Lee pro 4 20 capacity

[BrutalAB]

Last night i found out the capacity of this pot is not really that close to 20 pounds. I weighed out 19 pounds of pure and one pound of pewter and around 14 pounds of pure or so i realized it was not gonna fit all of it in, probably got probably 16 pounds of alloy in when it got filled to the brim.
Had no clue the capacity would be so far off from stated.

[Wheelguns 1961]

With my 4-20, I usually measure out 15lbs of mixed alloy for my first pot full. Then I do 10lb increments after that. This gives me room for the sprues. This works for me, but I am sure there are better ways to do it. When I have a casting session, I try to only use one alloy per session.

[kevin c]

I can maybe get 18 or 19 pounds in my 4-20 if it's perfectly level and I don't do anything to it like stirring or fluxing. Practically, a couple pounds less is its working capacity. Similarly, my old ProMelt supposedly holds ~22# but I limit it to 20 or less.

[Rich/WIS]

My LEE 4-20 will hold about 16# comfortably.

[notenoughguns]

You do realize 1 pound of pewter takes up twice the same space as PURE lead .

[BrutalAB]

Theres still no way to get 20 pounds of pure into that pot. Even if i had left out the pewter.

Maybe this bugs me because before i got my scale that could precisely handle lead in weights from 0 to 30 pounds i was only weighing my pewter/tin and adding that to a pot i thought could hold 20 pounds.

[kevin c]

Of course it's annoying to prepare amounts based on what you thought the pot should hold and find that it doesn't take it all, especially if what has melted and fits won't have the right ratios without adding what doesn't fit (been there, done that). At least such mistakes can be salvaged, and now you know what the real capacity is and can mix alloys in appropriate amounts.

Molten tin, BTW, is about 2/3 the density of molten pure lead, and I think that means a pound would take up 1 1/2 times the volume of lead.

[Mal Paso]

20 pounds was the target before the accountants and engineers got to it. It's like horsepower or mileage on cars. You Always get less. LOL

I had 2 Lee 4-20s and did well with them.

[40-82 hiker]

I usually figure on 16 pounds as a maximum, though I could put in more. That leaves me room for stirring without making a mess. I guess it is what it is. I like my 4-20, but I have wondered about the supposed "20 pound" capacity myself. Not sure where that last pound or two would go...

[mdi]

Hmmm. This one is a new one for me. A 20 lb pot that doesn't hold 20 lbs.? Wondering if anyone has measured the capacity of water (vs. beer) of a 5 gal bucket, or counted to see if a 30 cal ammo can really holds 770 rounds of 45 ACP, and does a 10 gallon hat really hold 10 gallons?

[Mk42gunner]

Yeah, there's nothing like suddenly realizing the 10" long ingot that is rapidly self-feeding into your 4-20 is going to overflow the pot. RIGHT NOW. and trying to find the pliers to grab it out before all is swamped with molten alloy.

Looking back, it was kind of neat to see lead flowing over both sides of the rim, but once was enough.

Robert

[RydForLyf]

Yeah, it’s just the same girl that’s been lied to all of her adult life about how long 8” really is. It’s called payback.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I never cared enough to measure either , holds what it holds , I can see if you are using pot to work up a certain alloy , if it melts I am making something out of it , does not work for cap and ball though , keep those soft , I have 3 lee pots a old small dipper one I was given ,I have never used it , my 10 lb which may or may not hold 10 lbs and the 4-20 which I have set aside when I got a pro melt 2 , and then I bought a older pro melt used it for a few times and went back to the pro melt 2 to see if I would have issues that some were , yes it dripped got hold of rcbs they sent new valve rod and it drips a bit here and there , those lee pots worked for a lot of bullets and I use the 10 lb for small specific batches now I am wanting to know what amount do those other pots actually hold .

[Conditor22]

Has anyone tried 20# of pure?

[JWFilips]

I usually figure on 16 pounds as a maximum, though I could put in more. That leaves me room for stirring without making a mess. I guess it is what it is. I like my 4-20, but I have wondered about the supposed "20 pound" capacity myself. Not sure where that last pound or two would go...

You hit this on the button You may get 20 lbs of alloy in it but it would be at the top of the pot ( so they aren't lying) it may hold 20 lbs of some mix of alloy
but you have to be practical! You need to stir it hard at times I always figure with my alloy ( 50% pure and 50% wheel weights -most times 16.5 lbs at the most

[onelight]

Maybe they call it a 20lb pot cause that is what the pot weighs full of lead.

[OS OK]

I carefully measured out 20 pounds once of a blend of 11bhn...it didn't fit.

Now I consider 18 pounds the maximum and still have a little freeboard at the top to carefully flux without stirring lead over the side.

"Thanks to all the Lee Bean Counters ... and to their Green engineers ... another surprise we get with the 'Drip-O-Matic' ... all water under the bridge now but the 'APP' guys are having a hey-day ... heheee, at least I ain't having them problems."

[trapper44shooter]

That is the Furnace I am saving up to buy I will not be casting 1,000's of round balls but maybe later on I am so excited to start casting I have already bought the LEE Ingot Mold, Lee Ladle, LEE double cavity 454 round ball mold & later on I am going to go to the 6 cavity 454 LEE mold but I must practice & get very good before. I even ordered that sprue lube & some BEESWAX too I just need my LEE 4 20 Pro & Some Lead & I will be cooking lol

[44magLeo]

You won't like the Lee Ladle. It don't hold much and spills easy. I did better with a bent up table spoon. It works ok for stirring as you flux.
If you plan on ladle casting get a Lyman or RCBS ladle. Cost more but work much better.
I use Lee molds without issues. The Ingot mold is ok. The two center cavities are only half the size of the other two. These work good for some things, pewter or solder. That way you can mix small batches easier.
If you look in the vendor section of the Swapping & Selling area there are folks that sell lead. Getting some you know is pure might help you learn the process easier.
With just any old stuff you find it may contain most anything besides lead. If so the results you get may not be what you want. Once you learn a bit more then scrounging for what you want will be easier.
I still pick up wheel weights as I find them. For other stuff I have to look a bit harder. I'm getting so letting others do the leg work and buying it from them is the way I roll.
Leo