Dust with talcum powder?

[Evil Dog]

Generally after lube and sizing my cast boolits I store them in one of those zip lock plastic baggies. I'm wondering about adding a dusting of talcum powder to reduce the incidence of them sticking together. Any of you tried that?

[taminsong]

Yup I tried that. After the sizing and lubing, I roll them in paper with talcum powder and when they're fully coated and not sticky, I store them in empty plastic powder cans, VVN310 is mostly what I have and I just label the cap.

[deerslayer]

If I am not mistaken Talc is a mineral which in my mind might be slightly abrasive. I would lean towards corn starch based powders. Other than that this is a great idea which I will try soon!! Just My Thoughts Nate

[Edubya]

Talc is magnesium silicate. Sand, Portland cement, and thousands of minerals are silicates. Something bothers me about dusting my boolits with silicates.

EW

[Evil Dog]

Hmm... good point. Of course I suppose corn starch or the like could be somewhat abrasive too. Maybe better just to not worry about it and use them sticky.

[500cadillac]

Talc has the same hardness as graphite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohs_sc...neral_hardness

[sagacious]

There's more to it that just being a silicate. Mica is a silicate, and when ground into a powder it's also an excellent solid lubricant.
Talc and mica are both safe to use for dusting bullets.

[steg]

Don't know for sure but If anything I would use cornstarch, We used to machine graphite as pressure molds for Berllium powders, and we had to use Carbide cutting tools, and the carbide didn't last very long before it was too dull to machine the graphite, yet the powder that was created in machining was slicker that you know what on a doorknob, personally I just live with sticky boolits..........steg

[FAsmus]

Sagacious;

I use powdered mica on my bullets ~ not just for ease in handing or storage but for the lubricating properties of the stuff.

Good evening,
Forrest

[63 Shiloh]

A +1 on mica too.

Got the idea from this site and it has made my loading of CB's lubed with BAC very clean and easy.

I am loading on a Dillon XL650 and have also noticed less lube in the seating die. I think the addition of mica has been one of the easiest and cheapest improvements in my reloading of lubed CB's.

Mick

[Bret4207]

I've been using Motor-mica, cornstarch, baby powder and even Gold Bond on my boolits for some time. Just a bit to cut the sticky feeling. As an added benefit, none of my boolits have developed athletes foot or jock itch. The barrels look fine too.

[DLCTEX]

Great! I like good healthy boolits.

[Rocky Raab]

Another mica user here, mainly because I was given a quart can of the stuff, and that's about a two-lifetime supply. I can say that it helps immensely in eliminating the sticky factor, definitely improves feeding in semi-auto pistols, and might even add some lubricity.

A wry observation: many here boast of the benefits of "firelapping" in which lead bullets are coated with a grinding abrasive. Others worry that something as mild as talc or mica might hurt a bore. Those factions ought to debate!

[45-70 Chevroner]

Where can you get a good supply of mica for a reasonable price. The stuff I bought for dry lubbing case necks was not cheap, ie (case neck lube kit).

[Rocky Raab]

Google Motor Mica is the best I can offer. I got my quart can as part of a "widow sale" of reloading gear, so I can't ask the guy where he got it.

I seem to recall that some auto parts stores might carry it - it is sometimes touted as an oil additive.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I am a big fan of Corn Starch. I use it for all my boolits that are not immediatly reloaded. They do not stick together and the lube does not migrate anywhere.

It also tends to keep my dies cleaner. I have one two gallon plastic container with a nice screw topped lid. I dump in a couple of hundred sized and lubed boolits and add a tablespoon of CS and put on the top.

A gentle swirling action works good here and then I take out the boolits. Some of the CS remains in the container and I do not always have to add CS before the process. This stuff is very inexpensive and available.

Now if you want some more uses for CS:

Take a .38 casing and drill out the primer hole a mite. Reprime it and fill the casing with a nice load of CS and then cap it off with a dollop of Hot Glue from your glue gun.

You are looking for an even level of glue inside the case to almost the end of the case.

Now put in a cylinder full of those and shoot at a close targe at your favorite outdoor range. Make sure to have your friends alongside you when to do this.

You will generate clouds of white smoke with a little pop and you friends will want to know where they can buy some of those boolits.

[deerslayer]

I like the .38 Idea i will have to try it. No powder just a primer??