How often do you drain your pot to cast from a different alloy?

[Abert Rim]

I have a Lee Production Pot I have used for 15 or more years, and keep it full of a mongrel mix of mostly range scrap. With a new .58 muzzleloader coming, I need to cast some REAL bullets for it, and I think I will just drain the pot and refill with pure lead. Kind of a pain, but I think the range scrap, while relatively soft, might be too hard for this rifle.
How often do y'all change out your alloy?

[Bill M]

Is it not a bottom pour pot?

[Greg S]

Carefully without burning yourself!

[Dusty Bannister]

I have been fortunate through the years to get an extra pot for the various alloys. If you do decide to drain a bottom pour pot, do not drain it empty as that will result in dross being drawn into the shut off valve area and leaking will be a problem. Be very careful to mark the ingots you drain from the existing batch so you do not mix it with other alloys unintentionally. Fresh pure lead will dilute the little bit of remaining alloy enough to work well with the REAL bullets. Good luck.

[Mr Peabody]

I frequently drain my pots when I'm done with them.

[Bigslug]

I typically cast until the temperature probe starts giving fluctuating readings, which usually only means about 2-3 pounds left in the pot. At that point drain and leave the pot empty to start fresh with whatever mix is needed.

[Abert Rim]

Thanks fellas. Yes, bottom pour. I use an old muffin tin for the ingot mold.

[bosterr]

I typically cast until the temperature probe starts giving fluctuating readings, which usually only means about 2-3 pounds left in the pot. At that point drain and leave the pot empty to start fresh with whatever mix is needed.

This is exactly what I do. I use different alloy for different boolits so leaving lead in the pot would be inconvenient.

[Dom]

As for the Lee REAL bullet. I have been casting this bullet for years for my Lyman GP 54 cal., 1/60 twist. I have both the 300 & 380gr. Cast of pure lead it is a wild shooter. Have a hard time keeping in on the target at 50yds, with 80grs of Hodgon Triple 7 FF. I mix 7 parts scrap wheel weights with 3 parts pure lead for a much harder bullet. This harder bullet gives me excellent accuracy. Many times cutting a single jagged hole at 50yds.

[justindad]

I empty from the bottom until it barely drips out the valve, and then pour the remaining 2-ish pounds out the top of the pot to help flush any oxides out of the valve. Cleaning the valve is the only reason I drain a pot.
*
If you tilt the pot forward to get the last bit of alloy out, then the last bits of oxides & debris will enter the valve and cause dripping later on.

[fredj338]

I never drain my bottom pour pots. It keeps crud out of the spout. If you must change alloys, leave 2# or so in the bottom. Not likely affecting your alloy in a 20# pot. 2# of lyman#2 & 18# of pure, still pretty soft. If that still bothers you, cast 100 pistol bullets & add more pure. Just no real reason to empty the pot imo.

[pworley1]

I drained mine sometime in the early 70's.

[Delkal]

I empty from the bottom until it barely drips out the valve, and then pour the remaining 2-ish pounds out the top of the pot to help flush any oxides out of the valve. Cleaning the valve is the only reason I drain a pot.
*
If you tilt the pot forward to get the last bit of alloy out, then the last bits of oxides & debris will enter the valve and cause dripping later on.

This is what I do too. When pouring I manually hold the valve shut so when I pour the lead out there is never a chance to get crud in the open valve. Just be careful.

[RogerDat]

Only empty pot if I'm changing alloy and that is easy with my dipper pot for the ladle, just use welding gloves pick it up carefully (very carefully) and dump out the lead after using a ladle to get it mostly empty. Bottom pour I drain most of the way and do the same dump the rest.

[Chill Wills]

I have more than one lead pot so I can dedicate each pot for the alloy needed but I do empty them now and then and simply pour them out over the top (side) into ingot molds. Just like pouring out a bowl of soup. I always cast with welders gloves with gantlets and so to, I have them on when doing this.
It should go without saying, ... Pick it up by the parts that are not blistering red hot.

[405grain]

This thread has got me thinking. 20 pound Lee bottom pours are famous for dripping. Even if you only melt clean alloy in them it just a matter of time before some crud finds its way into the spout. The standard "fix" for this is to take a piece of wire (usually a big paperclip), mount it to a stick, then use this as a tool to try and clear out any clogs by poking it up into the spout while you've got the handle lifted and lead pouring out of the pot. Sometimes this works, but not always.

Here's what I just thought: Empty the pot (pour out the alloy "soup bowl" style like Chill Wills said) remove the rod that acts as the spout plug. Now turn the empty pot upside down, and while still hot clean out the spout by poking through it with the wire. The difference here is that anything that you clear out of the spout this way is going to fall out of the pot. If you were to try clearing out the spout while its full of molten alloy, whats going to prevent the crud that you just pushed out of the spout from just flowing right back into the spout as soon as you remove the wire?

Will this work? I have no idea. But I'll give this a try the next time I'm going to cast some boolits and find out. (which reminds me: I'm getting low on 7mm bullets, so I might be trying this sooner rather than later)

[justindad]

<snip>

Here's what I just thought: Empty the pot (pour out the alloy "soup bowl" style like Chill Wills said) remove the rod that acts as the spout plug. Now turn the empty pot upside down, and while still hot clean out the spout by poking through it with the wire. The difference here is that anything that you clear out of the spout this way is going to fall out of the pot. If you were to try clearing out the spout while its full of molten alloy, whats going to prevent the crud that you just pushed out of the spout from just flowing right back into the spout as soon as you remove the wire?

Will this work? I have no idea. But I'll give this a try the next time I'm going to cast some boolits and find out. (which reminds me: I'm getting low on 7mm bullets, so I might be trying this sooner rather than later)

The oxides in the spout cool off too quickly for this hot-cleaning to be successful. I tried with my 10 lb Lee Drip-O-Matic. Pouring alloy out soup bowl style works best for me. I dropped my nozzle to a large size, which helps. I once put some beeswax in the and chiseled at it with a shrimp kabob stick. My RCBS pot drips too.

[dondiego]

This thread has got me thinking. 20 pound Lee bottom pours are famous for dripping. Even if you only melt clean alloy in them it just a matter of time before some crud finds its way into the spout. The standard "fix" for this is to take a piece of wire (usually a big paperclip), mount it to a stick, then use this as a tool to try and clear out any clogs by poking it up into the spout while you've got the handle lifted and lead pouring out of the pot. Sometimes this works, but not always.

Here's what I just thought: Empty the pot (pour out the alloy "soup bowl" style like Chill Wills said) remove the rod that acts as the spout plug. Now turn the empty pot upside down, and while still hot clean out the spout by poking through it with the wire. The difference here is that anything that you clear out of the spout this way is going to fall out of the pot. If you were to try clearing out the spout while its full of molten alloy, whats going to prevent the crud that you just pushed out of the spout from just flowing right back into the spout as soon as you remove the wire?

Will this work? I have no idea. But I'll give this a try the next time I'm going to cast some boolits and find out. (which reminds me: I'm getting low on 7mm bullets, so I might be trying this sooner rather than later)

I have done this and also polished the rod seat after the removal. It works.

[Mk42gunner]

Seldom to never. I am blessed with having more than one melting pot though.

My Lee production pot has pure(ish) lead in it for my C&B revolvers.

The 4-20 and Promelt have WW, and the Magnum melter that I dip from currently has also has WW.

Eventually I will run out of WW and have to find another alloy that serves most of my purposes, but until that day comes, I am not planning on totally emptying any of the bottom pour pots.

Robert

[white eagle]

I am a dipper so I empty my pot after I am done casting
pour them into ingot molds so I reuse the same alloy
Have ladle will travel

[dale2242]

First off, I don`t cast often.
When I do, I cast a lot of bullets.
I drain my pot every time that I finish a run of a particular bullet.
If I know that I am going to cast with the same alloy within the next day or two I leave some in the pot.
Otherwise I drain it every time.

[M-Tecs]

I have several alloy specific pots. Normally I don't drain until I want to do a deep cleaning.

[jsizemore]

I have several alloy specific pots. Normally I don't drain until I want to do a deep cleaning.

This is my strategy too. Got the composition and liquidus temp (according to my PID) written on the front. Got a few more for special situations.

[Abert Rim]

Dom, thank you for your insights on REAL bullets. The rifle incoming is a Pedersoli Kodiak double rifle, 1:48 twist barrels. I will definitely cast some with my current range scrap alloy before draining or other drastic disturbances in the force.

[scattershot]

As for the Lee REAL bullet. I have been casting this bullet for years for my Lyman GP 54 cal., 1/60 twist. I have both the 300 & 380gr. Cast of pure lead it is a wild shooter. Have a hard time keeping in on the target at 50yds, with 80grs of Hodgon Triple 7 FF. I mix 7 parts scrap wheel weights with 3 parts pure lead for a much harder bullet. This harder bullet gives me excellent accuracy. Many times cutting a single jagged hole at 50yds.

Your results speak for themselve with the hardcast bullet, of course, but the 1:60 twist is basically for roundballs.

[gunseller]

I am surprised. Few seem to have more than one pot. Lead or mix will melt faster if you start with a full pot. The last time my pots were empty when they were new. I have three. One with coww the next with half coww and the other pure lead and the third pure lead. When someday I run out of coww down to around 500 pounds I will go to the 500 or so pounds of lanatype.

[Hick]

Only empty pot if I'm changing alloy and that is easy with my dipper pot for the ladle, just use welding gloves pick it up carefully (very carefully) and dump out the lead after using a ladle to get it mostly empty. Bottom pour I drain most of the way and do the same dump the rest.

ditto

[Delkal]

Dom, thank you for your insights on REAL bullets. The rifle incoming is a Pedersoli Kodiak double rifle, 1:48 twist barrels. I will definitely cast some with my current range scrap alloy before draining or other drastic disturbances in the force.


I'm cast the 320 grain REAL bullet for a 50 cal Hawken rifle with a 1:48 barrel and for my rifle I have to cast them dead soft. The Lee bullets are tapered so you can push most of the bullet in with your thumb but the front driving band is oversized and with a harder alloy I can't start many of them with a standard ball starter. I have to bring a piece of 2x4 to give the bullet a good wack to get it in. With soft bullets I can seat them easier but even then there is occasional one that is difficult so I measure and sort my hunting bullets.

In a 1-48 barrel the accuracy is good at 100 yards and is mostly limited by the large round front post I have been meaning to replace for decades. These bullets are also great for deer and wack them hard with a clean cut entrance hole and a slightly larger exit. I have only recovered one of the bullets and that was from a button buck that was facing me and I hit on the breast plate. The deer dropped in its tracks and when I was skinning it I found the bullet under the hide after it went thru the ham. With four to five feet of penetration you can be confident these bullets work.

[BJung]

I pour out my lead at the end of every session into an ingot mold and then stamp it afterwards, depending on the alloy.

[kevin c]

At the moment I use just one alloy, so no need to empty the pots (one feeds the other).

That’s because at the moment I cast just one bullet.

[dverna]

I have three pots. My original Lyman furnace that is over 50 years old, a gently used Master Caster and a NIB Lee 20 lb.

I have never emptied the Lyman and currently is about 2/3 full. The Master Caster is about 1/3 full and you never want to start it full unless you want a mess.

I liked kevin's response...I also KISS. But that is not for everyone. If you hunt with lead bullets, shoot BP, want to go 2500 fps with some guns and just plink with others, one alloy is likely not going to work. IMO pots are cheap. If you need multiple alloys, separate pots make sense. I do not see the need to empty them regularly but I do not use mystery alloys. There is not much crud with commercial alloy. Most of my casting has been with the Lyman furnace and ladle casting and that will be more forgiving than a bottom pour.

[high standard 40]

I clean each of my pots when I see more crud buildup than I'm comfortable with. I drain the pot and take out the valve rod. I scrub the inside of the pot with a wet scotchbrite pad and completely clean the pour spout. Then clean and polish the valve rod and reassemble. It then runs like a brand new pot. I just can't abide a crusty pot.

[35 Rem]

I seldom drain my pot. I tend to try to cast up what I need over the Winter in batches of the same alloy and only then drain the pot to change alloys. I have two pots but keep one back more for a spare rather than try to keep it set up and running. If I had a longer loading bench I'd like to have two set up full time. Currently am working with a 10 foot bench though and that gets used up quickly.

[MT Gianni]

I don't know how many real bullets you will cast. I made a mini pot when I was playing with soft noses. Take a 2"x5" pipe nipple and weld a 1/2" piece of angle iron on it so that it overlaps the edge of your pot and allows the pipe to set in the melt. Pound the nipple flat on the bottom and weld it shut. This allows you to have a useable amount of pure and not mess with your alloy. It is easy to dispense with a 44 mag case wired like a ladle.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There is no correct answer to this question. I say that mostly, because I differ from almost everyone else in this thread, LOL :mrgreen:
.
I drain the Lee pot after every casting session ...unless I plan to continue with the same batch and same alloy the next day.
I like to tailor a alloy for each specific batch of boolits.
.
I do have a second pot, which is dedicated to near pure Lead (I usually add 0.5% Tin for a alloy of 200:1)

[Finster101]

I never leave mine empty. I will refill it while hot after a casting session. In Florida where I'm at everything exposed gets a covering of rust due to the salt air. The less of it exposed the better for me, I cast at a pole barn and it is not exactly climate controlled.

[Kraschenbirn]

[Only empty pot if I'm changing alloy and that is easy with my dipper pot for the ladle, just use welding gloves pick it up carefully (very carefully) and dump out the lead after using a ladle to get it mostly empty. Bottom pour I drain most of the way and do the same dump the rest.]


[ditto]

+1

[gwpercle]

When the inside wall of the pot get crusty and I feel like cleaning it all out ...
Dip out all I can and pour out the remaining alloy ... use gloves / oven mitts when doing it !
Gary

[fredj338]

I am surprised. Few seem to have more than one pot. Lead or mix will melt faster if you start with a full pot. The last time my pots were empty when they were new. I have three. One with coww the next with half coww and the other pure lead and the third pure lead. When someday I run out of coww down to around 500 pounds I will go to the 500 or so pounds of lanatype.

Fastest start up is a pot half 1/2-3/4 full. Then you can add warmed ingots as needed.

[fredj338]

When the inside wall of the pot get crusty and I feel like cleaning it all out ...
Dip out all I can and pour out the remaining alloy ... use gloves / oven mitts when doing it !
Gary

This is why you dont drain it. Leave it full or near full, the walls never get crusty.

[Willie T]

As needed depending on if I want to cast for low, medium, or high velocity. I only have two pots. One 20 pound bottom pour and a 20 pound for ladle pouring or pre heating alloy for marathon bottom pour sessions. Emptying the alloy is no big deal. Pour what is left in the pot into a muffin pan and stamp L, M, or H on the ingots depending on what I’ve been casting. Three favorite alloys are all I mix and cast with. Unless I live to be 120, I have enough of everything to keep mixing and casting the same three alloys till I die so I keep it simple. When I die my son can start a “how can I tell what these ingots are” thread on here.
Willie

[Bazoo]

I drain my pot a couple times of year. I normally cast until its down pretty low and then ladle out as much as I can, then I (with gloves on)turn the put up and pour out the remainder into an ingot mould.

[ShooterAZ]

I drain my pot a couple times of year. I normally cast until its down pretty low and then ladle out as much as I can, then I (with gloves on)turn the put up and pour out the remainder into an ingot mould.

This is similar to what I do too, only once a year though. Once a year I like to completely empty the pots out, and give them a good cleaning. I don't ladle it out though. My pots are RCBS Pro Melts, so I just let them get a little low and then pour ingots. Drain, refill, clean it, and cast more boolits. When I only have a little bit of lead left, I don't worry too much about changing alloys.

[higgins]

I only cast a couple of times a year with my Lee Production Pot - spring and fall. Some years I don't cast at all, and since I cast a lot of bullets when I do I like to empty the pot when I'm done with a session and clean all the crud out of the pot and off of the valve. Having the pot empty allows starting anew with harder alloy for rifles or not so hard (i.e., wheel weights and range scrap) for pistols. Sometimes if I haven't cast as much as I normally do in a session I will just leave a piece of paper in the pot identifying what kind of metal is in it.

[Finster101]

Just reread the title of this thread. Like a couple of others have mentioned, I have two pots. One for softer pistol boolits and one for rifle and higher velocity pistol stuff. Neither are left empty though, always refilled at the end of a casting session while still hot.

[Gobeyond]

I empty mine to clean the red and white oxides out of it with a wire brush, when it needs it.

[ioon44]

I have been running the same alloy for about 3 years now and haven't seen any need to drain and clean it, I just cast 63 lbs of 9 mm 140gr FP from an Accurate 5 cav mold, all went very smooth, very good casting session.