PC powder questions

[Tomme boy]

I will give it a try. How long do you shake?

30-45 sec like above. I shake side to side then with the tub I use on its side swirl them around the inside in sweeping motion so they slide up the back side and drop. If that makes sense. Then side to side and repeat the swirling. The side to side gets the powder to side to side so when you swirl them they get a even coat.

Then I dump them into a SS colander to sift out the powder. I shake them and swirl them pretty good. Then dump them onto parchment paper in a pan to bake. Then I take the powder that was sifted and put it back into the tub. I use one of those cheap alum baking pans to sift the powder into. But that SS wire colander was the best thing I have found to sift the powder out and off the bullets. I got mine at either Goodwill or Salvation Army for a buck

 

[Ian]

I use a micrometer when what I do requires it. I figure everyone else does, too, be it a five piece set or none at all.

 

[GSPguy]

I use a micrometer when what I do requires it. I figure everyone else does, too, be it a five piece set or none at all.

Ian, I do understand the right tool for the job.

Just trying for a little humor in these times.

 

[fiver]

no problems.
we been pick-poking each other the last few days.
you just kinda got zoomed around in the joke.

a caliper is far better than a ruler for just seeing .001 type stuff.
the micrometers are a lot more accurate and when you need one it's real nice to have.
but even there having the right one is a lot handier than just having one.

 

[RBHarter]

To often the punch line " measure with a micrometer , mark with chalk , cut with an ax " is both a reality and the point of the quip .

I live by the idea on forums that there are 3 ways to take most responses and there's a 50/50 chance I (most) will choose the wrong intent 99% .

 

[Wasalmonslayer]

Those are nice!
I also tried clear and it has worked out really well for me as well.
No pics as the are all down range at this point but will be casting/coating more soon.

 

[Ian]

Sorry, I didn't mean that in a bad way at all. Most handloading does not require extreme precision.

I used to get wound up about people asking for help with things that ultimately involved precision fitting and then waaaay down the rabbit hole things aren't working out and come to find out their "mike" turns out to be a $10 Chinese digital caliper set that has a +/- .001" tolerance and .001" resolution at best, and no telling what the accuracy actually is (though it can be checked against jacketed bullets for relative accuracy). So I'm trying to get them to fit a bullet to with a couple tenths of the freebore and their instrument is off 1.3 thousandths, and frustration ensues on both ends. These days I make sure all that is squared away (if necessary) before going further.

 

[fiver]

bout like measuring to the tip of a jacketed bullet.
they look good, but.
then you get things dialed in to the rifle.
aaand then the next batch comes along and the machinery is set up by someone else and the ogive changes.... yeaaah.
did it make any difference we could measure on the front or back end of things?
did we even bother measuring on the front side.

 

[358156 hp]

bout like measuring to the tip of a jacketed bullet.
they look good, but.
then you get things dialed in to the rifle.
aaand then the next batch comes along and the machinery is set up by someone else and the ogive changes.... yeaaah.
did it make any difference we could measure on the front or back end of things?
did we even bother measuring on the front side.

I'm fighting this situation right now. I'm taking a short break on some Sierra 65 gr .223s. I don't load a lot of jacketed rifle bullets and I forgot about this just long enough to get pissed off. Plus, some reloading die manufacturers, okay Hornady, cut their bullet seating stems to match their own bullet profiles of course. I imagine RCBS follows Speer profiles, and so on. Now throw the bullet nose variances in there and try not to just throw things around the shop because you're not getting the consistency you expect from yourself.

I will pick this mess up in the morning. This particular batch doesn't require exceptionally high precision, but there ain't no sense in getting sloppy, just because I can.

 

[Tomme boy]

Hornady dies would not fit their own bullets. They sold seating stems for just the tipped bullets.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I don’t use BB‘s at all. No standing them up either.

IF, and that’s a big if, I was shooting HV rifle at longer distances the standing might make sense.

100%
I haven’t used “bbs” in almost a year now.

also I am not knocking clear. I like it too. But guys... it’s CLEAR!! You ain’t gonna see these tiny voids!!!

CW

 

[GSPguy]

CW are doing multiple coats to get them to look that good?

 

[358156 hp]

Hornady dies would not fit their own bullets. They sold seating stems for just the tipped bullets.

It figures. My real problem is with the Sierra bullets anyway, I had two consecutive rounds come out with different overall lengths. So I stopped and got out my trusty Hornady Bullet Comparator & checked OAL to the ogive. Yup, OAK to the ogive matches, but full cartridge OAL varies a lot, base to tip. Oh well, they're just hunting loads.

 

[JWFilips]

I have never been able to do PC coating multiple times with success! I usually resize to the point that the PC coating brings it back to where I need it ....which is usually .002" per side if using smoke's clear

 

[Ian]

I coated twice a few times but the coating gets lumpier every time. The last time I did it I cooked the bullets just until the powder glossed out nicely and let them cool, then ciated again and did a full bake so the layers cross-linked together.

 

[Intel6]

I started out with two bags of Eastwood grey PC and I am still using it. Will try others as I like the variety but the grey looks good so I will stick with it until I get low.

I really got started with PC so I could coat a few NOE .458" designs that were made specifically for coating. I wanted to coat these bullets for loading in .458 SOCOM for shooting in an AR15 and wanted the tougher coating. In the first pic you can see the NOE 360 gr. and the NOE 500 gr. The NOE 360 gr. bullet has a crimp groove because it is for loading in the 45-70 but I wanted it for the SOCOM also. You can see it loaded in the 45-70 and to the crimp groove in the SOCOM case in the second pic.




I then tried it out on the NOE MOAB .458" mould that makes a 600 gr. solid and a 570 gr HP with a deep HP pin installed in the mould.



Some other bullet sI have done were for the .500 S&W. I have the NOE mould that makes a 700 gr. solid and with the deep HP pin a large mouth HP. In the first pic (sorry crappy pic) you can see the Lee 450 gr. bullet and the NOE 700 gr. bullet. In the second pic you can see the lee loaded to two different lengths and then the big mouth HP and the solid.







I have also started PCing most of my rifle bullets for my milsurps but those don't look as cool as the big cals.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

CW are doing multiple coats to get them to look that good?

Single Coat. Only time I multi coat is if I need diameter


As for how long to “shake”.

Tommy answered very well.

What I can add is this; The reason to “shake” is to creat static. You don’t create static when bullets are “airborne” in container. It comes from friction. That’s why he says SWIRL more than “shake”. Although shaking is required to knock down coating so swirl 90% and shake 10%
It’s a non finite science. Make it your own. Sometimes you will coat fully in 10sec while other times it’s full 30-45 sec and sore arms.
Thinking of that, that’s probably as good a timer as any. Swirl till your arms start to fatigue. Ya probably won’t be much under 45-60 sec unless your much younger than I am. (55) hahaha Just Tao the top, wait a couple seconds. DONT INHALE as ya open and peek. If well Coated dump and sift and bake. If NOT wellCoated. Go back to swirling!

Be safe guys! It’s gettin rear real out there.

CW

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I started out with two bags of Eastwood grey PC and I am still using it. Will try others as I like the variety but the grey looks good so I will stick with it until I get low.

I really got started with PC so I could coat a few NOE .458" designs that were made specifically for coating. I wanted to coat these bullets for loading in .458 SOCOM for shooting in an AR15 and wanted the tougher coating. In the first pic you can see the NOE 360 gr. and the NOE 500 gr. The NOE 360 gr. bullet has a crimp groove because it is for loading in the 45-70 but I wanted it for the SOCOM also. You can see it loaded in the 45-70 and to the crimp groove in the SOCOM case in the second pic.

View attachment 13928
View attachment 13931

I then tried it out on the NOE MOAB .458" mould that makes a 600 gr. solid and a 570 gr HP with a deep HP pin installed in the mould.

View attachment 13932

Some other bullet sI have done were for the .500 S&W. I have the NOE mould that makes a 700 gr. solid and with the deep HP pin a large mouth HP. In the first pic (sorry crappy pic) you can see the Lee 450 gr. bullet and the NOE 700 gr. bullet. In the second pic you can see the lee loaded to two different lengths and then the big mouth HP and the solid.

View attachment 13935


View attachment 13934


I have also started PCing most of my rifle bullets for my milsurps but those don't look as cool as the big cals.

Very beautiful work!

 

[GSPguy]

You guys are killing me! I guess I am going to have try harder.

I want those same great results you are getting!

 

[Sandspider500]

I started out with two bags of Eastwood grey PC and I am still using it. Will try others as I like the variety but the grey looks good so I will stick with it until I get low.

I really got started with PC so I could coat a few NOE .458" designs that were made specifically for coating. I wanted to coat these bullets for loading in .458 SOCOM for shooting in an AR15 and wanted the tougher coating. In the first pic you can see the NOE 360 gr. and the NOE 500 gr. The NOE 360 gr. bullet has a crimp groove because it is for loading in the 45-70 but I wanted it for the SOCOM also. You can see it loaded in the 45-70 and to the crimp groove in the SOCOM case in the second pic.

View attachment 13928
View attachment 13931

I then tried it out on the NOE MOAB .458" mould that makes a 600 gr. solid and a 570 gr HP with a deep HP pin installed in the mould.

View attachment 13932

Some other bullet sI have done were for the .500 S&W. I have the NOE mould that makes a 700 gr. solid and with the deep HP pin a large mouth HP. In the first pic (sorry crappy pic) you can see the Lee 450 gr. bullet and the NOE 700 gr. bullet. In the second pic you can see the lee loaded to two different lengths and then the big mouth HP and the solid.

View attachment 13935


View attachment 13934


I have also started PCing most of my rifle bullets for my milsurps but those don't look as cool as the big cals.

Geeez, that's some heavy stuff.