There were a couple of local guys selling cast bullets at the gun show last wekeend. They had the normal range of "soft" and "hard" pistol bullets that one would expect but also offered an option I'd never seen before.

Many of their bullets were available "powder coated." I didn't try any of them, but they certainly were interesting looking as most of their powder coated bullets were bright red and yellow.

Has anyone seen or loaded any such bullets?

The guys Ive met that are using them say they are fantastic,no leading.

My normal cast/lubed & sized bullets don't lead either

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S&W Accumulator

As long as you keep the velocities reasonable decent cast and lubricated lead bullets don't lead for me either. But red and yellow bullets would be "striking." Pointless, but pretty.

They can be shot at higher velocities than traditional lubes.

The new and improved bullet coating. To me it is like the Molly coating craze of several years ago,

Will have to see if it catches on. Lots of guys are coating their their own bullets.

If may turn out to be a good thing. You can have fancy colors too!

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Still Running Against the Wind

Not really. I use mine at max vel. in 44/357 plus 30/06/444/45-70/30 carbine Properly hard/lubed & sized don't lead my guns.

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S&W Accumulator

Rule3,

The Powdered Coated projectiles (as in auto or motorcycle parts type coatings ARE NEWER).
The "HI-TEK" coatings by JM Specialties in Australia has been in use by competitive shooters in Australia for 20 years already.

Commercial casters such as Bayou Bullets, Gateway Bullets, SNS Casting, and BBI which recently converted
to these coatings are showing the new and increased demand for these in the USA.

One reason is that it TOTALLY ENCAPSULATES THE LEAD, the No Leading of the barrel is another benefit.

The HI-TEK "metallic" coatings and not all of them are metallic can withstand HIGHER TEMPERATURES without GAS CHECKS ALSO.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Powder coated bullets have the same accuracy as their cast/traditional lubed counterparts. The powder coated bullets do have more velocity than the traditional lubed bullets with the same powder charges, same bullet, fired from the same gun.

Some powder coated 308's & 44 mags.



Those 44mags pictured above playing around shot from a bench @ 25yds.



Normal groups @ 50yds with a cast/traditional lubed lyman 311291 bullet with a gas check installed.



The same bullet that has been powder coated, same load, same brass, same gun, it does go 60fps faster than it's traditional lubed counterpart and doesn't need/use a gas check.



One thing that the powder coated bullets do that most people never mention is that they have the ability to expand better/easier to seal the cylinders/chambers/bores because the bullets alloy has been annealed (softened) during the powder coating process.

I'm thinking that it will.
There's no concession made over traditional lube, less smoke, and lead vapor abatement akin to FMJ hardball.
Where's the reason it will fail?

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it just needs more voltage

Is the price comparable? Is there advantage over plated bullets?

Plated used to be less expensive than FMJ, now the price is the same or in some cases more.

If they are popular down under, why do we not see more of them here?

Inquiring minds need to know

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Still Running Against the Wind

I'm using them in 45 not for the leading issues. But there is no smoke from burning bullet lube . They work great I cast and tumble coat them 500 at a time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Coated bullet convert here. All of the positives and no downsides that I have seen. Yes for an equal powder charge you do get higher velocity than the equivalent bullet in plated or uncoated cast bullet.

Hands are clean after loading several hundred. Press stays clean, guns are much cleaner after a range session. Accuracy is excellent with the bayou bullets I have tried. What's not to like.

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The American dream is alive

I am loading my .38 Short Colt ammo with Bayou Bullets' 160 gr LRN which is coated with green from the makers in Australia. With their total encapsulation, the bullets produce almost no smoke and velocity is enhanced somewhat. I am using these 160s with 3gr. Vihtavouri N310 and chronoing at 850fps.

I shot a USPSA match last night with this ammo in a 5" 627. Guys were laughing and swearing I couldn't possibly make minor PF. Minor power factor for 160 gr bullet would be 782 fps so I'm way higher than it looks when I shoot.

I had been using moly-coated bullets which worked fine but were messy to use at the reloading bench and dirtied my gun too. Coated bullets are GREAT!

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Rule3,

I forgot about everything being CLEANER both you and your equipment.

Prices are not too bad for completed HI-TEK projectiles.

I happen to coat/bake my own with supplies from Bayou Bullets.

A 1 liter color kit and catalyst is $68 and WILL COAT 25,000-40,000.

1/2 liters are about $35 plus shipping.

I enjoy casting and coating but have purchased finished projectiles from Bayou Bullets and SNS Casting.

I'm waiting on the postman now, I ordered a SAMPLE PACK of different 9 MM projectiles from Donnie at Bayou Bullets.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Federal Nyclads have been around for decades. I run them as regular defense rounds.

Nyclads were Nylon Coated 38 Specials I believe, and I also believe FEDERAL has stopped making them AGAIN.

HI-TEK coatings can be applied to most all projectiles either by a Commercial Caster or DO-IT-YOURSELF.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I've heard this is Jerry Michulek's brother.

Bayou Bullets

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Jorge

Donnie at BAYOU BULLETS is in fact Jerry Michulek's brother and
Bayou Bullets has CUSTOMER SERVICE that sounds like DILLON PRECISION (of the reloading press fame) too.

Nice Folks to be sure!

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

advantages are had at the production level.
Electroplating was one of the first industries to be regulated by the EPA. to cast, and plate a bullet is outside the scope of a DIY project due to regulation and the nature of the chemicals involved. much of these things are nastier than you'd want in or around your home, and just get deadlier as metallic compounds are formed.

Powder coating isn't nearly as toxic.
if you can figure out how to make an even coat, all that's left is to post cure it in a cheap pizza oven.... that's fairly tangible to the common man

end cost .... its up to what people are willing to pay.

as to popularity at present, we are kinda thick headed after being beat to death with negative changes to our ammo.
lead bans in particular, come to mind. the whole clean and green thing pretty much has us all thumbing our noses at products that tout any eco friendly hogwash.
We gave up lead shot for steel shot, which all but destroyed waterfowl hunting. This was replaced, decades later with exotic alloys which may have an improvement over lead, however cost prohibitive they may be.
We are kinda raw from this abuse.
what we have here in the powder coated bullet, is the same chunk of lead we all know and love, processed in such a way that it seemingly has no liabilitys for the advancements.
it's only natural, given the past, to call bull on it. Afterall, theyve sold us on that bill of goods many times before.
Thing is ... it actually seems to pony up the goods.
it'll take a while for many to warm up to it.
it'll also take a while longer for it to become commonplace enough that we don't have to work at obtaining them any harder than the well established old school counterparts.

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it just needs more voltage

There is a really long thread over on The other forum. Two members are working together on this. The whole thing about getting a static charge to the bullet so the powder will stick and then into the Easy Bake Oven.

I suggest a flux capacitor!

Beats rubbing a plastic container on a piece of carpet for a static charge.

So if you have regular lubed lead bullets, can the lube be washed off (solvent) and then this powder coat applied? Is it thin enough to not change the dimension of the bullet? (for the DIY kit) or does the bullet need resizing.

I have a boatload of lead bullets that would have to be used up before I venture into coated ones. I probably shoot more FMJ than lead anyway. I shoot outside so lead is not a problem I just like FMJ in my semi autos.

The price of the coated bullets is right in there with regular lead so only a few bucks more worth a try.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Rule3,

There are APPLES AND ORANGES that you are talking here (C.B. Forum)

1 process is the HI-TEK deal from the Australian origination,

The Other Process is ELECTROSTATIC POWDER COATING which now someone over there found
out that you can TUMBLE the powder in a container WITH YOUR PROJECTILES and some
AIR SOFT PLASTIC BB'S to assist with the powders coverage.
No ELECTROSTATIC spray-gun is then required.

I use the first method which is a wet method presently that you mix/apply/dry/bake and do it again.

A DRY POWDER is due from Australia soon that only requires you to add Acetone/Shake/Tumble/Dry/Bake/Repeat.

NOTE!!!!!!!! CONCERNING YOUR QUESTION.
YOU CANNOT use the HI-TEK coating method with previously LUBED PROJECTILES,

1) You CANNOT CLEAN THEM ENOUGH to work,

2) A BIGGER ISSUE is that PREVIOUSLY SIZED PROJECTILES have a surface that has been burnished
and THIS AFFECTS COATING ADHESION to the leads surface.

THE EASIEST METHOD IS TO CHECK THE WEB SITES OF,

1) Bayou Bullets, 2) SNS Casting, 3) Gateway Bullets, 4) Black Bullets International in Tennessee
has recently switched from their MOLY COATED PROJECTILE FORMULA to their present
usage of the HI-TEK coating formula from JM SPECIALTIES in Australia.

I'm sure other PROFESSIONAL CASTERS will be or are following suit.

THE BLUE BULLETS company has a different process they use of a Polymer Based LIQUID COATING
that is twice applied and then baked, they only sell the finished projectile. I believe they are based in North Carolina.
TALK ABOUT A "BLUE BULLET" these are really BLUE!

The easiest way is to try some sample packs of the already coated projectiles and LOAD EM' UP.

I've been using the HI-TEK coated projectiles both as a FINISHED PROJECTILE and as a SELF COAT product
from materials purchased from Donnie at Bayou Bullets for a few months now.

The folks at my club's INDOOR RANGE have been impressed with this coating.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I watched a 2 part video from a guy that used the Bayou product. Mix the 2 parts and acetone. tumble, let dry, bake and do it again. Seemed to work well.
As I mentioned the pre done ones are really no more money than regular cast lead so I may give them a try. Thanks.

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Still Running Against the Wind

If all those lead bullets are getting in the way of a new venture for you...................you can send them up to me and I'll help you use them up

I don't mind helping a fellow member out

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I'd like to agree with you BUT

You would measure and weigh them all.

I will not mention the FMJ projectiles then.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Rule3,

Looks like there are getting to be many YouTube videos out there of the

different coatings and methods.

HI-TEK "JOE" (owner I believe) his Main Tester (Ausglock in Australia)

have been coating/testing different FORMULAS/RESINS/COLORS over the last year or so.

The USA testers have been using PISTOLS and RIFLES to test, the Australian shooters do mostly pistols,

and HI-TEK was originally developed for pistols.

Their research is interesting to read about over at C.B. as the NEW colors and PROPERTIES DEVELOP.

The newest are a very HARD SURFACE FINISH I believe.

Increasing USA demand is driving more and more research WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT METHODS.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I just started dry tumble powder coating. My total investment has been $4 for the Harbor Freight Red powder, $3 for some Nitrile golves, $2 for a toaster oven from the Goodwill Outlet store. I already had a jar full of airsoft BB's, some parchment paper to line the oven tray, and a big Styrofoam box to tumble 200 boolits at a time (although you can use a 1 gallon Ziplock bag or a Cool Whip/Margerine tub for smaller quantities).

The bullets come out great, I can coat 500 in an hour and get zero leading in my M&P40/9 and Sig SP2022. I haven't done any 45 or 38 bullets yet, but I will PC the next batches I cast.


Before baking:


After Baking:

lee makes bullet sizing dies that are very affordable and fit standard reloading presses ... so size isn't an issue.

between melting the lube off and a naphtha bath, one should be able to clean enough for a powder coat diy attempt
from my perspective, I start at a molten pot O lead, so such things lend themselves to my groove a bit more readily.

Ill have to carve out some bench time to dedicate to this.
it's right up my ally

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it just needs more voltage

I use the bb/coolwhip/dry powder coat method to pc my bullets also. Easy enough to do, have to lube & size the bullets 1 way or another anyway. Might as well get the best product I can from my own cast/lubed/sized bullets.

Thanks for the interesting discussion.

The guy selling these at the show charged $1 more per 100 on most of their bullets for powder coating. The cost difference was less than that in quantity(I think about $5 difference per thousand). Their uncoated prices were comparable to Missouri(considering that it was "cash and carry") at around $38/500 for 158gr LRNs, and even cheaper in larger quantities(they sold me 1600 uncoated 125gr .357s for $95) so we're not talking about a huge cost difference or a huge cost at least from this particular caster to try them out.

I may pick some up from them at the next show.

there is also a casting company in northeast ohio that is coating with hi-tek coating. a lot of idpa and uspa shooters are using this product because of the clean barrel, and way less smoke during rapid fire stages. LNL bullet Casting

Timber61,

Welcome Buckeye.

Nice to see more casters with the HI-TEK process,
I think the coating is just Fabulous.

MOONMAN

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Does anyone have a way of getting connected with LNL, phone or contact ?

330-766-6891
Looks like a CELL in Warren, Ohio.

They have a web page
lnlbullets.com

timber61 is the owner.
Post #32

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

First of all, with the dry tumble airsoft BB method, it seems as if the climate makes a big difference in your chances of success. I live in the bone dry central valley of northern California and just about any method I've tried works well. Others who live in humid areas haven't had as much success.

So far, I've used the Ziplock bag, Styrofoam box, Cool Whip tub, a disposable plastic flower pot, DVD "pancake" container and a cardboard box lined with packing tape. Only the last one gave less than ideal coverage.

I found that when the bullets touch the container, it leaves a bare spot on the lead which is another reason for the BB's. I use a nitrile glove which is "dusted" with powder coat powder to pick up the bullets and place them on the pan. I've also noticed that when I touch the bullets, the powder spreads evenly over the entire bullet and covers the bare spots. This video shows it working. right here I don't usually touch it this much, I did it just for the video. I can pick and place 120 bullets in about 10 minutes and don't need tweezers or pliers, just my gloved fingers. As the powder liquifies, it also spreads over the surface of the lead which covers any small bare spots.

OP - check this site out - there is a whole section on PC boolits and lots of information you might find helpful/interesting

Cast Boolits

l cast and this looks like the answer to messy lubes...Lately l have been using a Lee sizer and alox...l may try this coating with some bullets run thru the Lee sizer... l wont shoot unsized bullets

l wonder if a tumbler would work to apply the powder... Just add the powder to a small quantity of media, bullets and run it a few seconds.. Sift em out and pop into the oven..

sw282,

Check out the LINK in post 37.

There are MULTIPLE TYPES of coatings, and much reading
for you to do, then you make the choice that's EASIEST FOR YOU.

Some VENDORS even offer some finished product samples for sale,
others the materials also to DO-IT-YOURSELF.

I really LIKE THE HI-TEK STUFF from Australia, and so do many
COMMERCIAL CASTERS that are converting over to this process
from conventional lubes.

Personally I think the ELECTROSTATIC METHOD is too MESSY.
If you ever have an accident with that type of powder and drop the jar,

YOU'LL BE HEADED FOR DIVORCE COURT.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

sw282,

You NEED TO READ A BUNCH, before you try to REINVENT THE WHEEL.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

yes right outside of youngstoen ohio, canfield area

thanks moonman, where about

Kent State area.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

been to kent! ate at the pufferbelly, neat place

Moon---Not trying to re-invent the wheel..Just asked a question...As an ex Army instructor l can tell you what the Army says..''The only dumb question is the one un-asked''

sw282,
The threads over at (C.B.) mentioned in post 37 contains
THOUSANDS of posts and photos along with expert details and
information of all the different METHODS and PROCESSES OF PROJECTILE COATING.

The Australian method of "HI-TEK" coating even has the companies
owner chiming in on a frequent basis with NEW info.

The HI-TEK processes under development with added colors and
catalysts due to interest in the USA Marketplace.

Competitive Shooters in Australia have been using his process (HI-TEK)
for over 20 years.

Mucho reading to do my friend.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

So this coating from Harbor Freight s basically paint pigment...l wonder what the results would be from a couple coats of Krylon from a spray can would yield ??????????

I'll save you the pain. DON'T
about the closest thing to working I ever got out of a rattle can was with a graphite based lubricating paint.
It almost worked, very little leading after a 20 round test string. But enough to let me know I'd have hours of fun with a brush if I ran a string of 100. Not to mention the stench when fired at an indoor range.
It's akin to the smell of your brakes on fire.


As I understand this stuff after some research, the shake and bake method seems limited to a few successful colors.
Proper electrostatic methods works with all colors and powder types.
While the HF red seems like the shake and bake go to, it seems to me that the focus upon it omits other possible coatings tht may prove better.
Heads Up folks, Harbor freight has their electrostatic gun on sale right now.
If you are serious about coating your lead, it's only logical to snag one.
I seem to recall a nylon based powder somewhere in my past web surfing expeditions.

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it just needs more voltage

I read all this. I have lead poisening from too much shooting. I quit casting a couple years ago. I just ordered 1,000 button nose wadcutters to try out in my 38s.

Thanks!
David

Thanks for the contact info Moon, I been using Bayue for a couple of years and are going to give these guys a try, from what he post he's just around the corner in my neck of the woods.