Choice of bullet profile for Powder coating.

[G_Alan]

Thinking about buying a custom mold 200-220 grn .429 and 147+ .356 for sub sonic 9mm. I'm curious if there's any advantage in a non grooved profile as opposed to a micro grove one?
I've powder coated with the Lee micro grove in .45 with good results. But before ordering I'm wondering if a smooth profile would give better results with the coating, or if I'm overthinking this? Bevel or flat base?
Thought I'd get some input before springing for a custom mold.

 

[yomomma]

If you buy non grooved you are stuck only using powder coating. All my molds are regular with lube grooves. I still powdercoat all of them

 

[G_Alan]

I'm only going too coat them. I gave up on using lube a little over a year ago. I'm happy with the results I'm getting with the micro grooves now, but wondering if a smooth profile would be an aid in coating.

 

[stampede]

Custom mold ?

Just get a regular mold and go at it with your Dremel tool.

 

[slug]

A smooth mould cavity will drop its bullets easier and perhaps the bullets would be more consistent in weight.
My last mould had one large lube groove, which makes it easier to pluck out of the beads and powder.
The bullets drop out easily.

 

[G_Alan]

Custom mold ?

Just get a regular mold and go at it with your Dremel tool.

My buddy modded a Lee it works pretty well. I was looking into a non existing type than a factory offering.

 

[G_Alan]

A smooth mould cavity will drop its bullets easier and perhaps the bullets would be more consistent in weight.
My last mould had one large lube groove, which makes it easier to pluck out of the beads and powder.
The bullets drop out easily.

Kind of what I was thinking too without having firsthand experience . Thanks

 

[fingers284]

I have never used a smooth shank cast bullet of any kind so wont push a good or bad opinion but I have used lube-grooved bullets of all sizes & shapes that were powder coated , all with satisfactory results, even a few with excellent results...other than that, the one benefit to having grooves that I can think of is that they give me a place to grip with tweezers that wont damage the powder coverage of any bearing surface.

 

[hatman1793]

I guess it all comes down to money. As usual.

Custom LEE molds, Arsenal molds, NOE molds etc., all cost 2, 3, 4X than a pretty standard LEE six cavity aluminum mold that Higginson Powders will sell you for C$57.00.(before taxes & shipping)

As for smooth profile bullet vs lube-groove bullets, try to envision a 9mm FMJ bullet vs LEE's 124grain cast RN. Is one more accurate than the other? What about metal on metal barrel erosion vs pc'd bullets with no metal contact?