question on pouring ladels

[sagacious]

Can anyone recommend a good pouring ladle? I'll be pouring 500+ grain bullets.

If there's already a good thread on this, please accept my apologies and direct me to it.

Thanks! :)

[stubshaft]

RCBS Ladle

I drill it out with a 3/16" drill. I use it to cast 580gr .512 boolits and for gang moulds.

[rob45]

The Rowell #1 is excellent. Stubshaft's recommendation on modifying the RCBS is also very good.

The RCBS will act much like the spout on a bottom-pour pot; that is why the hole usually needs to be enlarged to get acceptable results with the larger bullets. The Rowell pours differently as it is an open-spout design, requiring slightly different pouring technique. I prefer the Rowell because I feel it gives me the most control over the rate of pour.

With hesitation, I will state that the Lyman is not a player here. The Lyman ladle that I have is very old, so I cannot comment on a newer model. With that said, my Lyman ladle does not hold enough lead to do the larger bullets with any acceptable rate of production.

BTW, don't even think about the Lee "ladle". I consider it more like a baby spoon.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I have 2 Lymans that I have used for about 40 years. Tried an RCBS, drilled out the spout then ground off all those stupid fins and still don`t want to use it.Robert

[montana_charlie]

My heaviest bullet is 560 grains, and is cast in a single cavity mould. That particular mould is aluminum.
I use an unmodified Lyman dipper that's about 40 years old.
It fills the cavity and still has plenty to leave a big sprue puddle.

At no time have I ever felt the need to make it 'pour faster'.
CM

[dromia]

My Old Lyman dipper does for me for those big single cavity moulds, the RCBS is OK too but doesn't have the same elegance to it.

The Rowel No 1 (and the rest of the Rowel clan) is a fine ladle too but it gets a bit heavy to work with after time so I usually stick with the Lyman, just sometimes I get a mould that prefers the Rowel.

The Lee isn't even worth mentioning.

[dromia]

BTW I use all my current ladles unmodified.

[shooterg]

+1 on dromia's Lee comment - that ain't a ladle, it's a spoon !

[sagacious]

Thanks for the replies everyone! This is just the type of hands-on info and feedback that I was looking hoping for. It's a big help-- much appreciated.

[dromia]

+1 on dromia's Lee comment - that ain't a ladle, it's a spoon !


And a poor spoon at that.

[Gerry N.]

I have a Lyman ladle that works just fine, thankewverrymuch and a Lee "ladle" which is great for skimming, stirring and scraping the pot. It was my first ladle and accounted for many, many .440 roundballs in my very first mold, a Lee, purchased in the early 70's. Still have it, and it still makes perfecly fine roundballs.

Gerry N.

[montana_charlie]

the RCBS is OK too but doesn't have the same elegance to it.
I agree with that sentiment, and feel the presence of that quality also makes the casting experience more enjoyable.

CM