Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

[mac1911]

Pistol.

These are Hi-tech coated bullets.

I did slug the bore to .3575.

I cant help with the Hi-tech. Thought they would not lead?
Revolver? Should have asked.
Anyhow
Revolver down and dirty , bullets sized to throat.
Usually .001” over jacket is ok.

But as we all need to be aware the throats can be off size and different sizes. Along with the forcing cone being over/under size.

Down and dirty. Drop bullets down the cylinder they should not free fall through. They should also not need to be hammered through.

S nice resisting push through fit should get you there. Check each cylinder with a new bullet. I have no way to picture my bore scope anymore so I cant show you my old 38spl revolver with a diet of tumble lubed cast through it.

 

[ddeck]

I cant help with the Hi-tech. Thought they would not lead?
Revolver? Should have asked.
Anyhow
Revolver down and dirty , bullets sized to throat.
Usually .001” over jacket is ok.

But as we all need to be aware the throats can be off size and different sizes. Along with the forcing cone being over/under size.

Down and dirty. Drop bullets down the cylinder they should not free fall through. They should also not need to be hammered through.

S nice resisting push through fit should get you there. Check each cylinder with a new bullet. I have no way to picture my bore scope anymore so I cant show you my old 38spl revolver with a diet of tumble lubed cast through it.

This is an auto loader.

I also could try adding another coat of Hi-tech.

I definitely have some things to try. I was just hoping that the .358 would work

 

[mac1911]

This is an auto loader.

I also could try adding another coat of Hi-tech.

I definitely have some things to try. I was just hoping that the .358 would work

Have you chamber cast your barrel throat/lead/bore?

Will help a lot. I assume 9mm ?
Do you know your barrel twist.

I have to assume the gas pressure is getting past the bullet. Genrally how leading starts

 

[ddeck]

I have not chambercast it.

Yes, 9mm.

1:10 twist rate.

 

[mac1911]

I have not chambercast it.

Yes, 9mm.

1:10 twist rate.

Be nice if they put a slower twist in 9mm.

I have not loaded a lot of 9mm
I run 9mm cast through my P38 I run them as dropped from the mold with lee tumble lube.

Its the only 9mm hand gun I own.

I have not chambercast it.

Yes, 9mm.

1:10 twist rate.

never really understood why 9mm uses 1:10
Not something like 1:16 ?
Anyhow eventually you find the sweet spot.

 

[240Geezer]

Really? I find it pretty simple and well worth the results. Unless spray in graphite can do the same thing easier then it would be a no go for me.

If I want easy I just lube size. If I want no smoke and no lube in the nooks and crannies of my carry guns then I coat.

How is HiTek not tedious?
Step 1: Mix powder and acetone Step 2: Wait
Step 3: Pour some mixture on some bullets and shake.
Step 3: Wait.
Step 4: Check bullets for solvent evaporation.
Step 5: Wait.
Step 6: Bake bullets.
Step 7: Wait.
Step 8: Remove bullets.
Step 9: Wait.
Step 10: Repeat steps 1-10

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

How is HiTek not tedious?
Step 1: Mix powder and acetone Step 2: Wait
Step 3: Pour some mixture on some bullets and shake.
Step 3: Wait.
Step 4: Check bullets for solvent evaporation.
Step 5: Wait.
Step 6: Bake bullets.
Step 7: Wait.
Step 8: Remove bullets.
Step 9: Wait.
Step 10: Repeat steps 1-10

This is not too tedious compared to some reloading tasks. Especially since you can do hundreds and maybe thousands at a time if you have the oven for it. Really you’re talking about 30-45 minutes or so to coat as many as you can fit in an oven.
Tumble 1 minute
Dry 5-10 minutes depending on your set up
Bake 10 minutes
Cool 3-5 minutes
Tumble 1 minute
Dry 5-10 minutes
Bake 10 minutes

I would rather lube size for speed.

What kind of results are you getting from the graphite? If it’s faster than hi-tek and results are similar or even a little less performance then I say go for it.

Hi-tek does take some time but I don’t think it’s not worth the effort. Especially when performance is needed

 

[mac1911]

oh, here I was thinking what a pain in the ass to heat up the Lee liquid ALOX . Give a few squirts into the old Cool Whip tub full of bullets and give it a shake.

 

[240Geezer]

I just dropped the 9mm that got graphite. They need to harden a couple of week before size and load.
I will report on results.

Done with HyTek and you're just making my case.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

I just dropped the 9mm that got graphite. They need to harden a couple of week before size and load.
I will report on results.

Done with HyTek and you're just making my case.

Let me know how they work.

 

[mac1911]

I just dropped the 9mm that got graphite. They need to harden a couple of week before size and load.
I will report on results.

Done with HyTek and you're just making my case.

Graphite, that shit seems to get everywhere but where you want it. just be careful with graphite around aluminum. I remember. way way back I can’t remember if it was Ellie or Remington came out with the graphite coated 22 long rifle match ammo what a mess

 

[240Geezer]

All I can do is try it.
If you shoot its messy period.
If it wasn't you'd never need to clean a gun.

 

[p..]

Have you ever tried running cast in 357 without magnum primers. I have all that enforcer coming I could give it a try with. I’ll do some google searching on it to see if it had issues with non magnum primers.

I have a little experience with Enforcer in 357 using Speer #4211 158g JHPs. It was okay with CCI550s, but it did not like Federal #200s at all. I would stay with CCI550s or 400s. Honestly after seeing how it ran with Federal #200s, I didn't even try standard small pistol.

Date​

# loaded​

Case​

Caliber​

Powder type​

Powder charge​

Primer​

Bullet​

overall length​

comments​

Average​

St Dev​

Max​

Min​

Extreme spread​

12/04/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

13.5g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

Seemed okay, much less recoil and sound than 2400​

1047​

81​

1104​

905​

199​

12/04/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

13.5g​

Federal 200 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

Weak! Felt like 38 special. Some unburned chunks of powder left in cylinder and barrel.​

829​

50​

899​

758​

141​

12/13/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

14.2g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

35 degrees out. Felt about like the 16.7g H110 load. Mid day bright sun so not sure about muzzle flash. Primers slightly flattened, no cratering.​

1157​

40​

1188​

1093​

95​

12/13/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

H110​

16.7g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

No hard extractions, no primer cratering. 35 degrees out though.​

1129​

23​

1157​

1093​

64​

 

[mac1911]

All I can do is try it.
If you shoot its messy period.
If it wasn't you'd never need to clean a gun.

Wait , your supposed to clean them.

 

[mac1911]

I just dropped the 9mm that got graphite. They need to harden a couple of week before size and load.
I will report on results.

Done with HyTek and you're just making my case.

Dont they have to age again after sizing?

I have read all about aged bullets.
I personally have not held to any consistency on the practice.
I have dropped bullets , lubed and sized then loaded with in hours to shoot the next day also have loaded bullets that where much older.
Im not sure I could ever tell the difference.
When I was casting some hard bullets , pushing 20 bhn I could feel a difference when sizing after they aged a month or so

 

[240Geezer]

These are dead soft with a little tin for flow out. I've sized after casting, then coated, then sized again. They almost fall through the die the second time.

 

[ddeck]

How is HiTek not tedious?
Step 1: Mix powder and acetone Step 2: Wait
Step 3: Pour some mixture on some bullets and shake.
Step 3: Wait.
Step 4: Check bullets for solvent evaporation.
Step 5: Wait.
Step 6: Bake bullets.
Step 7: Wait.
Step 8: Remove bullets.
Step 9: Wait.
Step 10: Repeat steps 1-10

I’ll add that once it is done there is nothing on the bullets to melt or be tacky. I can Hi-Tech the bullets and just leave them there. Then, when I load them I don’t have to worry about getting my hands dirty or worrying about lube.

 

[Jay77]

I have a little experience with Enforcer in 357 using Speer #4211 158g JHPs. It was okay with CCI550s, but it did not like Federal #200s at all. I would stay with CCI550s or 400s. Honestly after seeing how it ran with Federal #200s, I didn't even try standard small pistol.

Date​

# loaded​

Case​

Caliber​

Powder type​

Powder charge​

Primer​

Bullet​

overall length​

comments​

Average​

St Dev​

Max​

Min​

Extreme spread​

12/04/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

13.5g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

Seemed okay, much less recoil and sound than 2400​

1047​

81​

1104​

905​

199​

12/04/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

13.5g​

Federal 200 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

Weak! Felt like 38 special. Some unburned chunks of powder left in cylinder and barrel.​

829​

50​

899​

758​

141​

12/13/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

Enforcer​

14.2g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

35 degrees out. Felt about like the 16.7g H110 load. Mid day bright sun so not sure about muzzle flash. Primers slightly flattened, no cratering.​

1157​

40​

1188​

1093​

95​

12/13/22​

5​

GECO​

357 Magnum​

H110​

16.7g​

CCI 550 mspp​

Speer #4211 158g JHP​

1.585”​

No hard extractions, no primer cratering. 35 degrees out though.​

1129​

23​

1157​

1093​

64​

Thanks for the info and I’ll run some test loads and report back. I love True Blue but ended up with some enforcer for the time being.

 

[Jay77]

This is not too tedious compared to some reloading tasks. Especially since you can do hundreds and maybe thousands at a time if you have the oven for it. Really you’re talking about 30-45 minutes or so to coat as many as you can fit in an oven.
Tumble 1 minute
Dry 5-10 minutes depending on your set up
Bake 10 minutes
Cool 3-5 minutes
Tumble 1 minute
Dry 5-10 minutes
Bake 10 minutes

I would rather lube size for speed.

What kind of results are you getting from the graphite? If it’s faster than hi-tek and results are similar or even a little less performance then I say go for it.

Hi-tek does take some time but I don’t think it’s not worth the effort. Especially when performance is needed

As a fellow person that had shared in the Hi-tek frustration but at the same time has coated about twenty five pounds this week alone. Throw out the problems you are having and someone will help you along. I’m pretty much at the point of only running FMJ 9mm and donating my molds as door prizes. I would have blamed HiTek but it’s my Dillon Die is swaging down the bullet. I took the same bullet from the same lot and ran it with zero issues as a full boat 357 round.

 

[ddeck]

As a fellow person that had shared in the Hi-tek frustration but at the same time has coated about twenty five pounds this week alone. Throw out the problems you are having and someone will help you along. I’m pretty much at the point of only running FMJ 9mm and donating my molds as door prizes. I would have blamed HiTek but it’s my Dillon Die is swaging down the bullet. I took the same bullet from the same lot and ran it with zero issues as a full boat 357 round.

Thanks for the experience with 9mm. I am thinking the same thing, go with plated for 9. This means that I'll probably just end shooting more 45 and 38/357.

I thought I might be able to reuse those molds in 38 special, which is probably what I'll end up doing if I can't get the 9mm to reliably work. (Although I may just shoot 50 at a time, clean the barrel and be back in business).

 

[mac1911]

These are dead soft with a little tin for flow out. I've sized after casting, then coated, then sized again. They almost fall through the die the second time.

Thanks for the experience with 9mm. I am thinking the same thing, go with plated for 9. This means that I'll probably just end shooting more 45 and 38/357.

I thought I might be able to reuse those molds in 38 special, which is probably what I'll end up doing if I can't get the 9mm to reliably work. (Although I may just shoot 50 at a time, clean the barrel and be back in business).

I never really jumped into 9mm for shooting. Especially trying to shoot a X ring aka NRA B6 50 yards NRA B8 25 yards I could never get 9mm to shoot as well as 45 or 38
Shooting pustol these days is mostly with my 2 carry guns for HOT shooting. Everything else is shot for fun. I recently put 50 rounds of some 45 acp that operates the slide in slow motion.

185 gn semi wad cutter at about 650 fps. Could be less. Great target load. I had 2 individuals ( seems light cast loads are a mystery to many) approach be to ask why my gun smokes so much…. I wanted to say they where defensive smoke screening projectiles……anyway I just told them they are custom target loads. When they viewed my target they asked with serious interest “ how the f*** do you get clean holes like that” typical wad cutter clean holes. Gave them a quick run down and soon their interest diminished.
Ended with “can you buy ammo like that” …….

 

[mac1911]

Only think keeping my from hytek coating is time/space/money Im not really shooting enough to warrant it.

Maybe when I run out of Alox or bullet lube.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Thanks for the experience with 9mm. I am thinking the same thing, go with plated for 9. This means that I'll probably just end shooting more 45 and 38/357.

I thought I might be able to reuse those molds in 38 special, which is probably what I'll end up doing if I can't get the 9mm to reliably work. (Although I may just shoot 50 at a time, clean the barrel and be back in business).

You guys need to figure the 9mm. @ddeck what gun are you shooting it out of?
@Jay77 what gun are you using

Some guns just suck for cast like my S&W shield that just wouldn’t work with anything.

 

[ddeck]

You guys need to figure the 9mm. @ddeck what gun are you shooting it out of?
@Jay77 what gun are you using

Some guns just suck for cast like my S&W shield that just wouldn’t work with anything.

I’m not giving up yet! (But good to know there is a backup).

Beretta 92fs.

 

[Jay77]

everything 9. Shield, four g17 barrels, sig p938

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

I’m not giving up yet! (But good to know there is a backup).

Beretta 92fs.

everything 9. Shield, four g17 barrels, sig p938

What alloy?

Do you water drop on the last coat and allow to age harden for a week or two?

@ddeck I know you pulled bullets to make sure they didn’t swage down. @Jay77 how about you?

You’re getting enough bell to not shave the coating? Seating and crimping in separate steps?

If you guys are in the area at anytime I can meet up and give you some of my bullets and some loaded ammo to see how it runs.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

everything 9. Shield, four g17 barrels, sig p938

I see you problem. You’re just using junk guns. You need some quality firearms.

 

[mac1911]

Loading Cast Bullets in the 9mm Luger | Fouling Shot Magazine| Join CBA | Cast Bullet Forum

Written by Steve Tucker, this article appeared in the Nov/Dec 1999 #142, issue of the Fouling Shot.<br&

castbulletassoc.org

 

[Jay77]

I popped the cherry on the 50 year old virgin and poured these. It’s the first time I ever used a single cavity mold and I actually found it to be a pleasurable experience.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

View attachment 859397

I popped the cherry on the 50 year old virgin and poured these. It’s the first time I ever used a single cavity mold and I actually found it to be a pleasurable experience.

Man those look beautiful! I love that bullet. Let us know how she shoots.