I’m a PC’er

[bigmuddy]

I rejected the idea of ever powder coating bullets. It seemed like a lot of extra effort without much added benefit. After seeing some of the results others were getting, maybe there was some benefit, but still a lot of mess and effort and my cast and lubed bullets were working fine.

I took advantage of Trey’s (101Airborns) extremely generous offer of free powder, bought some good lead from Jim(axman), but still was reluctant. Then I listened to Dick’s (Sixshot) podcast on HHI explaining how easy the process actually is. Ok, I’ll give it a try!

I started a little over a week ago and I am totally sold! It is much easier than I expected. My wife found a toaster oven at a thrift shop for $15. My bullets are coming out great and my bores are clean as a whistle. (Actually my lead and lubed bullets left my bores clean as well). I really like being able to shoot softer bullets for use on our deer. A bonus today was shooting my 2nd Gen Colt with the large throats common in that model and having all of my shots hitting the same spot. I’ve done the “hammer test” and the bullet just flattens like a quarter.

I’m like a kid with a new toy! Why did I wait so long?? Thanks to Trey, Jim, and Dick. One question… anybody need any bullet lube?😀

Dan

[ideal]

I was the same way at first.

[fm027]

I too am fairly new to powder coating, started about 2yrs ago. I never had any (bad) complaints with traditional lube as far as my guns' range/field performance goes but I did get tired of the lube sticking up my fingers at the loading bench and gumming up my dies over time too. Powder coating eliminated both those hinderances completely. You'll see those positives show too Dan.

Also. Something that's probably not considered often, is the weather-driven discolouration that forms on bare lead when exposed to the elements over & over. I personally like to leave a box of spare shells or 2 in my trappers cabin, for emergency's, and have found powder coat has entirely eliminated the dusty/cakey film off my bullets that used to form (rather quickly) due to the humidity fluctuations a cabin in the bush goes through season to season. My spare ammo from 2yrs ago still looks like the day I set it down in there. I know it's irrelevant, firing filmed-over weathered lead, but they do look like hell once that crap forms ... powder coat cures it

[foxtrapper]

Same here! I too resisted! Thought it would be a giant mess ,it isn’t . Took up Trey’s extremely generous offer and was off to the races!

[x101airborne]

Im grinnin like a possum eating....

[magpouch]

I too have been blessed by Trey (the "Powder Fairy") and cannot thank him enough for the powder. Most generous is an understatement!

[x101airborne]

Jun 16, 2024 8:23:44 GMT -5 magpouch said:

I too have been blessed by Trey (the "Powder Fairy") and cannot thank him enough for the powder. Most generous is an understatement!

LOL! Well, at least I'm not the "Tinsel Fairy", so I will take that as a compliment. LOL. Me and that SOB have a hate-hate relationship. 

[magpouch]

Tinsel Fairy has a bad sense of humor...

[contender]

Several years ago,, I started seeing poly coated bullets show up at USPSA matches. Soon after,, I heard about powder coating,, and about the same time Dick, (sixshot) & Tank (Hoover) both put forth info on how to "shake & bake" Harbor Freight powder onto lead bullets.
Even though I had just purchased 10 sticks of "Veral Smith's Blue" lube,, I grabbed some powder,, some airsoft pellets, a cheap Goodwill toaster oven,, and tried it. Immediate positive results has caused that Veral Lube to stay wrapped up & stored here. I haven't lubed a single bullet since.

So welcome to a more modern approach to an old tradition!

[foxtrapper]

Guys that have switched from lubing to pc. Accurate loads u worked up with traditional lubing, has the accuracy changed with those bullets now powder coated?

[bigmuddy]

Jun 16, 2024 10:24:22 GMT -5 foxtrapper said:

Guys that have switched from lubing to pc. Accurate loads u worked up with traditional lubing, has the accuracy changed with those bullets now powder coated?

I am probably too new to “the game” to completely answer as I have some extremely accurate loads with my lead bullets and have not powder coated all of those yet. But so far, other than the large throated Colt I mentioned accuracy has been virtually the same. I got good accuracy with that gun and bullets sized .454. They still fall through the cylinders so when I tried some Lyman 454190’s “as cast” it improved.

I’m sure the experienced will have more data.

Dan

[Cholla]

Count me in as a new PC-er too, but with reservations.

I've been a traditional luber/sizer for many years. I do so with a Star lubrisizer which is FAST, as in 30 bullets per minute fast. This is important to me because I live where I can shoot as much as I want, any time I want. Therefore the less time I spend piddling with bullets, the more time I spend shooting.

What finally pushed me over the edge is a contrary Blackhawk .41 Magnum that despite over 70 fire-lapping rounds and a bore that now shines like a diamond in the proverbial goats ass, STILL leads.

Although PC-ing has helped reduce the leading in my .41 (but not completely eliminated the problem) I find the process excruciatingly slow.

Jun 16, 2024 10:24:22 GMT -5 foxtrapper said:

Guys that have switched from lubing to pc. Accurate loads u worked up with traditional lubing, has the accuracy changed with those bullets now powder coated?

I firmly believe that it is impossible to make a bullet more accurate by adding a coating to it, simply because it's all but impossible to get an even amount of coating all the way around the bullet. Now, one might get lucky (REAL lucky) and get a PC'ed bullet that is as accurate as a traditionally lubed/sized bullet, but no way would coated bullets that are more accurate. That said, I believe one would really stretch the range to see the accuracy degradation. So far I've only shot to 100 yds., but not enough to see an accuracy loss.

[fm027]

Jun 16, 2024 10:24:22 GMT -5 foxtrapper said:

Guys that have switched from lubing to pc. Accurate loads u worked up with traditional lubing, has the accuracy changed with those bullets now powder coated?

I think the only way to correctly argue powder coating is more accurate is to straighten the statement out by saying it like this... by powder coating vs using traditional lube, your gun will foul less and stay clean longer allowing your accuracy to maintain itself rather than degrade due to the fouling and residues burnt, which melted lube/grease eventually builds up to be in an action/or barrel.

My own tight tolerance guns (revolvers) run smooth longer between cleaning. And tight-chambered cylinders chamber rounds cleanly longer too... using powder coat. I have one Colt with a minimum spec custom chambered cylinder that starts getting fussy to chamber loaded shells into after only a few cylinders fired using traditional lube, yet powder coated ammo and jacketed ammo will literally go for boxes worth of shooting before they do the same (namely) in the throat area. Whatever it is, with the combustion of traditional lubes, you end up with a measurable-degree dirtier gun afterwards than you do when shooting powder coat. That's the part that equals out to accuracy maintained, for longer-- at least in my findings and opinion. I'm sure others will say similar.

I think that's the key part to the whole ordeal. Not really that powder coat is actually any more inherently accurate. The ammo is just able to maintain itself as accurate for longer through a given gun because of its reduced fouling behaviour. Maybe that's the best way to word it(?)

[gnappi]

Jun 16, 2024 10:24:22 GMT -5 foxtrapper said:

Guys that have switched from lubing to pc. Accurate loads u worked up with traditional lubing, has the accuracy changed with those bullets now powder coated?

To be honest, the vast majority on my shooting is indoors nowadays at 75'... the penalty for suburban living.

That said I found no differences in accuracy, but the benefits of a clean seating die free of wax buildup, cleaner bores, and being able to drive the bullets a little faster like I can with TMJ are good enough for me. I also can use the old hard wax bullet lube to flux my lead pot :-)

[daveb]

I've been powder coating for a few years now. Conversations with Dick had me sold. I still check and lube my rifle bullets (300 Win Mag, 375 Ruger, and 45/70), but even the 455 likes the powder coat, and 45 ACP is a no brainer.