Powder coating cast bullets for dummies

[rr2030]

The dummy is me.

I have read posts and methods, watched countless videos, purchased all that everyone said I needed, and I can't get the powder to stick to the bullet to save my life.

I cast and lubed these bullets in the 80's. The lube got so nasty that when I shot them, my buddies joked I was shooting a Diesel powered revolver. This is my sad story thus far:

1. Following online suggestions, I used mineral spirits to remove the lube.
2. I washed the now de-lubed bullets in Acetone 4 times.
3. I purchased a near new toaster oven via the Salvation Army.
4. I used an oven thermometer to verify temperature settings vs actual temperature.
5. I purchased HF flat black powder paint as I have seen many on the net use without issue.
6. I pre-heated the oven to 140°
7. Set a tray fabricated of 1/4" galvanized wire mesh with approximately 50 bullets loaded on it into the oven for 5 minuets.
8. After 5 minuets I removed the bullets and dumped them into a plastic container (that displayed the coveted number 5 in a triangle on the base) with 1/3 cup of powder paint and shook the container for a minute.
9. Strained the bullets through the mesh tray, and assured they were not touching.
10. I set the oven to 400° Then .....
11. As I was waiting for the oven to reach temp I reinspected the bullets to find that, once again, and for the 4th or 5th time, they were not covered.

The image below is my uncooked bullets with pitiful paint-bullet adhesion.

I know HF paint may no be the best, however many use it without issue. I must be missing something simple. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[spclark]

So you never put those pills in the 400°F oven? You stopped short 'cause you think the powder coating should be uniform after shaking out the excess powder with the sieve?

I'd cook a few, see what happens. Maybe try bumping the temp for the pre-heat too; different batches of powder may have different melting points, you need to find the sweet spot with your set-up to know what works. You have a good idea now of what doesn't.

 

[rr2030]

The image in my post is pre-baking, I cant get the damn paint to stick to the bullets I am using a stand alone digital oven thermometer to monitor the actual temperature. At one point I was going to record the oven temperature via Pico scope but got lazy. I have not baked any bullets because of the powder adhesion issue.

 

[Just Say Moe]

I read where some air soft BB's in the powder coat help with static electricity to stick the powder to the bullets. I had so so luck with HF so I got some better quality powder on Amazon. It is better, but not perfect like I have seen pictures of. Good enough for me though.

 

[paperpuncher]

I think I read that the harbor freight black powder is one of the worst powders to use for consistent
results, I may be mistaken on this but Ipurchased the same powder and remember reading that about it. I switched up and went with hitek coating
I suspect that you aren’t getting the wax removed completely but I would bake a couple and see how they come out

 

[BigBolt]

I just do not powder coat; tests have shown and there is lots of info that powder coating can reduce the FPM of the round. I use standard lube with gas checks and 4% antimony at a minimum. Leading of barrels is not an issue when using hard cast with 4% antimony. I have been shooting HC loads for many year without any issues it is only when the use of softer lead there are problems.

 

[dantiff2]

I think I read that the harbor freight black powder is one of the worst powders to use for consistent
results, I may be mistaken on this but Ipurchased the same powder and remember reading that about it. I switched up and went with hitek coating
I suspect that you aren’t getting the wax removed completely but I would bake a couple and see how they come out

^^^this

 

[Uncle Bruce]

^^^this

If I have this right you by cast wadcuters that are already lubed and then remove the lube so you can powder coat them?

 

[big5ifty]

It's the powder. You're using black. Don't use black.

Get fire engine red first, it's the easiest to work with for bullets.

Some colors don't stick, in my experience, and black is the worst.

I use this method, and I remove the tray from the oven after 8 minutes, shake all the bullets loose from each other, then re-insert for the remainder of the time.

Fast Powder Coat.

And I just let them air cool.

Addendum : there is no reason to preheat the bullets, you just want everything to be at room temperature to start. In my experience, pre-heating the bullets degraded coverage, for the PC that I use.

You can take your partially coated black bullets - no need to clean them off - and tumble them in red powder, then re-bake.

 

[Dimner]

I powder coat all the time. My suggestions is to go over to the cast boolit forum and look up smoke4230. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-VS-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale

Buy a pound of his powder (buy the blue it's on sale), some airsoft BBs from him, follow his directions exactly. Use a cool whip container (I have tried others, but the dimensions of coolwhip are the best) and have at it.

 

[jsn]

Try not preheating.

Try using less bullets in the bowl.

Or stop using the HF black with the tumble method as many people report negative results that way.

 

[Iowa Fox]

I powder coat all the time. My suggestions is to go over to the cast boolit forum and look up smoke4230. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-VS-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale

Buy a pound of his powder (buy the blue it's on sale), some airsoft BBs from him, follow his directions exactly. Use a cool whip container (I have tried others, but the dimensions of coolwhip are the best) and have at it.

I concur with Dimner.

I found a convection oven set out on the curb with a sign- works/free
Had friends and relatives save their cool whip bowls from their holiday meals
Ordered a sample pack from smoke and his BB's
Followed his instructions- perfect results the first time.

I"ll still use allox and my lubesizers on some.
The Hornet with 35 grain bullets gets allox using 2 grains of Bullseye or 700x or Red Dot
The 45 ACP gets the star. I can size & lube as fast as I can pull the lever. Might powder coat a few
Rifle bullets get gas checked and lubesized.

 

[linebaugh]

I bet you still have lube trapped in the pores of the lead in addition to the chesper PC product likely causing some issues. I literally just started and getting excellent coverage with fresh cast lead bullets using the tumble with bb method.

 

[JSH]

I tried the red HF powder and air soft pellets, shake and bake. IMHO, I think it is a pita.
I still size and lube with the same results I have gotten for the past 25+ years.
Size is king period.
Everything else comes after that. I thought I had to use gas checks for years to keep leading down, it was all size issues.
Sorry, antimony is not the answer. It does and will separate if not kept stirred/mixed fairly often, and I don’t just mean with a spoon and stir a little. Buddy uses a miniature paint stirrer on a cord less drill motor. He still plays with antimony, I have not added any for years and sold what I had.
Tin is more important than anything for a good fill. One has to be careful as it can burn out and be skimmed off in dross, some what like antimony.

I have been told to try the better grades of PC and I will be happy. What am I then supposed to do with the FWFL lube I have and then all the supplies to make enough to supply a small army.

To the OP, those wadcutters are not designed for anything but to cut nice clean holes in paper at relatively low speeds. Cut your losses grab some Lee tumble lube and go shoot. I prefer two coats when I use the stuff.

 

[AckleymanII]

Eastwood powder coat, the best but I do not know about the gentleman mentioned.

Large vibrating tumbler is what I use for Buckshot with 69 cal cast round balls, puts the static electricity on the buckshot and they come out beautiful piled up in the oven. I have some 40 cal 175's to coat soon.

My brother keeps the family in jigs that he casts and he powder coats them also.

 

[rr2030]

I just used Eastwood bright red, same results. Next step is the large tumbler. why does the paint adhere to the plastic container and not the bullet ?

 

[DHD]

As everyone stated, HF flat black is the worst to stick! I've never wasted my time with any HF powders as I started with some I bought from Smoke's. Eastwoods, whatever Smoke's sells, and my favorite is Prismatic Powders (think Cerakote as it's more or less the same company). The more gloss the better. Heck, HG Clear may be the easiest to get a good solid coat.

Been there and done that on getting old dried lube off some old bullets. Honestly the best remover, or more accurately dissolver, for me was gasoline. I did it outside and wasn't really a fan of playing with gas but it loosened and dissolved the lube in little time. I then let them soak in some acetone and then dried them. The PC stuck. I only had a couple hundred bullets to do and since I already PC bullets it only was time for me.

I didn't read every post so I don't know what were all of the suggestions. If you have or have access to a lube-sizer I'd just use a more modern less smokey lube. For good adhesion of PC, the bullets need to be clean. My way worked well but if I ever ran into the same issue again (I won't as I'd melt them down and recast with my own molds), I'd just relube and shoot.

Went back and read a few more of the posts. Best bet is to read some on Castboolits as they do this in their sleep. A #5 plastic container (I use the heavy duty Rubbermaid with the heavy lid), black BB's, not too much powder, not too many bullets, preheat the oven to 400° using a thermometer, and bake for 20 minutes (I'd go over time but not under time) for a good cure. I also don't dump my bullets onto the pan to bake. Mine get stood up. If you read up on Castboolits, you'll note just about everyone has their own way of doing it. Some even swear by HF powders but the majority will tell you to start with a better powder and not a flat.

 

[rr2030]

Cast Boolets has one resolution; buy the powder from their member (Smoke).
I tossed the bullets to be red coated back into the tumbler, seams the longer I tumble the better the coverage. In the mean time I found a video on wet coating, thats what I did with the HF black. Appears to work, they are in the coven baking right now.

Stay tuned

 

[rr2030]

Wet coated came out allright. I am sure I have the paint to Acetone ratio incorrect but it worked, some bullets have a glob of paint that I am certain the sizer with eliminate.

The retumbled red paint bullets are out of the oven and appear to be ok. 1 + hours in the tumbler.

 

[brainiac]

I also had good luck tossing pony beads in the powder coat to create the static electricity that causes the powder coat to stick.