which casting furnace do you like the best?

[3jimbo3]

I am thinking of getting a new casting furnace. Which one do you guys use and like the best?

RCBS Pro Mag

Lyman Mag 25

The lyman looks as it may have a P.I.D built in and from what I can find it is quiet a bit cheaper.

Just asking some opinions

[Vinne]

Lyman Mag 25 is new and has some nice features. It seems to be ready to handle a long session.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Just bought a Pro-Mag after a succession of Lee pots. D you know the difference between the feel of a Lee Mold and an RCBS or Lyman mold? It's like that.

At the end of the day, though, it just melts lead.

dale in Louisiana

[seagiant]

Hi,
This comes up about once a month or so! The best NON-commercial pot for the money and no need to add a PID control but ready out of the box,is the RCBS Pro Melt!!!

[WILCO]

I have the RCBS Pro Melt and the LEE Melter Furnace. I tend to use my LEE pot more, as I prefer the RCBS Lead Dipper for casting.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?127865-Switched-ladles&highlight=ladles+switched

[Mk42gunner]

Never used a Lyman pot, but I agree with what Dale and seagiant said.

Robert

[gunoil]

i have lee and would like to buy a RCBS PM.

[Lloyd Smale]

both good pots. I had two lymans i lost in the fire and replaced them with two rcbs pots. I think the lymans are just as good but went rcbs because there warantee dept. is hands down better then lymans.

[seagiant]

both good pots. I had two lymans i lost in the fire and replaced them with two rcbs pots. I think the lymans are just as good but went rcbs because there warantee dept. is hands down better then lymans.

Hi,
My experience also! The only Lyman equipment I have left is some 1lb. ingot molds!

[GLL]

I also have a Pro-Melt but it looks a little different for some reason ! ;) ;)

http://www.fototime.com/5E9D62857295B91/orig.jpg

Jerry

[dragon813gt]

If I was going to spend the money it would be for a Magma Masterpot. I know it's a lot more money. But if I'm upgrading from my Lee I'm going all out. Otherwise I can buy a whole bunch of Lees for the price of the RCBS/Lyman pots.

[3jimbo3]

GLL, that one don't bottom pour does it? I'm on my phone right now and can't see the picture too well. Its a very nice furnace though from what I can tell.

[GLL]

jimbo:

It is a "pre-RCBS" Pro-Melt ladle pot. Pretty much identical to the newer RCBS model but no bottom pour. It is a great pot to go along with those I have from Waage.

Jerry

[bhn22]

I'll be the lone dissenter here. I have a 20 yr old Mag 20, and would buy another one if I ever needed it.

[seagiant]

jimbo:

It is a "pre-RCBS" Pro-Melt ladle pot. Pretty much identical to the newer RCBS model but no bottom pour. It is a great pot to go along with those I have from Waage.

Jerry

Hi,
Yes! RCBS does have a habit of buying out companys with an excellent product!!!

[Lloyd Smale]

im not bashing lyman pots. I actually liked mine right up till the time they needed work. Had the heating element go bad and they wouldnt send me the parts. Said it was a liability problem to let someone other then them fix it. they charged me a 110 bucks to fix a pot i paid 175 bucks for.Id like to subcontract for them putting in heating coils for a 100 bucks a crack. About a 15 minute job and probably a 5 dollar part for them. the pots i had though were good casting pots. Probably as good as the rcbs pots. Cheaper to boot, but i just have been soured on lyman to many times to buy anything from them again.
I'll be the lone dissenter here. I have a 20 yr old Mag 20, and would buy another one if I ever needed it.

[EddieNFL]

My RCBS is still getting hot after about 15 years (sat in the garage for the last three). Looks a bit rough on the outside, though.

[Iowa Fox]

im not bashing lyman pots. I actually liked mine right up till the time they needed work. Had the heating element go bad and they wouldnt send me the parts. Said it was a liability problem to let someone other then them fix it. they charged me a 110 bucks to fix a pot i paid 175 bucks for.Id like to subcontract for them putting in heating coils for a 100 bucks a crack. About a 15 minute job and probably a 5 dollar part for them. the pots i had though were good casting pots. Probably as good as the rcbs pots. Cheaper to boot, but i just have been soured on lyman to many times to buy anything from them again.

Lloyd I'm going to bash them somewhat. I started buying Lyman products in 1969 when I got home from the service. Press, dies, ect which expanded into molds, lubesizer, a lot of accessories, which then turned into a whole bunch of their stuff. I'm from the old school and don't expect anything for free especially after it has given me good service. The Mag 20 is what has made my blood boil. I need a few nickle and dime parts which they will not sell, the parts they will sell are for their latest pots and are a mis match for the Mag 20 of 20-30 years ago. If they are not correct why sell them at all, their email response to me was I might have to try to find something that will work after an email about the mis match. Where's their concern for liability with that one? I have some Lee pots also, Lee provides most replacement parts for a very reasonable cost. Lee gives us folks in the field the credit to repair their products with replacement parts, at a very reasonable cost I might add. Thank you to the Lee family for your support to the folks using your products ( Nov 1963 for me). Lyman your company needs a shake up at the top.

[seagiant]

Lloyd I'm going to bash them somewhat. I started buying Lyman products in 1969 when I got home from the service. Press, dies, ect which expanded into molds, lubesizer, a lot of accessories, which then turned into a whole bunch of their stuff. I'm from the old school and don't expect anything for free especially after it has given me good service. The Mag 20 is what has made my blood boil. I need a few nickle and dime parts which they will not sell, the parts they will sell are for their latest pots and are a mis match for the Mag 20 of 20-30 years ago. If they are not correct why sell them at all, their email response to me was I might have to try to find something that will work after an email about the mis match. Where's their concern for liability with that one? I have some Lee pots also, Lee provides most replacement parts for a very reasonable cost. Lee gives us folks in the field the credit to repair their products with replacement parts, at a very reasonable cost I might add. Thank you to the Lee family for your support to the folks using your products ( Nov 1963 for me). Lyman your company needs a shake up at the top.

Hi,
They jerked me around like Lloyd and I sold everything Lyman including molds years ago and just about refuse to buy anything from them ever again. To many people out there with better products AND customer service!!!

[3jimbo3]

RCBS has been my favorite for many years. I don't have any of their casting equipment but all my reloading stuff is RCBS. With the exception of my trimmer, it's a Lyman but I am looking for one to match my other stuff. Now my dies are a mixed bag from RCBS and Lee.

[justcharlie]

+ 1 for the pro melt
justcharlie

[donald150]

I recently bought a complete reloading setup from the son and grand daughter of the guy that owned it. I think she said he passed in 1996.

In the lot of stuff was a small Lee pot, a RCBS Pro Melt and a little frying pan looking thing with an electric coil in it. I am VERY new to casting (reloading over 10 years) and had no idea what I had purchased until I did some research.
The RCBS seems far better than the Lee. It hold more, has a mold guide and has a temperature selector knob.

When I bought the stuff, the handle on the Pro-melt was missing and I could not find a replacement part anywhere.

One email to RCBS and a new handle was in the mail, FREE! That is beyond customer service!

Btw, I had just bought the same Lee pot at Cabelas 2 weeks earlier for around $57.
I sold the old Lee pot from my reloading purchase to someone on Ebay for over $70 (starting bid was $29.99 i think):holysheep

[500MAG]

RCBS Pro melt but I still use a couple LEE's for some different alloys. Happy with them all.

[detox]

I love my RCBS Pro Melt when bottom pouring. I also used the RCBS $50.00 rebate offer still going on.

[Frozone]

I bought a Lyman 20 - it was on sale.

To be honest, I prefer my LEE 20#ers. The Lyman is a little easier to use,as far as the pour handle goes, but it drips more then the LEEs do!!!
The lee mold rest looks cheap (and it is) but it works better than the Lyman when you are not using Lyman made molds.

[jmort]

I want a Waage but happy with Lee Precision Magnum Melter.

[dromia]

In the 20lb pot range you won't get better that the RCBS Pro Melt, I've been running two with no problems for more years than I care to remember.

I've tried the pig in a poke Lee furnace kits but life is too short to spend my time trying to get it to work the way it should come from the factory I sooner be dipping and pouring that fighting leaks and risking getting burnt by the damned things.

I like the look of the new Lyman Mag 25 and will get one whenever they are finally released. I used a Mag 20 for many years as well that came to me second hand well used eventually the pot corroded and leaked so it went the journey.

[doctorggg]

I bought a Lyman 20 - it was on sale.

To be honest, I prefer my LEE 20#ers. The Lyman is a little easier to use,as far as the pour handle goes, but it drips more then the LEEs do!!!
The lee mold rest looks cheap (and it is) but it works better than the Lyman when you are not using Lyman made molds.

I agree with Frozone. I have the lee 20, Lyman 20 and RCBS Pro melt. I much prefer the Pro Melt but use the Lee a lot because the nozzle doesn't freeze up at lower temps (less than 700*) like the Lyman and RCBS. The Lyman drips as much as the lee. And yes I have cleaned all of them.

[hermans]

RCBS Pro Melt is very good value for money, have been using mine for the last 25 years and only had to replace the heating element once, which came free of charge from RCBS!

[detox]

I was once a firm believer that ladle casting produced the best boolits. Now i can produce verygood quality boolits LOTS faster using the bottom pour.

If casting just a few boolits, a small RCBS or Lyman cast iron pot, ladle, and stove top will work.