First Casting furnace

[Boogan1]

Looking to get into bullet casting. I have been pouring fishing sinkers, jigs, spinnerbaits, etc for years. I have a hot pot and a Lee production bottom pour pot. First thing I will be casting for is my Sharps 38-55. Bullets up to 320 grains. Will my hot pot and bottom pour pot get me started or should I get a casting furnace? If so which one? Is the RCBS easy melt a good pot or do I go for the Lyman mag 25 or RCBS pro melt? While we are on the subject, which dipper do you recommend? I am reading the RCBS dipper is good. Any help appreciated.

[Rcmaveric]

I dont do dippers. I have one. Used it a few times but didnt like it. Maybe would be better if I had a wider pot. I started years ago with a bottom pour Lee 20lb pot. I still use it. I add a PID and she is still going strong.

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[Mk42gunner]

Boogan1, Welcome aboard.

If you can get decent fillout when casting the various fishing jigs, you shouldn't have much trouble casting bullets.

Your Lee Production pot will get you started, but it won't be very much fun to try to dip from. While some people say they get good results for rifles with the bottom pour pots, I'm not one of them. Not that I doubt their word, I just get better results using a ladle.

The RCBS Ladle is fine, it is the one I use. I chose it on Dean Grinnell's recommendation and after comparing it side by side with the Lyman. I like the fin on the bottom for clearing dross.

Another pot you might look at is the Lee Magnum Melter. It is a ~20 pound ladle only pot for around $60.

I have an original Promelt, and while it is good, I would not have paid full retail for it over the Lee 4-20. I have not used any of the other pots you mention.

The .38-55 is one cartridge that can have a lot of variation in bore size, check yours before ordering a mold.

Robert

[GregLaROCHE]

What you have so far should get you started. Later you may want something different and the experience you have gotten with what you currently have, will guide you towards what will work best for you.

[Sasquatch-1]

I casted anything from .54 cal round ball on down from a Lee 10lb bottom pour for decades. It should work fine for you. You may want to be more concerned about the lubing portion of casting.

[Boogan1]

I casted anything from .54 cal round ball on down from a Lee 10lb bottom pour for decades. It should work fine for you. You may want to be more concerned about the lubing portion of casting.

I should have the lubing part covered with a lyman 4500. I have slugged my bore and determined the size.

[dverna]

I would start with what you have and see how it works. Then decide if you want or need something different.

With a small pot I think quality suffers a bit. You are adding alloy more often and there may be more temperature variation during a session. Might mater on a rifle bullet running higher velocity...may not. All mine are 20 and 40 lb units but I buy for the long term and spending more is not a huge factor. My Lyman furnace is nearly 50 years old!

[farmbif]

I guess a few people must have bought new RCBS pots from midway last week because they are no longer 1/2 price but I noticed the Lyman pro mag is discounted 30% yesterday

[gwpercle]

Welcome Boogan1 ,
I wish someone had given me this advice 40 years ago ... whatever pot you buy get one with at least a 20 pound capacity .
If you cast with a dipper ( I'm a dipper and use a Lyman Ladle with the side spout to pressure cast ) the Lee Magnum Melter is a very good value , it holds 20 pounds heats fast and holds plenty lead for a session .

For years I used the 5 and 10 pound pots and spent more time waiting for lead to melt than casting . What happens is just when the metal and mould get hot and dropping good boolits ...you run out of alloy ... you stop , fill the pot and wait ...no the mould is cold ...small is a big time waster .

Bottom pour pots don't work for me , I tried my best ...lots of so-so boolits , I like perfect boolits and a dipper lets me cast them .
That's also what I started with 50 years ago ...and that's the way I like to do it .
Gary
Casting since 1967

[Eddie Southgate]

If your Production pot is like the new ones it is a 20 pound pot and will do fine for bottom pour or dipper either one . I use the 10 pound lee's as well as my SEACO and Lyman 10 pound pots as dip pots with no trouble . Just gotta be sure with the Lee pots like mine to not bump the rod in the pot too hard with the dipper or you will unseat it and make a mess. Not familiar with the other pot you mentioned but if you been using it for sinkers and such it should work for bullets . I use to have a small electric pot with a handle on it that had a pour spout that held 4 pounds if I remember correctly . I kept it full while casting from the 10 pound pot then poured the contents of it in the bigger pot when the level dropped enough . Then I put more ingots in and it would be melted and ready by the time I needed to refill the bigger pot. Bigger pots are handier and save time but they are also a lot more expensive .

[oley55]

If your Production pot is like the new ones it is a 20 pound pot and will do fine for bottom pour or dipper either one .

I have never seen or heard of a 20 pound Lee Production Pot and not sure if Lee has either. https://leeprecision.com/production-pot-iv.html https://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/electric-melters-or-furnaces/

[Minerat]

Welcome to Cast Boolits. I too started wth fishing sinkers and jigs using a 10# Lee dripper, then friend gave me a Seaco bottom pour. I also have an Easy Melt I got one christmas. It is has one draw back, you have to leave it plugged in until the PID shows 160 dgF. This means about 3 hrs after your done casting. I finally direct the air flow from a fan on it to speed cooling. It is easy to dip from and nice has a nice open top for 6 cavity mould use. The PID is accurate and keeps the temp where you set it. I have a Lyman dipper that came with the Seaco pot that works fine in filling my large (300+ gr) 4 cavity moulds.

[robg]

the lee 10lb bottom pour pot has keep me in 223/308/357/4570 boolits for 20+years just keep it topped up .if you find casting is not for you its not to pricey.spend the money you save on molds.