Not impressed with Hy-Tec coated bullets

[tlawler]

I was picking up a few items at my local reloading shop and saw that he was now carrying some Hy-Tec .40 caliber 200 grain bullets. I bought some, mainly out of curiosity, since I had heard of them, but didn’t know much about them. I loaded a few and noticed some lead shavings at the top of the case where it met the bullet. I pulled one to see what it looked like and it had lost quite a bit of it’s coating. They aren’t oversized and getting skinned during seating, I don’t think. I’m applying a slight roll crimp, but not excessive. They did ok on the smash test, though not as well as my own PC’d bullets. I even noticed some of the coating had come off a couple of loose bullets in the package. Could they be improperly coated? I’m thinking he buys them in larger quantity packaging, then repackages them in 100 piece lots since they don’t have fancy packaging with logos, etc. He’s a reputable dealer, so I don’t think he’s out to make a quick buck with some spray painted bullets. I guess I expected some super duper high technology epoxy coating at least as good as my PC’d bullets. Anyone have any experience with Hy-Tec coatings?

 

[fredj338]

HT doesn't make bullets, but the coating. So not sure where he got them but propetly applied, the coating is bonded like properly applied PC. I do both my own PC & HT. I tend to prefer the PC, but HT works fine.

 

[bigboredad]

Are you seating and crimping in the same step. I have been using my own hi tek bullets for quite and have no problems. I have been seating and crimping for a long time so I've never had the problem you are having, good luck hi tek is a good product

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

 

[Nevada Ed]

You might try a little more belling on the case and even a little
inside the case reaming to remove any sharp edge, that might
be shaving the coating off the bullet, as it is being seated.

Good luck.

 

[Sistema1927]

I've been shooting Missouri hytec coated wadcutters in .32 and .38. I have not had the problems that you describe, and also like the fact that I have no lube smoke as well as no leading.

 

[ajgunner]

I have been loading them in 9mm, 38sp, and 44 mag for about 2 years. Mine look a little different color than what you show. I have had no issues similar to what you show. Perhaps a bit more bell? No complaints from me.

 

[tlawler]

I’ll try more of a bell and see if that makes a difference. If you’ll notice in my first picture, the coating removal starts about halfway up the bearing surface. If it was a belling problem, it seems like it would be start at the base. I’m crimping after seating with a Lee factory crimp die. I also have a taper die that I’ll try and see if that makes any difference. I’ll report back.

 

[ajgunner]

We have actually found lots of these around the steel plates we shoot at, and most of the coating is still intact.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Google "hy-tek bullets" and "hy-tec bullets"...

The 1st ? to the OP is "Whose bullets did you buy?"...

Cheers!

P.S. I, too, have had nothing but positive experiences with Hy-Tek bullets from MBC in 40 S&W, 38 Special/357 Magnum, 45 Cal & 9mm. Suggestions re: case expansion are also very relevant.

 

[rockquarry]

I don't use painted, plated, or coated bullets, but occasionally I see a painted or coated bullet in the berm at our gun club. They're almost always the same shade of blue (may be from only one shooter) and the paint or coating, all or at least most of it, appears to be intact.

 

[tlawler]

I tried belling a little wider and switched over to taper crimping. I’m still getting coating removal on one side, but not all the way around the circumference of the bullet like I was previously. I then thought it may be due to the die I was using. I recently purchased a set of RCBS dies for 10mm and have my old set of Lee dies installed in another tool head for .40 cal. I swapped the Lee die in place of the RCBS and set a bullet with it. The Lee die set the bullet with no coating loss, and other than a slight ring where the crimp was and a couple of small spots of coating loss, the bullet looks normal. I reduced the bell back to normal and loaded several more and pulled them. They all look normal enough. I’m going to polish the bore of the RCBS die and see if that makes a difference. I guess problem solved. I’m going to load up the HT bullets with the Lee seating die and try them out. I’m still a little surprised at how easy the coating comes off compared to PC. I probably won’t buy anymore HT coated bullets, but may revisit them in the future.

 

[fredj338]

I tried belling a little wider and switched over to taper crimping. I’m still getting coating removal on one side, but not all the way around the circumference of the bullet like I was previously. I then thought it may be due to the die I was using. I recently purchased a set of RCBS dies for 10mm and have my old set of Lee dies installed in another tool head for .40 cal. I swapped the Lee die in place of the RCBS and set a bullet with it. The Lee die set the bullet with no coating loss, and other than a slight ring where the crimp was and a couple of small spots of coating loss, the bullet looks normal. I reduced the bell back to normal and loaded several more and pulled them. They all look normal enough. I’m going to polish the bore of the RCBS die and see if that makes a difference. I guess problem solved. I’m going to load up the HT bullets with the Lee seating die and try them out. I’m still a little surprised at how easy the coating comes off compared to PC. I probably won’t buy anymore HT coated bullets, but may revisit them in the future.

Whos bulles? The coating will s rape off but that is a die setup or die quality issue.

 

[Nevada Ed]

A power drill with some steel wool, might all you need to smooth out that die and see if it will work, without removing the coating on your next try.

A metal drill bit, covered with masking or duct tape to protect the die and then a wad of steel wool wound on, works for me.

Good, smooth dies are a must...........
good luck.

 

[stansdds]

Still does not answer the question of who manufactured these bullets.
Powder coating is a process, done correctly, it is very difficult to separate the coating from the underlying metal. Done incorrectly and the coating will easily separate from the metal. Some cast lead bullet manufacturers do a great job with coatings, some do not.

 

[tlawler]

Still does not answer the question of who manufactured these bullets.
Powder coating is a process, done correctly, it is very difficult to separate the coating from the underlying metal. Done incorrectly and the coating will easily separate from the metal. Some cast lead bullet manufacturers do a great job with coatings, some do not.

I won’t know until I visit the reloading shop and ask him. The bullets were packaged in 100 piece lots with no label other than a handwritten tag identifying bullet caliber and weight.

 

[Funflyer]

I won’t know until I visit the reloading shop and ask him. The bullets were packaged in 100 piece lots with no label other than a handwritten tag identifying bullet caliber and weight.

Your first picture in post #11 appears to show a poorly adhered coating and not some that has been shaved off by either the case or die. I'm going to bet that you can continue to remove that coating with your finger nail which will confirm. Along with that, and the hand written label, I'll guess these lead back to Pigpen coating them in his back yard.

 

[reddog81]

They did ok on the smash test, though not as well as my own PC’d bullets. I even noticed some of the coating had come off a couple of loose bullets in the package. Could they be improperly coated?

The smash test is either pass or fail. Saying your PC'd bullets do better implies the other ones failed. If the coating is coming off there's definitely a problem.

 

[dla]

I tried belling a little wider and switched over to taper crimping. I’m still getting coating removal on one side, but not all the way around the circumference of the bullet like I was previously. I then thought it may be due to the die I was using. I recently purchased a set of RCBS dies for 10mm and have my old set of Lee dies installed in another tool head for .40 cal. I swapped the Lee die in place of the RCBS and set a bullet with it. The Lee die set the bullet with no coating loss, and other than a slight ring where the crimp was and a couple of small spots of coating loss, the bullet looks normal. I reduced the bell back to normal and loaded several more and pulled them. They all look normal enough. I’m going to polish the bore of the RCBS die and see if that makes a difference. I guess problem solved. I’m going to load up the HT bullets with the Lee seating die and try them out. I’m still a little surprised at how easy the coating comes off compared to PC. I probably won’t buy anymore HT coated bullets, but may revisit them in the future.

Those pictures aren't HiTek-coated bullets.

 

[tlawler]

Those pictures aren't HiTek-coated bullets.

Any idea what they are then? I’ll run by the reloading supply tomorrow and take some of the scraped up ones to show him. I loaded up the rest when I was able to seat them without damaging the coating using the Lee dies, but I won’t be buying anymore.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Back the crimp off even more.. you only need to remove the bell not crimp the bullet.

You will see this stop.