More on 25/20 bullet for grandkids

[earlmck]

So a while back I posted about my easy peasy way to produce .25 cal bullets that are "good enough for grandkids" using powder coating with no sizing and no gas checking. http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=68342

Proceeded to cast a bunch of those 70 grain bullets from a box of linotype I just got from one of the good guys over on "Castboolits". Did the powder coat shake 'n bake thing. Well, to avoid airsoft pellets I used Elvis Ammos's Heat 'n Shake 'n Bake technique because I didn't like picking the little black airsoft pellets out of 25 cal bullets (they work much nicer when you use large enough bullets that you can separate pellets from bullets with a large-holed colander).

I am real new at this powder coat thing, but my very limited experience has been that my larger bullets made from wheelweights take powder coat fairly nicely, but my dinky little 22's and 25's made from linotype don't hold much powder no matter what shake technique I have used to date. So here is what this batch looks like, with a very thin and splotchy looking coat. I put a 32 special bullet in the middle to show how much more even coat I get with larger bullets:

258hfr8335.jpg

I was afraid these didn't have enough "coat" on them and would need another treatment, but decided I'd do some testing. So for comparison purposes I loaded the same load in my "test platform" which is a bolt-action Sako 25x47 with 10x scope using the powder coated bullets, the same bullet lube-sized with good lube and gas check, and the same bullet with Lee liquid Allox (that I thin with some Johnson floor wax).

Results: lubed/checked 1600 +/- 30 fps, 10 shots in 3" -- 100 yards.
Liquid Allox, 1650 +/- 40 fps 10 shots in 2.5"
skimpy powder coat, 1650 +/- 40 fps, 10 shots in 2" but 9 in under an inch.

So I conclude that the thin powder coat is quite adequate; but the Liquid Allox gave acceptable results with this bullet. And it was quite a thin coat also:

258LiqAlox.jpg

And the sized/gas checked bullet?

258whtlbl8338.jpg

I think it was just over lubed for this low velocity load. I know this one shines when you get up over 2000 fps, so that is what I'll use them for. Kids don't need gas checked bullets and now I find that they are better off without the sized/checked bullets from an accuracy standpoint.

As you can see from my velocities I am not doing well at getting uniform velocities with this relatively light bullet. And this was a weighed charge of 4759, because I was trying to reduce the danged velocity spread as best I could: I think it would put those powder coats into one hole if I could get a smaller velocity deviation. It does shoot with a little less velocity variation in the smaller 25/20 case, but with my eyes and the iron sights I have on my model 92's I don't think I can tell the difference.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my further pursuits in search of grace in 25 cal. land.

[GunnyMack]

Good info,thanks for sharing that!

[EdinCT]

Thanks for that info I have been double coating to get good coverage. Looks like I may of over thought it.

[Les Staley]

Use the Same bullet in my 92. One coat of Harbor Freight red seems to do it. Even if splotchy looking, if you look close they are completely covered with the shiney polymer coating even though not "red" all over. Good enough for ground squirrels!

[Chuck 100 yd]

I find that if I warm the bullets to 125 degrees or so before I put them into the tub to shake with the powder that I get much better coverage. Also powder from Eastwood is FAR better quality than the Harbor Freight powder, no comparison. You can buy it from Amazon for around $10 a pound.

[GunnyMack]

Has anyone found an issue with paint build up in rifling? Granted if you keep velocities reasonable it shouldn't be an issue but I need to ask.
Could someone explain it step by step? Think I have the gist of it but...

[Les Staley]

Get a cool whip bowl, with a snap on lid, has to have a #5 in a triangle/circle on the bottom of the bowl indicating the type of plastic for recycling purposes. Some black air soft BBs 1/4 " in the bottom of the bowl, (black works best, no substitutions). Put in 20 or 30 bullets, a teaspoon of Harbor Freight red powder coat, swirl and shake for 30 or 40 seconds. Using a needle nose pliers place bullets on cookie sheet standing on bases. Bake in toaster oven (garage sale or resale shop) @400degrees for 20 minutes. Cool, resize and load. Thassallfolks!

[GunnyMack]

Is the container that important? Does it matter?
Now I have to find a used toaster oven!

[Bill in Oregon]

Earl has the luckiest grandkids on the whole West Coast!

[Les Staley]

If you insist on actually spending money go to the dollar store and BUY a plastic bowl with a snap on lid. Just get one with a #5 in circle on bottom (recycleing number). This formula plastic generates the best and correct type of static electricity. And don't even ask about using any other color Airsoft. BBs!!! I went to three big sporting goods stores before finding BLACK. I'm just passing along the explicit directions that worked well for me. YMMV

[earlmck]

Les Staley gave a good summary of the technique. I use a little variation because I am lazy: I am doing Elvis Ammo's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRVXic3-ztE technique where you heat the bullets to 140 degrees (160 in my case because that is the lowest I can get my toaster oven and it seems to work OK) and put them in the powder without the airsoft BBs for a few quick shakes. I have been separating bullets from powder with a colander and then dumping bullets on non-stick aluminum foil because I don't have small enough hardware wire for 22 cal bullets. After 20 minutes at 400 degrees (you gotta check temps with oven thermometer to make sure you get to 400) I dump the baked bullets (aluminum foil and all) into cold water -- they separate fairly decently that way. And the little bullets don't take the powder coat as nicely as larger bullets, as I mentioned previously but maybe they take the powder "good enough for grandkids".

And I don't have long-term observations, but my reading over on Cast Boolits forum has not turned up any issues with barrel "painting" even though many of those folks have been powder coating their bullets for several years now.

[GunnyMack]

Ok great, now I KNOW why the #5 is important! Now I just gotta find someone that eats that yucky cool whip!
I wonder if lab hair has enough static, I got lots of that!

[earlmck]

I wonder if lab hair has enough static, I got lots of that!

I think what you do is -- you take your cool whip bowl with the powder and bullets in it and you set it on the lab and swirl it round and around. Should get plenty plenty static electricity and a happy happy lab all in one go .

[Les Staley]

Gunny, Earl ain't kidding, call the dog over and give it a try! (Standing on a wool carpet).

[GunnyMack]

So now I need to figure out how to attach a cool whip container to each dog butt, 3 labs and lots of tail wagging and I can powder coat lots of bullets fast!

[Francosonny1120]

i have this one FIREPOWER .45 METAL SLIDE and its one of my favorite pistols, your gun must be warped, mine is accurate enough to hit a fly from 15-20’ away, i draw small targets on styrofoam plates and my kids hit them no problem, easy to use and has decent power.

https://accuratelyshooting.com/3-best-a ... -for-kids/