AJ
US Veteran
I powder coat some of my cast bullets. I was using red powder coat from Harbor Freight, this now discontinued. I was there the other day and they have black powder coating. Is there any reason that this can not be used?
Powder Coating Question
- Thread starter AJ
- Start date
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Form what I have heard the only difference is the color. I don't know first hand so check further.
I use Eastwood. Hotcoat powder coat Ford light blue. Works great up
to 2000fps. And my bullets look good too.
to 2000fps. And my bullets look good too.
fredj338
Well-known member
If you spray the black will work. If you shake & bake, it wont work. Ditch the HF, go to eastwood or powder by the # or go to castboolit forum & buy from smoke.
MWC2068
Well-known member
This is what you need to do!
Funflyer
Well-known member
I use powder by the pound, great stuff.
I bought mine from Smoke. Works great.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
How about the Hi-Tek coating sold by Missouri Bullets?
Missouri Bullet Company
Missouri Bullet Company
I was wondering the same thing. I read the application instructions and it seems a little more in depth than regular PCing. Anyways I am going to order some and try it. I'll post results.
Yep, for some reason the black doesn't produce even coating (I just tumbled mine, tosses the HF black before I started spraying). My ast purchase was from Smoke...
Smoke 4320's Corner
Smoke 4320's Corner
fredj338
Well-known member
HT works, just diff. In some ways its easier to apply, but require more baking time. PC also stands up better to higher vel/pressures in rifles. PC is cheaper. I use both, like both, probably stay with PC due to cost.
reloader7.62
Well-known member
I started out using the HF Red & Yellow, spraying the bullets worked great but used more powder and left lots of flashing on the bullets base, the TL process using those powders was less that impressive. HF White was a no go altogether and the black would only spray on.
I ended going with Eastwood an Smokes powders an never looked back, I always get good results with those powders I use. A couple different powders from Eastwood and Smokes.
I ended going with Eastwood an Smokes powders an never looked back, I always get good results with those powders I use. A couple different powders from Eastwood and Smokes.
oddshooter
Well-known member
I just finished a thread where a 9mm handloader was questioning whether it was the PC that caused 6" groups at short distance.
I'm hoping he comes by here and learns from the pros.
It's hard to believe everyone hasn't converted already.
Prescut
Castboolit Smoke's is my goto guy for powder coat. It was a sad day to lose Harbor Freight's Red. It was sweet, the other HF colors are not.
I'm hoping he comes by here and learns from the pros.
It's hard to believe everyone hasn't converted already.
Prescut
Castboolit Smoke's is my goto guy for powder coat. It was a sad day to lose Harbor Freight's Red. It was sweet, the other HF colors are not.
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How are you coating your bullets? You mentioned "TL"; if that is a method, would you please explain? Thank you.
I Tumble Lube (TL) mine.
Using a cool whip container (or other lidded container with a #5 recycle marking) I put a big handful of bullets, a half a cup of black airsoft BBs (to generate more static cling), and a teaspoon or so of powder into the container and start swirling/shaking it around. The static makes the powder cling to the bullets. Then I pick them out with tweezers and stand them on a baking sheet covered with non-stick foil and bake them.
This is how I do it also. I use Smokes powder and get great results.
Tumble lube is typically applying Lee Liquid Alox and rolling the bullets around in it and letting them dry. Lee sells specific TL molds for their tumble lube Alox. Shake and Bake Powder Coat is the process you described. The powder coating process doesn’t involve any “lube” in the the traditional sense.
LOL, how did I know someone would feel compelled to demonstrate their superior knowledge by picking that nit?
This reminds me of the clip/magazine, stocks/grips, yoke/crane arguments. While one term may be more accurate than another, as long as the term fits the item in question, and everyone in the conversation understands what is being referred to, what difference does it make?
It is true, in the traditional sense there is no lube involved, however the powder coat is put on the bullets for the same purpose as, and in place of, traditional lube. Not only is the purpose the same, there is sort of a similarity in the actual process as well.
But yes, "shake and bake" is an alternate and arguably more accurate descriptor for the process.
Nevertheless, among powder coaters, "tumble lube" is an oft used description for the process. Perhaps more importantly, it is exactly what reloader7.62 was referring to, and what Warren Sear was asking about.
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