Any bullet casters around here? Anyone coating bullets ?

[Capt.hollis]

I'm new to the hobby, but loving it! It's the way to go once you get all this figured out. Right now I'm powder coating or epoxy coating my bullets . Lots of fun . Haven't got all that figured out yet but getting there. Anyone else doing this?

 

[reddog]

First I've heard of it, did a google on it. Interesting but looks like a lot of extra work to me. Guess I've never been bothered by the little extra smoke and with the right lube leading isn't an issue for me.

 

[Paul5388]

I recently picked up a 2 cavity for a .32 Long S&W. I have never seen a need for plating home made bullets. Size them large enough, .001"-.002" over bore diameter, and you'll hardly ever have a leading problem. I either tumble lube with thinned Lee Liquid Alox (LLA) or use a lube sizer with White Label BAC.

BTW, you should be looking for old (sail) boat keels that are made of lead. That's an easy source of lead for you in the coastal areas.

 

[Booyah]

I have done some light internet research on the powder coating...haven't seriously considered getting into it yet but I might one day. I hear Harbor Freight has a pretty decent little powder coat set up for a reasonable price. The tricky part, as I have read, is the setting up of the jigs that will let you hold and handle the bullets during the process and allow for a good coat. For a hobbyist these are going to be 'do it yourself' jigs and can be tricky to develop/build.

Oh, and as I have heard from others on the board...pics or it didn't happen.

 

[DubiousDan]

Using Lee Liquid Alox at this time with handgun bullets. It's simple and easy to use and seems to work well. It is a little smoky when shooting but that doesn't bother me. I tried Rooster Red but that didn't work well and I had some leading with it.

 

[Capt.hollis]

Here is a epoxy coated 9mm

I have done some light internet research on the powder coating...haven't seriously considered getting into it yet but I might one day. I hear Harbor Freight has a pretty decent little powder coat set up for a reasonable price. The tricky part, as I have read, is the setting up of the jigs that will let you hold and handle the bullets during the process and allow for a good coat. For a hobbyist these are going to be 'do it yourself' jigs and can be tricky to develop/build.

Oh, and as I have heard from others on the board...pics or it didn't happen.

 

[ROGER4314]

I was big into casting and worked for a custom bullet maker in Tulsa. In one run alone, I made 30,000 bullets!

I moved, things changed and I sold all of my gear. Last year, I replaced ALL of my casting gear so I'm ready to get back into it as the bullet market requires.

For lube, I'd rather use a higher temp lube as storing the sized bullets in a barn could make all the lube flow out! I use only lube applied with the bullet resizer and don't use tumble lube or other types. The custom bullet maker in Tulsa made his own lube out of beeswax!

Flash

 

[Andy]

Carnauba Red lube here - I don't coat my bullets.

 

[vmax]

I've been reloading for years and just started casting my pistol bullets recently. I have a mentor who has done this for 30 years and he is teaching me to size, lube and load. I never heard of powder coating and just don't see me doing that anytime soon

I've been using wheel weights but am looking for other sources of lead.
Any ideas? has anyone had luck with printing companies having linotype?

 

[rushthezeppelin]

I've been reloading for years and just started casting my pistol bullets recently. I have a mentor who has done this for 30 years and he is teaching me to size, lube and load. I never heard of powder coating and just don't see me doing that anytime soon

I've been using wheel weights but am looking for other sources of lead.
Any ideas? has anyone had luck with printing companies having linotype?

I've heard one good source, if you can find it, is chemotherapy transport containters. They are big thick lead containers and from what I heard are already practically the perfect softness for average pistol bullets. Obviously hospitals and cancer centers are your source for these and usually they will let them go fairly cheap from what I hear but who knows.

Of course theres also boat keels. Speaking of which I kinda wonder how many people are getting rid of their yachts with the highland lakes in such terrible condition, might be surplus lead on that front.

 

[Paul5388]

Coatings seem like a good way to have a multitude of different weights of the same bullet. It's the same as using electroplating, where timing will affect the plate thickness and the weight of the bullets.

 

[popper]

Capt - I PC with the HF unit & powder, rifle & pistol. Works great, isn't much trouble and NO leading. Groups & fps about the same as jacketed.