Swagged Projectile Coating

[BobGee]

Hard cast projectiles are often coated with the Australian heat set Hi-Tek Supercoat (J&M Specialised Products) in lieu of waxes, oils, or other lubricants.

Has anyone tried using this coating on swagged, rather than cast, projectiles such as the .32S&WL 98gn LHBWC pills used in ISSF shooting? The coating is relatively easily applied it seems but the projectiles must be entirely grease/oil free probably requiring solvent and even caustic soda washing.

The advantages are cleaner reloading, without those wretched waxes gumming up your dies and hand placed projectiles sticking to your fingers, and reduced/eliminated barrel leading.

Anyone tried it?

Bob

[deadeyedick]

Yes... and works well.

If you buy locally produced projectiles it is better to order them without the liquid Alox or wax coating as cleaning it off before coating with Hi Tek ( or similar product )is worse than cleaning the dies occasionally.

The product is identical to the powder that is used by Powder Coating businesses except for the price. Do yourself a favour and drop into the closest PC business and buy a small bag full to experiment with. It can also be baked on multiple times to increase size if needed.

[David M]

At the velocities that we run the HBWC powder coating is a waste of time and effort for no advantage.
Rumbling in Liquid Alox or Bullet Stick lube (melted in a icecream container) works very well.

[deadeyedick]

David I have to agree..however I was replying to a question asked as to whether it worked or not.

Several members of our Club use this process and swear by it, but I personally feel more comfortable using Liquid Alox.

Some years back Taipan bullets tried coating with teflon. It also worked but there was the odd flyer that “flew” for no apparent reason. It was put down to the teflon.

[BobGee]

At the velocities that we run the HBWC powder coating is a waist of time and effort for no advantage.

So I must assume that you never have barrel leading.

I use Liquid Alox after washing the wax off my Bullzi pills but it still leaves a sticky finish which eventually clogs the seating die and makes reloading rather more messy than it needs to be.

[David M]

Not all leading is caused by the lube.
I had a leading problem with one brand of .32 only and it was resolved with my home beeswax lube.
My competition ISSF loads are all home cast and lubesized, no leading. (750-780 fps)
Service loads are hard cast and polycoated, no leading. (950-1050 fps)
The 9mm leading problem was resolved with a new barrel (1 in 18" twist instead of 1 in 10")

[BobGee]

The product is identical to the powder that is used by Powder Coating businesses except for the price. Do yourself a favour and drop into the closest PC business and buy a small bag full to experiment with.

Thanks deadeyedick, but there are a number of different types of powder coating so which one: thermoplastic or thermoset polymer, polyester, polyurethane, polyester-epoxy, straight epoxy or acrylic? Not so straightforward methinks.

The Hi-Tek product sells for A$80 odd (incl. GST and p&p) for 500gm (not exactly a king's ransom) which is, theoretically, good for two coats on some 70-90,000 98gn projectiles. At that sort of price/projectile one might as well buy the product developed for the job. The "makers" reputation is behind the product.

For anyone interested, there was an article in the August 2019 Australian Shooter magazine which is reproduced in the current issue of the Australian & New Zealand Handgun magazine on this product and its use, which is what sent me off down this track.

Bob

[David M]

Hawkesbury River Bullet Company
http://hrbc.com.au/

[deadeyedick]

I understand Bob.
Agreed the price is not a Kings Ransom but it may be an extra $80 in your pocket.

A fellow member simply rolled up at the nearest powder coating business, explained his needs and was given a bag full for nothing. He tried it alongside the Hi Tek he had paid $75 for and found no difference !

As a result it has been full steam ahead ever since. If you wish I could find out which variety he uses.

Good luck whichever route you take.

[BobGee]

Quite right deadeye, the price of 1000 Fed SP Primers!

However, enchanted by the colours, I’ve bitten the bullet, so to speak. Red pills for Christmas!

Will post on my results.

Bob