Powder Coat Bullet Accuracy

Very interesting, I'm glad you did this test.

Great test hope you do it again with a better Ransom Rest set up. 

I also think you came to the correct statistical conclusion: the difference in coating had not difference in accuracy. 

If you have more data with a better test i would be happy to do a Z test for you.

Thanks rich, I'm going to try some different loads once the weather gets better at a local ransom rest.I'll let you know what I come up with.

Certainly in my plans for 147 gr. 9mm run and gun stuff now.

If you fired enough groups for statistical analysis, you should report the S.D. and do a student t-test at 90 or 95 "confidence" level to see if there is any real statistical difference.

I tried to attach the data file but it didn't work. The standard deviation (1 sigma) is reported as +/- after the group size. Looking at it graphically with 1 sigma error bars, it's pretty obvious they are stastically equavelent. Yes, i could do all kinds of various stastically calculations to prove it, but I don't feel the need to prove the obvious, ive got ammo to load and a famity to follow. If you like I'll send you the data file and you can crunch numbers till your hearts content. There are some potential outlier groups that you could examine if you want.

Thanks for sharing all the hard work. I've been wondering about coated bullets and their application to bullseye shooting for a long time. So much "accuracy" testing on the internet involves 5 yds. and is useless IMHO.

Nice write up, a friend of mine did a comparison limited to 25 yards and two hands and sandbags from a bench with 3 different pistols (2 Wilsons and one Salyer built bulleye pistol) and there was very little difference between powder coated bullets (bayou brand and conventional lead bullets, most of the groups for both types of bullets where all in the 1 inch range for 5 shot groups. The conclusion was that for his skill level it made no difference and the cleaner powder coated bullets where the way for him to go.  Of course your results may vary and maybe at 50 yards there might have been a difference.

I like this..I was on the fence to powder coat and now I think I'm going to...Also, this makes me want to cast my own hence the PC interest.

Now to go buy a mold...Pot...lead..read till my eyes bleed....I LOVE IT

10sandxs wrote:
These bullets were weight sorted into groups of +/-0.3 gr 

My best guess is that the weight sorting of the bullets had the largest quantifiable difference. Often people (at least in USPSA) just throw cast bullets down range without regard for weight. 

Thanks for sharing!

Nice write up, would like to see the same test at 50 yards.  One of my shooting buddies did a simmilar test at 25 yards comparing reloads with a 185 grain magnus button wadcutter and 185 grain Bayou coated SWC and the accuracy was very similar between the two bullets.


Wow I did not read the entire post, I had replied to it earlier in more detail.

Great Test challenge & conclusion. Many thanks for this interesting data. Hope to see more testing of this subject.

Just to clarify, Bayou bullets are not Powdercoated bullets. Bayou's coating is applied as a liquid paint to the bullets and actually it's more akin to a stain than a high solid paint. The Bayou baked coating has a rougher surface texture than powdercoat paint. When chronograph testing identical loads of Bayou and powdercoat painted bullets you can expect 50-100 FPS higher velicity from the Powdercoated bullets.

I shot this group at 50 yds with some of igolfat8's coated bullets. I think they'll shoot ;l)
Jon

I'm a little late to this discussion but was wonder if the Bayou bullets leaded the bore?

The short answer is no. Bayou bullets have HyTek liquid paint coating, which is a bit different than powder coating. It’s not as durable as powder coat paint but it certainly works to keep lead out of your barrel. The only downside is it will leave lead deposits in comps and barrel ports.

Rodger Barthlow wrote:I'm a little late to this discussion but was wonder if the Bayou bullets leaded the bore?

Nope.  I've had no leading with anything hi-tek coated from Bayou or other vendors.

Thanks for the info. I'll give them a try

I had opportunity to do a visual AQL this last weekend and was quite surprised at the smoothness of the top coat. These were 200 gr SNS hard cast lead bullets which were also coated with red Hi-Tek . I was also advised that they cut out or cut down considerably on bore leading.

Thanks for the testing, I have decided it is time to make my own now after following this thread.

David

If you want to roll your own here is more information than you would ever need to join our group of coated boolit makers. Have fun...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives

igolfat8,
  Great site and a plethora of information. Thank you for the link.

David

David,
Here is a short comparison of the two most popular current coating methods:

HyTek:
Easier to apply to bullets in bulk. 
Dry paint is mixed with acetone or MEK solvent then applied to bullets
You can dump bullets on non stick aluminum foil to bake them.
Takes only 8-10 minutes to bake them at 385*-400*F in an inexpensive toaster oven 
Requires 2-4 coats of liquid paint
Size bullets +.001" - +.002" above slugged bore diameter AFTER baking
The least durable coating of the two methods
Leaves zero leading in your barrel
Will accumulate lead deposits in barrel popple holes or external compensator ports
HyTek is the coating used by most commercial casters.
Bullets have a rougher surface texture than powder coated bullets.
Velocity is ~50 FPS faster than lead or jacketed bullets



Powder Coat:
Is easy to apply using the Dry Tumble Shake Method
You can't dump bullets in a pile to bake them because they will stick together in a glob.
You must pick bullets out of shaker container and stand each one on its base before baking
Takes only 10-20 minutes to bake at 400*F in an inexpensive toaster oven 
Requires only one coat of powder paint
Size bullets +.001" - +.002" above slugged bore diameter AFTER baking
The MOST durable bullet coating!
Leaves zero leading in your barrel
Will not accumulate lead in popple holes or comp ports.
I am not aware of any commercial casters offering true powder coated bullets.
Bullets have a glass smooth surface texture.
Velocity is ~50 FPS faster than HyTek coated bullets


Both Coatings:
Neither coatings will harm or wear barrels over time. I shoot 15K+ rounds per year and have been shooting coated bullets exclusively for 6 years with zero wear or accuracy degradation.

Neither coating will smoke when bullets exit barrel.

It usually only takes a couple patches of Ed's Red to clean the bore.

Federal syntek is powder coated lead... I know the company that does it, but haven't had a chance to see the line...