Boron coating……

[nakneker]

I’ve contemplated using HBN before but never have. Years ago I used moly coating in a few rifles and have gotten away from moly for a few reasons but HBN is of interest….. that being said I know next to nothing about it, pros and cons, thus the thread.

I’ve had a couple overbore cartridges made lately. The increased velocity and heat has a tendency to foul the barrel more than usual and I’m hoping that trying HBN will do a couple things. One is making cleaning the barrel easier with less fouling, two, help with cold bore shots striking home, not to mention SD and ES numbers.

Tubes sells a kit and so does bulletcoating.com, links below.

Do you use boron? If so what are the pros in your opinion, what are the cons? I did a search and there’s a lot of coating threads, many of which are very dated. Hoping maybe some of guys have insights or know of other products that help with what I mentioned above.

Bullet Coating Reloading Moly Hex Boron Tungsten Powder

www.bulletcoatings.com

Tubb Precision Boron Nitride Refill

Tubb Precision Blended Boron Nitride Refill The Tubb Precision Blended Boron Nitride Bullet Refill lets you easily coat thousands of bullets with no mess and no guesswork. Used extensively by David Tubb, most recently in his 2011 Wimbleton Cup and National Long Range Championship wins, the Tubb Pre

www.davidtubb.com

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I use and prefer tungsten disulfide..danzac. It has no affect on accuracy nor velocity that I can say is worthy of mention but it does reduce copper fouling. I've won multiple BR matches with 400ish rounds since cleaned. Not recommended but it's truth too.

 

[nakneker]

I use and prefer tungsten disulfide..danzac. It has no affect on accuracy nor velocity that I can say is worthy of mention but it does reduce copper fouling. I've won multiple BR matches with 400ish rounds since cleaned. Not recommended but it's truth too.

Thanks! Do you have a link To the product you use?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Thanks! Do you have a link To the product you use?

Same place you linked carries it.

 

[Ccrider]

@gunsandgunsmithing what is your application process?

 

[nakneker]

Same place you linked carries it.

Got it, thanks!

Bullet Coating Reloading Moly Hex Boron Tungsten Powder

www.bulletcoatings.com

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

@gunsandgunsmithing what is your application process?

Everybody has their own method it seems but I have a dedicated bowl for an rcbs vibratory tumbler and I only put the bullets in it and add the coating. I do roughly 1000 at a time this way and don't have to sift anything out or use pill bottles, etc. It works for me.
I wash the bullets in acetone and then leave them out in the sun this time of year to do two things. Obviously to dry them but they do coat better when hot. I want them just too hot to hold or about that. I think mostly, this dries the powder more than anything. I've read that it opens the metal and I'm sure there's some bit of truth to that but I think it does better just because it's very dry this way. The bullets hold heat very well but you can run a heat lamp over it while tumbling. That's what I do in the winter months vs sunshine and summer temps. They coat well in about 4 hrs give or take. It only takes a little of the stuff but more the first time due to coating the bowl etc. A thimble full is more than enough for about 1000 bullets.
When done, I just dump it all out on an old towel and work them back and forth to polish them up. They turn out nice this way. The drier the powder, the prettier they'll be but they shoot the same as ugly ones do. Lol!

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Got it, thanks!

Bullet Coating Reloading Moly Hex Boron Tungsten Powder

www.bulletcoatings.com

Man, that's stuff has gone up since I bought it last. What hasn't? I'd buy the 6oz bottle and it'll last for several years. I have probably given more away than I've used. There was also a place in Canada that sold it a lb at a time. You could buy that and split it with a buddy. Seems like it was cheaper but can't remember the name of the place right off.

 

[Bill Norris]

Danzac seems to be a good coating but HBN is much cleaner and as far as I can tell will help with the cleaning intervals and barrel heat. I have no proof of any accuracy improvements whatsoever.

 

[davidjoe]

I apply HBN to A-Tip 250’s and some other bullets. Coatings in general preserve the throat and lower barrel temperature. I’m using multiple size steel balls and pins in a vibratory tumbler.

If there is a downside to HBN it would be that adherence to the bullet does not equal that of Moly. It’s undoubtedly there, remaining in a usable amount, but you can form the impression that seating the bullet in the neck has removed a portion of it, as will handling the ammo, whereas moly coated bullets don't cause me the same concern.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Danzac seems to be a good coating but HBN is much cleaner and as far as I can tell will help with the cleaning intervals and barrel heat. I have no proof of any accuracy improvements whatsoever.

It is cleaner but I've seen velocity changes with it but it works too. If ya do it outside and buff them off, there's very little handling until loading. You can wax them too, which keeps your fingers cleaner but I don't. It washes right off or you can wear gloves, which is really never a bad idea handling lead etc. I just despise nitrile or latex gloves is all.

 

[nakneker]

Danzac seems to be a good coating but HBN is much cleaner and as far as I can tell will help with the cleaning intervals and barrel heat. I have no proof of any accuracy improvements whatsoever.

What do you use the HBN in Bill?

 

[John Beauchamp]

A few years ago I bought 5 lbs of HBN I was selling small quantities but it got to be too much trouble. If you're interested i would sell 8oz for $25 plus shipping or 1 lb for $50 plus shipping., John Beauchamp 850-304-3408

 

[Bill Norris]

What do you use the HBN in Bill?

Place the bullets in a small cup with a good sealing lid such as Tupper Ware. Add the HBN and place in the tumbler for 2 hours.

In order to get a good coating give the bullets an alcohol bath and dry on a clean paper towel or cloth prior to placing them in the cup.

After the 2 hour run dump the bullets in an old sock or roll them up in a towel and buff the excess off.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Place the bullets in a small cup with a good sealing lid such as Tupper Ware. Add the HBN and place in the tumbler for 2 hours.

In order to get a good coating give the bullets an alcohol bath and dry on a clean paper towel or cloth prior to placing them in the cup.

After the 2 hour run dump the bullets in an old sock or roll them up in a towel and buff the excess off.

Yes, if I were doing a small amount, I'd do similar...and old pill bottle or whatever and tape it sealed. I can coat mine in 2 hours but I find a longer time works better for me. That's one thing about the ws2 vs hbn. It's hard to tell if they are evenly coated with hbn but easy with ws2...just fwiw.

 

[JimPag]

I've used HBN since I first started competing in 2013 and quit shooting last year. The only advantage is that the barrel is easier to clean and I've noticed almost no copper fouling at all in my barrels. I have also used Danzac coated bullets but I have never applied the stuff on myself.

 

[RegionRat]

I've read that it opens the metal and I'm sure there's some bit of truth to that but I think it does better just because it's very dry this way.

Mike, just a comment in case it helps. Doesn't change anything here.

My wife always has a pretty decent blow-dryer in the house and my industrial ones work too.
If the bullets are placed in a sieve or screen, you can dry and warm them in the same operation and have it over with since as you said they hold heat well. I find this can happen in less time than it takes to load and unload the dehydrator I use to dry cases that are wet.

Also, without boring you with surface science, there is no such thing as metal pores opening up with heat, but there is a reason the cleaning + heating improves the process. It adds the energy to get rid of the water.

In the industrial world, there is also the use of a dry cover gas (usually GN2 or Argonne) and even plasma etch to help reduce the number of surface water and surface carbon molecules in the process. The water molecules are polar, and getting them out of the picture helps with the surface tension problem just like getting rid of residual bullet lubes and waxes does.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mike, just a comment in case it helps. Doesn't change anything here.

My wife always has a pretty decent blow-dryer in the house and my industrial ones work too.
If the bullets are placed in a sieve or screen, you can dry and warm them in the same operation and have it over with since as you said they hold heat well. I find this can happen in less time than it takes to load and unload the dehydrator I use to dry cases that are wet.

Also, without boring you with surface science, there is no such thing as metal pores opening up with heat, but there is a reason the cleaning + heating improves the process. It adds the energy to get rid of the water.

In the industrial world, there is also the use of a dry cover gas (usually GN2 or Argonne) and even plasma etch to help reduce the number of surface water and surface carbon molecules in the process. The water molecules are polar, and getting them out of the picture helps with the surface tension problem just like getting rid of residual bullet lubes and waxes does.

Good idea. I have a really old, what I call a hot plate, for keeping stuff warm like at Thanksgiving etc that I use in the shop for this at times. Works like a champ. It was probably pretty fancy when new. I bet it was from the 1960's or so. Still works and I bet a new one would have been trashed a long, long time ago. I use it to warm lanolin mix for neck turning/lube too. Just mostly rare odd jobs but it's been handy.

 

[TonyinKY]

Tungsten Disulfide (WS2) Powder, 0.6 micron

Buy Tungsten Disulfide (WS2) Powder from Lowerfriction Lubricants. 99.9% Pure, APS: 0.6 micron. WS2 Safety Data Sheet and Brochure download available.

lowerfriction.com

Man, that's stuff has gone up since I bought it last. What hasn't? I'd buy the 6oz bottle and it'll last for several years. I have probably given more away than I've used. There was also a place in Canada that sold it a lb at a time. You could buy that and split it with a buddy. Seems like it was cheaper but can't remember the name of the place right off.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Tungsten Disulfide (WS2) Powder, 0.6 micron

Buy Tungsten Disulfide (WS2) Powder from Lowerfriction Lubricants. 99.9% Pure, APS: 0.6 micron. WS2 Safety Data Sheet and Brochure download available.

lowerfriction.com

That's the place