NOE is having a sale

[BattleRife]

I saw that NOE is having an anniversary sale, 20% off all in-stock moulds from March 5-15th. I have had my eye on a .38 SWC design for a while, so I dashed over. Ended up getting a .303 2-cav, as well, just because why not?

There is nothing on the webpage announcing it, and the prices look normal when you are shopping. It is only when you get to the checkout that you see the discount.

 

[slug]

They sent out a notice to people on their email list.
If you're a member of their thousand dollar club, you get an extra 10% off.

 

[lpel]

Ordered a 5 cavity 135 gr 9mm mold for PC.

 

[Archer Sam]

Do you have a link to their site? NM found it.

 

[BattleRife]

Just a little followup...

 

[lpel]

Very nice BR. Those look great. I need to try my new 9mm mold out soon as well.

Curious what is the gold PC you used? Looks great. I have some new to me gloss black to try out as well.

 

[BattleRife]

Curious what is the gold PC you used? Looks great.

"Phantom Gold" from Emerald Coatings (PC1148).

I agree it looks great, but I was taken aback it took 3 coats to make them look like that. The powder just would not build up on the bullets with the shake and bake technique I used. I got maybe 0.3 mils of thickness on the first coat. Subsequent coats were better, but all 3 coats together only added about 1.5-2 mils per side. In comparison, I get 2-3 mils per side with a single coat of the black, using the same technique.

Now I confess I am very new to this. I did the trip to Value Village to buy the toaster oven about a month ago, and have only been doing some little trial batches. I am now doing a couple of dozens bullets at a time, still not serious production, trying to get reliably good results. Maybe some adjustment to my technique will get the gold down to just 2 coats. Then I would consider keeping it up. But I don't think I'll use it much if it takes 3 coats each time.

 

[lpel]

Well they look great ��. Thanks for the feedback.

So now can you tell me more about the black please. Curious minds want to know.

Once again thank you.

 

[BattleRife]

So now can you tell me more about the black please. Curious minds want to know.

Graphite Black (RAL 9011). Biggest problem I have with it is a tendency to coat too heavily. I shake them, load them into a wire baking rack, then tap the rack several times with a wood block to knock some of the powder off of them. If I don't I risk ending up with .38 Special bullets that are .370" diameter. That's a lot of sizing.

Part of that is actually the NOE moulds, they cast fat. The 360 mould is dropping them at 0.362", while bullets out of the 311 are .312-.314" depending on where you measure them (distinctly out of round). So it's already lots of sizing for the .38, and I'm glad I bought a .30 cal mould to use in my .303.

 

[ted_dent]

I am now doing a couple of dozens bullets at a time, still not serious production, trying to get reliably good results. Maybe some adjustment to my technique will get the gold down to just 2 coats. Then I would consider keeping it up. But I don't think I'll use it much if it takes 3 coats each time.

Have you tried pre-heating the bullets before doing the 'shake & bake' routine? I warm the bullets (in a metal tray on top of the toaster oven) until they are just not quite hot enough to burn my hand and then dump them into the plastic container & swirl them. My theory is that the heat causes some 'micro-melting' of the PC which gets the coating started before the swirling action builds up more coating via static. Seems to work well with the powders I am using.

 

[lpel]

Here is my new NOE 9mm mold. First NOE mold. Very nice to be sure.