Does surface texture of bullet affect adhesion/even coating?

[KeithB]

I know we all love shiny bullets, but has anyone compared how surface texture may affect powder coating? I know that sometimes a roughened surface can retain oil better than a smooth surface. If a mold was being made just for powder coating there are several different ways to roughen the interior surfaces of the cavity. I don't powder coat yet but I have made bullet molds before and I'm just thinking a little ahead here.

What do you guys think?

 

[Brad]

I don’t have issues with coating the bands of a sized bullets.

I had wondered the same thing but have not found it to be an issue.

 

[300BLK]

I have no issue with adhesion on bullets sized prior to coating.

 

[Rick H]

I haven't seen any difference in adhesion between shiny and frosted bullets.

 

[Ian]

Ditto above. Unlike most adhesives or a coating of lubricating oil, the mechanism that makes powder coat adhere cares not if the surface is flat or undulating.

 

[Brad]

I would take that answer to the bank Keith.

We can’t this many guys here to agree on whether or not lead is heavy.

 

[KeithB]

Thanks for the responses guys. I've been thinking about trying powder coating but for a long time Indiana defined plastic coated bullets as armor piercing, the possession of which was a felony. Now the definition doesn't say that, so I'm going to try PC. I'd like to make a slick sided bullet of about 130 gr in 9mm that I could hollow point to get something around 115-120 gr. It would be a round nose flat point style. Didn't know if etching the cavities might make things go better, there are ways to roughen cavities. If it doesn't help I won't waste my time.

 

[Brad]

How much harder would it be to make it a bevel base? With a slick sided bullet I would like a bevel base so the displaced metal has a place to go. With PC the bevel base makes sense- no potential issue with lube extruding into the bevel base.

 

[Ian]

Bevel base, rebated base, or gas check shank, all good for PC bullets.

 

[KeithB]

Good idea. W/o a bevel base I could just sink the full diameter cutter in from the top. With a bevel base I would have to grind a bevel on the undersize cherry and sink it from the top and then orbit the cutter to get to the full diameter. Same if cutting a gas check shank. But it might be worth the trouble since I want a flat point anyway. And if I wanted a slightly larger version of the bullet for .38/.357 use that would just be a matter of changing a couple numbers in the orbit part of the program.

 

[300BLK]

HTC356-135-RF-AH2 2 Cavity RG2 PB | NOE Bullet Moulds

noebulletmolds.com

 

[fiver]

i shoot my 9's at 358 anyway.
slick, lubed, coated, whatever,, i only got a 358 sizer and it works for everything marked 35-38-357-358.

the 9's i've been shooting lately are slick sided and mimic a 124gr, fmj-rn pretty much dead on, the base isn't really beveled it's more rounded over just like it's copper counterpart.

 

[Tomme boy]

I have a mp 135gr rnfp with a bb. It is my favorite 9mm bullet. Make sure to have the driving band about 10 thousands larger than the nose. It will help so you don't have to seat the bullet deeper once powder coating. This NOE bullet is almost exact like the MP one I have except the MP is a BB.

 

[Joshua]

Oh My! Are you guys gonna start sandblasting bullets so that PC will adhere better.

 

[Tomme boy]

Someone on the CBAF was saying he tumbles his bullets in sand first to help the powder stick. I about started laughing. But if he thinks that's ok, go ahead. A couple of my molds throw a slight flashing on one cavity at the base. It only does it when I use something with a higher tin level. I tumble them in a container with no powder first to knock it off. Only takes a couple of seconds. But in sand? NO!!!!!!!

 

[fiver]

at least his barrels are bright and shiny with no tight spots.