Powder coating and annealing lead

[Joe S.]

I have always heard that when you heat metal it becomes softer. Such as a gun in a house fire, or brass when you heat it to allow it to regain some of it's elasticity. I just assumed the same held true for lead, and i think i have seen a few of yall comment along the same line in regards to bullets slightly softening when they are powder coated. But I was watching a YouTube video the other day by fortunecookie45LC and he made the comment that when you powder coat cast bullets, the lead becomes harder due to the heat they are exposed to.

I know that you heat metal to harden it as well, as in case hardened finishes and welding, but that is a certain temperature range that isnt achieved in a house fire or toaster oven when baking powder coat.

Anyone care to give me a chmistry lesson as to why lead hardens when other metals soften? Or maybe prove what i was thinking right tamhat boolits soften when powder coated.

Thanks.

[bradshaw]

Joe S.... short of your requested chemistry lesson, my limited work with Tank's powder coated bullets cast from alloy indicates said bullets take on elastic behavior which emphatically increases punch at moderate velocity. While a bullet which does not expand at all may not lead, it depends entirely on nose shape for wollop. Powder coating insulates a soft bullet against soldering the bore.

Against those who claim a jacketed bullet deserves no home in a handgun, powder coating has the potential to increase punch while reducing fouling----without a jacket.
David Bradshaw

[Joe S.]

I have read your threads and seen the pictures and I thank you for your reply. It seems to me that maybe at some point in the temp range, you may harden the bullets, but if you keep it below that point, you soften the bullet, which is part of the luster of powdercoating to me.

I am not totally against jacketed in a handgun. My Max gets a steady diet of 180 XTP's, but I do love how cost effective shooting cast is. I also love the idea of taking game with a cast bullet, so any chance to turn up the speed and keep leading down in the same step is welcomed.