Bottom pour or Ladle for a beginner?

[dnmccoy]

So Im looking at getting a pot now that Ive got my smelting gear in line and trades in line for some lead, and am wondering which method of pouring might be best for a beginner. Fwiw I am willing to sacrifice some speed for quality, and am planning on using 2 cavity Lee or Lyman mold (Still researching that)

Thanks!

[Marlin Junky]

So Im looking at getting a pot now that Ive got my smelting gear in line and trades in line for some lead, and am wondering which method of pouring might be best for a beginner. Fwiw I am willing to sacrifice some speed for quality, and am planning on using 2 cavity Lee or Lyman mold (Still researching that)

Thanks!

Rowell#1 ladle, hot plate, thermometer, furnace without bottom pouring linkage but with a thermostat and either a 2-cavity Lyman or RCBS mold. Set your thermostat for 675-700F (calibrated to your thermometer) and your 600-700W hotplate to high, allowing the mold to experience a slight color change which will get you in the 450-500F range. You'll also need some sprue plate lube.

MJ

[dnmccoy]

is the hot plate to simply warm the mold?

[canyon-ghost]

Yes, aluminum molds cool quickly. I have been using a ladle for ten years now along with single stage presses. You can ladle two cavity molds and only spend a few afternoons and evenings making enough ammo to supply yourself very, very well.

[mold maker]

That is subjective. I started out bottom pouring (1961) and it's still my favorite. However there are situations when ladle pouring definitely works better. A lot depends on what your casting for.

[dnmccoy]

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

[L1A1Rocker]

As a noob ladle pouring really did not appeal to me. I watched the online auction sites and found an RCBS bottom pour for 100 bucks. Not typical as they normally go for much more. The stickers had all been removed, the guy didn't know what it was and only listed it as a lead melter. I got real lucky.

But back on topic. I like the 4 cavity molds and the bottom pour - a lot.

[XTR]

I have not yet started casting, but everything I've read seems to indicate it kind of depends on what you plan to cast. If like me you plan to cast 535gr long range bullets for a Sharps then you need to start with a ladle because it's the consensus way to get good bullets. On the other hand, if you are going to cast smaller bullets and multi cavity molds then a bottom may be just the thing for you.

[Mooseman]

I started with Bottom pour pots in 1973 , I tried ladles, I stayed with bottom pour !
Cleaner, smaller sprues to deal with, and I mold stuff up to .69 cal.
BP is also faster IMHO.
I use a pour spout cast iron teapot for my 1 and 2 pound cannonballs because of the sheer volume of lead it takes and it works great for processing WW and other lead into ingots, but it is hard on gloves and can be messy if you arent careful.

[Sasquatch-1]

I am NO expert but I would suggest that you buy a fairly inexpensive lee 10# bottom pour and try it out. If you do not like it you can always remove plunger, plug the hole and ladle cast. I have an old 10# drip-o-matic and I use Lee molds. I am able to cast fast enough,with a 2 cavity 44 cal mold, that I get the molds TO HOT and will have to let them cool. I don't know if it is due to bottom pour or just an inconsistancy of the lead but in a 357 cal bullet I can get as much as an 8 grain difference in weight.

[Jack Stanley]

After learning with a ten pound drip-o-matic and later trying a ladle I still think the bottom pour was easier for me to learn with . Though , after I got the Pro-melt I welded the hole shut on the LEE and used it as reserve capacity . I do have a mold that refuses to make good bullts unless it it ladle poured . It is in the minority ( by itself ) in my clan of molds though . For this mold I'll get the LEE out and use that .

Jack

[btroj]

I learned on bottom pour, stayed with it for almost 30 years now.

Best way for a beginner to go is with whatever an experienced caster who shows them has. First hand learning is best.

I don't think it makes a difference, you still have to cast a bunch to learn. Cast, load shoot. A bunch. That is how you learn.

[dnmccoy]

Just scored a Lee bp in the swap and sell here tonight :)

[digger44]

I like bottom pour

[David2011]

Like BTROJ, I started on a bottom pour and 30 years later I'm still using the same RCBS pot that I was taught on. I don't know how old it was when my friend taught me how to cast.

David

[Mk42gunner]

The poll doesn't have a both selection.

I have three bp pots, but can make better boolits with an RCBS ladle. On the other hand, it is faster to cast handgun boolits from a bottom pour.

The 20 pound Lee is a lot easier to ladle from than the ten pound versions. I haven't really tried to ladle from the RCBS Promelt, but if there are problems diong it from in front of the pot; I think you could turn the pot 90 degrees to the left and have plenty of clearance.

Robert

[dnmccoy]

Current budget won't allow for multiple pots while I'm learning, maybe one day :)

[btroj]

Maybe the real question should be do you use the same style as you initially learned on?

I learned on a bottom pour, still use one. Never have really done any ladle casting. I have a feeling that if I was going to shoot 45-70 in competition that I would gravitate towards a ladle.

[Greg B.]

One thing you might want to consider is your lead source. If it is wheel weights they can be pretty dirty when you melt them and can clog up the spout on a bottom pour. I use old dental picks while wearing a glove to gently unplug the spout on my RCBS pot. However I also use an old Coleman stove and cast iron lead pot to do the initial melt and clean the garbage out. You can also ladel out of this setup and keep the mould warm since it has two burners.

[Alchemist]

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:

[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

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_23840507f2d46b5e3f.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7080) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_238405096980793962.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7260)

[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!:coffeecom

[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.