the first I've heard of powder coating as opposed to lubing with the likes of Lee alox. Are there significant advantages to powder coating over traditional lubing? Do you powder coat and then run the casts through a sizer die afterwards, no lube required?
Thanks, Joel

Powder coat and then size. Can push a powder coated bullet faster than lubed.

Originally Posted by NZ32

Cheers guys, got some of that Eastwood stuff last week but wondered if there was a cheaper supplier around. Going to do some .358 casting this morning. The Mrs wants purple bullets for CAS so that's on the cards too, she even bought the toaster oven.....

Youll be a long time using up your powder. The purple I have I got from the States about 2016 and have cast over 5000 9mm etc and still have heaps left.

Right, closer to 400 at 30 mins

@Driverman I might be over thinking it but…………

The process relies on the initial static process of bonding the powder to the projectile.

This is achieved by using say a number 5 recycling plastic container, shanking and rolling the projectiles sometimes with plastic beads / airsoft pallets.

Would like something like below run against and underneath the container increase or enhance the process????

I dont use the plastic pellets but just shakenbake the boolits on their own, The airsoft balls are really there to stop the powder being knocked around by the other boolits .I find that I can use just about any type of plastic container but have developed liking for the round chinese takeaways containers. I apply a very thin powder coat and then size and then apply another coat just piling them onto a non stick lined tray. At about 5 minutes baking I give the tray a jumble shake to stop clumping and when baked dump directly into cold water. Another technique I use is to dissolve powder into acetone and when thoroughly mixed lower a tray of boolits into the mix and then lift and allow to dry. The boolits have a very exact thickness of coating and are then baked at 400f for 30minutes. they are extremely accurate .I have found it better to apply a thin powder coat several times than a thick coat. As an example I cast a bore rider 208 grain for one of my 303 that has a bore of .314 and powder coated once and sized .316 shoots about 2" groups at 100yards.(11 grains ap70). two thin powder coats sizing each coating pulls the group into about 1inch and a quarter to 1inch and a half. I only use the translucent copper for this load which I have been told by Smoke is no longer available. .I have also developed a high pressure coating using powder and then coat with an invisible carnauba /lithium wax for +p 9mm etc. I am getting groups at 50 yards that show promise. I have all the time in the world to play around with coatings and enjoy shooting cast boolits .
I am now heading off to my reloading room to load some 32S&W long with some 98g powder coated wad cutters. I have to develop a new load for these as the powder coating is so slippery I am getting inconsistent accuracy ,I think due to low chamber pressure .I will up the charge by .1 of a grain. You have to draw a balance between crimping and powder loadings because crimping altho it increase chamber pressure causes boolit deformation.

Ive just put in another lot to be baked, including previously poor coatings, its also interesting that certain projectiles seem to like the powder????

The lot just out

@Driverman you’ll appreciate the mold….yes a purchase through the cast boolits forum some years ago, this means I might get the 25/06 out again!

Achievement for the day, not the most uniform coating but good enough for close pistol targets.

we'll have everyone casting and powder coating before to long

Originally Posted by NZ32

Achievement for the day, not the most uniform coating but good enough for close pistol targets.

Attachment 173402

Holy sh#t batman! They look great…….ok whats your method! Mine are patchy as F###!

Trial and error, plus a bit of youtube. Heat them a bit before adding powder, just not too much as it gets too sticky.