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Thread: RCBS Pro Melt 2 - And the Sale That Never Was...

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    RCBS Pro Melt 2 - And the Sale That Never Was...

    Like some others here, I've been awaiting the arrival of the RCBS Pro Melt 2. My morning routine for the last couple of months, after putting fresh splits in the woodstove and putting the makings on for coffee... has been to wander over to the tab in my browser sitting on Midway's site.

    A quick refresh of the page... and the pretty, green picture of the yet-to-be-seen Pro Melt 2 stares back at me, along with the Coming Soon and Est. In-Stock: Overdue teaser tags.

    A couple weeks ago there was a further tease. Midway suddenly displayed a sale price, knocking forty-odd bucks off the normal $269.99. You still couldn't order it, the Add to Cart button being grayed-out. But at least it prompted a thought that not only might we be getting close, but we'd be getting a bargain, to boot. For two weeks that tease held.

    Alas. This morning the sale-that-wasn't is no more.

    One wonders what in the world Midway was possibly thinking. I'm less and less inclined towards the new RCBS Pro Melt. And even less inclined to buy it from a shop that plays such games.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    toallmy's Avatar
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    I gave up , I have a lee 4/20 that works fine , but with the little darlings approval I began looking for a new pro melt just to discover they were no longer available . Than I began waiting for the new pro melt 2 - still not available , so I picked up another 4/20 just so I wouldn't have to change my mix .

  3. #3
    Boolit Bub solman's Avatar
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    I too gave up and ordered a Lee 4-20. I bought a thermometer as well and call it good.
    Posted on another thread.http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...n-order-for-me

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Cue's Avatar
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    I talked to RCBS and they told me they had them there but had to do product testing on them, that was a month ago. You would think after all this time they would be able to get that done but nope. I bought the Lyman 25 pot with the PID and it works great after making a new tray to fit my NOE and Lee molds.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Cue's Avatar
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    I just checked and their sale price is now gone and its at $269, how can they have something on sale that they never "sold" makes no sense.

  6. #6
    Boolit Man Skooterr's Avatar
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    I like others have been doing the same, checking the Midway site, "Just For The PM2". Alas !!!, not to be !!!. Along with the departed Sale Price, RCBS's Rebate took a powder, also. My thoughts were get a PM2 for $230, add a couple of other RCBS items, kick it up to $300 and get the $100 Rebate, but Alas again, it was not to be !!!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I have the Lyman Mag25.It works.I like it.The mold rest works fine for me because I use Lyman,RCBS and Saeco molds.I also have a Lee 4-20 and a Lee 10 pound bottom pour.They work just fine as well.The RCBS melter will probably go thru the same problems the Mag25 had when it becomes available unless RCBS does a lot of testing before releasing it.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    winelover's Avatar
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    The RCBS Easy Melt has been released.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...RCBS-Easy-Melt

    Had mine for about a week. Don't know what's the hold up on the Pro-Melt 2.......just a bottom pour version of the Easy-Melt.

    Winelover

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    I stopped watching and built my own PID controller for the RCBS Pro Melt I have now.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master dikman's Avatar
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    Good move, you've now got the best of both worlds!

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Cue's Avatar
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    Looks like they are in stock now.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master




    shdwlkr's Avatar
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    amazon has them listed as in stock in both versions, the dipper model and the mold model
    Beware of a government that fears its citizens having the means to protect themselves.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Cue's Avatar
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    Yes, looks like that is Midway selling them on Amazon.


    Quote Originally Posted by shdwlkr View Post
    amazon has them listed as in stock in both versions, the dipper model and the mold model

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    My Lyman mag 25 pooped out last night. It probably won't be a hard fix, but I went ahead and ordered a PM2 from midway yesterday. If I did the Lyman I will have two nice pid equipped pots.

    The Lyman was very consistent on temp and control but it was super drippy at times, and I never used anything but pre-smelted and fluxed lead in it.

    Midway said it should be here on wednesday.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Here it is as received, much lighter than anticipated. Despite advertising the same capacity as the mag 25, it was a good deal smaller.



    A very small amount of assembly was required, involving turning 3-4 screws. No Allen wrenches are included, but I'm sure you have a drawer if them like I do.




    The controller is simple to operate. Press set, maneuver to the place value you want, and increment or decrement the counter. Press set again and you are done.

    I do think it a bit odd that the controller faces away from the operator but I don't consider it that big of a deal either. The electronics have to be far away from the heat, so consider it a compromise to keep a reasonable profile.




    As assembled, it is an attractive piece of equipment. Note the rotating lid that goes over the pot. This will increase safety considerably, as it will block anything from falling in. It will probably also make a passable heating shelf once up to temp. I would assume it will also help the system retain heat that would otherwise be lost as well, and possibly resist oxidation of your melt as air flow will be restricted.



    The mold guide as pictured consists of two round stops that you adjust to accommodate your mold. I HIGHLY recommend you place your mold and pull it back towards you when filling instead of pushing it towards the wall, as the rcbs mold guide is more cooperative.

    For comparison is the NOE guide, which I prefer. It is a major fatigue reducer. I pulled it off my lyman. Unfortunately it cannot be installed as is due to the shape of the rcbs guide rod. I have some ideas though.



    About 12 pounds of lead. This took 32 minutes to melt. If that seems long, it is, but melting lead in a previously empty pot is much slower than when you start with some lead already in there. I suspect future melting will be much, much quicker.

    I set the PID to 700 degrees, and once all the mixture was melted it read around 710 on my thermometer. Close enough to call it accurate.

    I did not have a chance to cast tonight, but some observations off hand. Most are tempered by comparison to the Lyman mag25, this unit' s chief competition.

    The handle feels cheap. it has over an inch of back and forth travel when wiggled. It does not have the same feel as the lyman, which is retained more snugly and uses a small spring to give a better "feel". It doesn't actually affect use, but for a unit this spendy it is a little disappointing. I might attach a spring to the handle to give it a better feel.

    The unit overall is more attractive and saves space over the Lyman.

    RCBS, even with tools like this that I can practically feel the chicomm slave labor on, has a much better warranty than Lyman. While the box says 2 year limited warranty, I bet rcbs will take care of me.

    The fan that protects the PID is clearly beefier than the lyman. While by no means loud, more airflow can only help.

    The mold guide is way better than the garbage Lyman guide. However it cannot use the excellent noe guide without modification. That should be easily overcome, though.

    The top cover is a nice safety bonus. However unlike the Lyman the front of the unit heats up, whereas the Lyman is safe to the touch on the front of the unit due to the very large housing placing the pot further back.

    The rod operating the pour mechanism on the PM2 is thinner and longer, with a longer tapered section than the Lyman. I think this will allow better fine control and prevent dripping when the pot is full.

    Overall I think the RCBS seems to be the superior unit, so for the time being my Lyman will sit in pieces until I feel like rewrapping all that messy insulation...

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

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    That's a great report. Thank you so much for taking the time. Seems like I got one of the last of the original Pro Melts, purchased less than 2 years ago.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
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    But you can't see the PID while casting! That right there would keep me from buying one. I'll stick with my Pro-Melt with my home-built PID.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
    winelover's Avatar
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    No need to see the PID, if keeps the temp you set it to, as the "Easy Melt"does. I suspect it will, since they both have the same PID. Placed in the back of the pot........it keeps the PID furthest away from the heat source. If you decide to ladle cast, less likely for it to get lead drips across the face of it, causing damage to the plastic readout.

    Winelover

  19. #19
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    looks good at first glance--they do look fantastic right out of the box, all clean and bright

    my Pro-Melt (guess we call it "1" now) does hold more lead.

    I flipped the handle in its guides so I can 'pull down' to get lead flow. Much easier on my shoulder. would be easy to do that on this one, too.

    Went with the aftermarket shelf someone was selling on CB here and got his cover, too. No need for the cover as it comes with it. It will do a great job of holding in the heat, that's for sure.
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  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Here is my "I don't have time to go to the hardware store so I'll clean out my junk bin" solution to mounting the NOE guide.

    2 1/4"x2" eye bolts and a ubolt for vertical stabilization. I used the rcbs stops to stabilize it horizontally in addition to the set screws on the NOE guide itself.

    A better fitting ubolt would improve this a bit but unless you hit it from below it is stable and will not move.

    Obviously there are other (and more permanent and prettier) ways to do this, but this cost me $1.88 according to the receipt that was in the bag with these parts.


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check