Gas check - needs powder coat?

ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
I am loading for my AR15 in 300 blackout. I cast the Lee 180 grain bullet and put Hornady gas checks on them. It’s super easy to tumble lube them with 45 45 10 Alox mix. Is that ok or do I need to powder coat them? They are 1600 FPS +/-.
I don’t care if alox shoots a bit smoky. Every thing feeds fine and no problems in the gas block.
Thanks
Francis
 

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popper

Well-Known Member
Works better if using BLL, less smoke, better lube. In your case, you have 'bare' grooves below the shoulder, so IMHO PC will work better. Gas cutting can blow the lube off those bands and cause inaccuracy and leading. I found PB with BLL didn't work well for high pressure loads. PC PB does work. BLL is basically liquid wax vs paste in the Recluse formula. That looks like a bore riding mould so PC on the nose may give you problems.
 
Dimner

Dimner

Named Man
I love powder coating

However, if you have a load and a lube that is feeding fine and is as accurate as you want, then i wouldn't touch a thing. BLL (alox tumble lube) does 1600fps very easily in my 30 cal rifles. I'd skip powder coating until you ran into a reason to do so.
 
ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
I have yet to get good accuracy with an assortment of powders and loads but my last test using CFE Blk showed promise. My next tests will be with that powder.

powder coated bullets look great but I find it tedious arranging the bullets in my wire tray. Short fat bullets like 45ACP can be stood on their bases. I see some on YouTube just dumping bullets on a tray, into the toaster oven, 20 minutes later they are then dumped into a bucket of water to quench and they all separate easily. When I do that I just get a big clump of bullets.
Thanks
Francis
 
Joshua

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
45/45/10 is good stuff. With a gas check, and two coats, 1600 FPS should be easily attainable.

Edit: I have had good results in 30-30 and 30-06, with this lube gas check combo. 300 BO runs at higher pressure for the same velocity, your results may be different.
 
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Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
If you are making progress towards a load that fulfills your requirements, I would just try with the tumble lube a bit more.
As Popper pointed out, you might get feeding issues with powder coat on a bore-riding bullet, like the Lee c309-180-R.
Good luck!
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I pretty much only Powder coat.
But I see you have something that working so why change?

If ya just want to see. I applaud that and say go for it no you wont "need" a GC for 1600 fps with proper Powder coat.

CW
 
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popper

Well-Known Member
1600 fps with cfeblk is ~ starting load for 180gr so pressure isn't too high. My concern would be accuracy. GC is way below the shoulder, only one drive band in the neck. 100% fill is still OK pressure wise. I shoot 185gr GC PC slick sided in mine but keep the body in the neck. You're probably close to max mag length.
For PC, I shake, stand them up & bake on a hot plate. Dump directly into cold water. 1 or 2 may stick together.
 
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ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
popper said:
1600 with cfeblk is ~ starting load for 180gr so pressure isn't too high. My concern would be accuracy. GC is way below the shoulder.
Click to expand...
If I seat the bullet any longer it engages the rifling before the bolt fully closes. I try to seat deep enough so that there is a little bit of “jump” before the rifling.

this is my first AR and my first rifle cartridge reloading so I will listen to all good advice. I scrounge 223/556 brass, cut, size and trim to make my 300 blackout brass. A number of YouTubeers are using a Lee 160 grain.312” sized to .309” and say they are getting good results. When one of these molds becomes available I will get it.
Thanks
Francis
 
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popper

Well-Known Member
Yes, the 180 is the problem. I mainly use a 145gr GC PC, close to 30/30 performance. It's very close to 150 GD ogive, with a step for PC.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
My favorite 300 cast bullet are the RCBS 762x130 the Lyman 311410 and mostly the LEE 312-1552R bullet. All powder coated wearing GC if so designed.
Good luck

CW
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
meh your doing pretty much what I'm doing, with my 50-75yd. load.

the LEE 230, 45-45 10% beeswax [with a bunch of mineral spirits tossed in] and 3.5-3.7 ish [LEE dippered] 700-X with small rifle primers, in the bolt guns.
last little pile of them I cast I powder coated to see what's what, I expect to have to go up to 4grs. of 700-X to get things back inline again..
simple easy throw a bunch together and go shoot ammo.
 
ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
popper said:
1600 fps with cfeblk is ~ starting load for 180gr so pressure isn't too high. My concern would be accuracy. GC is way below the shoulder, only one drive band in the neck. 100% fill is still OK pressure wise. I shoot 185gr GC PC slick sided in mine but keep the body in the neck. You're probably close to max mag length.
For PC, I shake, stand them up & bake on a hot plate. Dump directly into cold water. 1 or 2 may stick together.
Click to expand...
Popper,
Can you include a picture of a loaded round next to just the bullet?
Thanks
Francis
 
Centaur 1

Centaur 1

New Member
ChestnutLouie said:
I have yet to get good accuracy with an assortment of powders and loads but my last test using CFE Blk showed promise. My next tests will be with that powder.

powder coated bullets look great but I find it tedious arranging the bullets in my wire tray. Short fat bullets like 45ACP can be stood on their bases. I see some on YouTube just dumping bullets on a tray, into the toaster oven, 20 minutes later they are then dumped into a bucket of water to quench and they all separate easily. When I do that I just get a big clump of bullets.
Thanks
Francis
Click to expand...

I use a silicone mini ice cube mold for my 30 caliber bullets. The holes are 3/8" square and 30 caliber bullets stand up nicely. After swirling the bullets in the powder I grab them by the nose with a pair of surgical sponge forceps and stand them up in the ice cube tray. Then bake them in the oven and when it's ready to quench just drop the whole tray into the bucket of water. The silicone easily handles the high temperature and the powder coat won't stick to it. It's only $6.69 for a single tray or if you do a lot of bullets at a time you can get a 3 pack of trays for $11.99.


 
Dimner

Dimner

Named Man
One thing, I'm not sure if has been stressed yet.

When powder coating you will want to size your bullets closer to jacketed bullet diameter. In my AR, I have found that to be 0.001" over jacketed. I'm trying the same with my 303 savage and 7x57 mauser later this week.

I tried the usual uncoated practice of 0.003" over jacketed for about 300 test rounds and was going mad with frustration. The smaller sized made everything come together.
 
ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
Dimner said:
One thing, I'm not sure if has been stressed yet.

When powder coating you will want to size your bullets closer to jacketed bullet diameter. In my AR, I have found that to be 0.001" over jacketed. I'm trying the same with my 303 savage and 7x57 mauser later this week.

I tried the usual uncoated practice of 0.003" over jacketed for about 300 test rounds and was going mad with frustration. The smaller sized made everything come together.
Click to expand...
Centaur 1 said:
I use a silicone mini ice cube mold for my 30 caliber bullets. The holes are 3/8" square and 30 caliber bullets stand up nicely. After swirling the bullets in the powder I grab them by the nose with a pair of surgical sponge forceps and stand them up in the ice cube tray. Then bake them in the oven and when it's ready to quench just drop the whole tray into the bucket of water. The silicone easily handles the high temperature and the powder coat won't stick to it. It's only $6.69 for a single tray or if you do a lot of bullets at a time you can get a 3 pack of trays for $11.99.


Click to expand...
I bought some from Walmart dot com, cost more but a avoid amazon at all costs.
Thanks
Francis
 
ChestnutLouie

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
Dimner said:
One thing, I'm not sure if has been stressed yet.

When powder coating you will want to size your bullets closer to jacketed bullet diameter. In my AR, I have found that to be 0.001" over jacketed. I'm trying the same with my 303 savage and 7x57 mauser later this week.

I tried the usual uncoated practice of 0.003" over jacketed for about 300 test rounds and was going mad with frustration. The smaller sized made everything come together.
Click to expand...
I will that in mind
 
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