bottom pour not easy

[44fanatic]

Got my Lee 4-20 pot today and Lee .309 120gr RN molds.

Have just learned that a bottom pour pot is not that easy to use. Adjusted to spout from just above a fast drip to spraying everywhere. Still cant get it right.

Think some of it has to do with the small bullets. Cast about 100 of em and they all ended up back in the pot...good thing is...no waste.

Will play around with it again tommorow, figure the best temp setting and pour rate.

[sheepdog]

You're doing something wrong. Is this a new pot or a used one?

I use the 10 pounder bottom and its so perfect its like God designed it himself. Or at least Browning :razz:

Narrow moulds like 308s are not good for new users. You might want to start with something short and fat like a 44 or 45. Get you temp get and hot then warm your mould by sticking the corner in the pot for awhile. If you do this you're first boolit will be perfect. Might read here http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=76835

[.357]

just keep trying, my first mold was a 358411 and it was a pain to learn but once you get it you got it! I second what sheepdog said check out that link.

[44fanatic]

Brand new pot and had no problems adjusting the flow. And you are right, when pouring with a ladle, my .429 molds they were much easier than the .356 molds.

[Shiloh]

Took me a while to get a decent boolit from a new pot when it was new and I was a rookie.
Keep at it. Ask questions.

Shiloh

[44fanatic]

Did just think of a question....structions on the pot said to hold the sprue hole off center.

Should I have the mold as close to the spout as possible, to include touching it?

[Gee_Wizz01]

Did just think of a question....structions on the pot said to hold the sprue hole off center.

Should I have the mold as close to the spout as possible, to include touching it?

Keep trying you will get the feel of it after a while. The Lee 20lb pot is more difficult for me to control than the 10lb pot. The 10lb pot has more handle movement per given amount of valve movement which makes finer control easier.

As to pouring off center of the sprue, it depends on the mold; they are all different and practice is the only way I know to perfect your pouring. I have a couple of molds that won't fill out properly unless you put the spout in the sprue plate and "pressure" pour. I love my bottom pour pots and you can fill six cavity molds in a hurry, but for my rifle match boolits I still use my dipper to get perfection. My best friend can pour perfect boolits with his Lee 20 lb bottom pour, but can't use a dipper to save his life. To each his own. Just keep practicing, as all of your mistakes are learning experiences.

Good Luck

G

[44fanatic]

Taking a break, just dumped in my sprue cuts after makin about 200 decent lookin boolits.

Looks like about 700-750 on the pot and get the molds as close as possible, inlcuding a slight angle and the sprue hole right up to the spout.

[Mk42gunner]

I played with the flow control until I got it where it wanted to be and I haven't messed with it for a couple of years, I'm not even sure it will move anymore. I started out with the flow way to fast, then when I wised up, I shut it almost all the way and made very small tweeks to the adjustment screw until I was satisfied.

One thing is for sure a 120 grain thirty cal doesn't take long to fill. I think i adjusted the flow while casting 358429's, now it works for most of my boolits; a little slow for the eight ounce bank sinkers though.

Robert

[7of7]

I have that pot too. At first, I thought I wasted my money.. now a couple thousand later, it is no problem...
I have the .358 158gr mold, and noted that the bottom of the mold takes a bit to get warm... hense you get all the squigglies on the nose of the bullet...
I adjusted mine so that there is about 1/2 inch drop to the sprue plate. It does take some getting used to...

[RobS]

As mentioned a bit of getting use to things and you are off. I would also suggest preheating your mold with a hot plate as it makes life a whole lot easier. I like consistancy so I preheat my molds to a certain setting and then heat my alloy to what the mold likes and cast bullets with less fuss from the get go. You maybe able to find a hotplate at a thrift store or some place similar for a few bucks.

[Bret4207]

It takes some time. A BP is no where as easy to use as a ladle and it's harder to see whats going on anyway. Get the mould hot and keep working, you'll figure it out.

[DLCTEX]

I started boolit casting with a bottom pour, so it seems easier to me than ladle casting. I also have never had a problem casting different sized boolits from 22 to 58 cal. I do have to spend a few minutes figuring out how each mould wants to be fed, but generally preheat the mold to hot and keep a fast pace.

[barefooter175]

Just bought my second RCBS Pro-Melt. First one lasted 30 years. Never had a problem adjusting the flow. Will use the new one for the first time tomorrow. Hope all works well with the new one too.

I am going to look for another one too. If anyone has a used one for sale, please let me know.

Thanks
James

[moses]

I have a Lee 20 lb pot and I don't see any difference in pour rate no matter how I adjust the screw. Except if I go too far it pours continuiosly! LOL

It seems to pour real fast when it's full and slow down as it empties.

Do you guys really see a difference by adjusting the screw?

All my molds like different methods for good bullets, like others have said you just need to keep trying and you will figure it out. It took me a few hundred bad bullets before I got it.

I'd say the most importnat thing is make sure your lead is really hot and your mold is too.
Best to get the bullets to come out frosty and then back off the temp a little to where they aren't frosty any more.

[jdgabbard]

Bottom pour works great in my opinion. I have a Pro-4 20lb, and no complaints at all. I started out with a regular pot and a ladle. This beats the heck out of that. I'll never look back, unless I'm pouring big boolits that is.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I use the Lee 4-20's. I have two of them. One mounted above the other to premelt ingots etc and keep casting pot supplied.

With small boolits I only keep the casting pot near empty or no more than 1/3 full. This keeps the flow slow for the small cavities. For the bigger boolits and up to my monster 695 gr 50-90 Sharps boolits I keep the pot 2/3 to full to provide enuf flow to fill the big cavities faster.

Trying to cast into a small .358 mold of 115 grains is major frustration when the pot is more than 1/3 full. The screw adjustments on my rod are not working too well and I keep a small pair of vice grips on the end of the rod sticking up in the air and I use that instead of the wood knob to control the flow of alloy. It works for me!

These Lee pots are cheap and they work. I did not say that they are perfect but I can work with them and get good results. I would love to be able to afford to get a RCBS bottom pour pot and a Star Lubricizer but I cannot so I abide with what I can afford.

[deerslayer]

I have the Lee ten pound and was thinking of moving up to the 4-20 is the flow rate adjustable on the 4-20???

[7of7]

Yes, the flow is adjustable... the drips arent though...LOL It just tells me that I need to spend more time making sure I have clean lead....when smelting...

[Frozone]

... is the flow rate adjustable on the 4-20???

Yes, but it's rather sensitive. The drips are much less than the 10. That alone is worth the change.

[shotman]

44 when you run it dry clean it and take a drill and some grinding compound or fine sand and run the drill on the drop stem put the compound/sand in pour hole and spin drill. It will seat the stem and stop the drip drip that will show up
Take a marker and mark the base so mold will line up under hole. set your mold on the base and fill. you will get a better fill and is faster. for the smaller cav molds
make you a V shape "pan" to cut the sprut in that way you can return it and not get splashed

[fredj338]

I have a Lee 20 lb pot and I don't see any difference in pour rate no matter how I adjust the screw. Except if I go too far it pours continuiosly! LOL

It seems to pour real fast when it's full and slow down as it empties.

Do you guys really see a difference by adjusting the screw?

All my molds like different methods for good bullets, like others have said you just need to keep trying and you will figure it out. It took me a few hundred bad bullets before I got it.

I'd say the most importnat thing is make sure your lead is really hot and your mold is too.
Best to get the bullets to come out frosty and then back off the temp a little to where they aren't frosty any more.

Me too! People complain about leaks & such, but I just plugged mine in, filled it up, never drain it & it just goes & goes, no drips or leaks. I started w/ a bottom pour & have no regrets, only way to cast IMO.