Upgrade My Pot to.....................

[ncbearman]

Ok, It seems I am in this for the long haul after only 3 months of "hobbying". I'm hooked. What are your suggestions for the next pot I buy to replace my 10# Lyman bottom pour. My needs are small. Shooting 100 to 200 rounds per week at targets with pistols. No high tech competitive shooting for me (yet) :o

Thanks in advance again for your input.

[462]

I suggest a Lee 20-pounder.

[kidmma]

+2. Good pot for the money.

[Ickisrulz]

There are so many threads floating around on this topic you could read forever. No one can really answer this for you as everyone's idea of the perfect equipment is different as is their money situations.

There are those that seem to like the Lee bottom pours since they're cheap even though they leak. Then there are those that claim Magma Masterpot or the RCBS Pro-Melt are worth the additional expense because of the higher quality and resulting fewer problems.

Only you can decide what cash to layout and what known issues you're willing to accept.

(I use a ladle myself and have a Lee Magnum Melter...no issues other than keeping the temperature constant.)

[1bluehorse]

There are so many threads floating around on this topic you could read forever. No one can really answer this for you as everyone's idea of the perfect equipment is different as is their money situations.

There are those that seem to like the Lee bottom pours since they're cheap even though they leak. Then there are those that claim Magma Masterpot or the RCBS Pro-Melt are worth the additional expense because of the higher quality and resulting fewer problems.

Only you can decide what cash to layout and what known issues you're willing to accept.

(I use a ladle myself and have a Lee Magnum Melter...no issues other than keeping the temperature constant.)

Yep, what he said.....I'm one of those that think the RCBS Pro Melt is worth the cost....

[runfiverun]

i have the lee 10 lb pot the lee 20 lb pot and the magma 40 lb pot. and another one on the master caster.
the one on the master caster gets used the least,followed by the lee 20 lb pot.

the 40 lber gets the most use mainly because of it's quality [it's commercial, made to go hard] and i like using it,its easy to adjust [done it once and have never touched it since],holds it's temperature,and is fast. [it has the ability to have one or two pour streams]

[HDS]

I also like my Lee 4-20 but the 220v isn't as good at keeping the temp so it's gonna get a PID later.

It did start to drip after two years of use and I managed to get some stuff into the spout when scraping, I noticed it immediatly when it happened. Emptying and cleaning it fixed it. I will be more carefull with it in the future and see if it clogs back up or not. Gotta get a PID soon though.

[rbertalotto]

Keep the 10 and get a PID.............Best addition you can make to your casting. Period!

[Colorado4wheel]

RCBS Pro Melt. Wish I had done it sooner.

[edler7]

get a PID.............Best addition you can make to your casting. Period!

^ +1

I have a Lee 20 lb with very minimal drip issues. I've always used clean, fluxed alloy in it and the drips during a session can be counted on 1 hand. Keep your alloy clean and the Lee shouldn't be much of a problem. The PID makes alloy temp on less thing that needs attention while you cast.

I'll take a cheaper pot with good temp control anytime.

[FergusonTO35]

NCbearman, are you planning to sell your Lyman?

[H.Callahan]

There are so many threads floating around on this topic you could read forever. No one can really answer this for you as everyone's idea of the perfect equipment is different as is their money situations.

There are those that seem to like the Lee bottom pours since they're cheap even though they leak. Then there are those that claim Magma Masterpot or the RCBS Pro-Melt are worth the additional expense because of the higher quality and resulting fewer problems.

Only you can decide what cash to layout and what known issues you're willing to accept.

(I use a ladle myself and have a Lee Magnum Melter...no issues other than keeping the temperature constant.)
My rub is that there seems to be nothing in between. You either go low end with the Lees or high end with RCBS or Magma. I would like to see someone built a basic pot with good construction in the $150 or so range.

[TomBulls]

I suggest a Lee 20-pounder.

^ What he said.

[paul h]

My rub is that there seems to be nothing in between. You either go low end with the Lees or high end with RCBS or Magma. I would like to see someone built a basic pot with good construction in the $150 or so range.

Probably your best bet is to find a used Saeco. I have a pair of them, one old, one older. I was fortunate to trade into both of them.

I was thinking about a getting a magma 40 pounder until I looked at the price :shock: I'll get a PID and call it good.

[Wayne Smith]

Have we met? Truth to tell I started ladle pouring because I started casting for a 45-70 - big boolits. I haven't found adequate reason to change in over 10 years of casting. I thought I would be limited in my casting, also. I now have over 30 molds, from .25-.50! Just because your interest is in pistols only now, how long will it be before you want to shoot a deer or bear with your own boolits? Easy with a 30-30 or a 45-70.

As it is the Lee 20lb pot would be OK. Good entry point if you want a bottom pour. One thing you need to know is that they leak because people don't make sure their alloy is clean when they put it in the pot. **** in the lead gets stuck in the valve thus causing leaks. No **** in the lead, no sticking and no leaking.

[shadowcaster]

I suggest the Lee Pro 4 20lb Bottom Pour Pot. I know that a number of people have issues with them leaking, but my luck is holding so far. Narry a drip!! I run 2 of them side by side so I always have alloy up to temp for casting boolits. good luck. :)

Shad

[kbstenberg]

Another vote for the Lee. Just a little maintenance and it is good to go.
If your 10lb pot is enough for your present needs, keep it an add a PID to it. You probably would want to add a PID to whatever you got anyway. So just keep what you have get the PID an at some point in the future if you need more production. Then get a new pot.
Just my 2 cents

[ncbearman]

NCbearman, are you planning to sell your Lyman?

No I figured I would keep it. Still not sure what I am going to do yet. I slowed down sir dripsalot with a good cleaning.

[williamwaco]

Ok, It seems I am in this for the long haul after only 3 months of "hobbying". I'm hooked. What are your suggestions for the next pot I buy to replace my 10# Lyman bottom pour. My needs are small. Shooting 100 to 200 rounds per week at targets with pistols. No high tech competitive shooting for me (yet) :o

Thanks in advance again for your input.

You have all the pot you need!

Save you money. You will want a new handgun long before you "need" a new pot.


.

[ncbearman]

NCbearman, are you planning to sell your Lyman?

You will be the first if I do sell. But it won't be anytime soon as the RCBS is pretty expensive, unless I find it used. Thanks.

[doctorggg]

Let me tell you of a hard lesson I learned. I started casting in January of this year with a Lee 10 pound pot. No problems just not big enough. Then I moved to a Lee 20 pound which I still use but they do leak. Next I bought a Lyman 20 pounder at $300 and had nothing but trouble with it from the beginning. Several calls to the factory and it's still a piece of ****. So I finally bit the bullet and bought an RCBS Pro Melt. What a wonderful piece of equipment. I would have saved a lot of money if I had sprung for it in the beginning. Lessons learned the hard way!!!! As you fellows can see I am definitely smitten with boolit casting.

[Colorado4wheel]

You will be casting for year and years to come. Get a quality pot, that won't leak, won't burn your arm, holds temp properly, heats up faster and has better flow control. I just described the Pro Melt.

[9.3X62AL]

The Lee bottom-pour pots are very capable tools, and a stone bargain as well. Now, I LOVE my RCBS Pro-Melt furnace......but if I hadn't gotten it NIB for $50 I'm not sure I would have sprung for it at full-boat retail. After several years of trouble-free use, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another at full price.

[captaint]

I, too, have a Pro Melt. Its the only bottom pour I have ever had. So, I have no comparisons. I can say this, though - I like it a lot - I would buy it again. Having said that, I recently bought a dippin pot. NICE - really. Haven't fired up the Pro Melt for a while now. I do think that the Pro Melt is worth the investment. Trouble free operation. There's a lot to be said for that... enjoy Mike

[David2011]

Another vote for the RCBS. I also have an old 10 lb. Lyman for which parts are no longer available but its 10 pound capacity didn't maintain temperature as well as the RCBS does. The RCBS has adequate temperature stability and holds up to 22 pounds of molten alloy. That's a lot of boolits on one filling. Mine is at least 30 years old and has needed no repairs.

David

[trixter]

I started with a Lee 10#er and if I was consistant, putting the sprue back in, and adding ingots, the temp was OK (I had no thermometer), I just watched the shade of the boolits dropped. Then good fortune came my way and I acquired an RCBS Promelt and a thermometer, now I just set the thermostat, watch the thermometer and continue the flow of sprue and new ingots and all is good , so much easier. If the Promelt is ever required by it's owner, I will order one in a heartbeat.

[dromia]

Just posted this on another furnace thread.

"I have two promelts, one new and one second hand and both run champion. Been using the new one for 12 years now and lord alone knows how long the second hand one has been going for.

I've had a few lee pots over the years and they were given away or converted to dipping pots as they are failures as pouring pots.

If I couldn't afford a decent pot like the Pro melt then I'd sooner dip from a cast iron pan on a gas ring then use a Lee pot. It would probably be just as quick as pouring as I wouldn't be spending time constantly fettling everything as I had to do with the Lees to get them to work as advertised."

[tinsnips]

Save up till you can buy a RCBS Pro Melt you will be glad you did . Remember cheap is'nt good an good is'nt cheap !

[warf73]

You can drop alot of money into a pot pretty easy.

Masterpot..... 1500..watts...40lbs $575
RCBS Pro........ 800.. watts.. 22lbs $360
Lyman Mag 20 800.. watts.. 20lbs $290
Lee Pro 4........ 700.. watts.. 20lbs $65

Those are the bottom pours that I found with there respective prices.
My big question if I was going to drop cash on a pot whats the real difference between the RCBS and the Lyman?
There both basicly the same pot other than one is $70 more and holds 2lbs more (sorry but $70 for 2lbs!!!). Is the RCBS really worth the extra $$ over the Lyman? I don't know but would ask around to find out for sure IF I was looking to get something other than what I have already which is the Lee Pro 4.

[hermans]

Doctorggg said it all.......
I have been using my RCBS Pro Melt for the last 25 years, and it is still going great. If you have lots of time and like to have hassles, go with Lee.
Otherwise get the right tool for the job first time around, and you will be a happy boolit caster for many a year!

[Colorado4wheel]

You can drop alot of money into a pot pretty easy.

Masterpot..... 1500..watts...40lbs $575
RCBS Pro........ 800.. watts.. 22lbs $360
Lyman Mag 20 800.. watts.. 20lbs $290
Lee Pro 4........ 700.. watts.. 20lbs $65

Those are the bottom pours that I found with there respective prices.
My big question if I was going to drop cash on a pot whats the real difference between the RCBS and the Lyman?
There both basicly the same pot other than one is $70 more and holds 2lbs more (sorry but $70 for 2lbs!!!). Is the RCBS really worth the extra $$ over the Lyman? I don't know but would ask around to find out for sure IF I was looking to get something other than what I have already which is the Lee Pro 4.


There are some design differences. RCBS has Fahrenheit numbers on it's dial. Lyman has a 1-10 type of thing. RCBS does not rely on a specific mold guide and is adjustable in better ways in my opinion. Some people really like the Lyman setup but its designed for Lyman Molds. 2lb more lead. I went with the RCBS because of the overwhelming positive experiences and the adjustable guide being universal and not a Lyman type thing.

[patsher]

And, read a post here where a guy ordered the Lyman mold guide and put it on his RCBS pot because he liked the design a lot better!.

FWIW, I just bought a Lyman; had the same questions regarding price/value as you. And I like it a lot! I don't have many Lyman molds, so I just push the guide a little off of square, and adjust the height to fit my molds, which I lay ACROSS the guide instead of into the channel. Works great. Also, the height adjustment is very easy to use.

But here's the funny part -- night before last I took the valve out of my old Lee 20 bottom pour, put a little grinding compound on it, re-inserted and lapped it ----- guess what? No more leak! Coulda saved myself $290. Oh well, now I've got TWO bottom pours! And I used both of them today!

Pat

[dbarnhart]

You have all the pot you need!
.

I dunno. I shoot 100 rounds per week of 45acp, that's thousand rounds every 10 weeks. I currently reload in 1k batches. It's too hot to cast here in the summer, so in the spring I need to cast 2.5-3k to cover me until Fall. I tried it with a Lee 10# pot and it took way too much time.

[Love Life]

My experience: I have owned a Lee 20lb bottom pour for 3 years now. It has leaked since about the 3rd week I owned it. I was using foundry alloy from Missouri Bullet Company. So with a clean pot and clean alloy I had drips. No big deal to me though. I just stick an ingot mold under the spot when I cast.

About a year into owning the pot the screw that adjusts flow stripped it's hole, and would no longer adjust flow. So I took some copper wire and wound it around the valve stem(?) and flow adjusting screw. Jimmy rigged as all get out, but it works. Every 2 months or so I have to rewind it with new wire since the copper breaks after the constant heat and cool cycle. Annoying, but it works.

About a year and a half into ownership the top screw on the pot that holds the valve lifter-majig stripped out of its hole. Every ten minutes or so of casting I beat it back into place with a screwdriver handle. Annoying, but the pot still works.

My pot has issues, and everytime I fire it up for a casting session I have a little heart to heart with it. Unfortunately I refuse to buy another pot while this one works. Once it breaks I will buy a pro-melt and call it good.