Coated bullets

[Nevada Ed]

Coated bullets are said to be the thing..................

but I have noticed that there are quite a few guebers and nick nacks all over the bullets as well as mold seams up and down the bullets.
I was hoping for a cleaner look............but they might shoot ok, just a lot different looking than a clean plated bullet.

Is there a difference in the high tech and the coated bullets in how clean the finish is or do they both had a semi rough "Lemon peel" finish ?

 

[sixtwoniner]

I just loaded up 500 rounds of 45 acp with generic plated 185gr. I don't know what make as they were in a bag at a local gun show. Nice clean look. Not what you described at all. The best part is they shoot real nice on top of 6.2 gr. Bullseye. Probably like most things, some good, some not so. These were copper plated lead if it matters. Keep looking, clean ones are out there and for a good price too.

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot, and then Shoot some more.

 

[Calliope]

The Blue Bullets (polymer coated) are pretty clean IMO. You can see the sprue mark on the base, but pretty clean and sharp otherwise. Square base, no grooves, no seams, I like 'em.

To be fair the Hy-tek SWC's from SNS shoot just as well in my .45, but the Blues look nicer.

 

[Collo Rosso]

Plating appears to hide every imperfection on a bullet, coating seems to magnify it. The powder coated bullets I buy look to have a semi-gloss shine to them and almost a textured finish. I noticed I'm not chasing them across the floor as much as I do plated.
They're cheaper, shoot great, smoke much less and don't lead. Don't care what they look like.

 

[AzShooter]

Try a different manufacturer. Coated bullets should look very clean with no marks. Blue Bullets are good so are Bayou Bullets. There are a number of other great makers. Acme Bullets have a special coating called LIPSTICK. Very thick and durable.

 

[elpac3]

couple of thoughts:

The mold marks are just that, a function of the mold and molding process over which the person(s) doing the casting has control. This is a basic quality control question and if there are a bunch of marks and gubbers, that IMO is a lack of quality control.

I have load and shot the Bayou HiTek coated bullets. There is definately a "different" texture look to the bullet. The important point is the presence of the coating on the bearing surfaces since that is what is in contact with the barrel and responsible for functioning to reduce barrel/bullet friction. Some colors do appear to have an orange peal appearance to them but they have all seemed to shoot well from my guns.

I think you will find the HiTek coating to be a very thin coating as opposed to some of the baked-on powder coat finishes available as the HiTek goes on more like a "wash" than a thicker "paint" type coating.

Plating is a whole different animal and a whole different process that produces a bonded "metal wrap" on top of the bullet.

 

[AveragEd]

The only coated bullets I've tried so far are 125-grain SWCs from Missouri Bullets in my .38 Super. They look great, not like what you described, and shoot cleanly and accurately so I would echo what AzShooter suggested - try another manufacturer.

I have also used quite a few cast bullets from Precision Delta, specifically their 185-grain HP in .45ACP target loads as well as 148-grain hollow-base wadcutters in .38 Special. I get their "match lube" (a couple of bucks extra per box of 1,000 bullets) and the bullets really look like there is nothing on them at all. In fact, I called after opening my first box of them to make sure the lube wasn't omitted. They also shoot very cleanly with no smoke other than from the powder.

Ed

 

[Forrest r]

You're looking at the wrong end of things. This is where you're supposed to look for goobers. Put 500 rounds of pc'd bullets down the tube in my springfield ro 1911 in 9mm.



Nice star pattern on the muzzle and junk in bbl.



1 wet patch (hoppe's #9) and 1 dry patch later (no bore brush).



And yes, sometimes they come out smooth, other times the have some lumps (orange peel). It depends on the the oven temp and of all thing the humidity. When I coat bullets on days with high humidity they tend to come out with orange peel. So far the only real drawback I've seen with the coated bullets that have bumps is the darn jagged holes they cut in paper.



The bbl's might stay clean but the targets are hard to score.

 

[fredj338]

Like Forrest, way too many people shooting coated bullets with great success to deem them problematic. I was slow to come around but once you see the results for yourself, you'll convert. Everything leaves something behind in the bbl. it's about how easy it is to clean out. If you are getting leading, the coating isn't right or you did something during loading to breech the coating. Accuracy will vary, may require a change in charge or even powder, but that is the nature of accuracy in any gun. Anyone claiming they just plug & play any bullet, Amy powder & their gun shoots the same, not being 100% honest or just haven't shot enough to know the diff.

 

[Nevada Ed]

So these bullets are ok.....?
Just thought they would be a little cleaner.

Will try the others mentioned to see if they might improve.
Thanks.

 

[rh73]

Those do look a little on the rough side. I've used Acme, Bayou and several others and they all look much better than those. Those will probably still shoot OK.

By the way, 10% discount at Acme Bullets with the code "enos10".

 

[Calliope]

So these bullets are ok.....?
Just thought they would be a little cleaner.

Will try the others mentioned to see if they might improve.
Thanks.

They almost look like they haven't been sized after casting or coating.

 

[venomballistics]

looks like the casting temp was a little low

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

coated bullets

Have not tried any of these, as I am so well stocked, but did see some from 'Blue Bullets' at the range from a shooting buddy-- He states they leave nothing in the barrel but when I ask about crimping ability he couldn't say as he has only used them in 9mm. As I might be needing some in 357 I was a bit curious?? Anyone chime in on this question?? Never heard about the other companies listed in this thread but Blue Bullets seems to have a limited list of styles. No Wad cutters or 32 style bullets?? Just doing research. Thanks for all the input here.

 

[rwsmith]

I have two batches of coated bullets...

One has a clear looking coating on it and no imperfections on the surface, very clean. I believe this is a Hy Tech coating. I bought these about 2 1/2 years ago.

The other is a recent batch of the red 'candy' powder coating. It appears that they were not cured properly because they flake easily. Also the surface has a lot of little bumps and one or two bigger bumps.
I believe these were sold as 'Hy Tech' coating, but a more recent formula. Am I right?


I really like clear coating, the powdered, not so much for reasons above. Is there a particular coating or vendor I should look into for these. OR who are the best powder coating outfits.

Update: I forgot my Bayou Bullets that had an almost clear coat, but I picked green and that was what I got. Very good luck with those with slow target rounds.

Another update: I pulled some of the red candy bullets the other day and the coating was almost completely shaved off the side of the bullet, the ogive was still red. Yes, I flare generously and just take off the flare when seating. I mentioned the easy flaking above. Gotta do something with these....melt them down or something.

 

[Collo Rosso]

when I ask about crimping ability he couldn't say as he has only used them in 9mm. As I might be needing some in 357 I was a bit curious?? Anyone chime in on this question??

I load coated 158gr and 240gr SWC's with no problems. You, of course, have to set proper bullet depth with the roll crimp just as you do for bare lead.
The trick to coated bullets, for me at least, is setting the flare so as to not shave coating or lead. 45acp seems to be the problem child for me.

 

[venomballistics]

One has a clear looking coating on it and no imperfections on the surface, very clean. I believe this is a Hy Tech coating. I bought these about 2 1/2 years ago.

The other is a recent batch of the red 'candy' powder coating. It appears that they were not cured properly because they flake easily. Also the surface has a lot of little bumps and one or two bigger bumps.
I believe these were sold as 'Hy Tech' coating, but a more recent formula. Am I right?



I really like clear coating, the powdered, not so much for reasons above. Is there a particular coating or vendor I should look into for these. OR who are the best powder coating outfits.

sounds more like someone trying to sell something as something else.
Honestly, one of the greatest strengths of the coatings is that they are user friendly.
you can do this yourself in your shop.

 

[muddocktor]

My experience with the coated bullets is only with the Hi Tech coating from Bayou Bullets and SNS Bullets. The bullets from Bayou Bullets I've used so far have been great. I've loaded them in 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 9 MM and 380 Auto. I haven't been able to make them lead up a pistol barrel so far, no matter how hot I've loaded them. The SNS bullets on the other hand, I've had some rather severe leading problems with them if you push them over around 1000 fps. Down loaded to below 1000 fps, they do ok, but if you push them at all you better have the Lewis Lead Remover handy and ready for use.

 

[rsrocket1]

Ed you should really try airsoft bb dry tumbling. Out there in Nevada, the climate is so dry that the static electricity will make for great coated bullets even with cheap Harbor Freight red. Over on this side of the hill, it's also dry most of the time and I get great results with HF red.

Some 401-175-TC's

9's and 40's with HF red and some surplus Sherwin Williams purple powder I picked up at a powder coat shop for $2/pound.

 

[Forrest r]

So these bullets are ok.....?
Just thought they would be a little cleaner.

Will try the others mentioned to see if they might improve.
Thanks.

Ed,
I hope those bullets look better than they shoot. Not picking on anything but you might want to ask yourself, would I use those bullets if I cast them and they look that that with the seams showing???

Roll them on a flat surface and see if they're round or egg shaped.

Those bullets never were sized before or after they were cast and pc'd.