HBN coating?

[demarpaint1]

TIA- I've coated bullets in the past with Moly, and Tungsten Disulfide, aka WS2 many times by ultra-sonic cleaning them,rotary tumbling them with BB's, then polishing them with good results. I'd have a silver bullet that leaves little to no residue on a cloth or your hand for that matter after buffing them.

Today I tried HBN doing the same process, and when polishing them the white coating buffs right off into the micro-fiber towel I'm buffing them with. Since this is a first time for me is the white coating supposed to buff off leaving what appears to be an untouched copper bullet? Or am I missing something? Go easy on me this is a first for this product. Thanks!

Edit I have a feeling they're supposed to look like an untouched bullet.

 

[rjtfroggy]

When I do mine they don't turn white but they are not like new bullets either, they have a dullish grey look.
Slippery as hell when trying to pick up to load, or take out of ammo box.

 

[demarpaint1]

When I do mine they don't turn white but they are not like new bullets either, they have a dullish grey look.
Slippery as hell when trying to pick up to load, or take out of ammo box.

Thanks. Mine are slippery as hell and a slightly duller shade of copper. When I used moly or WS2 they had a silver/gray look. The HBN I have looks like white fine baby powder.

 

[davidjoe]

I actually try not to let it come off, and certainly don’t wipe it off. I chamber bullets looking exactly like this.

 

[demarpaint1]

I actually try not to let it come off, and certainly don’t wipe it off. I chamber bullets looking exactly like this.

Thanks! That's exactly what mine looked like prior to buffing. I read a couple of articles and they buffed them, but showed no finished product. The Moly and WS2 did not come off at all.

 

[davidjoe]

I’d like it to work as far down the barrel as possible. I have a feeling its effects dissipate inch by inch. After all, we see how easily it is removed.

But my thought is that I have a better chance of working it into the full length of the barrel, with more, not less.

I’m very reluctant to intersperse uncoated bullets once I start using this. I also don’t aggressively scrub barrels clean once I start coating one and it’s shooting well.

I coated these originally to help ensure they didn’t blow up in faster than necessary twist barrels, but the effects on barrel life are undeniable.

 

[demarpaint1]

I’d like it to work as far down the barrel as possible. I have a feeling its effects dissipate inch by inch. After all, we see how easily it is removed.

But my thought is that I have a better chance of working it into the full length of the barrel, with more, not less.

I’m very reluctant to intersperse uncoated bullets once I start using this. I also don’t aggressively scrub barrels clean once I start coating one and it’s shooting well.

I coated these originally to help ensure they didn’t blow up in faster than necessary twist barrels, but the effects on barrel life are undeniable.

Good points. I only tumbled a few just to test and see how they came out. Now that I saw your pictures after tumbling I'll just give them a quick roll in a towel and call it good. It does come off easier than I expected.

 

[dave7mm]

I actually try not to let it come off, and certainly don’t wipe it off. I chamber bullets looking exactly like this.

That's how mine looked when I used HBN.
Used it for several seasons.
Interesting test for you.
Take a round like the one in the pic and try to pull the bullet out of the case.
I didn't like the experience..

 

[Bill Norris]

I normally buff mine to a clean dullish finish.

 

[demarpaint1]

I normally buff mine to a clean dullish finish.

That's what mine look like, I think. Compared to an un-coated bullet they're slick.

Two coated bullets after a quick buffing.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Before and after, when I use to HBN id dump all the freshly coated bullets in a sock and give them a quick shake

 

[ELR LVR]

FWIW, the HBN coated bullets I receive from DTAC
Are more like David Joes example, (still powdery on the outside and don't look wiped off at all)
I use them as is

 

[demarpaint1]

Before and after, when I use to HBN id dump all the freshly coated bullets in a sock and give them a quick shake

Thanks! That looks like the way to go. Did the finished product rub off in your hand?

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Thanks! That looks like the way to go. Did the finished product rub off in your hand?

No once the "white" is of the remaining imbedded HBN stayed where it was supposed to

 

[demarpaint1]

No once the "white" is of the remaining imbedded HBN stayed where it was supposed to

Thanks for the reply. How long do you tumble them? I have a rotary tumbler put them in a PB jar and let them tumble for about 90 minutes. That worked for WS2 and Moly w/o BBs. I tried BB's this time for the bullets in my picture and the stuff buffed off easily. That was after cleaning them with Simple Green Purple and Dawn in the Ultra Sonic cleaner for about 20 minutes. They were perfectly dry. I'm tumbling them w/o BB's this time. As mentioned the HBN came off real easy. If I'm missing something please let me know.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Thanks for the reply. How long do you tumble them? I have a rotary tumbler put them in a PB jar and let them tumble for about 90 minutes. That worked for WS2 and Moly w/o BBs. I tried BB's this time for the bullets in my picture and the stuff buffed off easily. That was after cleaning them with Simple Green Purple and Dawn in the Ultra Sonic cleaner for about 20 minutes. They were perfectly dry. I'm tumbling them w/o BB's this time. As mentioned the HBN came off real easy. If I'm missing something please let me know.

It's harder to see hbn than ws2, of course. They might be coated but just hard to see after buffing. Can't say without seeing them myself.
Fwiw, I wash in acetone, warm the bullets to the point where they are uncomfortable to hold a handful, then coat and buff. A little more run time might help too but warming the bullets definitely helps ime. I think mostly, it draws the humidity out of the powder

 

[demarpaint1]

It's harder to see hbn than ws2, of course. They might be coated but just hard to see after buffing. Can't say without seeing them myself.
Fwiw, I wash in acetone, warm the bullets to the point where they are uncomfortable to hold a handful, then coat and buff. A little more run time might help too but warming the bullets definitely helps ime. I think mostly, it draws the humidity out of the powder

Thanks! I did another coat for lack of a better term, and they have a heavier coating now. I'll try heating them up with a heat gun, next time. I found the BBs served no real purpose at all, so I tumbled them like I've done in the past with moly and WS2. I also have acetone, and strong alcohol, 99% I think. I can try cleaning some bullets outside with those, not mixed, and see if does a better job than the ultra sonic cleaner with the Simple Green Purple/Dawn mix.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Thanks! I did another coat for lack of a better term, and they have a heavier coating now. I'll try heating them up with a heat gun, next time. I found the BBs served no real purpose at all, so I tumbled them like I've done in the past with moly and WS2. I also have acetone, and strong alcohol, 99% I think. I can try cleaning some bullets outside with those, not mixed, and see if does a better job than the ultra sonic cleaner with the Simple Green Purple/Dawn mix.

Some people warm them in an oven at low setting, like <250° for a bit. In nice weather and a sunny day, I just dry them in the sunshine and that gets them plenty warm enough and dries them at the same time. I've tried just about everything and there's really not a wrong way but I stopped using bb's or any other media and just use bullets alone. I use a vibratory tumbler and once you figure out how many works best in yours, it's much easier than fooling with media, imo. I generally do 1000 or so at a time of 6mm bullets and run them for at least a couple of hours...longer won't hurt. Call it 2-6 hours with 2 being pretty minimal. Noisy but you can set it outside or in the garage and walk off for a while. In winter, I warm and run them under a heat lamp. I've used hbn but actually prefer ws2, even with it being a bit nasty. You don't want to breath either for extended periods but other than that and being a little messy, I see no down sides to ws2. The ONLY reason I coat bullets is it greatly reduces fouling. I've won a couple of BR matches with 400ish rounds between cleaning and see no drop off in accuracy. That's plenty enough reason for me! I virtually never clean during a 150-200 round match!!

One other thing is that I use a dedicated bowl for coating. It'll take a bit more powder to do the first batch while it gets the bowl and bullets coated. After that, about a thimble full is more than enough to coat 1000 bullets. If ya get skimpy with it, it'll take a little longer and might not do quite as well coating.

 

[demarpaint1]

Some people warm them in an oven at low setting, like <250° for a bit. In nice weather and a sunny day, I just dry them in the sunshine and that gets them plenty warm enough and dries them at the same time. I've tried just about everything and there's really not a wrong way but I stopped using bb's or any other media and just use bullets alone. I use a vibratory tumbler and once you figure out how many works best in yours, it's much easier than fooling with media, imo. I generally do 1000 or so at a time of 6mm bullets and run them for at least a couple of hours...longer won't hurt. Call it 2-6 hours with 2 being pretty minimal. Noisy but you can set it outside or in the garage and walk off for a while. In winter, I warm and run them under a heat lamp. I've used hbn but actually prefer ws2, even with it being a bit nasty. You don't want to breath either for extended periods but other than that and being a little messy, I see no down sides to ws2. The ONLY reason I coat bullets is it greatly reduces fouling. I've won a couple of BR matches with 400ish rounds between cleaning and see no drop off in accuracy. That's plenty enough reason for me! I virtually never clean during a 150-200 round match!!

One other thing is that I use a dedicated bowl for coating. It'll take a bit more powder to do the first batch while it gets the bowl and bullets coated. After that, about a thimble full is more than enough to coat 1000 bullets. If ya get skimpy with it, it'll take a little longer and might not do quite as well coating.

I used to coat them at about 250 bullets at a time in a peanut butter jar, dedicated to WS2. I liked that better than moly. I had HBN for about 2 decades taking up space. Life got in the way and it sat. Now that I retired I have more time to do what I want. Anyhow I still have a lot to learn. The WS2 and moly imo were easier to use for a coating. I think the HBN is better and probably a little safer to work with, although it seems to get airborne pretty easy. I always handled any of them with gloves and a good dust mask.

I'd love to use the oven to heat the bullets, I'll have to do that on a day when my wife is shopping. Once things warm up I can heat them with the sun. I have a feeling I might not be tumbling them long enough. They were tumbled for about 90 minutes, in a rotary tumber. I might give my vibrating tumbler a try. You're right, once the container used for coating them gets coated it takes very little material afterwards. Thanks again!

 

[Bill Norris]

Thanks! I did another coat for lack of a better term, and they have a heavier coating now. I'll try heating them up with a heat gun, next time. I found the BBs served no real purpose at all, so I tumbled them like I've done in the past with moly and WS2. I also have acetone, and strong alcohol, 99% I think. I can try cleaning some bullets outside with those, not mixed, and see if does a better job than the ultra sonic cleaner with the Simple Green Purple/Dawn mix.

The alcohol bath prior to coating is all I do. Turns out great with a two hour run time.