Ladle molds?

[dddddmorgan]

In my research I've seen the term "this mold really requires using a ladle" (in one form or another) quite a bit.

I've been casting for over twenty years and except for the pure lead round balls I cast for my black powder revolver I use an electric pot.

Can I get some of you folks to weigh in with your experience?

How do you quantify the "need" for ladle casting?

Thanks

[kevin c]

Maybe pressure pouring is easier from a ladle? With a deep bottom pour pot, there might be several times more pressure from the column of lead over the spout than from the little bowl of a pouring ladle. I don't know if closing the valve more could compensate for that.

Sorry, I've only ever used a bottom pour; so just speculation on my part. Hopefully someone with first hand experience will reply.

[dddddmorgan]

Well that's a good point I didn't think about. I can imagine that the "softer" pour of a ladle would make a difference on some molds.

I'm wondering how much alloy composition has a part in this discussion?

[labradigger1]

I ladle cast only one bullet. I have a old lyman/ideal 225438 that will not cast a bullet unless ladled.

[Dusty Bannister]

This may not be related to the OP's statement, but I have a 7 cavity gang mold that will not fit between the base and nozzle of a bottom pour pot. Due to weight and size, the ladle seems to be the only practical method of filling the cavities.

[Minerat]

I ladle cast rifle bullets, i habe a 8 mm 225 lee that will not case good bullets from a bottom pour. I finally tried using a ladle and they come out every time once the mould reaches temp. I then try the bottom pour and they look like broomhildas face. Wrinkle like you won't believe. I think it is because the ladle pours faster in a larger stream so filling is better. May be the reason they are called ladle mounds.

[country gent]

I cast long heavy or caliber bullets and get the best results from a modified rcbs ladle.A lit less weight variations and sharper corners and bases. Shorter wise pistol bullets do fine with the bottom pour.

I believe the faster flow from the ladle into the mould is the big help.

[dddddmorgan]

Perhaps the answer, what Country Gent and Minerat are saying, long heavy boolits like ladling.

I've yet to cast any rifle boolit except for 45/70 and perhaps thinking about it now I might have ladled those...

How about .22 caliber boolits?

[JoeJames]

Lee 10# pot stopped plumb up a couple of years ago; so I ladle cast everything. Reckon I am a cheap hill billy, but it works fine that way.

[Mk42gunner]

I cast both ways depending on what the mold wants or needs to produce decent boolits.

I will admit that I enjoy ladle casting more, but if I am trying to make a few thousand boolits for close range plinking, bottom pouring can be faster.

Its all in how you get a well filled mold. If a bottom pour pot does it with few rejects, that is fine. If you are getting ten to twenty percent rejects, try something else.

Most of my molds will work okay with either method, but I do have one that I had to use a bottom pour on a SC Ideal 313445. I have since gotten another mold for use in those guns, so I don't use the little single cavity all that much.

Conversely, I have a Lee 38 WC 75 or 80 grain I don't remember, that only does well with a ladle.

Robert

[oley55]

I fer sure ain't no expert, but this thread I started where I was having difficulties casting 30 cal bullets may answer the OP's question in post #26. Mind boggling to me, but it is what it is. At least for now.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?432396-casting-30-cal-rifle-boolits-HELP/page2

[dddddmorgan]

Well the sentiment running through my little coconut is that I have some experimenting to do this winter.

I have a lot of casting I need to do, handgun and getting started on rifle.

[samari46]

My 314299 will not work with a bottom pour pot. Drilled and tapped the spout years back and only do ladle pouring. Did open up the spout of the ladle to pour faster and that helped. Frank

[Walks]

I started out ladle casting back in 1962. I still do it for some old 1cav molds, just enjoy the slow pace. And I do ladle cast a 1cav mold to get "test" bullets when mixing alloy.
And I've always cast pure lead with a ladle for BP balls & Minies/Maxi's, 1 or 2 cav molds.

[376Steyr]

https://www.rotometals.com/casting-ladle-bottom-pour-rowell-1-2-1-4-bowl-diameter-9-handle-length/

Try a Rowell 1 lb ladle and you may never go back to bottom-pouring.

[dddddmorgan]

https://www.rotometals.com/casting-ladle-bottom-pour-rowell-1-2-1-4-bowl-diameter-9-handle-length/

Try a Rowell 1 lb ladle and you may never go back to bottom-pouring.

I've got a nice RCBS, it's a bottom pour similar to that. I haven't ever used it, I think it's time.

[winelover]

The RCBS ladle holds a fraction of the molten lead than a Rowell #1 does. If you like the Rowell #1, you'll love the #2 size. I converted over to the ladle, after thirty five years of bottom pouring. Ladle is slower but the lesser amount of rejects, makes it well worth it. Takes less time to get the mold up to casting temperature and remain there.

The larger the ladle the more heat your pouring. Just let the excess lead run over the mold, back into the pot. I open the sprue plate over the pot, with a gloved hand, dropping the sprues right back into the pot.

Winelover

[dddddmorgan]

Hmmm.... I think you folks are enablers!

I can probably sneak a ladle purchase by the fun police ;-)

[dale2242]

I find some very large bullets come out better when ladle cast.

[country gent]

I have a #1 rowel and it holds 1 pound of alloy. I use the rcbs with the spout drilled out to .205 dia from 3/16. I have a 550 grn 45 2 cavity mould and it allows plenty o over pour

[bangerjim]

I bottom pour EVERYTHING from a Lee 4-20 with excellent results. That is until I start pouring my 65cal round balls and 1" round weights.

I use a Rowell ladle for those with good results. The Lee just cannot pour the Pb fast enough for large cavities like that.

But I have never found a standard boolit mold in Al, Fe, or brass (up to 45 cal 350gn the largest I cast) that would NOT work with my bottom pour pots.

Preheating all your molds on an electric hot plate to FULL casting temperature sure helps with larger molds and cavities. Try it!

[oley55]

Hmmm.... I think you folks are enablers!

I can probably sneak a ladle purchase by the fun police ;-)

does it go something like this?

[dddddmorgan]

does it go something like this?

exactly!!!

[gwpercle]

I still get my best boolits with a Lyman Ladle , with the little side spout on it , fill the ladle , turn the mould on its side and press spot to sprue hole , then roll both spouted ladle and mould upright ...leave a second or two and seperate and leave a nice sprue puddle .
It's called Pressure Casting or Ladle Casting .
I tried the bottom pour pots ... but I can't get my best boolits with the bottom pour .
I went back to a Lee Magnum Melter electric open top pot and a new longer handled Lyman Ladle .
This was what I did in 1967 before going off on the bottom pour tangent .
Just about all my boolits drop perfectly filled out . About 50% of the bottom pour boolits were rejects .
Some moulds , for whatever reason , will do poorly when used with a bottom pour pot but cast great boolits with a ladle and the pressure casting .
Me and the bottom pour just didn't work well together ...went back to basic's and are casting good boolits again.
Gary

[John Boy]

Ladles for large weight bullets and multi cavity molds to fill out the bullets, sharp bullet bases and heavy sprue puddle

[rayh]

I started with the Lyman ladle but found the Rowell, worked so good I bought a second. I knew something that good they'd sure stop making it. I did shorten the handle some to lessen the cantilever effect of the weight. It's takes a 1/4-20 die.

[dddddmorgan]

Nice tip rayh, thanks.

[Chill Wills]

For me the Rowell ladle is too much of a good thing. The regular Lyman and RCBS work well for the hardest molds to cast, which most often turn out to be the long rifles bullets. The Rowell ladles are larger and heaver than the regular ladles and in my opinion, not needed and awkward to use. If you are thinking of using a ladle of any type, start with a normal one like RCBS makes and see if it works for you. I think using a normal ladle to its full potential, you can easily cast the largest rifle bullets. I am not talking about the rare, oversized, special projectiles, just the regular ones we cast up to large, long BPCR type bullets weighing 550 grains and more.

The discharge (shape) on the ladle mates the shape of the intake on the mold sprue.

Start casting by turning the mold with the sprue on its side pointing at the ladle and the full ladle discharge pointed at the mold and mate them. Slowly turn the two mated together upright so the lead drains into the mold. Then roll the ladle off the mold leaving a small puddle on top the mold sprue. The lead contracts in the mold as it cools and sucks in a little more liquid metal from the puddle filling each bullet cast completely. No voids in the completed bullet is the goal. All bullets completely filled and weigh the same or very close.

Give it a try.

[Mk42gunner]

I use an RCBS ladle.

The whole mate the spout to the sprue plate then turn the mold vertical does not work for me. Every time I try to cast that way, I get no sprue puddle and a clogged spout.

What does work, is to pour from the ladle with the mold held upright, then as the mold just gets full to touch the still flowing spout to the sprue hole. It adds just enough pressure to completely fill the base out, giving sharp edges everywhere and I can still pour on more for a good sized puddle and also go on to fill the other cavities in the mold.

I can run a four cavity Lyman at ~200 grains with one ladle, a six cavity ~250 grain Lee needs two ladles to do all six cavities.

My technique works for me, it might or might not for you.

Robert