Has anyone tried either polyester or kapton tape to mask bullet nose from powder coating?

[Centaur 1]

I finally got around to shooting my new to me, 1965 Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. I was using the Lee C358-200-RF, cast with clip on wheel weights, powder coated with Eastwood squirrel grey, air cooled, and a Hornady gas check. I really like using the powder coat, because it just works so well. New gun, new bullet, my first attempt, I was using data that lists the velocity at over 1900 fps using Reloder 10x. It was only a quick trip to try the gun, but I shot two 5 shot groups that all touched.

The only problem is that the powder coating adds just enough to the diameter of the nose, that it engages the rifling and makes the lever stiff to close. This is not a problem for shooting at the range, but it could be a pain to hunt with. My idea is to wrap the nose of the bullet with a high temperature tape before powder coating, then peel it off after baking. I have two rolls of Scotch Hi Temp Acrylic, a roll of Saint-Gobain kapton, and a roll of aluminum tape. Shrink tubing might also work, but would be harder to work with.

Has anyone tried this before? Did it it work?

 

[Dusty Bannister]

Would it be easier to just wipe off the PC before baking? You may want to consider seating the bullet a little shorter OAL if you can still crimp the bullet. The PC on the nose of the bullet tends to contact the tapered lands a little sooner. If you still have some of that nasty mold treatment called "Drop out" brush some of that while it is wet in the nose cavity and let the build up on the mold reduce the nose diameter of the casting.

Trying to keep things simple seems a whole lot easier than to patch every bullet.

 

[Centaur 1]

I've never heard of "drop out", but I'll look into it. The problem with wiping off the powder coating, is how do you hold the bullet so it doesn't disturb the powder where you want it? Maybe pliers on the gas check shank? I wish I still had a lathe at my disposal, I could use a collet to size the nose.

 

[Spindrift]

I've never tried this myself, but others have described the method:

Pour some water in a bowl, and sprinkle some coating powder on top. Hold the bullet by the nose (pliers), and dip the portion of the bullet you want to coat. You'll end up with a partially coated bullet.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

For me, I find many Eastwood powders make thick (er) coatings. Sifting often long and more aggressive agitation in a basket. Can help here.

This bullet has a .299 nose diameter.

 

[Fiddler]

NOE nose sizing dies may help.

 

[Dusty Bannister]

mold release - MidwayUSA

Shop MidwayUSA for the best mold release

www.midwayusa.com

Sometimes used to aid in getting a mold to release the bullet after casting. Usually just builds up in the mold cavity resulting in rough bullet surface and undersized casting. Some just spray on the casting ladle to avoid the build up of dross on the ladle surface.

 

[popper]

Seat deeper or use some hi-temp manifold paint in the nose part of the mold. I did a 'nose-in hole' metal tray rig when I was spraying PC, worked OK but a PITA to use. Then I just ordered molds from Accurate with 5 thou. smaller nose.

 

[Mitty38]

I have used polyester tape before on powder coating stuff. The blue is more flexible. But a bullet is rarely small. I am thinking it would not hold up to the shake and bake method, without coming off.
On the really small stuff we used silicon plugs, or cut silicon line-Hose pieces. Still it was with a static spray gun, and not rolling the product around in a tub.
I would just suggest just coating the entire thing then figure out a way to nose size before or after.

 

[Ian]

NOE nose sizers are garbage. Further explanation upon request.

Now, either seat deeper (probably get better results with a little jump to the lands anyway) or use an RCBS 35-200 which casts a little smaller on the nose.

BE CAREFUL with that RX-10x, it gets stupid with pressure when you start crowding 2K fps in the .35 Remington, I thought it would be the perfect powder but nope, not at all. Use either RX-7 or better yet, H335. H335 is the absolute perfect powder for full-power .35 Remington loads.

I use the Lee 200 gas checked, sized .3585" after seating and crimping the check, powder coated .002" thick, sized .3585" again right after cooling from the PC oven, and a soft alloy about 10.5 BHN made with sticky wheelweights and roof jacks, it has very little tin. I shoot these at around 2000 fps from my cut-rifled, 20" 336.



50, 75, and 100 yard test groups from the BRP 220 bullet, I can't find any from the Lee bullet at the moment.

 

[Mitty38]

Wait... 358-200 RF....just thinking that bullet has a lube groove. Why not just pan lube it??? Try a batch for snorts and giggles. Unless you need a couple thou in the driving bands?

I had an instance where I was having trouble with a powder coated lube groove design.
Switched to pan lube and issue was resolved.

I agree with Ian on the merits of H335.

Heck, if you would like to try. And need pan lube.
I will send you some and the recipe just for asking. No charge.

Every method is not necessarily better, or worse then all others, everytime, for every situation.
I have had good luck with an NOE nose sizer. In one certain instance, as a last resort. But would probably never use one on anything else.
Also Powder coating has caused me issues, two times. Both of those, the corrective action, was to go back to the original lube type the bullet was designed for. For just that specific load and gun. Al other times powder coat has been a grand slam.

 

[Glaciers]

I’m with Ian on the NOE nose sizers. I’ve only had good success with the 312-440 bullet because the nose is basically straight and there’s a lube groove that the displaced lead can move into. The NOE nose sizers would work better if the entry into the die had a slight radius so it wouldn’t plow lead, it would iron the nose instead of cutting. I need to find a good stone to make a slight radius, but lost interest by finding other answers like seating deeper.

 

[Centaur 1]

Thanks for all of the ideas, I appreciate them. Before I started powder coating, I used Felix's world famous lube recipe. The stuff is just messy as hell, and it gets everywhere, but it works great. The bullets from my Ranch Dog mold in 30-30, were clocked at 2225 fps using clip on wheel weights, and they were very accurate. It wouldn't be a problem using the Felix lube for half a box of hunting rounds.

Ian, I was thinking the same thing, that powder coating would allow me to use a softer allow. My rifle doesn't have cut rifling, but it also don't seem to have the really shallow 16 groove rifling that Fryxell says the 1965 year model should have, I only count 12 grooves. I appreciate the info about RL10x, there's not much info about it in the 35 rem. I used the starting info that I have, and with 32.0 gr of RL10x, the primers were still rounded and protruded from the base of the cartridge. The case hadn't stretched, so I assume the pressures were still low. But based on your observations, I'll probably just use another powder when I want to go faster. H335 failed to impress me in .223, and I gave up on it years ago, but I'm sure that between LVR, BL-C(2), 4198, A2460 or Imr 3031 I'll find a load that will work just fine.

I'm sure that I do a lot of things wrong. Handgun bullets are so forgiving of mistakes, and I have a habit of powder coating bullets as soon as I cast them. For my rifles I need to adjust my alloy to drop a smaller bullet, and I also need to add less powder coating. I have a tendency to use too much.

 

[Mitty38]

I also started as a pistol guy. Also a lot of things wrong, especially when it comes to rifles. Probably way less knowledge then you.
I learn something Everytime I explore this sight.