Powder Coating Cast Bullets

[DrivesGuy]

I have been toying with the idea about powder coating cast bullets. With the EPA now banning lead bullets, I was thinking about casting my own. I have the Lyman casting book on order from Amazon. I want to read up on it 1st before taking the plunge. I have read other threads where other Reloading enthusiasts have powder coated their cast bullets. The one person who does this says the bullets should be sized after powder coating. Has anyone here ever experimented with powder coating cast bullets?

 

[Nimaro]

I guess I missed the memo? When did cast bullets become illegal?

 

[uncle money bags]

I guess I missed the memo? When did cast bullets become illegal?

Depends on when and where you live. coming soon to a state near you!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/2...-regulations-bans-force-switch-to-green-ammo/

 

[Nimaro]

Fun times ahead

 

[ASP785]

Depends on when and where you live. coming soon to a state near you!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/2...-regulations-bans-force-switch-to-green-ammo/

I posted a thread in the general section with that link. After further research, I still can only find that California banned lead ammo. The article lists "two dozen" states. Sierra bullets stated they didn't buy anything from Doe Run as they use recycled lead. I don't know where the article gets its information but I find it off base. Regardless, I am sure industry will eventually move in the lead free direction anyway.

 

[DrivesGuy]

I posted a thread in the general section with that link. After further research, I still can only find that California banned lead ammo. The article lists "two dozen" states. Sierra bullets stated they didn't buy anything from Doe Run as they use recycled lead. I don't know where the article gets its information but I find it off base. Regardless, I am sure industry will eventually move in the lead free direction anyway.

After I read the article, I checked Midway for bullets. Good Golly Miss Molly. It was like Old Mother Hubbard. That was when I went ahead and ordered the Lyman casting book so I can read up on it. I did a little research on powder coating and there was this fellow on the AR15 thread who was powder coating his cast bullets, I figured I would investigate it further by seeing if someone here had done this and what kind of results they had.

 

[Calamity Jake]

I have been toying with the idea about powder coating cast bullets. With the EPA now banning lead bullets, I was thinking about casting my own. I have the Lyman casting book on order from Amazon. I want to read up on it 1st before taking the plunge. I have read other threads where other Reloading enthusiasts have powder coated their cast bullets. The one person who does this says the bullets should be sized after powder coating. Has anyone here ever experimented with powder coating cast bullets?

Take a look here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?171403-Powder-Coating-Boolits

 

[DrivesGuy]

Thanks Jake. We'll see how it goes. I need to master casting the bullets 1st. I figured I would use Linotype, since it is a bit harder than pure lead. I might even invest in a small machinist lathe to line bore a hollow point after casting. I should probably look into some ballistic gelatin too to see how well a hollow point bullet that has been cast will work. I can get copper ground rod from Rexel here locally and try machining some copper bullets as well to see how they fair. I was thinking about swaging, but the cost from Corbin was a bit high and I did not see any dies for the 7.62 x 39 Russian either (AK owner here ).

 

[Rod Snell]

Thanks Jake. We'll see how it goes. I need to master casting the bullets 1st. I figured I would use Linotype, since it is a bit harder than pure lead. I might even invest in a small machinist lathe to line bore a hollow point after casting. I should probably look into some ballistic gelatin too to see how well a hollow point bullet that has been cast will work. ).

You can save a lot of leaning curve by getting a mentor or getting on the castbullets forum.
Selection of alloy to match caliber and speed is essential.
With something as hard as linotype, a hollowpoint is just decoration. If it hits hard enough to expand, it will just shatter.
Commercial hollow points use soft lead inside the jacket, which controls expansion.
If you cast a bullet out of softer lead 1:20, a hollowpoint will expand at brisk pistol velocities, but will lead like crazy at magnum or rifle speeds.

 

[DrivesGuy]

You can save a lot of leaning curve by getting a mentor or getting on the castbullets forum.
Selection of alloy to match caliber and speed is essential.
With something as hard as linotype, a hollowpoint is just decoration. If it hits hard enough to expand, it will just shatter.
Commercial hollow points use soft lead inside the jacket, which controls expansion.
If you cast a bullet out of softer lead 1:20, a hollowpoint will expand at brisk pistol velocities, but will lead like crazy at magnum or rifle speeds.

Thank You Rod. I had read about how Corbin would swage lead wire. I can only assume they were using lead wire in the diameter of the round, like say 30 caliber. I also wondered about copper plating the bullet. I have a few rounds of cast bullets 130 grain for my 7.62 x 39. I though I might experiment with coating or plating them 1st then seeing how they respond in ballistic gelatin.