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Thread: What is your preferred ladle and why?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    What is your preferred ladle and why?

    I used to have a Lyman ladle...but can't find it. (Had to move my reloading/casting equipment to a "man cave" shed and may have misplaced it or worse yet, tossed it unconsciously.)

    I have four Lyman 4 cavity molds and the rest are two cavity and one or two single cavity. So...Lyman, RCBS, Rowell #1 or "2 or ?...and why?

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    The Lyman was my first and prefered. If I lost it I would replace it.

    I do have another similar, but larger in size. It now lives with my smelting pot for making ingots.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    I believe mine is a Lyman with the hole enlarged alittle. It has served me well.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I have one.think it may be a lyman with the hole drilled out.i got it on a box of stuff years ago.All i did was clean it up and use it.It works great for me.I have not tryed anything else but am thinking i need to try a rcbs.it holds a bit more lead and is kinda designed like the one i have.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I don't ladle anymore but I started out with a Lyman. The hole was pretty rough and I drilled it out. I only increased the inside diameter enough to drill out the roughness.

    Rowell makes some really nice ones but I'm not familiar with the smaller ones. I use a larger one for smelting.

  6. #6
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    Chill Wills's Avatar
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    The Lyman is fine. I like the old Rapine which must come from the same vender that the RCBS comes from. I doubt either company really makes them. They are slightly larger with the square back.

    I have the two sizes of Rowell ladles, 1lb and 6lb for pouring ingots.
    Twenty five years ago, on reports that the #1 Rowell poured great bullet too I tried it for any number of casting sessions. P U !!! I will stick to the Rapine and RCBS as they are much more adept at pressure casting molds that like that treatment and still pour just fine for the few molds that need to be poured to avoid whiskers or fining.
    Chill Wills

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I use both the lymann and RCBS for casting both have the spouts opened up to ,200 dia and a stop added to the shank. I prefer them either or. I have a rowel #1 thats on the big side for casting. The lee ladle is more a spoon and too small for multi cavity or big bullets. Is also lightly constructed so it dosnt hold heat as well. Things to look for in a ladle heavy cast construction, this holds heat and is mire stable. a well placed spout. The ability to change from right to left hand used. A comfortable length handle. A means of hooking the shank on the edge of the pot to keep handle way from heat.

    I have an rcbs ladle I converted to 2 spouts for my double cavity moulds. took some learning to use but I can pour 2 cavities at a time and the over pour. Speeds casting up a lot, but also will overheat most moulds faster di to the metal going in faster and hotter. Instead of 550 grns 2 its 1100 grns once and the over pour.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Before I really started casting seriously, I read a lot of Dean Grinnell's books and articles, (still do). He recommended the RCBS over the Lyman because of the fin on the bottom being useful to clear a spot in the dross film to ensure you were dipping clean alloy.

    It made sense to then, and still does.

    When I actually purchased my ladle the store had both the Lyman and RCBS in stock so I compared them side by side, I ended up with the RCBS. It is slightly larger than the Lyman, which really doesn't matter that much, but I do like the fin.

    I think either would be acceptable, its just that I find the RCBS more acceptable.

    I have no experience with the Rowell bottom pour ladle.

    Never bought the Lee, it was too small and didn't appear as useful as the $2.00 Walmart soup spoon that I started with.

    Robert

    Robert

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    DHDeal's Avatar
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    I'm an RCBS ladler. I do have a Lyman that I used a couple times, but as my hand was already used to the RCBS, it has stayed in my casting box for about 17 years.

    I also have a Rowell that I read was the "best" for casting big BPCR bullets, and it is used for making ingots only. A friend gave me an older aluminum RCBS ladle that holds even more alloy than the steel version, but it doesn't have the fin (which I do like for clearing a space) and it feels different in the hand.

    FWIW, I've put probably 3 wood handles on my RCBS over the years and had to weld up the steel rod where it meets the threads. Assuming that the actual ladle doesn't split/break/wear out, I'll never need another. Like others mentioned, I opened up the hole many years ago for faster flow on all but that blankedy blank Rowell.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Guess, I'm the odd man, out. I have a #1 and a #2 Rowell ladle. Mostly, the #2 gets the nod, when casting multiple cavity moulds. Why............because it holds the most lead, approximately two pounds. No need to stop pouring to refill. Better to have more lead than not enough. After filling the cavities, excess lead is allowed to run down the front and sides of the mould, back into the pot. Keeps the mould at the optimum casting temp. Look at it from the point of view.........of pouring heat.. Bullets have more consistency and less rejects, from rounded bases.

    The only modification necessary is to shorten the handles on the Rowell. Way too long for casting. Easy enough fix, since they are made of threaded rod. Cut and retread with appropriate die. BTW, I have the RCBS ladle but don't use it. What I did do was re-purpose it's shorter handle for the Rowell #1............the #2 has a larger diameter rod.

    The #1 holds approximately one pound of lead. I use that ladle for the smaller two cavity moulds and/or for bullets of smaller diameters.

    Winelover

  11. #11
    Boolit Master Idaho Mule's Avatar
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    I use the Lyman. Serves me well, but I don't cast much over 250 grains. JW

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy engineer401's Avatar
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    I use the Lyman ladle. It works well for my 4-cavity 358 molds.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy adcoch1's Avatar
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    I have been using the rcbs dipper, and I am glad it isn't smaller. I looked at the Lee and the Lyman but bought the RCBS. When I get a bigger lead pot I'll probably try out the Rowell #2 for my 6 cav 44 moulds, but for now I go thru alloy fast enough.
    "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Patrick Henry ,March 23, 1775

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The new Lyman ladle ...the one that's reversible for right or left hand operation .
    It has a longer handle and a longer shaft than my old circa 1967 Lyman ladle .
    Smooth it off , inside and out and enlarge and polish the spout pour hole just a little .
    It fits well into a 20# Lee Magnum Melter ...the old one was too short for the larger 20# pot .
    I have one 4 cavity mould ...best to pour 2 cavities then refill ladle and pour the other two .
    Usually when trying to fill all 4 the last cavity gets short changed .
    I can do all three cavities of a 3 holer if I'm careful .
    I don't get a larger ladle because of lacka hand strength ...the old hand gets tired faster the bigger the ladle is .

    I'm glad to hear there are still some of us who dip ...we gotta stick together.
    Gary
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    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  15. #15
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    My favorite ladle is the gravy ladle.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
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    I was using a Lyman and liked it for two cavity molds. Then I always wanted to try the Rotometals type ladle. It just looked good and held more lead. But it pours kind of fast and cools a little fast, so that my bullets didn’t fill out completely. Everything else the same. Nothing was hot enough that day , except the weather.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master



    RedHawk357Mag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by winelover View Post
    Guess, I'm the odd man, out. I have a #1 and a #2 Rowell ladle. Mostly, the #2 gets the nod, when casting multiple cavity moulds.

    Winelover
    You wouldn't by chance know the difference in diameter of these two different ladels, would you? Thank you.

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  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg S View Post
    I believe mine is a Lyman with the hole enlarged alittle. It has served me well.
    What he said, except I am certain.
    Micah 6:8
    He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

    "I don't have hobbies - I'm developing a robust post-apocalyptic skill set"
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    winelover's Avatar
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    Bowl diameter of the #1 Rowell is 2 1/2 inches.

    Bowl diameter of the #2 Rowell is 3 inches.

    Add another half inch for the spout, on both of them.

    Not a big difference in diameter, capacity is due to the depth.

    The #2 will fit in a RCBS ProMelt and a Lyman Mag 25, both of which I own. A dedicated ladle pot, like the RCBS Easy Melt is much better.

    Winelover

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    I started with the RCBS ladle 35 years ago, have never seen an improvement to that design. Still using it.
    NRA Life 1992
    My avatar is almost a dead ringer for my little buddy Chico. Six pounds of mean that thought he was a Pit Bull. Miss that little guy.

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
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