Changing from bottom pour to ladle?

[Ole Joe Clarke]

My old Lyman bottom pour needs replacing, because it's 30-35 yrs old and parts are not available. I have been reading here and elsewhere about ladle pots. I'm looking at the 20# Lee Magnum Melter so I can keep costs as low as possible. I cast pistol bullets/boolits only at this time but would like to experiment with a couple of rifle slugs in the future. I don't cast for pleasure, I cast because it is less costly and the bullets work just as well as purchased ones.

My question: Do you guys that have changed from one method to the other, (bottom pour or ladle) think that going from bottom to ladle is a wise decision?

Thanks for your input.

[country gent]

I cast pistol bullets with bottom pour lee 10lb pots and when I started casting the bigger longer rifle bullets went to ladle casting them. I feel I get better bullets with the ladle due to faster filling of the mould with the ladle. I didnt get near the consistancy of wieght or finish from the bottom pours. Both ways can and will work well its more personal prefrence and taking the time to make it work for you. I wont open the can of worms that one is better than the other. Its what you want and what works for you.

[VHoward]

Stay away from the thing that Lee calls a ladle. It's just an awkward spoon. The ladle from Rowell is considered the premium ladle by some. The ladles made by RCBS and Lyman are just as good as the Rowell but Rowell offers many different sizes. For pistol casting the Rowell #1 or the RCBS or Lyman ladle will do fine. Ladle casting is easy.

[Hickok]

I tried bottom pour, but never was satisfied, went back to ladle pour and happy, happy, happy.

[MBTcustom]

Any bullet caster who has been around the block a time or two can use either interchangeably. Personally, I find the bottom pour to be cleaner and safer, and just easier all the way around. I wouldn't shy away from a ladle though, and still use it on occasion for certain molds. I would say, if you have not used a ladle before, then you should take the opportunity to add it to your skill set. You'll see which you prefer soon enough.
If you're asking whether bottom pour or ladle is better, the answer is: "Yes".

[daengmei]

I've had an RCBS pot for more than a year and still ladle cast. When I get it figured out with the ladle, using the pot should be a pinch. We will see.

[GhostHawk]

In my younger years I started out with a Lee bottom pour.
Back then there was no internet, I had no mentor, I was far from home with time to kill.

I had nothing but trouble with the Lee but it did teach me that I enjoyed casting.
So I went lo tech, cast iron pan, ladle, ingot mold, and often did my smelting over a wood fire.
Mostly Wheel weights back then and they were everywhere, for free.

I did a year ago buy a used Lee Dipper pot so I can setup once and leave it up. Momma is not complaining about the mess in the kitchen. My dipper is the same lyman I started out with 40 years ago, as is my ingot mold.

Either can be good but a dipper pot won't run all over if you neglect it for 10 min.

I suspect at this point that being older, wiser, more patient, and much better edumacated in the world of casting that I would have few if any problems with a bottom pour now.

There is I think a little difference in philosphy between the 2.

I started out to get cheap boolits and would have been much better off monetarily to buy a thousand.

Now however a week that passes without at least one casting session and preferably 2 is hardly worth remembering. The times I am happiest I sit in my chair, silver pours from my ladle and boolits rain. Time stops until my pot is empty or my hands/arms get tired.

Lately I have been getting more 6 cavity molds and the boolits just POUR out of them. A good session used to be 50 - 75 out of 2 cavity molds. Now its 50 out of a 2 caivty and 100+ out of a 6 with 2/3rds less work.

Either will work, but if you are wondering I would setup a hotplate and a cast iron fry pan and try dipper casting before spending money on a pot. You may find you prefer the bottom pour.

[RogerDat]

I use the Lyman http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-2867790-Lead-Dipper/dp/B001OPLJUU But the RCBS looks like it is designed along the same lines
http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-80015-Lead-Dipper/dp/B000MLAWHS The Rowells shine as bottom pour ladles to create nice clean ingots but the ones I have seen seemed oversized for casting bullets but I have not tried them so can't say.

I will say if I want the mold a little warmer it is no problem to just pour some extra from the ladle over the top of the mold as I go along and let it run off back into the pot.

You might want to reach out to DeputyDog25 he does old casting furnace restoration and repair. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?261890-A-Sample-of-my-work
I think he was doing more PID's of late but he may well be able to restore your old furnace at a reasonable cost. Worth hitting that thread and sending him a PM or posting a message.

[gwpercle]

I started out ladle casting (1967) did it for years, then I started listening to all the talk about bottom pour, how great it was, how many boolits you can make , So I bought a bottom pour and tried it.
Bottom line is I can make more good boolits with the ladle. Half of the bottom pour production would get rejected because of defects....I want near perfect boolits !
Got the Magnum Melter and love it, large enough to hold a lot of metal and the larger opening is just easier to cast with.... I should have bought it and not the bottom pour that sits on the bench. Sorry , I'm just not a bottom pour fan.
If you ladle you'll enjoy that big baby.
Gary

[bangerjim]

I have both, but rarely use my Lyman CI bottom/side ladle anymore because it is just too slow. I can fill 6 cavities of a 300 gn mold real fast with a Lee 4-20. If you are casting 9mm's then mabe a ladle will hold enough lead AT THE RIGHT TEMP long enough to fill all 6.

For me, it is bottom pour pots all the way. When/if one of mine goes south, I will definitely buy another one. Or two. It is always nice to have a pair and a spare! Or two.

And I have NEVER had any drips or runs like everybody slams Lee's about. Never. I guess I just live a charmed life?

banger

[VHoward]

The No. 1 Rowell Bottom-pouring ladle is self-skimming, clean pouring from the bottom of the bowl. This ladle provides uniform pour rate and helps prevent floating surface dross and contaminants from entering the mold cavities. Cast iron bowls; handles remain cool. Our most popular ladle for zinc alloys.


2-1/4" bowl diameter
1 pound lead capacity
9" wooden grip handle



With a one pound capacity, I would think the Rowell #1 would hold enough lead to fill a six cavity mold and it doen't take that long to fill 6 cavities.

I myself prefer bottom pour, but there is nothing wrong with ladle casting. Each has it's advantages and dis-advantages. It's basically down to personal preference.

[jmort]

I have a Rowell #1 and it works well. Yes, it will easily do a six cavity mold, unless the bullets are more than 1,166 grains each.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Thanks for all the information and opinions. I'll mull it over for a day or three and go from there.

[Hickok]

Ghosthawk, still have and use my original lyman dipper too. I also remember the days before the internet. Being mule headed sure helped, as there no one to else to go to for help. And "Lyman #2" and linotype were just something I read about, but could never find. WW and lead, was all I had.

S&W or Colt, .270 or 30/06, ladle or bottom pour, they are all good!

[Mike W1]

I don't really think I'd have continued casting if restricted to a ladle. Learned how to use a bottom pour which worked for me. Don't think I learned how to use a ladle properly but I was handicapped only having 2 hands. Bottom pouring allows me to always have a mallet in hand and a mould in the other one. No dropping the mallet and picking up the ladle, dropping the ladle, etc. A touch with a gloved finger on the lever and I've got a stream. To each his own but I'll never need a ladle.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I like ladle for 2 cavity moulds but it was dang near imposible to cast my 6 cavity 375 grain mould took multiple pours and couldnt get the mould up to temp to save my life! so I like using my ladle for 2 cavity moulds and the bottom poor at my brotherinlaws for my 6 cavity. I dont have a small cal 6 cavity like 30 cal to compair it to but i imagine its still a pain.

[cuzinbruce]

A ladle, like the smallest Rowell, is the way to go for large molds, 4 or 6 cavities and up. The mold sits on the bench and you pour all the cavities, one after another. Beats trying to hold a 4 or 6 cavity mold up to the spout on the bottom of a pot.
A dipper, like Lyman or RCBS, is great for 1 or 2 cavity molds. Especially ones that are hard to get filled out. Just do as Lyman shows, hold mold with sprue plate vertical, put the spout of the dipper to it, then turn the two together to pour.
A bottom pour works fine too. Hard to see what you are doing sometimes. But it can crank them out too. Great when you need a bunch of pistol bullets for blasting away.
TMO/YMMV

[georgerkahn]

I have a 45 year old Lyman bottom pour (Mould Master) which I broke thermo assembly, and then moved to ladle. I wasn't all that thrilled as I seemed to make more of a mess, PLUS, a real "plus" -- to me -- re bottom pour is I can leave a 1/4" or so of sawdust on top of melt, slowing oxidation and tin removal of alloy. (My solution was to hook a PID directly to element -- not only was problem solved, but I believe my boolits are better!) I suggest you use whichever you're most comfortable with -- this IS a hobby which should be fun, right? But... I reckoned I's add my two cents re the anti-oxidation layer on top afforded by sawdust float. This might be tough to keep if using a ladle...
BEST!
geo

[jhalcott]

Iuse both methods. For really accurate boolits ladling seems to work better. Average hunting boolits are bottom poured from two Lee pots (dripolators). I cast soft nose slugs by ladling in the soft nose then pouring in the harder body. This method works for me quite well.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Lee pot and a Lyman ladle. Like the monkey said when he cut his tail off: "It won't be long now."

[country gent]

Should make a great combination, and be very usefull to use. I find a little taller chair or lowwer bench helpfull when ladle casting. Your working out of thetop of the pot not the bottom now.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

A pretty long time ago there wasn't much to choose from in the world of bottom pours so most folks ladled and got good bullets. I made do with a Lyman stove top pot and ladle. I graduated to a Saeco model 34 and got away from the kitchen stove, but the ladling continued. I still do it that way mostly with one and two cavity molds. Eventually I was able to afford a bottom pour...a Pro melt for my 4 cavity molds and that too has worked well for me. I have never been able to discern which method produces better quality and cannot take any position either way. An interesting article on the subject was written in "The Art of Bullet Casting" by Jim Carmichael many years ago if you are interested, but he too was not able to reach any definite conclusion. Whichever method you use...as long as the results are of satisfaction to you...do what pleases you...just watch the quality and not the clock. LLS

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I'm retired so I just try to keep up with the days rather than the hour. :-) I hope I am happy with my choice, the quality of the bullets is what I want, along with a pot that really works.

[Geezer in NH]

I ladled 40+ years ago, 30+ went to bottom pour and will not go back. the leakiest bottom pour to me is better than a ladle.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Well, the pot and ladle came in, and I tried to cast a few bullets/boolits with it. I was pleased with the sharp corners and general looks of the finished product, but my process stinks. I didn't have my mold level and a lot of them did not fill at the base on the high side. The sprue looks like it came from outer space or somewhere. I will try to get some photos on here later today and get you pros to analyze them.

Attached is a photo: Gas check is Lyman 358156, the other is 358477 I think, both .38 cal. Just picked them up at random.

Tell me how to improve them. Thanks

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad123/olejoeclark/Reloading/20151206_134249-1_zps6slss1oj.jpg (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/olejoeclark/media/Reloading/20151206_134249-1_zps6slss1oj.jpg.html)

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad123/olejoeclark/Reloading/20151206_134259-2_zpsjaguaggq.jpg (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/olejoeclark/media/Reloading/20151206_134259-2_zpsjaguaggq.jpg.html)

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad123/olejoeclark/Reloading/20151206_134259-1_zpsp3ffzzps.jpg (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/olejoeclark/media/Reloading/20151206_134259-1_zpsp3ffzzps.jpg.html)

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad123/olejoeclark/Reloading/20151206_134317-1_zpslkvp7tqr.jpg (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/olejoeclark/media/Reloading/20151206_134317-1_zpslkvp7tqr.jpg.html)