Used RCBS Promelt new to me

[Djones]

What a great bottom pour pot! I've been casting for the last coue years with a 10# lee bottom pour. This is such a huge improvement. No more dripping fast on off more head pressure due to the large capacity the list goes on and on.

Bottomline these pots are great. I got mine for $160 even though mine looks rough it works great.

[engineer401]

I switched from the 10# drip-o-matic to the RCBS also. The RCBS is a great improvement.

[odinohi]

Nice score. I had one that dripped. Called RCBS and they sent me a new pot and rod. Very easy to replace and absolutely no dripping. If you ever have trouble don't be afraid to call customer service. They will fix you up at no charge.

[Gun_nut83]

Ok, I'm upgrading my own equipment. I've been ladling for he past 6 years and was switching to a bottom pour pot too. However, I went with the lee 4-20 bottom pour because I found it for $53 free shipping from amazon, plus it's a 20# pot. How does this model compare to the 10# bottom pour and your RCBS promelt?

[Djones]

Ok, I'm upgrading my own equipment. I've been ladling for he past 6 years and was switching to a bottom pour pot too. However, I went with the lee 4-20 bottom pour because I found it for $53 free shipping from amazon, plus it's a 20# pot. How does this model compare to the 10# bottom pour and your RCBS promelt?

I've never seen or used a lee 20#. My 10# was great but my big 4, 5 & 6 cavities drained the lead quick and it wouldn't keep up with temp.

Good luck with your 20# lee. Maybe some of our other members can chime in on the lee 20#.

[Mk42gunner]

Ok, I'm upgrading my own equipment. I've been ladling for he past 6 years and was switching to a bottom pour pot too. However, I went with the lee 4-20 bottom pour because I found it for $53 free shipping from amazon, plus it's a 20# pot. How does this model compare to the 10# bottom pour and your RCBS promelt?

I have all three pots you mention. I have never cast a boolit with the Lee ten pound pot, I bought it as a spare from a pawn shop. It does heat up, and that is all I can really say about it; I just don't have any casting experience with it.

The Lee 4-20 is a decent pot, and it is the one I bought new. Mine does drip a little bit, but I have not had any of the infamous Lee deluges. I find it easy to ladle from, in fact I think I ladled more boolits from it than I bottom poured. It can be difficult to see the spout.

Since I bought the Promelt, the only thing I have cast with the 4-20 is snagging sinkers.

The RCBS Promelt is what I would have bought new if I had a Cadillac budget. Instead I had to wait until I found one at an estate auction where I paid $88.00 for it. No leaks and it holds a steady temperature.

It is a better pot than the Lee, but I don't know that it is a enough better to justify the drastic increase in price over the Lee.

Robert

[dikman]

I have both bottom-pour pots. I started with the Pro-Melt (which of course instantly spoiled me!) and there is no doubt it's a quality product. It just looks and feels like it should last forever - but, of course, you pay accordingly.
I needed (well, I thought I did) another pot, so bought a Lee 20 lb'er. They are very good value, particularly if you live in the States. However, I found the handle assembly poor after using the RCBS, so I modded mine pretty heavily and made a handle assembly like the RCBS uses. Now it gives much better control when pouring, nor have I had any drippy's (so far). So with a bit (in my case a lot) of work the Lee can be turned into a very nice little pot.

The Lee also seems to heat up quicker than the RCBS, which is rather odd.

[twc1964]

I have the lee 4-20 pot and it works fine but has its quirks. the first time i fired it up, i put about 15 pounds of ingots in it and as they were melting, i went in to grab a bottle of water and came out to what sorta looked like a pile of chrome plated dog poo on the floor! the handle was stuck open and spilled all of my lead! well, at least i know the spouts not clogged. all in all a good pot but temp control is another story.

[BK7saum]

I run a lee 4-20 with a PID. It does a good job. I don't know if I could justify the extra expense of the promelt.