I prefer ladles? What about you?

[prangr51]

I started casting with a cast iron pan... then I splurged and got a bottom pour... within a week I sold it. Something about casting with a pan and flame seems to make it infinitely more fun. Whats your preference?


its not much, and its not like I dont have the funding to get better, just feels right this way.

[canyon-ghost]

I like a ladle. I started out with the Lyman Master Casting Kit, has the little electric pot and lubesizer. I still use the same kit and I even bought a duplicate kit. I don't see anything wrong with pouring bullets with a two cavity iron mold, or even a Lee mold. It seems that everyone wants to go so fast that they don't have any fun at it. I like the way I do things, it suits me.

[Crawdaddy]

I have a small Lee pot and a ladle. I don't have any desire for anything fancier. I have a stove just like yours. I may give it a whirl


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[puddledog]

Same here, shiney lil babies going down range with care and loving aim.

[snuffy]

I prefer ladles?

Good for you! I prefer good boolits, to get them I use a bottom pour most of the time.

When I use a ladle, it's for long slender rifle boolits, or huge 45/70 and 500 S&W boolits. Then I use a pressure casting method, a Lyman bottom pour ladle held against the sprue plate to provide pressure to the cavities.

Some molds just can't be used with a ladle. Like a Miha cramer style hollow point system. Flooding lead on one of those would have lead all over those pins on the side of the mold. It would prevent them sliding to release the boolits.

Your set-up has no control over temp. Other than it seems too hot, I'll turn the heat down, then find in a few minutes it's too cold. A thermometer would be a help, but you still can't have a fine control of the casting/alloy temp.

[dragonrider]

Why not put your mold against the spout of your bottom pour pot. Would that not give you the same result, probably better as the pot has greater capacity. Just a thought.

[prangr51]

oh, im not saying i did not get good results. Just saying its kinda like playing baseball with a wooden bat, not the best piece of equipment, but sometimes more fun to use

[500Smith]

Not for me, I love my Pro-Melt. However, the most critical part of what we do is having fun! Looks like you’re on the right on track!

Just don’t tell me at the range after you have outshot me.

[BruceB]

Started casting in late '66 with a ladle.

Within WEEKS I had transitioned to a Saeco bottom-pour furnace, and never looked back....nor will I.

My current RCBS furnace has given me excellent service for at least fifteen years to date, and I am a bottom-pour devotee for certain-sure.

My output so far is in the hundreds of thousands. A few years ago I tallied up some totals..... wadcutters in .38 Special reflect our love for Bullseye pistol competition, with a TRUE total of over 140,000 35863 loaded to that date.

About 100 moulds now grace my bench. and ALL of them yield fine bullets with bottom-pouring.

If it isn't broken.....

[geargnasher]

Good for you! I prefer good boolits, to get them I use a bottom pour most of the time.

When I use a ladle, it's for long slender rifle boolits, or huge 45/70 and 500 S&W boolits. Then I use a pressure casting method, a Lyman bottom pour ladle held against the sprue plate to provide pressure to the cavities.

Some molds just can't be used with a ladle. Like a Miha cramer style hollow point system. Flooding lead on one of those would have lead all over those pins on the side of the mold. It would prevent them sliding to release the boolits.

Your set-up has no control over temp. Other than it seems too hot, I'll turn the heat down, then find in a few minutes it's too cold. A thermometer would be a help, but you still can't have a fine control of the casting/alloy temp.

Ditto, excellent and accurate post from my perspective and experience. Others will differ I'm sure.

Gear

[10 ga]

Ladle all the way. That's the way all my ancestors did it and I'm still doin it. Fact just scored 2 more at a yard sale. 1 is steel plumbers ladle and the other a short cast iron ladle that needs a handle. That is my next casting project, a handle for my $.25 iron ladle. Soon as weather cools have about 4C# of "ore" to process into ingots for the hoard and cast 30# of ML boolits for sighting and hunting. I'll enjoy using the new found antique ladle with my handle on it. Best to all, 10 ga

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Once upon a time there were no bottom pours and folks using ladles did just fine. The oldest thing I recall seeing (in a picture) was a bottom pour that was made by Potter and it was heated the same as an ordinary cast iron pot. I used (and still have) a Saeco model T34 which is a 20 pounder and always did well with it and a Lyman, RCBS and an open soup style that I bought from H&G to run my first 4 cav. It was and still is messy to pour uphill, but the bullets are fine. For those interested in a good analysis of ladle vs bottom pour there is a classic article written by an icon in the casting world named Jim Carmichael, in the "Art of Bullet casting" (still on sale by Wolfe Publishing). It compares techniques and claims by proponents of either of the two methods and discusses results to be expected. Definitely worth the bucks. LLS

[btroj]

I don't care which method you use. Learn to makeit work with your alloy and your moulds.

I use a bottom pour for everything. I don't cast any 45/70 bullets over 420 so I don't see a need for a ladle.

Thisis a question with no universal correct answer.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I agree it is every persons preference , I use both , but have cast the lee 45/70 500 grain with bottom pour , and it was fine , to each their own , as long as it is enjoyable do it that way .

[3006guns]

My choice is strictly on an "as needed" basis. Although I started out with a ladel, my first bottom pour pot really cranked up my production with pistol boolits. When I tried it with a long rifle slug, things changed in a hurry. The weight of the metal was so great that I suddenly spent more time just getting the mold open and cleaning the boolit. So long, heavy boolits get the ladle treatment.

Some of my molds, such as my Hensley and Gibbs, have a pouring trough cut in the top and using a bottom pour with those is futile, so it FORCES you to use a ladle.

[Bret4207]

I use both, the ladle is lots faster and easier for me. What works for someone else is their business. I find the ladle far more versatile, other find it awkward. To each their own. Just don't get thinking one is "better" than the other and you'll be fine.

On the camp stove and heat control- yeah, you do have heat control, it's the flame adjustment, casting rate, how much stirring you do and things like that. It's just not as simple as turning a knob.

[ipijohn]

I started out with a bottom pour and have never looked back.

[Fishman]

On the tiny iPhone screen I am using I misread that the topic to say "I prefer LADIES, how about you?" and I thought "that's kind of personal, and what a dumb question!"

So on topic I prefer bottom pour, particularly for multi-cavity moulds.

[canyon-ghost]

^^^ As to that, I prefer ladies too, you guys are kinda boring, lol.

[Recluse]

Ladle pouring, water-quenching, tumble-lubing versus lubesizing, heat-treating, linotype adding, pure lead, etc etc.

All are components and tools.

I use the components and tools in the combination and configuration to give me the results I'm seeking.

For some applications, that means ladle-pouring and water-quenching. For others, bottom pour, air-cooled and tumble-lubed give me 100% satisfaction.

Whatever works best for me is what I use.