Bottom pour or Ladle for a beginner?

[dnmccoy]

So it seems that this is the proverbial "ford vs chevy" debate!

[mdi]

I started with a ladle. I'm pretty mechanically inclined and have good dexterity, but ladling was always a little uncomfortable/clumbsy for me. I tried the "spout to sprue/turn mold and ladle together" method without success and went to a straight pour into the mold and got good bullets for about a year then I got a 20 lb. bottom pour. I do have one mold, I believe it's a Lachmiller 38 cal., that works best/only with a ladle...

[Greg B.]

Not quite Ford vs. Chev as each method has its benefits. If you want high volume, say for pistol, bottom pour with a four or six cavity mould is the way to go. For precision, say for black powder cartridge competition, dipping with a single cavity custom mold is generally the way to go. If you are just starting a bottom pour with a Lee twin cavity will work. I usually start with a Lee twin cavity mold because you get reasonable quality for a decent price. If it is not accurate you have not spent a lot of money.

Get a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook as it will explain many of the problems that you might have when first starting with cast boolits. Twenty years later I am still using mine.

[10 ga]

I learned with a ladle; and even though I now have 2 bottom pour furnaces, I still revert to the ladle if I'm having any trouble getting a mould to fill correctly.

I feel that if you want mass quantities of boolits and can live with a few marginal ones, go bottom pour.

If you want picture perfect boolits, ladle 'em.

Let the flaming begin.....:takinWiz:

If you want picture perfect boolits, get off some of that money O'Bummer spread around, get a swage setup.




x lead

[rodsvet]

I started casting in 1972 with a bottom pour (make unknown). Traded it for a Lee bottom pour. Suffered for years with Lee products and finally got a Pro Melt. If you already have the Lee, then learn on it. Just don't leave it unattended for even a minute or you will have a mess or worse. I made many thousands of good boolits with mine. The Pro melt just works way better and is safer. As you progress, you will find what works best for you. Welcome to the insanity!! Rod

[Idaho Mule]

I am still a newbie, started casting 2 yrs. ago with an RCBS pot and Lyman ladle, heating my pot over a turkey fryer. Still use the same, other than the pot, I bought a 20 lb.er from Buffalo Arms. I don't cast nearly as many bullets as some guys here by any means, but I am very happy with my little set-up and it works quite well for me and my needs. Wife did get me a Lee bottom pour for x-mas last yr and I used it once, didn't care for it. I am currently keeping myself, wife, and 2 teen-age sons supplied with boolits and doing ok. I vote ladle, don't recommend it for everyone, but it works for me. JW

[dnmccoy]

I got a gently used Lee BP coming from a member here, Ill try it and see how I like it. Waiting on my 4 cav 9mm mold from Miha is killing me

[ncbearman]

9mm and prob 30carbine down the road.There will be more down the road, but that's for now. I'd really like to make my own 9mm HP boolits

I sent off this mould to Erik and he put an inset bar in it for me. This is an awesome way to get HP's. It started out as a Lyman SC 356637 bb. I had him expand the back band for me also so it would drop a little larger for sizing. The 9mm is the guy 2nd from the right.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=168518

[Bullet Caster]

When I started casting, I could only afford the ladel method and am still using this method today. I don't have the $$ for a bottom pour pot. I did manage to find a really nice 20 lb. + pot with a flat bottom for $8.00 to use on my Coleman camp stove. My previous pot is now regulated to smelting wheel weights since it has a smaller bottom and is kinda unsteady on the Coleman.

I'm of the persuasion that if something isn't broken, don't try to fix it. I've never had to make a large production run of casting boolits until recently. I traded off my 9mm boollits I had cast and now I've gotten a large number brass to reload and need nearly 2,000 9mm boolits cast. I guess a bottom pour would benefit me for this large run. However, I'm patient and plan on ladle casting these 9mm boolits. Just gonna take some time as I only have dual cavity moulds.

I've also recently acquired nearly 400 pieces of .30-06 brass and need to cast 400 200 grainers for the .30-06. Ladle casting makes nice boolits but is a PITA to do for larger runs. Guess it's time to reconsider my technique and go for the bottom pour pot. Again, it's $$ that stops me. BC

[1Shirt]

I am of the opinion that you should go with what works for you, and if it works, don't fix it!
1Shirt!

[rbuck351]

About 40 years ago I started with a Lyman ladle and cast a pretty good pile of boolits for my 38spl, a very few of which actually looked good. Then one day I saw a Lee drip-o-matic in my favorite gun store. I think it was about $25 at the time and I bought it. It didn't take long before I could cast about 90% good looking boolits and I have learned to do even better as years went on. Every few years I think I have learned enough to make the old Lyman ladle work and give it another try. So far nothing but a PITA. I'm not sure I will live long enough or learn enough to make the ladle work for me.