Good Tools

[richhodg66]

Realizing I was running low on .30 caliber hunting bullets, I finally got around to using my four cavity NOE clone of the Lyman 311041 tonight. I washed it up like they instructed and heated it and let it cool several times. Got a pot of alloy ready in my 20 something year old Lee pot which I have repaired many times over the years and was ready to make that first cast when the bottom pour nozzle was clogged and I couldn't get it cleared. Finally decided I'd had it with that thing, so I stood down and looked around for an old Lyman Model 61 I bought a couple of years ago here and never set up (I am lazy and generally resistant to change).

What a difference! Once I got used to the slight ergonomic differences between it and the Lee, it worked like a champ. Once the mold got the right temperature, it did as well. Now I have a nice pile of what has been a very good all around .30 caliber bullet and some will make their way into a Kansas white tail or two in a few months good Lord willing.

New, good quality mold + much more substantial lead pot than I'm used to = a happy camper at the reloading bench.

[nhrifle]

Glad the Lyman worked out for you, but don't give up on the Lee. Mine will do that occasionally, sometimes for no reason. The spout freezes, even though the lead and pot are up to temp. I just have a small plumbing torch nearby and when the flow stops, play the flame over the nozzle for 5 or 10 seconds. Works slick.

[richhodg66]

That little Lee pot was the one I bought when I first started casting and has been through a lot. A puppy we had chewed the cord off once, I replaced it, the inner pot rusted out when it sat a few years of being dormant from military committments keeping me away. It had been all banged up from multiple moves and the temp adjustment was frozen in one position, fortunately, it was about right for most of my casting.

The Lyman had a mold guide on it and I wondered how I'd like that. Normally, I like all the clearance I can get and had actually remounted the Lee to it's base backwards so it could hang over the edge of the casting table. The mold guide was nice when I got used to it and helped me steday things up. Not so much with this NOE, but the other day I was using my old SAECO four cavity .45 Colt mold and came to the realization that I don't have the strength in my forearms like I used to, it wore on me. Maybe this one will help.

So salutes to the old Lee, it did good service and for the price new, you really can't beat one. I'll eventually figure out what to do with it.

[Farmall]

Hi Rich....dont I know you from somwhere? :bigsmyl2:
Was this the 10# or 20# pot you had trouble with? Always wanted to upgrade to a Lyman or RCBS, but have been pretty happy overall with the Lee pots.
I use a small propane torch to unstick the nozzle too, sometimes back probe with a small cotter pin held in a pair of needle nose vise grips. Be very sure to wear gloves if you are doing this. I usually wear fabric welding sleeves, and Tig welding gloves, when casting.
Andy

[richhodg66]

Hi, Andy. Honestly, this happened before and I ordered the steel inner pot from Lee real cheap and just replaced it. Guess it's time to do that again, but that old thing is pretty ragged and I have this Lyman so I'm in no rush.

It's just the standard 10 lb pot, bottom pour and yeah, it drips and always has, I just lived with it and kept a screwdriver handy to turn the stem back and forth til it stopped.

Those Lees are great, especially for the money. The only thing about the Lyman that bothers me a little is the cord plugs into it on the front left side where it gets in the way for me. I'll figure out how to move the cord out of the way. It took me a while to where I got the hang of its pour too, it really flowed fast and was splashing alloy until I got the technique down.

That NOE four cavity is great. I've had an Ideal single cavity 31141 and it casts and shoots well, but is obviously slow. I cast about 400 last night in probably a forth the time that single cavity would have and they look to be just as good quality castings. If I hadn't had all the issues of learning new stuff, I'd have probably done even better

[4719dave]

Hope you got some BIG BOOLITS because the steers I mean deers are big boys out there ,Got lucky and drew a tag 10 years ago ..would go back in a heart beat ,,,
Realizing I was running low on .30 caliber hunting bullets, I finally got around to using my four cavity NOE clone of the Lyman 311041 tonight. I washed it up like they instructed and heated it and let it cool several times. Got a pot of alloy ready in my 20 something year old Lee pot which I have repaired many times over the years and was ready to make that first cast when the bottom pour nozzle was clogged and I couldn't get it cleared. Finally decided I'd had it with that thing, so I stood down and looked around for an old Lyman Model 61 I bought a couple of years ago here and never set up (I am lazy and generally resistant to change).

What a difference! Once I got used to the slight ergonomic differences between it and the Lee, it worked like a champ. Once the mold got the right temperature, it did as well. Now I have a nice pile of what has been a very good all around .30 caliber bullet and some will make their way into a Kansas white tail or two in a few months good Lord willing.

New, good quality mold + much more substantial lead pot than I'm used to = a happy camper at the reloading bench.