Cast or Coated

[CoalTrain49]

Gave away all of my uncoated lead years ago and switched to coated. Less smoke and no barrel leading. Other than the cost I can't tell the difference. I don't feel like I need to wear latex gloves when I load anymore either.

Missouri, Acme and Bayou bullets have all worked for me. I don't really have a preference when I can find the style and weight I want.

 

[Tall]

My local indoor range only allows plated, powder coated, or jacketed ammo so I don't have a choice. I get some wadcutters that are swaged and then powder coated but all of the other bullets I buy are cast, and then either plated (Berry's) or powder coated.

 

[lightman]

White Label Lube works great I ordered from them about every 6 months. Commercial Grade 160.

They are nice people to visit with and even have a range at their house. I use the Canuba Red. Its a high temp lube that requires a heater. But all of their lube is good.

 

[rtufixer]

Coated is all I shoot now. It's replacing my plated bullets because of cost.

 

[Seedy Character]

90% of what I shoot is powder coated. 5% are LSWC. 5% are jacketed.

I buy from several bullet makers. I shoot mostly Cowboy Action. No jacketed bullets.
I prefer PC due to handling lead and the ease of clean up. Combo of PC and Hy-Tek, no difference.

Inside no smoke is a secondary advantage of PC.

Powder Coated works great in .223, .30-30, .30-06 and .45-70. Not just pistol calibers.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I coat with Harbor Freight Red. I bake my bullets in a $20 toaster oven I got from Wal Mart. When people ask why my bullets are red, I explain that I'm the Lone Ranger, and those silver bullets are expensive, so I paint them red so I can find them again.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Buying and shooting outdoors

You might want to take up casting considering how much advice you’re getting on the subject. I don’t think anyone but me and @Charlie98 got that you are looking to buy bullets and aren’t shooting at an indoor range.

 

[BJung]

Thanks for lighting the way GeoDude. Back on track, I'd say the coated bullets are better than the lubed bullets because I never notice my coated bullets smoking while lubed bullets that I used have in the past.

 

[41 Mag]

I pour my own and use both conventional type lubes as well as powder coating using products from Smoke4320.

In quite a few of my loads it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference accuracy or velocity wise, but in some it has, and due to using these for hunting, I prefer one or the other.

That said for the SWC's I run through my ACPs I usually just use a light coat of 45-45-10 from White Label Lube. I use a vacuum seal bag, dump in a hundred or so, drizzle in a little of the lube, then heat them up with a hair dryer. Then I tumble them up good and pour them out on a sheet of wax paper. Once cool ill size, repeat, and load. Once done there is hardly enough on them to see but it works great and doesn't goop everything up.

 

[AJC1]

I pour my own and use both conventional type lubes as well as powder coating using products from Smoke4320.

In quite a few of my loads it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference accuracy or velocity wise, but in some it has, and due to using these for hunting, I prefer one or the other.

That said for the SWC's I run through my ACPs I usually just use a light coat of 45-45-10 from White Label Lube. I use a vacuum seal bag, dump in a hundred or so, drizzle in a little of the lube, then heat them up with a hair dryer. Then I tumble them up good and pour them out on a sheet of wax paper. Once cool ill size, repeat, and load. Once done there is hardly enough on them to see but it works great and doesn't goop everything up.

Does the 45-45-10 dry. The formula they use on 22lr would be amazing to know.

 

[Smokin Gator]

The only bullets I cast are black powder big lube bullets. Pan lube. I buy my smokeless bullets from several different manufacturers that use the hitech coating. Clean to handle and no leading, easy to clean barrels. It would be different if there was a big cost difference but there isn't.

 

[Smokin Gator]

As far as someone new to reloading it's likely going to be difficult to find inexpensive lead or alloys to use. Some people have literally tons of lead they got cheap or free. That's tough to do now. I've checked out buying alloy and in some cases it's not that much cheaper then an equivalent amount of cast and coated bullets.

As I said in have cast black powder bullets but really can't imagine casting enough for the amount of smokeless I shoot.

 

[Bayou52]

I cast my own projectiles for: 38/357, 45acp, 30 carbine, 30-06 and 32 Win SPL. I powder coat for all of them, and the rifle bullets are additionally gas checked.

I used to size and wax but PC'ing is a game changer and I use my little remaining sizing wax as flux in my casting pot.

The PC'ed rifle and pistol projectiles are both clean and accurate, and there's no going back to waxing...

Pic of some of my PC'ed projectiles:




Bayou52

 

[dannyd]

Okay, you guy's that PC; How long would it take to PC my shelf stock 21 quart cans holding about 450 and 500 bullets each, so will say about 10,000?

 

[Y-T71]

Does the 45-45-10 dry. The formula they use on 22lr would be amazing to know.

I made my own 45-44-10 when I started casting my own and mine never dried; of course, it's entirely plausible that I didn't do something right.

I doubt that it would've mattered in the end because I didn't like the smoke associated with it and it only took a couple of shots with PC'd that I decided that was the way to go forward personally.

 

[AJC1]

Okay, you guy's that PC; How long would it take to PC my shelf stock 21 quart cans holding about 450 and 500 bullets each, so will say about 10,000?

View attachment 1112578

Watch the loads of bacon videos where he basket powder coats. If you just go for it, a weekend.

 

[AJC1]

I cast my own projectiles for: 38/357, 45acp, 30 carbine, 30-06 and 32 Win SPL. I powder coat for all of them, and the rifle bullets are additionally gas checked.

I used to size and wax but PC'ing is a game changer and I use my little remaining sizing wax as flux in my casting pot.

The PC'ed rifle and pistol projectiles are both clean and accurate, and there's no going back to waxing...

Pic of some of my PC'ed projectiles:

View attachment 1112570


Bayou52

Looks like a hollowpoint rifle bullet snuck in the pile lower left. Sure would like to try something like that out....

 

[Y-T71]

Okay, you guy's that PC; How long would it take to PC my shelf stock 21 quart cans holding about 450 and 500 bullets each, so will say about 10,000?

View attachment 1112578

Couple of relaxing evenings with a nice bourbon, neat.

 

[Bayou52]

Looks like a hollowpoint rifle bullet snuck in the pile lower left. Sure would like to try something like that out....

Yes, in fact, I cast hollow point projectiles for the 30-06. So that is one of my cast projectiles in the pic. They perform quite well!

Bayou52

 

[Y-T71]

What I had laying around.
Honestly, only a few hours in the evening for a few days or a couple of rainy weekends.

 

[dannyd]

Now gentleman let keep things in perspective. 10,000 bullets in the oven alone would take 7 hours to cook 500 at a time for 20 minutes. So it going to take more than a weekend; Figure an hour per 500 (being generous) that 21 hours of elapsed time. That's at least three full work days if everything goes right.

Now if I add an input to the forum it's because I have done it. So if I have an option it's just that but it is a factual opinion.

I tried PC and for me it's never going to beat a property setup Star.

That's a factual opinion

 

[Y-T71]

Now gentleman let keep things in perspective. 10,000 bullets in the oven alone would take 7 hours to cook 500 at a time for 20 minutes. So it going to take more than a weekend; Figure an hour per 500 (being generous) that 21 hours of elapsed time. That's at least three full work days if everything goes right.

Now if I add an input to the forum it's because I have done it. So if I have an option it's just that but it is a factual opinion.

I tried PC and for me it's never going to beat a property setup Star.

That's a factual opinion

View attachment 1112613 View attachment 1112614

I appreciate and respect your civil approach to a disagreement .

I also, respectfully, stand by my statement of "a few hours in the evening for a few days" and "a couple of rainy weekends".

I simply cannot narrow it down to the exact times involved because that's not how it works for me; I do a tray or two when I have time or just feel like doing it and that amounts to the time frame I've stated.

And that's my factual opinion.

Are you able to do more in less time?
Maybe.

We all have expectations of results from our time invested in these types of projects and that's really what this boils down to; what's acceptable to you.

 

[AJC1]

Now gentleman let keep things in perspective. 10,000 bullets in the oven alone would take 7 hours to cook 500 at a time for 20 minutes. So it going to take more than a weekend; Figure an hour per 500 (being generous) that 21 hours of elapsed time. That's at least three full work days if everything goes right.

Now if I add an input to the forum it's because I have done it. So if I have an option it's just that but it is a factual opinion.

I tried PC and for me it's never going to beat a property setup Star.

That's a factual opinion

View attachment 1112613 View attachment 1112614

If I had that many bullets to coat there is zero chance I would do one batch at a time. A trip to the goodwill would have me using 2 or 3 at a time.

 

[Y-T71]

If I had that many bullets to coat there is zero chance I would do one batch at a time. A trip to the goodwill would have me using 2 or 3 at a time.

I wouldn't attempt to coat 10,000 at one time.

I would budget my time to something much more manageable.

Of course, casting, coating, reloading and shooting are more than a "means to an end" for many of us, it's enjoyable and even therapeutic at times.

 

[AJC1]

I wouldn't attempt to coat 10,000 at one time.

I would budget my time to something much more manageable.

Of course, casting, coating, reloading and shooting are more than a "means to an end" for many of us, it's enjoyable and even therapeutic at times.

I coat as I go because I keep a very moderate inventory. I agree unless it's absolutely needed I would pick a bullet and do all of those at once and pick another a different day. I usually coat and size a batch at once. One of the gallon paint cans would be more than enough for an enjoyable session.