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Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

BFDX7 said:
Here are the test results... the 16 gr averaged 1500 FPS while the 17 gr averaged 1600 FPS and was more accurate at the 25. I was shooting them through that M48 that I was having the issues getting the lead out of last summer. I checked and found no lead after shooting the 16 gr but I still have to check the 17gr.
View attachment 480803
16 gr and the photo posted sideways.
View attachment 480804
These definitely chambered much better then the Lee .324 round nose mold I was using and I was going to ask about the COAL. This MP mold didn’t have a defined crimping groove so am I free to set the depth between the last lube groove and the rounding of the bullet as long as I’m able to chamber the round and not hit the lands. Like @mac1911 pointed out I can increase my COAL a bit. All and all this was a success in my book and those 17 gr shot better at the 25 than the original FMJ factory loads the brass came from. I’m going to stick with the 2400 cause I scored four pounds the other week and now I have to free up some brass so I can experiment some more. I don’t have a ton of 8mm brass. More to follow as I test more but I really appreciate the advise.
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Its hard to tell if its the load or the barrel getting fouled a bit. ?
 
BFDX7 said:
I solved my lack of 8mm case issue today.... my youngest and I freed up sixty cases so now I have some to use in my test cases. I also managed to get some 160gr .312 coated up in black hi-tek for the 30.06.
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I will poke around for more brass and bullets.
Pretty much all I have left is 300 rounds if that 1990s PPU yugo surplus sniper ammo
 
I wonder how many times I can load my existing 8mm brass if I keep the loads in the 1600-1800 FPS range. This set of brass has only been loaded 2x and I could explore repurposing some 30.06 if I get in a pinch. Range brass and fellow shooters have become pretty scarce this spring. The range has been a ghost town. I casted more 9, 357 and 8mm last night. Might pour some more 45 tonight and get enough on hand to coat on Saturday.
 
BFDX7 said:
I solved my lack of 8mm case issue today.... my youngest and I freed up sixty cases so now I have some to use in my test cases. I also managed to get some 160gr .312 coated up in black hi-tek for the 30.06.
Click to expand...
How did the black work out? I have only had awesome results with bronze, not so good with red. I have black to try, pics?
 
I was thinking of trying those black bullets in 30.06 through a Ruger American. They were good with 27 gr of 4198 with a GC and tossed in Alox. Was thinking of picking a few out and trying them without a GC and running them with some 2400 keeping them at a reasonable FPS. Anyone think I’m pushing my luck with this option? The bore has 40 fmj’s and probably about a 100 cast rounds through it.
 
BFDX7 said:
I was thinking of trying those black bullets in 30.06 through a Ruger American. They were good with 27 gr of 4198 with a GC and tossed in Alox. Was thinking of picking a few out and trying them without a GC and running them with some 2400 keeping them at a reasonable FPS. Anyone think I’m pushing my luck with this option? The bore has 40 fmj’s and probably about a 100 cast rounds through it.
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Sounds pretty reasonable to me
 
I hope they shoot good with no extra lube and gas checks. I have the 550B set up for 8mm right now so with a quick tool head change a handful of 30.06 should roll off the press no problem.

@Artie I’m going to be trying a mix of black with 6grams of powder to 50ml of acetone or 3g/25ml in the next couple is days and I’ll post pictures and details.
 
It is nice to shoot 8mm/30.06 for about the current price of 22lr. I’m estimating about .14-16 cpr... excluding time. But as you know this was my COVID hobby I started last year when I had a ton of time and casting/coating time is probably less than searching the stores for ammo.
 
So as planned I swapped my press over and loaded up ten 30.06 rounds with 5 at 15.1 2400 and 5 at 16.1 gr of 2400. I loaded and pulled a round to see if the coating was getting stripped.... it was so I relaxed my crimp a wee bit and pulled another round.... no coating stripped off. I ran them over the chrono and they averaged 1450 (15gr) and 1500 (16 gr) and they hit the target but I was more focused on leading than accuracy. Cleaned up the rifle later in the evening and no leading.... I was so happy... now for some accuracy load development.

9BE63E03-C943-49AA-890C-3B1A823F51CA.jpeg
 
BFDX7 said:
@pastera I’ve been kicking around the idea of throwing a PID into my oven and it’s all digital... this is the model I have

Oven

do you think that would be a huge challenge to PID since it’s all digital? I’ve checked a few tutorials and they all use a dial oven.
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You will need to pretty much disconnect the digital controls from the heater an fan. Fan gets wired always on and the heaters get connected to the PID's SSR.

You might be able to pull the entire control assembly out and mount a PID/SSR in the same space
A 1/32 DIN controll could be mounted sidways if there isn't enough room but that would be more expensive and not so easy to change values.

Yank the case and see how things are wired and what room is available.
 
BFDX7 said:
I wonder how many times I can load my existing 8mm brass if I keep the loads in the 1600-1800 FPS range. This set of brass has only been loaded 2x and I could explore repurposing some 30.06 if I get in a pinch. Range brass and fellow shooters have become pretty scarce this spring. The range has been a ghost town. I casted more 9, 357 and 8mm last night. Might pour some more 45 tonight and get enough on hand to coat on Saturday.
Click to expand...
Get a case comparator and just resize a smidge. I Full Length Size all my surplus rifles but only just enough to chamber.
You could just neck size also , I just find it easier to FL size
 
BFDX7 said:
@pastera I’ve been kicking around the idea of throwing a PID into my oven and it’s all digital... this is the model I have

Oven

do you think that would be a huge challenge to PID since it’s all digital? I’ve checked a few tutorials and they all use a dial oven.
Click to expand...
My guess is the dial ones are what everyones finding for cheap/free
 
Yesterday I poured some 125 gr .356 and was very pleased with the 6 gram to 50ml ratio for the black Hi-Tek. These are 5 pounds tossed for 20 seconds with 5ml. I then let them dry for about an hour and then baked at 400 for 15 mins. They passed both tests and I’m going to continue on today with my coatings.
 

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15 pounds coated up. The mold and the oven didn’t fight me... I switched down from baking 10 pounds down to five and I moved the oven from the porch to out in the yard. Thinking I might craft a few more trays and bake multiple five pound lots one coat per night. Coat them in the morning and give them the day to dry and bake at night.

I also just loaded up some more 30.06 with 16-19 gr 2400 in .5 increments for accuracy testing. More to follow.
 
BFDX7 said:
15 pounds coated up. The mold and the oven didn’t fight me... I switched down from baking 10 pounds down to five and I moved the oven from the porch to out in the yard. Thinking I might craft a few more trays and bake multiple five pound lots one coat per night. Coat them in the morning and give them the day to dry and bake at night.

I also just loaded up some more 30.06 with 16-19 gr 2400 in .5 increments for accuracy testing. More to follow.
Click to expand...
Look forward...
 
6923F386-D5DC-45ED-8FFA-022E5FFDCF75.jpeg
17.5 and the 19 grouped well. The two flyers in the 19 target were my fault. Some days you shoot good and others you don’t and today was not my best day. I still have to review the chrono but these were clocking below 1700 FPS. How much higher should I push these. Maybe ladder them up into the low 20’s with 2400? Oh and no leading and it did clean and check a couple of times at the range. That was from the 100 yard. And yes I spring for the fancy targets.
 

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