Which bullet caster?

[6bg6ga]

I have been looking at the major bullet casting machines the Master caster and the Mark IV and I was wondering if those in the know would care to share their observations on the machines. It looks like the Mark IV holds two molds and the Master Caster holds one mold. The PID control is an option it looks like on both units. The Master Caster has it as a $200 option and the MArk IV has it as a $100 option.

So how hard is it to drill and tap the pot to screw in the thermocouple? The Master Caster it looks like you weld on a nut to the pot and center the nut over the hole that you drilled.

Business must be good at Magma as they do not answer my emails concerning information on the Master caster.

I am leaning toward the Mark IV but the price is more than what I had in my budget at this time. It looks like you could put two different molds in the Mark IV but I cannot tell too much from the video as it is very small on my computer screen.

I would be interested in anyones observations on either ot both machines.

[6bg6ga]

It looks like I was wrong on the PID control on the Mark IV as I don't see a PID control as an option on it. I was looking rather in the Mark VI column instead. I don't see it as an option.

[ReloaderFred]

Magma is an old fashioned machine shop that happens to specialize in bullet casting equipment. They still believe in answering questions over the phone, where there is live give and take, and a better understanding is accomplished. Call them and you'll get your answers quickly and efficiently. I've called them many times, and they've always been more than helpful.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[6bg6ga]

Prior to me purchasing my Magma sizer in 2010 they had no trouble answering my emails about the sizer. Unfortunately I have little time during the day to sit down and call someone and in this age of technology it would seem to me that they are taking a step backward by not taking the time to answer my email. Its their company and their time and also their loss.

[angus6]

Yep Mary is great to talk with and knows her stuff

[6bg6ga]

I was hoping that this thread would have gone a different direction. I didn't want to talk about how good Mary is on the phone but rather differences between the bullet casters. Unfortunately the thread seems to have gone in a different direction. If someone has positive or negative points about the machines I would be interested in hearing about those differences.

[D Crockett]

6bq6ga I have been casting bullets for about 15 for my smokeless guns and about 25 for my black powder guns. started out like manny here with a colman stove and a pot of lead. then I got my first casting michine it was a RCBS pro melt. used it for a while 4 or 5 years . I just could not seem to get enough bullets made with it for what I was doing . so I answered a add about a master caster about 12 years ago . and found that with the master caster I could cast 2x the bullets I could with the pro melt using a 6 cavity mould and was not as tired as I was when using the 6 cavity mould .one day I got up early and started casting on the master caster I caster for about 10 hr . I ended up with over 6000 bullets made . I could never do that with the pro melt. the most I have done with a 6 cavity mould is about 2500 before I had to quit.the master caser is a excelent michine and is easy to use. one thing I really like about the master caster is I can add ingots with out the spout freesing up on me like the pro melt did I can add 2 ingots weighing about 2.5 lbs each and keep right on casting . if I had done that with the pro melt I would have to waite for it to come back up to temp . I hope this helps D Crockett

[finishman2000]

if you buy a new or a used mastercaster that was made in the last year or so it will already have the nut for the pid on it. i'm sure an electronic guy like yourself (dig counter) will have no problem making a pid for either unit.
if you think that you should pass on the magma because they didn't answer your e-mail (but would gladly talk to you on the phone) so be it, buy the mark iv. i'm sure you will tinker with either one and be happy.

[wymanwinn]

i have never used or even seen a Ballistacast pot....that said, i have have my Master Caster for about 10 years...and cast 10 or 12 calibers with it....is is efficient and easy to operate and VERY easy to change molds....i generally only cast for about 40 minutes at a time, i get bored and start to cast too fast smearing the sprue...

the MC's thermostat is pretty good, keeps the melt at about 700f plus or minus about 10f...in 40 minutes i will use enough melt to need a refill...that is where the 20 minutes comes in...time for the pot to reheat and time for a cuppa or a cold drink depending on the time of the day....

my opinion (and only mine) says the MC is a GREAT pot...never had a problem with it keeping the lead flowing....and feeding my Cowboy Action habit of shooting little bullets at big close targets....FAST!!!

wyman

ps....the folks at Magma are great to SPEAK with personally....AND extremely knowledgeable and friendly....

[6bg6ga]

if you buy a new or a used mastercaster that was made in the last year or so it will already have the nut for the pid on it. i'm sure an electronic guy like yourself (dig counter) will have no problem making a pid for either unit.
if you think that you should pass on the magma because they didn't answer your e-mail (but would gladly talk to you on the phone) so be it, buy the mark iv. i'm sure you will tinker with either one and be happy.

Thanks for the reply and the wake up call. I guess I will make the time and give them a call. Thanks for the information on the nut for the PID control. It would be easy to convert it to PID control and even add a counter to it.

wymanwinn,

You are the main reason that I am considering the Master Caster. Having enjoyed your video on your converted Master Caster it allows me to consider all the capabilities it has to offer.

I am really on the fence here.... I really like the design and build quality of the Ballisti-cast unit from what I have seen on their video and being that I purchased a Mark VI I can attest to the quality of their products and I would expect no less from their caster. I'm looking at twice the price for the Ballisti-cast unit and I guess if it were only $500 difference I would go this route without a second thought. I have the wife factor to consider also.

[wymanwinn]

Thanks for the reply and the wake up call. I guess I will make the time and give them a call. Thanks for the information on the nut for the PID control. It would be easy to convert it to PID control and even add a counter to it.

wymanwinn,

You are the main reason that I am considering the Master Caster. Having enjoyed your video on your converted Master Caster it allows me to consider all the capabilities it has to offer.

I am really on the fence here.... I really like the design and build quality of the Ballisti-cast unit from what I have seen on their video and being that I purchased a Mark VI I can attest to the quality of their products and I would expect no less from their caster. I'm looking at twice the price for the Ballisti-cast unit and I guess if it were only $500 difference I would go this route without a second thought. I have the wife factor to consider also.

if you were close to Solvang i would invite you to give it a try.....it is a GREAT machine...and the action is quite a bit shorter that the B....the lever for the lead valve is much handier too...(just looked a the BC-M-IV video.....AND price list!!!!!!

PM me with whatever questions you have...i will be glad to hopefully answer and send pics if you like...

wyman

[6bg6ga]

Thank you for your kind offer. Unfortunately I am around 1800 mi away so a stop and look see wouldn't work. I can see from your video that you have made it an efficient smooth running machine and I will probably go the same route that you chose. After looking over your modifications I can see now that your modifications are less complicated and will provide less problems than what I had come up with. You are correct in your KISS principal. I had made it more complicated with the timed lead flow when your more simple approach works the best. As I look at your control system for the Master Caster I am wondering if the control system you have could work on the Magma/Star sizer to eliminate purchasing the foot control.Simply disconnect from the Master Caster cylinder to the Star/Magma cylinder and use the hand control.

In addition to having shoulder problems I suffer from foot and knee problems. Things are probably wearing out due to years of running punch presses when I was young.

[LAH]

Business must be good at Magma as they do not answer my emails concerning information on the Master caster.

I'm sure business is very good there, they do make fine products. That said, what information are you looking for?

[wymanwinn]

Thank you for your kind offer. Unfortunately I am around 1800 mi away so a stop and look see wouldn't work. I can see from your video that you have made it an efficient smooth running machine and I will probably go the same route that you chose. After looking over your modifications I can see now that your modifications are less complicated and will provide less problems than what I had come up with. You are correct in your KISS principal. I had made it more complicated with the timed lead flow when your more simple approach works the best. As I look at your control system for the Master Caster I am wondering if the control system you have could work on the Magma/Star sizer to eliminate purchasing the foot control.Simply disconnect from the Master Caster cylinder to the Star/Magma cylinder and use the hand control.

In addition to having shoulder problems I suffer from foot and knee problems. Things are probably wearing out due to years of running punch presses when I was young.

actually, yesterday i was thinking about the hand control for the Star....i don't think one could use only one control for both...changing the flow rates and such would be cumbersome...and the valves have different flows...the Star is a pull/push valve while the Master Caster is a push only with spring return....

AND on the Master Caster one can pour lead and clear the mold even with the system intact and running...say to clear a jamb or stubborn bullet...

wyman

[6bg6ga]

Well, that answers that. I certainly will not question you on that

[slim400]

Magna engineering

I just wanted to comment about their service and their products. In December of 2011, we decided to do a face out of our family business for 30 years and looking for something to get into, which would produce or manufacture a product after three phone calls to
Magna spoke with Mary and Eric. We make decisions to go with their equipment after placing an order and talking with several people in the cast bullet business. We knew we had made the right decision, while ballistic test has its moments, their financial history is not one I would be proud of the concern being that you buy 80,000 to $250,000 worth of equipment over a period of several years and then they go bankrupt, leaving replacement parts to be custom made as I discovered in the next several months. Magna was absolutely the right decision the only time I have had any delay is if they did not have it on the shelf and then they have told me where they purchased the part. If it was a source out the original part number. I have called them as late as 3:30 PM Arizona time and received my package. Two days later, with no additional freight charges. They make an excellent product. Keep a rock solid stock of parts and are as knowledgeable as they come recently purchased cheap alloy unknown to myself that it had been overheated and had zinc and anybody that has ever had that problem does exactly what I am talking about orphans stop up The thick heavy crust on top of the pot when I called magna and spoke to Eric and told him what I had he immediately knew what the problem was explained to me how to solve the problem good product. Great service

Slim400

[6bg6ga]

Magma engineering

I just wanted to comment about their service and their products. In December of 2011, we decided to do a face out of our family business for 30 years and looking for something to get into, which would produce or manufacture a product after three phone calls to
Magma spoke with Mary and Eric. We make decisions to go with their equipment after placing an order and talking with several people in the cast bullet business. We knew we had made the right decision, while ballistic test has its moments, their financial history is not one I would be proud of the concern being that you buy 80,000 to $250,000 worth of equipment over a period of several years and then they go bankrupt, leaving replacement parts to be custom made as I discovered in the next several months. Magma was absolutely the right decision the only time I have had any delay is if they did not have it on the shelf and then they have told me where they purchased the part. If it was a source out the original part number. I have called them as late as 3:30 PM Arizona time and received my package. Two days later, with no additional freight charges. They make an excellent product. Keep a rock solid stock of parts and are as knowledgeable as they come recently purchased cheap alloy unknown to myself that it had been overheated and had zinc and anybody that has ever had that problem does exactly what I am talking about orphans stop up The thick heavy crust on top of the pot when I called magna and spoke to Eric and told him what I had he immediately knew what the problem was explained to me how to solve the problem good product. Great service

Slim400

I actually wasn't looking for a testimonial as it sounds like you have purchased some of their large format machines. I am more interested in what the average garage caster thinks of their Master Caster. I too can mention that I own a Magma sizer and it works great but that doesn't tell me anything about the Master Caster and that is what I am interested in hearing about. I am happy that your family's investment has been working but I am sure you would say the same thing if you you purchased from another major company that produces the same product as they simply are not going to produce junk for their asking price in todays market and stay in business. Don't get me wrong as I appreciate your comments but I don't see a relevance unless you telling me that you own 5 or 10 Master Casters in your business. It sounds like you have purchased the larger production machines.

So tell me something that I don't know... How long to warm up the pot? How many throw backs until the mold get warmed up enough to produce good bullets?How much tapping to get the bullets to fall from the mold? How many have PID controlled units? How many actual bullets do you produce in 150-160gr an hour? How many at 200gr an hour? How many at 230gr an hour? Are they actually faster than say a conventional 4 cavity mold an a drip-o-matic 10lb pot? Are they actually faster or it just a convenience? How much faster is a conversion to pneumatic operation over hand? If faster what percentage of increase is there?

[6bg6ga]

actually, yesterday i was thinking about the hand control for the Star....i don't think one could use only one control for both...changing the flow rates and such would be cumbersome...and the valves have different flows...the Star is a pull/push valve while the Master Caster is a push only with spring return....

AND on the Master Caster one can pour lead and clear the mold even with the system intact and running...say to clear a jamb or stubborn bullet...

wyman

Thanks for enlightening me on the control valves. Years ago when I designed some machines the hand controls were just an on off device and there was a valve that could be adjusted for flow control down line. So my line of thinking was the hand control might be able to be used but it isn't the case here.

I am still looking at your engineering on the Master Caster because I think it will give me what I am looking for and still be within my budget. I hope that you have kept some figures on your production as it would be very enlightening to know actual production rates. I like certain aspects of the MarkIV but do not think it can be modified easily for pneumatic operation which will take the wear and tear off the tired body.

I have purchased 5 used Magma Master Caster molds and wonder if anyone has ever traded a fellow member a mold for say a month or so? Does anyone do this or has anyone considered this? When I purchase a machine I would be open to this if there was someone needing to borrow a mold that I have or vice versa.

[LAH]

You can search the threads & find most anything concerning the MC. It's simple, straight forward, & needs little explanation. The instructions which come with the machine pretty much says it all.

[6bg6ga]

Thank you but I am looking for operator comments and not what I can find in a companies promotional material. I have read everything that is available and I am now ready for the truth from those that own the machines.