Intro w/?'s

[silly goose]

Hi guys, been lurking for a bit, love the site. Hunted all my life, bow and handgun only for last couple of years. I hunt for meat and the experience, nothing special as far as antlers are concerned. About to start this casting endeavor, have reloaded for about 10 years, and love to tinker. Still use a single stage press and am quite content w/it. I am absolutely smitten w/my two Blackhawks, a 4 5/8" 357, and a 5.5" .45 Colt. If I had to keep one it would be the .45, but I also like the economy of 38/357. Of course I have to watch funds a bit, so here is my question. In your experience, will I be content w/the 4lb lee melter and a ladle. I've already done the math and know about how many of each boolit a pot will do, I wont need to make hundreds at a time. I'd be happy to make 100 at a setting. Doesnt seem very efficient to melt and maintain 10-20lbs of lead if I'll only need 2-3 lbs tops. I already put up about 230 lbs of ww ingots, and have about that many more to smelt. I'm not a high volume shooter, just this year I started to do a lot of dryfire practice from field positions in the yard. It has made a substantial difference in my shooting. I also plan on picking up a Lee mold for each cal in a rnfp. I would just like to get going with adequate equipment and not break the bank. I thank you for any advice in advance. And like I said, slowgoing is ok with me as long as I can still produce a decent product. If I get entirely hooked I suppose I could always upgrade at a later time.

[WILCO]

In your experience, will I be content w/the 4lb lee melter and a ladle.

I purchased mine recently and love it!!!! Melts lead muffins fast too.
At first I was afraid my ladle was to big for the pot, but it works just fine.
I've been able to cast better bullets with less rejects since I recieved it from the UPS guy.

[Hickory]

Well with the calibers you've mentioned that should keep you busy tinkerin' for quite a while.
Welcome to the fourm.
There's a lot of reading here, so read the past threads. I am reading and have a lot of reading to do.

[Bret4207]

Welcome! Where is "upstate NY"? That covers a huge area.

The ladle is fine, the 4 lb pot...not so much. While you don;t need a bottom pour to make good boolits, it is much easier to cast from a larger pot. Temps remain more stable, the dross is relatively less, it's easier to use. Lee makes a larger dipping pot and their 20 lb BP can be used as a dipping pot too. Or you can do like a million other guys did and find a decent size pot and use a stove or hot plate for heat. I used an 1100 watt open coil hot plate with a 12 cup (30+ lbs) stainless pot with complete satisfaction. I never went to bottom pour till this year (30+ years of casting) and still am not completely sold on them.

I think you're on the right track- learn to cast as close to perfect boolits as you can and then go on to quantity.

[docone31]

I used a stove top for a long time. I got a cast iron pot and fined my metal.
From there, I got a 20lb bottom pour.
It is not the convience of the bottom pour, it is the large amount of alloy I could liquify at one time. That factor gave me better alloy blends.
I do not use a ladle. I bottom pour, and I have gotten quite used to the foibles. Mine does not drip. My first 10lb bottom pour years ago dripped with impunity! The 20lb pot has only dripped slightly a few times.
You gonna enjoy the versatility of load development with castings. I use Lee molds and have gotten quite fond of them. I paper patch, cast for my pistols.
Its all good.

[silly goose]

"upstate" in this case is Greene Co. Appx 100 miles north of nyc. Thanks for the replies, I'm gonna keep reading and make a decision shortly. I've got a little time to decide, I just broke a bone in my hand on Friday, so I can't do too much right now anyway. Thanks guys.

[wiljen]

Dont get the Lee Ladle as it is ****. A Lyman or Rowell ladle is a far better investment than the Lee.

[markinalpine]

Dont get the Lee Ladle as it is ****. A Lyman or Rowell ladle is a far better investment than the Lee.

...I've found the Lee Ladle to be pretty good for fluxing and scraping my bottom pour melter since it gets into the tight spot behind the valve rod pretty well.

Wouldn't recommend it for ladle casting, though. I have a RCBS for that.

Mark :coffeecom

[462]

silly goose,

Welcome.

Except for the pot, you're on the right track. For overall convenience and one that will serve you now and well into the future, I recommend the Lee 10-pound bottom-pour. Don't be negatively swayed by what may seem to be horror stories about its dripping.

You will enjoy casting. You may even become addicted.

[cabezaverde]

"upstate" in this case is Greene Co. Appx 100 miles north of nyc.


Heck, that is still downstate.

[runfiverun]

i got the 20 lb pot almost 20 yrs ago and glad i did ,i recently got a 10 lb pot for doing just 22 boolits from linotype.
and have a 40 lb pot for the 4 cav's.
but the 20 has been the mainstay since day one, i origonally got it to smelt in [blasmephy i know] so i could make ingots to make shot with.
but for regular ole 2 hole casting the 20 will do fine.

[Lloyd Smale]

i used a little 4lb lyman ladle pot for about 5 years when i first started casting and it served well. As a matter of fact i think anyone thats starting out casting should start with a ladle and a small pot. Its a good learning experience . I made many thousand cast bullets like that and there as good as any bullets you can make on expensive equiptment.

[Bret4207]

Heck, that is still downstate.

Aw, don't pick on the poor guy. At least he knows what we mean when we say Northern NY or Western NY.

BTW- that hot plate is 1100 watts, not 100 watts as in my earlier post.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

What Trooper said +1. You will be much happier with the 10-pounder though.

Rich

[silly goose]

I would just like to spend wisely and not outgrow equipment too quickly. I also don't want to start too small and take the fun out of it. I'm starting to think I should go with the 10 lb pot, although the folks who have the 4lber sure seem to like it. Sooner or later, I'll have to make a choice. It does seem like a bunch of folks aren't real impressed w/the lee ladle. I'm thinking either go w/the 10lb bp or a good ladle and pot on the coleman stove. Can you ladle a 6 cavity mold? I'm looking at the lee 2 cavity, but a lot of folks think the 6 cavity from lee is a much better mold. Oh ye with knowledge help to guide this lost soul. Thanks guys.

[bubba.50]

if you desire to stay with ladle pouring, midsouth has lee 20lb. ladle pots for less than $60.00 which is less than $20.00 more than the 4lb. pot. should do ya a long time even as you progress with your casting abilities and desire to pour more boolits. just sayin'......, bubba.

[Bret4207]

I would just like to spend wisely and not outgrow equipment too quickly. I also don't want to start too small and take the fun out of it. I'm starting to think I should go with the 10 lb pot, although the folks who have the 4lber sure seem to like it. Sooner or later, I'll have to make a choice. It does seem like a bunch of folks aren't real impressed w/the lee ladle. I'm thinking either go w/the 10lb bp or a good ladle and pot on the coleman stove.Nothing wrong with a Coleman and larger pot. Worked for thousands of people for millions of boolits. I'd recommend the Lyman or RCBS ladle, Can you ladle a 6 cavity mold?Sure can, but you need to work fast to keep the heat up. Lee's 6 cavity moulds need to be HOT to cast good boolits. I'm looking at the lee 2 cavity, but a lot of folks think the 6 cavity from lee is a much better mold. Oh ye with knowledge help to guide this lost soul. Thanks guys.

The 6 bangers are a leap in quality for sure, but the 1 and 2 bangers work fine too. It's the indian, not the arrow that matters in the end. Which ever you get make sure you lube the mould very, very lightly- don't get lube in the cavities. Many guys here find Bullshops sprue plate lube to be superior ( his link is at the bottom of the page), but Never-Seize or even a carpenters pencil will work too. Use the mould like a fine tool and learn what it wants and you'll be making boolits in no time.

[WHITETAIL]

silly goose, Welcome to the forum!:lovebooli
If you go with a bottom pour you will not
go back to ladleing, except for big boolets.:coffee: