Just a question for you experienced casters from a neophyte.

[Chris C]

I'm considering...........just considering mind you, getting into casting because I've a rifle that I believe is going to take a diameter bullet I can't buy on the market. I haven't cast since the early 70's and even then it was only round muzzle loader balls.......nothing critical. Think I had a bottom feed Lyman pot. So now, some 40 years later I'm considering buying another melting pot, but have no idea what is considered "marginally good, really good or exceptionally good" in the field of casting equipment. I've only got one reloader nearby, and I think he uses Lyman pots, but that's my only exposure. Anyone willing to make suggestions with comments to help a neophyte?

[pworley1]

I have Lee and a layman. The lee is probably all you will need now.

[shoot-n-lead]

I have a Lee pot...I am sure there are better pots, but mine has worked perfectly for years...and the price is certainly right.

[mdi]

I have a Lee pot...I am sure there are better pots, but mine has worked perfectly for years...and the price is certainly right.

Me too. I've been using the same Lee pot (Pro 4 20 lb) for prolly 12 years...

[BruceB]

In your very practical rating system, I'd class the Lee as "marginally good" and the RCBS furnace as "really good".

If you can possibly afford the extra money, he RCBS pot is well worth it. I've been using mine for about twenty years so far.

This opinion is based on almost fifty years of extensive casting experience, and like all opinions, is worth just about what you are paying for it.

[country gent]

Some still cast over a dedicated camp stove and cast iron pot ladle casting the boollits. A bottom pour can be a plus but can be a pain also ( dripping leaking spout plugging). Some basic tools and or items you will need are as follows. Appropriate mmoulds ( 1 is never enough)and handles to fit them. You can change moulds to handles as you want to cast. A thermometer that reads in the proper temperature range. Dedicated lead pot, the camp stove cast iron pot is handy for both cleaning lead into ingots alloying batches if you want, and casting. Its quick simple and easy to set up, no electric needed just fuel for the burner, and can be set up pretty much anywhere. The electric pots are self contained units set up quick and work well You really dont want to use dity lead in them but clean ingots to keep spout working as easy as possible. Most electric pots still require the thermometer to know what temps you are running at. You will be working with molten metals and hot moulds metal will be in the 650*-*-750* range So some basic saftey equipment should be used. Heavy leather gloves. A long sleeved shirt, heavy pants and leather boots or shoes. Possibly a heavy apron also. Saftey Glasses or a face shield is a big plus also. As little exposed skin as possible as any splatters seem to find it and its very uncomfortable. I cast on a bigger pot than most its made from a 25lb propane tank and holds 130-140 lbs of lead. I use a 500,000 btu weed burner for a heat source with a turkey frier stand for a support. This is the right hieght for me to cast sitting on a folding chair. HAs enough capacity and room for 2 friends to join me and allows for me to have a consistent batch of alloy going. I buy my 20-1 alloy 100-130 lbs at a time cast the pot empty and start over each time. I can ladle cast down to around 6-8 lbs left in the pot is all so not much gets blended into the new batch. I ladle cast as thats what I perfer to do.

[bangerjim]

My 4-20's work flawlessly! Always have. Not dripping like others complain about.....probably because I do NOT use sawdust in it! Only beeswax. Chunks of "stuff" can get stuck in the valve.

From what I have seen and experienced, the ~$60 Lee pot will serve you for years!

If you cast 8 hours a day 7 days a week, you might want to invest significantly more $$ in a better pot, but for 80% or so of us, the Lee works seems to perform perfectly well.

bangerjim

[Wayne Smith]

Nobody has said this yet so I will. It depends on the size of the boolit. The bigger the boolit the more you will want to either ladle cast or have a large capacity pot. You didn't specify the rifle so we really can't speak to this.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

A well made pot can last a long time. A lot of Lymans and Saecos are still going strong. I have an RCBS Pro-melt since 1978 and it performs without any problem. Its an expensive pot nowadays to buy, but many casters consider it to be worth the extra money. RCBS has an iron clad guarantee for life on it. Yes you can ladle cast very successfully from a number of different vessels and Lee pots can do well and have done so for many folks. It comes down to what type of equipment you are happy and comfortable with using; it also depends on the size and weight of the bullets you are casting and the quantities. I think that important factors to consider are also ...the quality of the molds that you choose to use and the results that you get in terms of quality. LLS

[Chris C]

Right now all I have specific plans for is a 255 gr bullet.......double cavity LBT mold. But eventually, I'll be casting as much as 550gr........but that will be way down the road, as I've a substantial inventory of that particular bullet.

[bangerjim]

I cast 300gn 45's all the time with bottom pour 4-20 with great success. Pleanty of lead. I get 400+ with one fill.

bangerjim

[MT Chambers]

RCBS promelt is the bee's knees esp. if you like bottom pour, but don't like continual dripping.

[BruceB]

t. The bigger the boolit the more you will want to either ladle cast or have a large capacity pot.

I will gently disagree with friend Wayne on this matter.

I routinely cast bullets of well over 500 grains from the RCBS furnace without problems.... all the way up to a Hoch .50BMG bullet. These .50s weigh.... (get this!)..... 888 grains in my WW alloy. Weight variation is minimal. I fail to understand the troubles reported in bottom-pouring the heavier bullets. TURN UP THE HEAT.

[dikman]

Depends how much money you want to spend (money always seems to be the lowest common denominator!). For the money the Lee is very good value, the RCBS is significantly better but will cost more. I have both, and am happy with both.

[Petrol & Powder]

The simplest system is pot over a heat source and pour with a ladle. For a bit more convenience, an electric pot combines the heat source and the pot. For a little more convenience (or sometimes frustration :wink: ) an electric bottom pour pot combines the heat source and eliminates the ladle.
The Lee 4-20 is probably the least expensive and most popular bottom pour pot. They work, they're relatively inexpensive and the problems are minor (it's known as the the drip-O-matic for a reason!). Most of the issues with the Lee are easily correctable.
The RCBS bottom pour pot is a very nice rig but one can buy several Lee 4-20's for the cost of one RCBS pro-melt.
As others have said, it comes down to money.

[Wayne Smith]

I will gently disagree with friend Wayne on this matter.

I routinely cast bullets of well over 500 grains from the RCBS furnace without problems.... all the way up to a Hoch .50BMG bullet. These .50s weigh.... (get this!)..... 888 grains in my WW alloy. Weight variation is minimal. I fail to understand the troubles reported in bottom-pouring the heavier bullets. TURN UP THE HEAT.

Not a big disagreement, Bruce. A 20lb pot is a good sized pot. I wouldn't cast them with the Lee ladle either! You can pressure cast with the pot, too.

[Newtire]

I used a Coleman for a long time before I broke down and bought a Lee 20 pounder. Aside from the leaks, it always worked very well until one day the heater died. I then bought a refurbished RCBS for just over $200. 2-weeks later, I bought another RCBS at a yard sale for $20.00. Sold the one RCBS and kept the other and use it all the time now. I like the RCBS alot better than the Lee, only because of the leaks the Lee had.

The price is really something that I can't figure out. You can buy a nice little generator or a good used rifle or shotgun for the price of an RCBS pot and the pot hasn't near the technology built into it it seems. Only thing these days that I see that beats it is the price they slap on the Hornady stuff. They tell me this is what happens when you get old...OMIGOD!

For the price of it, hard to beat the Lee.

[theperfessor]

If I had limited amount of money to spend I would buy a Lee and a PID controller for it. The leaking valve problem can be solved, and using the PID eliminates problems from the thermostat. I use a PID with a Lyman 20 lb pot but honestly I think the Lee would work just about as well.

[bangerjim]

Don't be scared off by the people bemoaning the drippies. I have used 4-20's for a long time and have not had one drip. As long as you keep flux material and crud out of your ingots and pot, gunk will not get in the valve at the bottom. Make sure your side flow handle is a heavy steel weight, not that lightweight wood handle I have seen on some! Weight closes the valve nicely.

bangerjim

[Chris C]

Learning a lot! I appreciate all comments................so keep 'em coming.

[Chris C]

If I had limited amount of money to spend I would buy a Lee and a PID controller for it. The leaking valve problem can be solved, and using the PID eliminates problems from the thermostat. I use a PID with a Lyman 20 lb pot but honestly I think the Lee would work just about as well.

What kind of a PID controller would be best to purchase?

[theperfessor]

I built mine from components I got from Auber, so I have no idea what to recommend for a completed unit. They are really not all that hard to build, and somebody here was at one time selling kits.

[dragon813gt]

Lee , RCBS and then Magma. I won't recommend Lyman because of their poor customer service. The Lee is the best value. It's what I use but it's controlled by a PID. The RCBS is nice but really over priced. The Magma is expensive but it's a larger pot w/ two spouts. Still over priced in my opinion. They all pretty much are. There isn't much to a lead pot. The price of the Lee doesn't make you feel as bad for over paying for one.

[Chris C]

Okay, is it better to dip and ladle or bottom pour? I'm probably looking at a two-cavity mold that will drop 255 gr each.

[Petrol & Powder]

There are pros and cons to ladle v. bottom pour and you will get about as many different recommendations as replies !

Bottom pour is probably a little faster, particularly when handgun bullets are involved. You can also pressure cast with a bottom pour [Placing the sprue plate directly against the bottom pour nozzle and using the weight of the molten lead in the pot to help force the lead into the mold. ]
The ladle is clearly simpler. There's not much that can go wrong with a ladle. Some folks will claim that large bullets are easier to cast when using a ladle and some claim it makes no difference. I think that comes down to technique more than ladle/nozzle; but I can't really say.
I've used both methods and I prefer a bottom pour pot for handgun bullets. I'm sure others will have different opinions.
The cost of a Lee 4-20 bottom pour pot is low enough that you can try a bottom pour cheaply and switch to a ladle if you desire. If I was only casting a few rifle bullets at a time, I might consider using a ladle. The problem is casting is extremely addictive and the tendency to grow one's operation is nearly a certainty.

[Texantothecore]

The drips from a Lee pot are not a big deal. My own 4-20 sometimes drips but mostly doesn't.

It isn't even annoying, just part of the experience.

[44magLeo]

On my Lee pot, a 4 20, it came with a wood knob. It leaked more than I liked. I had some pipe 1 1/4 inch thick cut a piece off about 1/2 inch long. Set it on a piece of wood. poured it full of lead. Once cool knocked this lead slug out of the pipe. Drilled a hole in the center a bit larger than the bolt the wood knob mounts on. Slipped this lead slug on, screwed the wood knob back on.
Guess what, no leaks now.
Easy fix for the leaks.
Leo

[canyon-ghost]

If you are only concerned with one bullet, one double cavity mold, then, it's a simple thing. Just get a ladle pot, mold and some wheelweight. You can use the cheapest pots out there and get good results. I have two Lyman Mini-mags that are just ten pound ladle pots. I used them for over ten years. When I got three 9mm handguns, I switched to the Lee Pro 20. I went to six cavity molds. Considering that I burn through 100 rounds or more on any weekend, it works.


Good Luck,
Ron

[3006guns]

Let's get really basic here.........the man wants to get back into casting after a long hiatus, so I would say the most important thing is to slug the gun's barrel first. Now you know what size boolit you'll need. The Lee molds are a good value and will produce useable boolits without much fuss. A pot and ladle will work fine to get started and lets face it.....you can use a small stainless steel salad bowl, available anywhere, for a pot. I would advise against the Lee dipper due to its shape and get a Lyman, RCBS, etc. iron ladle. Boolit lubrication is next and, again, Lee makes a nice little sizing set up that comes complete for around twenty bucks.

O.K......start having some fun and learn about this amazing hobby. After a time that ladle/salad bowl will seem too slow or old fashioned and you'll want to step up to an electric pot. Now, I had a Saeco from the 1960's and thought it was the cat's meow until it died on me finally (you just can't get quality anymore :)). I was agonizing over spending well over $200 bucks for a Lyman or RCBS bottom draw when my son bought me a Lee 20 lb. bottom draw for Christmas. Well engineered, no drips and no problems. If any problems do crop up, replacement parts are very affordable and easy to install.

As you advance, your choices become many. The Lee molds are good but the iron molds are even better and you may want to go that route eventually....but for getting started the Lee products stand out and you'll never have to hang your head when it comes to perfomance.

This from a guy with over forty years of pouring the silver stream. Welcome aboard and have a ball!

[skizzums]

my LEE 4-20 has casted 2-300 pounds of lead in the last year. I think very highly of it. it barely drips and keeps a consistent temperature. I am sure the rcbs is dandy, but for 7 times the price, it better cast the boolits for me. if someone can tell me why its 7 times as good as the LEE, i'm listening

[Mk42gunner]

Marginally good -- Lee ten pound bottom pour pot. They have a lot of stuff in the way if you ever try ladle pouring.

Really good -- Lee 4-20 bottom pour. Fairly easy to use as a bottom pour, and really easy to use a ladle. May drip a bit, mine would eventually drip enough to plug the spout and self limit if I was ladling.

Exceptionally good -- RCBS Promelt. Since I got mine used, the only thing I have done with the Lee 4-20 is cast snagging sinkers.

I have not used any of the ones larger than the Promelt, I really don't see the need for my use.

If I were to start over from scratch, while trying not to break the bank, I would get the Lee 4-20 and a ladle, I like the RCBS dipper. This will give you options for both ladle and bottom pour casting, whichever works best for you.

Robert

[Wayne Smith]

Ladle vs bottom pour - my personal take. I have chilling images in my mind of a lap full of molten lead - I cast standing up. At 6'2" I don't want to build a shelf high and strong enough to hold the bottom pour - thus I ladle pour everything I cast.

[USAFrox]

I don't have anywhere NEAR the experience of most of the other guys on this forum, but I'll throw in another plug for the Lee Pro 4-20. I've used mine with great success, and haven't had any drips to mention (that I can remember). The price is certainly right for those of us just starting out. Just could never talk myself into spending the huge price of the Lyman or RCBS setup when the Lee works so well.

[SSGOldfart]

No troubles with a cheap 10# lee pot( it's almost 30years old or maybe it's just over 30 years old hum can't really recall now) I do have another pot just in case but it looks like my little lee will out live me now after you get started chances are you'll grow or want a bigger nicer pot but remember the old timers used to cast over a open fire with just a cast iron ladle

[country gent]

I still cast over a fire ( propane) and a pot. I enjoy doing it like this and find I get more and better bullets with the ladle and the bullets I cast. I spend more time waiting for pot to heatback up when casting 400-550 grn rifle bullets especially with the 10 lb pots. I may cast for 4 or 5 hours with my pot now and not run low on lead. My pot is a 25 lb propane tank cut shallower than most do for smelting. It sits on a turkey frier stand and a weed burner for heat. It holds around 120 lbs of alloy. I sit and cast on a stack of towels when one gets full I move it and the bullets to the floor and start on the next one. I also invite a couple friends to cast with me around this pot.

[MT Chambers]

The RCBS and larger Lyman pots are 700 or 800 watts, the Lee are 500 watts.....I recommend the RCBS, for pistol bullets and shorter rifle bullets I bottom pour, for long, big bullets like .459" Creedmore or similar I use the ladle, the bullets will look the same but I believe that with the ladle pour you get more consistent weights.IMHO

[dikman]

My Lee is 700 watts, the RCBS 800 watts, yet the Lee heats up much quicker. Got me beat...:confused:.