Is the Lee 4-20 lead melting pot a good choice

[Swagerman]

I have an older Lee 10 lb melting pot, but it is a pain in the butt to keep enough lead in it at the right temperature for casting.

Anyone have one of those Lee 4-20 melting pots that hold 20 lbs of moulting lead they could relate their experiences with it.

I particulerly like the little support brace on the left leg stanchon that one can rest their gang moulds on it while pouring hot lead into those damnable small holes. My eyes are old and can't see too good, I also get fatigued holding the mould under the 10 pounder pour spout for six cavity holes to fill.

Swagerman

[wills]

I have thought about getting one because of the price, but I have read so many good comments about the Waage, I have about decided to get one of those.

[Swagerman]

Looked up the Waage melting pots, not really what I'm looking for, nor price wise either.

Swagerman

[kenjuudo]

I have three of the 4-20's. Think I bought the newest one in the early 90's. One has the spout plugged and rod removed to use as a premelter. An occasional drip, easily fixed is the only complaint. All have seen many hours of use, 4-6 hours a day 3-4 days a week during my casting season. I usually have one full of soft and one full of hard alloy to speed setup time.

I have a ten pounder that is on it's second element ($11) that was left on empty for almost a week once, my son latched on to it to put it up and remembered he left it on too late.

jim

[Shepherd2]

I have a Pro 4-20 pot that I've been using for a couple years. It does drip on occasion which is annoying. Other than that I'm happy with it.

I like the 20 pound capacity but when I'm casting .44 & .45 caliber boolits with 4 and 6 cavity moulds the pots runs dry pretty quick.

[Swagerman]

Midway sent me a ad for May specials, the Lee 4-20 is going for $54.95, plus $10.36 to ship.

Think I'll go for it unless one can be found for less.

Swagerman

[pireaux059]

I have been using a pro4-20 for some time, it does a good job. the drip thing is easily remedied just turn the adj. screw back & forth a time or two usually does it JD

[Pb head]

I run two of those 20 pounders, one for pistol and the other for rifle. The one I use for the pistol boolits will drip on occasion mainly because of not too precise alloys I tend to use sometimes. Hardly ever have a drip from the other, but I only use either straight lino or 50-50 lino & WW for rifle. I have put a ton of alloy through mine mostly pistol because I cast for about 8-10 people besides myself. The biggest complaint I have is the screw that the lever rides on at the top will loosen up after every 3 or 4 potfulls. I might get a little carried away when I use my finger to lift it for a pour. I sent one back to Lee for repair a few yrs ago that I had beat up pretty bad over a long period of time and they sent me a new one back no charge. You can get an RCBS which is a good one but you can buy 4 or 5 Lees for the same money.

Pb head

[kenjuudo]

Pb head--Try putting a little teflon tape on the threads of that screw, this will even solve a slightly stripped out thread.

jim

[MARCORVET]

I use a Pro 4-20, have for about four years. I disassemble it about every 8 months to do a good cleaning and tighten up all of the fittings and screws. Drips every now and then, but a twist on the plunger with a screwdriver stops it. It is a bit troublesome to keep the temp set. You will need to leave a thermometer in it.

[Buckshot]

..............I've had mine for many years. Does a good job. Is the Lyman and RCBS worth 4 times as much? I don't know. I just know the Lee melts and dispences lead just fine. I clamped a small pair of cheap HF vise-grips on the valve rod to eliminate the occasional drips.

...............Buckshot

[Willbird]

Well when it gets to quality, is a Well made mainline brand pistol worth more than a Lorcin or Jennings ?? IMHO yes.

I bought the RCBS 22lb pot and I am very happy with it, if I only had $54.95 and had to buy a new pot then I would buy the Lee and not look back.

I think one of these days I'm going to buy the Magma 40lb pot too for extended casting sessions, and it costs 6x what the Lee does.

It's all in a what a man wants, I'll not throw stones at the Lee pots because they enable some people to cast boolits that could not as easily afford to. Lee as a company seems to stand behind their products and I admire that.


Bill

[JSH]

Well, the LEE is what I started with when my 1920's potter quit on me. Yes, it does drip at times but that is easy enough to take care of.
I might be talking out of turn here but you all have turned me into the obsessed animal I am, lol. I feel that the LEE pot will do just as good as the others, with a little tinkering, which if ya started casting it is almost a requirement to tinker. With the $ saved on the LEE compared to XXXX brand, take that $ and put forth towards a better lube sizer.
Jeff

[Willbird]

Well Jeff, if I had to use a Lee and thus afford a Star lube sizer, I would take that course, because lubesizing with an in-out is like hitting a brick wall once you start making boolits quicklike.

Bill

[joed]

I've been replacing all my Lee equipment with other brands for years. However, their crimp dies are fantastic and so is there 4-20. Bought mine for $54 from Midway at Xmas and have put several hundred lbs of lead through it, no problems at all. In my opinion a good investment.

JoeD

[Tom W.]

I, too, have been selling off most of my LEE stuff, but I have a 10 lb. and a 20 lb. bottom pour furnace that I just can't part with. The do a really good job, once you tend to the leaking.

[wills]

Waage arrived yesterday.. I sent a check the 27th, it got here a lot sooner than I expected. When I get a flat space cleared off in the barn I’ll try it out.