Coated lead bullets

[dennishoddy]

I should be so lucky as to have a reloading shop in the barn. Horses or heifers or cows or the bull would be in there reloading the floor with paddies. On the bright side, if I could train my favorite ranch horse to reload, it would be AWESOME!!!

LOL, one corner is mine.....ALL MINE!!!! Apartment sized beer box on the shelf, and all the reloading gear and supplies one could want. Well, almost, there is always another accessory needed. TV on the wall, stereo system, leather reclining office chairs, heated and cooled. Been known to take a nap or two out there. lol.

 

[DRC458]

LOL, one corner is mine.....ALL MINE!!!! Apartment sized beer box on the shelf, and all the reloading gear and supplies one could want. Well, almost, there is always another accessory needed. TV on the wall, stereo system, leather reclining office chairs, heated and cooled. Been known to take a nap or two out there. lol.

Yeah, some people have all the luck!

 

[DRC458]

Had the opportunity to compare the Hi-Tek coated bullets from Bayou Bullets today with swampratt's 'home grown powder coated' bullets. The powder coated bullets looked superior (thicker, more even coat) and they passed the "Smash Test" that Hi-Tek recommends conducting after you use their product on your own bullets, while the Hi-Tek bullets failed. One healthy smack with a hammer, and the Hi-Tek coating was flaking off. It didn't damage the powder coating. So, swampratt proceeded to give both bullets one or two more solid whacks with the hammer. The Hi-Tek coating was flaking off all over, while swampratt's powder coat was basically still 100% intact. I might have just gotten a bad run of bullets, but I think I'll give Bayou Bullets a call.

Powder coating on the left ... Hi-Tek coating on the right ...

Swampratt's powder coating work - .45 and .357. He does good work! (And, it's SO simple!)

 

[dennishoddy]

Had the opportunity to compare the Hi-Tek coated bullets from Bayou Bullets today with swampratt's 'home grown powder coated' bullets. The powder coated bullets looked superior (thicker, more even coat) and they passed the "Smash Test" that Hi-Tek recommends conducting after you use their product on your own bullets, while the Hi-Tek bullets failed. One healthy smack with a hammer, and the Hi-Tek coating was flaking off. It didn't damage the powder coating. So, swampratt proceeded to give both bullets one or two more solid whacks with the hammer. The Hi-Tek coating was flaking off all over, while swampratt's powder coat was basically still 100% intact. I might have just gotten a bad run of bullets, but I think I'll give Bayou Bullets a call.

Powder coating on the left ... Hi-Tek coating on the right ...
]

How did the bullets measure for outside diameter?

 

[DRC458]

How did the bullets measure for outside diameter?

Before the "smack"? LOL! I just checked a few, and they were running around .454 - .455+." I measured a few of the .357's as well, and they were running around .361 - .362."

 

[dennishoddy]

Reason I asked is that the coated bullets I buy measure .452. It appears the coating applied increases the bullet diameter which in turn would increase the brass diameter OD once pressed into it, and I'm wondering how that would have an effect on accuracy, pressures, etc.
Interesting process for sure, and if it has no effect with the extra diameter, it would turn into a very cool project.

 

[Shadowrider]

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook recommends .001" over groove dia. as a starting point. .0015 is ideal in a lot of guns. The idea is to let the barrel "size" the bullet to itself that way it's sealed with no gas cutting past the base while it's in the bore.

Some of the old .45LC single action guns back in the day were all over the place with their groove diameters. Seems every manufacturer had their own idea of what it should have been. That's where slugging your barrel mostly came from as it was basically a necessity for years in that caliber. Now days they all make them to the standard and the precision is almost perfect.

 

[DRC458]

Reason I asked is that the coated bullets I buy measure .452. It appears the coating applied increases the bullet diameter which in turn would increase the brass diameter OD once pressed into it, and I'm wondering how that would have an effect on accuracy, pressures, etc.
Interesting process for sure, and if it has no effect with the extra diameter, it would turn into a very cool project.

You are supposed to size the bullets AFTER the coating process. If you are shooting a gas check bullet, apparently it has been done both ways ... coating before and after seating the gas check, and it works either way. Personally, I think I would prefer to seat the gas check and then coat, even if it did create another step in the process. I'm anxious to see what happens to the powder coating after I run them through the sizer. I really expect ... nothing, or nearly nothing.

 

[dennishoddy]

Ok, I get this now. Sizing after coating. I'll smash tomorrow. Put it on my calender so i won't forget.
How big of a hammer btw? I have a 16lb sledge that doesn't fit my hands much anymore, but for a one time demo?

 

[DRC458]

How big of a hammer btw? I have a 16lb sledge that doesn't fit my hands much anymore, but for a one time demo?

I retired my 16-pound sledge. Too much like work. He just grabbed a claw hammer off the shelf. I'm anxious now to get some of these loaded up and shoot them. But, when? How can I be so busy now and not accomplish anything?!?!?!?!