Powder coated soft lead bullets

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  • lim144

    Member
    Jan 3, 2014
    64
    I'm out of all hard lead. I do have plenty of soft lead. Anyone powder coated soft lead (BRN 5) something like .458 350 grains or 180 grain 40 cal and shoot well with it around 1000 fps?
     

    ohen cepel

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 2, 2011
    4,509
    Where they send me.
    I don't think that will go well. I think the bullet will deform too much in the barrel.

    I would get a bit of alloy and harden the lead to a better hardness for your ask. Wouldn't take much to get it where you want it. Coated or not, I would harden it up first.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I'm out of all hard lead. I do have plenty of soft lead. Anyone powder coated soft lead (BRN 5) something like .458 350 grains or 180 grain 40 cal and shoot well with it around 1000 fps?

    I have to agree, I think you will get poor performance in those calibers with dead soft lead. While powder coating can hold up to the pressures in medium pressure loads, the soft lead cannot and will deform.

    Are you shooting a .45-70 by any chance?
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I am thinking the same thing. I just wanted to see if anyone tried it.

    I do in 45-70. I shoot a Lyman Gould bullet, made of pure lead, power coated, at velocities a lot faster than 1,000fps. No leading and great accuracy. I haven’t had the chance to try it out on game yet, but hopefully will soon.
    Give it a try, and see what happens.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    I’m going to nonconcur with the nay sayers. I’ve actually shot dead soft lead with a variety of “coatings.” Starting with paper jacketed, or patched if you will, and adding powder coated to my bag of tricks later. Both shoot just fine at low velocities. My .45-70 paper patched load is about 1800 FPS. No issues with leading, or bad accuracy or anything else. Almost all of my powder coated .45 acp is crappy, soft lead that shoots just fine.
     

    ohen cepel

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 2, 2011
    4,509
    Where they send me.
    I’m going to nonconcur with the nay sayers. I’ve actually shot dead soft lead with a variety of “coatings.” Starting with paper jacketed, or patched if you will, and adding powder coated to my bag of tricks later. Both shoot just fine at low velocities. My .45-70 paper patched load is about 1800 FPS. No issues with leading, or bad accuracy or anything else. Almost all of my powder coated .45 acp is crappy, soft lead that shoots just fine.

    True, but paper patch isn't what he is doing and your 45acp loads are likely not going 1000fps which is what he is trying to do with the 40 load.

    Lead is tricky. Too soft or hard and it will give one issues. Too slow or fast for a hardness and it can give you issues. I tend to stick with wheel weights (while I still have that) and load that hardness to velocities which I know won't create issues for me.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    Was looking on my phone to find my info. My powder coated Lyman Gould mold cast a 341 grain bullet bullet using pure soft lead. I size them .459. No gas check.

    3’ from the muzzle I’m getting an average of 1,671 FPS.

    Accuracy Is great out to 100 yards. I have not shot farther than that, with this load. No leading issues at whatsoever.

    bullet fit is crucial! I would never try this load without powder coating. Believe me guys when I say powder coating is a game changer.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    Here’s my best group, when doing a ladder test, during load development.
    Marlin 1895 guide gun @ 50 yards from the bench, using a 4X scope.
     

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    lim144

    Member
    Jan 3, 2014
    64
    That's awesome. I used to do 3% antimony and 3% tin, but am completely out. No tire weight either. I may give it a go on .458 socom
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    That's awesome. I used to do 3% antimony and 3% tin, but am completely out. No tire weight either. I may give it a go on .458 socom

    The AR platform is pretty hard on bullets. I would try chambering a couple of dummys before making too many. See if they get any damage after cycling from the magazine.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    True, but paper patch isn't what he is doing and your 45acp loads are likely not going 1000fps which is what he is trying to do with the 40 load.

    Lead is tricky. Too soft or hard and it will give one issues. Too slow or fast for a hardness and it can give you issues. I tend to stick with wheel weights (while I still have that) and load that hardness to velocities which I know won't create issues for me.


    My .45 acp 155 LSWC’s are supersonic out of a 5” barrel. Why are they not what he’s trying to do out of the .40?

    As for the paper patching not matching what he’s doing? Yeah, paper and powder coat are not the same, but both need properly sized bullets for optimal accuracy. In both cases, the sizing of the bullet is more important than the hardness of the lead. Probably the number 1 reason for leading by hard cast bullets is incorrect bullet size causing blow by of the powder gasses. Soft lead obturates easier and is more forgiving of sizing problems. Especially at lower velocities, like 1000 FPS.
     

    lim144

    Member
    Jan 3, 2014
    64
    My .45 acp 155 LSWC’s are supersonic out of a 5” barrel. Why are they not what he’s trying to do out of the .40?

    As for the paper patching not matching what he’s doing? Yeah, paper and powder coat are not the same, but both need properly sized bullets for optimal accuracy. In both cases, the sizing of the bullet is more important than the hardness of the lead. Probably the number 1 reason for leading by hard cast bullets is incorrect bullet size causing blow by of the powder gasses. Soft lead obturates easier and is more forgiving of sizing problems. Especially at lower velocities, like 1000 FPS.
    Yup.

    I'm going to size my.socom bullets to .459 after I coat it.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    It also depends on the pressure/acceleration.

    If the bullet tries to accelerate too quickly, a softer bullet could strip out in the rifling.

    I have seen this happen with hard case, shallow rifling, and a fast powder.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,278
    HoCo
    I had cast soft lead 9mm bullets a few months ago and powder coated them.
    I had shot them before and chrono'd them and did not notice much difference and did not pay much mind to it.
    For the sake of information gathering, I tried them today along with other bullets I had.
    I loaded them for a typical 1150fps and shot from my Glock 17 today at steel and 25 yards.
    I alternated mags of bullets between the soft (5Brinell) and those that were harder lead (12-15Brinell)
    I definitely had more flyers on the soft lead.
    I hit the steel about 95% of the time with the harder lead and about 60% with the soft lead.
    So that gun, those bullets, that powder, it made a difference. Keep in mind the G17 is polygonal rifling so "maybe" that makes a difference.
    Next time out, I'll bring another target gun that is standard rifling
     

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