Nothing better than layer after layer of hot, clean and de-capped freedom seed cases fresh off the dehydrator…
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What have you reloaded today?
- Thread starter madcow
- Start date
Nothing better than layer after layer of hot, clean and de-capped freedom seed cases fresh off the dehydrator…
Not today, but in the next week or two I'll be casting and powder coating my own 45 acp for the first time.
You will have to show us the progress. What all do you need (equipment wise) to cast your own lead bullets?
Dillon makes a press that is just for prepping brass, if u have 2k to drop, I have a 650 that I changed a couple of things on, I just got done with about 15,000 cases, and I hate the necessary evil also!...( don’t forget, keep your powder dry)
I have a .45ACP mold I've still yet to use.. Don't currently own one, I was gonna cast some up for a buddy's National Match Springfield.. but he said he hasn't seen that gun since his divorce
As far as powder coating cast boolits, I'm sure you've read a bunch into it already.. but my personal tips would be as follows
-Quality powders! Don't even consider Harbor Freight, Eastwood, Smoke's on Castboolits forums, or any Reputable name brand Gloss should be good to go.
-Make sure your boolits are absolutely clean of oil and dust, kerosene, gasoline, alcohol, or even Hot soapy dishwater (dispose of dirty liquids appropriately)
-Humidity down here can be nuts and is no good for powder adhesion. I just did up some yesterday and all of my PC stuff is kept in a dehumidifier controlled room 55% or less, I get all setup, and preheat my boolits for 4min, pop the lids on my #5 containers with powder and airsoft bbs and shake/swirl away, dump into a large plastic bowl with a wire basket (dollar tree's your friend here) and put sifted coated boolits on 1/4"x1/4" garden cloth (screen) wire racks/trays that I made to perfectly fit my oven
-Most powders are 350-375° 9-12min.. It helps to make sure your oven is accurate, I used to use a PID controller but found my oven to be spot on for 2 batches.. anymore and the PID does help regulate all of the heat cycling.. YMMV
You can take your time standing them up on pans, using non stick oven liner mats (walmart) but once you get a good powder application technique down wire trays are the way to go.. kinda like Elvis Ammo, that SC fool makes it look so damn easy! Believe me it takes trial and error.. you will have some ugly boolits and some that won't pass a smash test. But don't give up, it's cheap, easy, and hardly any mess once you get a technique established.
I've even tried doing the "Piglet method" applying PC with Acetone.. I wouldn't waste your time with that. If you never get the dry tumble shake and bake down.. there's always Hi-Tek Supercoat! The way of the future, the way of the future, The way..
Best of luck in your casting and coating endeavors! I wouldn't hesitate to ask anyone in here for advice, Lord knows most of them have had their nose around some sorta powder at some point in their Lives haha
https://missouribullet.com/results.php?category=20&secondary=13
or you buy them from Missouri Bullet for $51 per 500.....
or you buy them from Missouri Bullet for $51 per 500.....
Tried two new calibers today. 30 Carbine and 5.7x28, fingers crossed.
Loaded 100 of these last night
I finally got my beautiful 4 Cavity Custom Steel Mold from AccurateMolds.
She's a bit on the heavy side, but being steel should last me a lifetime!
My test drive was roughly 1,600 after culls, this is what I have left.. 1,100ish
So Tom's tooling only allows him to do Meplats/Noses down to .18" I happened to find that when sizing and seating gas checks I could use a top punch and bevel the Flat Point Tip.. Then I tried pressing it between TWO Punches to almost make it a full Round Nose Beveled Base.
Left to Right FP, Beveled, Double Beveled vs FP
I Loaded the 3 different styles for load development on Sunday
Then I loaded these today because we only worked a half day!
145.4gr Powder Coated & Aluminum Gas Checks. Wincheser W296 Winchester 5.56 Converted to 300 HAM'R, CCI #450's..
She's a bit on the heavy side, but being steel should last me a lifetime!
My test drive was roughly 1,600 after culls, this is what I have left.. 1,100ish
So Tom's tooling only allows him to do Meplats/Noses down to .18" I happened to find that when sizing and seating gas checks I could use a top punch and bevel the Flat Point Tip.. Then I tried pressing it between TWO Punches to almost make it a full Round Nose Beveled Base.
Left to Right FP, Beveled, Double Beveled vs FP
I Loaded the 3 different styles for load development on Sunday
Then I loaded these today because we only worked a half day!
145.4gr Powder Coated & Aluminum Gas Checks. Wincheser W296 Winchester 5.56 Converted to 300 HAM'R, CCI #450's..
