Litehiker
Well-Known Member
Is anyone using Hexgonal Boron Nitride powder to coat their bullets and bore?
I plan to begin doing it in May.
Eric B.
I plan to begin doing it in May.
Eric B.
Last edited:
HBN powder coating anyone??
- Thread starter Litehiker
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gohring3006
Well-Known Member
I coat every cartridge I own except my Colt Hbar, that's because I use it for 550 yard comp with 68 grain bullets and also use bulk 55 grain plinking ammo.
I have noticed all benefits and no negatives from doing so.
Low ES
Low SDs
High velocity with noticeably cooler barrel.
I have noticed all benefits and no negatives from doing so.
Low ES
Low SDs
High velocity with noticeably cooler barrel.
Wile E Coyote
Well-Known Member
I started coating w hBN a few years ago. My initial reasoning was to find a way to make the bullet release from the case identical whether the round was loaded yesterday or a year ago. That objective has been met.
A secondary concern was finding a way to extend barrel life. My experience with various types of precision machinery has taught me that lack of lubrication resulting in metal to metal contact meant something is about to become junk in a very short time. I've been using hBN on my bullets and as a bore treatment on a 260 Rem since it was re-barreled. we're just short of 500 down the tube as of today. Using a bore scope has shown me there is almost no wear at the throat.
Es and SD are always single digit on this rifle too. The last batch of 100 rounds I loaded had a SD of 2 the day after it was loaded last fall. I checked it again a few weeks ago and it was 3 with only a 2fps change in average velocity. As Gohring has said too, barrel doesn't heat up as fast. shot in a few matches last summer where one could shoot a dozen rounds in just a few minutes. Barrel was warm but not scorching.
If you have the determination and the patience to do all the little steps that will make the final coating the best it can be, you will not be disappointed.
Pete
A secondary concern was finding a way to extend barrel life. My experience with various types of precision machinery has taught me that lack of lubrication resulting in metal to metal contact meant something is about to become junk in a very short time. I've been using hBN on my bullets and as a bore treatment on a 260 Rem since it was re-barreled. we're just short of 500 down the tube as of today. Using a bore scope has shown me there is almost no wear at the throat.
Es and SD are always single digit on this rifle too. The last batch of 100 rounds I loaded had a SD of 2 the day after it was loaded last fall. I checked it again a few weeks ago and it was 3 with only a 2fps change in average velocity. As Gohring has said too, barrel doesn't heat up as fast. shot in a few matches last summer where one could shoot a dozen rounds in just a few minutes. Barrel was warm but not scorching.
If you have the determination and the patience to do all the little steps that will make the final coating the best it can be, you will not be disappointed.
Pete
Litehiker
Well-Known Member
Thanks gents.
And yes, I'm willing to do the necessary "ceremonies" HBN requires.
After watching David Tubb's sales video and the excellent instructional video on Long Range Only I'm sold on HBN.
I have a 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle (280 rounds through it) and a 6.5 CM Ruger American Predator(45 rounds down the barrel) so my first HBN rounds will be in 6.5 CM.
Later I'll load with HBN for my .300 Win mag HS Precision target rifle when I try Berger 230 gr. Hybrids.
I'll clean all barrels thoroughly of carbon and copper. If any barrel shoots less well after this cleaning I'll "smooth" it out by fire lapping with my NECO kit. That's because I'll assume it shot better with a moderate copper buildup that made the barrel smoother.
Eric B.
And yes, I'm willing to do the necessary "ceremonies" HBN requires.
After watching David Tubb's sales video and the excellent instructional video on Long Range Only I'm sold on HBN.
I have a 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle (280 rounds through it) and a 6.5 CM Ruger American Predator(45 rounds down the barrel) so my first HBN rounds will be in 6.5 CM.
Later I'll load with HBN for my .300 Win mag HS Precision target rifle when I try Berger 230 gr. Hybrids.
I'll clean all barrels thoroughly of carbon and copper. If any barrel shoots less well after this cleaning I'll "smooth" it out by fire lapping with my NECO kit. That's because I'll assume it shot better with a moderate copper buildup that made the barrel smoother.
Eric B.
gohring3006
Well-Known Member
If you have a fire lapping kit, feel free to use it.
But.... I believe it won't be necessary because the HBN will fill in the voids the copper used to fill. It may take a few rounds, but it will fill in. Another thing about HBN is its corrosive inhibitor ability. You won't have to use oil or other anti rust chemicals in the bore after treating..
Yes.
And I contributed to this Thread, which would be good reading if you're just starting out: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/hexagonal-boron-nitride-151457/
And I contributed to this Thread, which would be good reading if you're just starting out: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/hexagonal-boron-nitride-151457/
Bullet bumper
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It works ok and is clean to use however I do not believe it has any anti corrosive ability and people should be careful that corrosion is not going on under the coating .
I have not done any work on identifying the chemical reactions that may or may not take place inside the hot bore environment using HBN . I personally would not just assume that it fights corrosion as it would need to seal out oxygen and I am not sure it would do that . Moly does not do that perfectly and it's a way thicker layer .
I have not done any work on identifying the chemical reactions that may or may not take place inside the hot bore environment using HBN . I personally would not just assume that it fights corrosion as it would need to seal out oxygen and I am not sure it would do that . Moly does not do that perfectly and it's a way thicker layer .
gohring3006
Well-Known Member
Rust protection coatings of atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride
Moly is Hygroscopic and attracts moisture. It will combine with the moisture and form sulfuric acid. Thais has been tested by the military for several years.
Moly is Hygroscopic and attracts moisture. It will combine with the moisture and form sulfuric acid. Thais has been tested by the military for several years.
Bullet bumper
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Moly is not Hydroscopic it does not attract moisture of it's self but it can combine with moisture and heat to form oxidation products that could then form weak acids. Rain water is a weak acid. The oxidation product [FONT="]MoS3 (molybdenum trisulfide) is hydroscopic . That is why you don't leave the barrel uncleaned or unlubricated after use and before storage . [/FONT]
If you are stupid enough to leave the barrel unlubricated during periods of no use then it can cause a problem so can moisture in the air but the effects are grossly over exaggerated by people who have never actually used it for long periods or used it incorrectly . I am coming up for about 30 years of using Moly with no barrel corrosion of any kind because I know how to use it .
I don't believe that HBN can exclude oxygen and moisture from the steel surface . I am not going to argue about it , everyone can do as they like but I would not trust it for long periods of no use and in moist high humidity situations .
The reason I went with HBN over Moly was to avoid the sulfer / sulfide in Moly, and any potential for corrosion it could cause to my bores.
I leave my HBN bores fouled when they're stored in a controlled indoor atmosphere, as I don't like to have to clean and re-foul my bores each time I head out hunting. If they get wet I'll clean them, and periodically I'll clean them. But with HBN, I don't feel like I have to clean them after each shooting. And I would feel that way with Moly.
Maybe I was overly concerned about corrosion. Just the way I thought about it and why I chose HBN - between the those two options. Plus HBN doesn't stain everything brown/black...
I leave my HBN bores fouled when they're stored in a controlled indoor atmosphere, as I don't like to have to clean and re-foul my bores each time I head out hunting. If they get wet I'll clean them, and periodically I'll clean them. But with HBN, I don't feel like I have to clean them after each shooting. And I would feel that way with Moly.
Maybe I was overly concerned about corrosion. Just the way I thought about it and why I chose HBN - between the those two options. Plus HBN doesn't stain everything brown/black...
gohring3006
Well-Known Member
If I was to oil the bore every time I put the hex coated rifle away, I wouldn't even bother with Hex. That's one of the main reasons I use hex boron nitride.
My cold bore shot would be out of the group and the benefits of hex is out the window.
My cold bore shot would be out of the group and the benefits of hex is out the window.
Lonewolf74
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I've been interested in something like this too. Do you think a guy can still get the benefits from it by just coating the bore and not the bullets?
I'm also curious about the hbn vs ws2. I don't know much about either but Mikecr told me about the ws2. Maybe he'll chime in?
I'm also curious about the hbn vs ws2. I don't know much about either but Mikecr told me about the ws2. Maybe he'll chime in?
D
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I have not tried WS2. Not going too. No particular reason other than hBN has done the job for me well and I have enough to last a life time. My fire forming loads for my 50 DTC were very accurate with coated bullets. Non-coated, not so much. Every rifle I shoot shows improvement with hBN coated projectiles. Even my "Black Powder Only" Springfield Trapdoor 1884 chambered in 257 Roberts (equal to say a 25-40).
I have never tried just coating the barrel. I would have to develop a test protocol to see what happens. I would venture that there would be some benefit but would it last between cleaning intervals? I don't actuall coat my barrels with hBN, I buff Frogs Lube into them. Then a few fouling shots and the rifle is read for another 200 rounds or more before the next cleaning. Just an undersized bore snake at the end of the day.
