Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Powder coating for semi-auto rifle?

Trying to figure out whether there's hope for shooting cast bullets in a Mini-30 or not. I know it's not recommended, but the two moulds I have drop nice little bullets which seem so perfect for the 7.62X39, yet they give the predictable leading problems in the gas ways. Anyone have any ideas on whether powder coating might be an effective alternative to naked lead (Rooster HVR) lubed bullets?

From what I've read a GC is still a good way to fly if you're pushing past 1800-2000fps.

Barrel leading I can prevent or deal with easily enough. It's keeping it out of the gas system that I'm hoping to avoid. I haven't tried powder coating at all and wonder if anyone else might have tried it - at risk of great cleaning troubles- in a gas rifle.

While I haven't played with cast and semi-auto rifles yet, my knee-jerk reaction would be to give powder coat a try. Besides resolving issues with leading, it will also keep you from dealing with lube in the gas ports / tube.

If you want, you can dip your toe in the waters pretty inexpensively by trying the shake-and-bake method. The most costly investment will be a pound of powder (~$20) and a good plastic tub. Coat - bake - add check - size.

I am sure Yondering will be along shortly to expand on this and some of his previous tutorial threads should have enough info to get you going.

Your concerns are well founded, and yes, powder coating can solve that problem.

I don't shoot a Mini-30, but do shoot the same cast bullets you are probably considering in a couple different AR15s in 300 Blk, 308, and a 30 Herrett wildcat. The lube-groove Lee 155gr gas checked bullet is a good one for this, as is the very similar NOE version.

You will want to use a gas check with these, even powder coated, and hardness does still matter for accuracy. For full power loads I get best results water quenching my wheel weight alloy; I do this by pouring water on the bullets when they come out of the coating oven. (Quenching out of the mold won't do much if you anneal them again in the baking oven.)

Ive run straight heat treated WW out of gas guns but always with a check to maintain a bore condition.

Its really a matter of barrel finish and whether or not the ports are scrapers.

Usually if it copper fouls badly in that area, its going to be bad with lead until its corrected.

Klikitarik, the gas checked bullets in the pic below are the Lee 155gr, is that what you're using in the mini-30? Using these powder coated is a lot cleaner in a gas gun than the wax lubed way. Pay attention to coating thickness though with this bullet; if you lay it on too thick, that bore rider nose section can stick in the lands in a .308" bore and cause chambering issues. This is the one I use most of the time though; it's a good bullet and was designed for the 7.62x39.




The checked bullets in this pic are 168gr from an old H&G #20; rumored by many to be inaccurate, but it shoots well hardened and powder coated with full pressure loads in my 308 and 300 Blk (1:10 and 1:8 twists). It's got a good nose profile for something like your Mini-30 too, but that mold can be hard to find.