To powder coat or not, BP Cartridge guns

Fox

Fox

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Anyone here cast for antiques? Would you powdercoat?

I am curious if it will reduce leading, especially in cases with pitting in the rifling.
 
If using bp or substitutes you need bp lube for the fouling or there will be a setious mess. Coul lube the coated bullets or use a lube cookie.

I'm using powder coated in some antiques wirh smokeless but haven't given any a really deep bore clean yet. Will be looking for signs of coating being scrubbed in rough barrels when I do.
 
vagrantviking said:
If using bp or substitutes you need bp lube for the fouling or there will be a setious mess. Coul lube the coated bullets or use a lube cookie.

I'm using powder coated in some antiques wirh smokeless but haven't given any a really deep bore clean yet. Will be looking for signs of coating being scrubbed in rough barrels when I do.
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Ya, would be true BP, so unless I want to do a lube cookie (probably not) then stick with soft cast lead.

What about lube in the grooves after powder coating? Not sure how deep the grooves are but there should still be some groove left for lube.

The main one is for a 50-70 but also debating for a 44 Webley as well.
 
I have some 357 loaded with powder coated bullets that were then lubed but haven't tried them yet either. They go against the spirit and possibly the rules of the competition that I shoot much of my bp at.

I'm betting they will work quite well. Or maybe there will be a melted plastic mess similar to using plastic shotgun wads with bp. Pretty sure it will work....

Hopefully someone a step or two farther down this path will chime in.
 
I shoot several BPCRifles in 38-55 (2) 40-60 Maynard, 40-65Win., 40-70 Sharps Straight, 45-70 (6) 45-90 and 50-70. I shoot 1-20 tin/lead alloy, powder coat everything and lube with Paul Matthews' Premium lube. Never a leading issue! I conducted a test awhile back with the 40-65 (55 grs 2Fg. 400 gr Snover bullet) I fired 10 rds per target on 5 different targets for a total of 50 shots, without cleaning or wiping between shots. No appreciable loss in accuracy, fouling was minimal and soft! Easily removed with a few patched dampened with "Moose Milk"

I can't speak to pitted bores as all my rifles have pristine bores.
YMMV!
 
oldrodder said:
I shoot several BPCRifles in 38-55 (2) 40-60 Maynard, 40-65Win., 40-70 Sharps Straight, 45-70 (6) 45-90 and 50-70. I shoot 1-20 tin/lead alloy, powder coat everything and lube with Paul Matthews' Premium lube. Never a leading issue! I conducted a test awhile back with the 40-65 (55 grs 2Fg. 400 gr Snover bullet) I fired 10 rds per target on 5 different targets for a total of 50 shots, without cleaning or wiping between shots. No appreciable loss in accuracy, fouling was minimal and soft! Easily removed with a few patched dampened with "Moose Milk"

I can't speak to pitted bores as all my rifles have pristine bores.
YMMV!
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Those are all true black powder guns?

Ya, I had an opportunity at a rare 50-70, original, I don't buy guns to leave them in the cabinet so I will make it a shooter, ha ha.
 
Fox said:
Those are all true black powder guns?

Ya, I had an opportunity at a rare 50-70, original, I don't buy guns to leave them in the cabinet so I will make it a shooter, ha ha.
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Several are custom builds, a few reproductions. Only the 50-70 is an original Rolling Block. I shoot and enjoy them all equally!
 
oldrodder said:
Several are custom builds, a few reproductions. Only the 50-70 is an original Rolling Block. I shoot and enjoy them all equally!
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Ok, so you are shooting true BP. You powder coat your cast bullets, then lube them with BP lube, load and shoot.
 
I wouldn't powder coat them. Maybe in a modern rifle shooting smokeless. It's way too far from traditional for me. If after using the correct alloy and lube I couldn't solve a leading problem, then I'd paper patch the bullets. Paper patching is a nice, and traditional, way to prevent the lead from touching the bore. Plus PP bullets are cool :)

Chris.
 
I shoot powder coated and bp lubed bullets out of my 1873 trapdoor and work very well. They are bp bullets with big lube grooves though.
 
Reeferman said:
I shoot powder coated and bp lubed bullets out of my 1873 trapdoor and work very well. They are bp bullets with big lube grooves though.
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Great, ya, the mold I have is a Lee mold.

The biggest concern I have is that the pitting will fill up with lead faster, making it plug up quick.

I am assuming the powder coating would not harden the soft lead bullets.
 
I use PC slugs in a few old original barrels that have varying degree's of pitting. I shoot them at BP equivalency loads loaded with smokeless so BP fowling isnt an issue but neither is PC fowling or leading in the bores, basically i have never noticed even a skid mark in any of the bores. One of these rifles is an original 1886 in 45-70 that ser #'s to 1887 and has what would be considered a "very pitted bore" on its best day and that old girl will shoot PC slugs into 2" or less all afternoon, I was amazed when I bought the thing that it would even stabilize a slug let alone shoot hunting accuracy.
 
fingers284 said:
I use PC slugs in a few old original barrels that have varying degree's of pitting. I shoot them at BP equivalency loads loaded with smokeless so BP fowling isnt an issue but neither is PC fowling or leading in the bores, basically i have never noticed even a skid mark in any of the bores. One of these rifles is an original 1886 in 45-70 that ser #'s to 1887 and has what would be considered a "very pitted bore" on its best day and that old girl will shoot PC slugs into 2" or less all afternoon, I was amazed when I bought the thing that it would even stabilize a slug let alone shoot hunting accuracy.
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The pitting is, from what I have been told by the local gunsmith, more of a concern if near the bore. He said anything with clean rifling or 6in or more at the bore will stabilize the bullet. I have an 1861 rifled musket, it has a slight bulge from someone short starting it we presume, he said that it is no problem as it is in a low pressure area, no cracks and the bullet will just skip over and catch the rifling on the other side.

This one would be made in the late 1860s, a 50-70 Rolling Block, the pitting is down near the receiver, so 28-30in of clean rifling after.

My larger concern would be leading in the pitting as the pitting would make it easier to pickup the lead as the bullet passed by.
 
gunlaker said:
I wouldn't powder coat them. Maybe in a modern rifle shooting smokeless. It's way too far from traditional for me. If after using the correct alloy and lube I couldn't solve a leading problem, then I'd paper patch the bullets. Paper patching is a nice, and traditional, way to prevent the lead from touching the bore. Plus PP bullets are cool :)

Chris.
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Gunlaker:
I'm somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to my guns: blued steel & walnut for me! I will however use different loading techniques that yield good results, like zero leading! After all, powder coating is the modern equivalent of the paper jacket!
 
Yup try paper rolling 500 slugs in 35 minutes...not gonna happen.

I realize PCing isn't "traditional" but it sure has simplified & allowed me the enjoyment of using cast slugs in a couple dozen rifles with original barrels that I wouldn't use jacketed in. I admire your sticking to traditions gunlaker but its not for everyone...I guess I stick to the oldest tradition...if something better come along best make use of it. Sort of like the burning string guys adopted the flintlock then their kids adopted the cap-n-ball whose kids adopted the primer & cartridge then BP gave way to smokeless and on and on it goes until we came up with PC LOL
 
There is no reason to shoot powder coated bullets in BP cartridge. There is no advantage for leading because of velocity and you need to lube the bullet anyway
The only advantage might be to gain some diameter if you are using a bullet that is too small.
 
KMD said:
There is no reason to shoot powder coated bullets in BP cartridge. There is no advantage for leading because of velocity and you need to lube the bullet anyway
The only advantage might be to gain some diameter if you are using a bullet that is too small.
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The pitting is the issue, the velocity will not be too high but an original 150 year old barrel is not perfect.
 
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