Lee Pro 20 Series Melter

[shooter37]

Bought a new one the other day and went to cast some Saeco 444 200 grainers.
Ran about 100 and not a good one in the batch. All had what appeared to be dirt markings and/or wrinkles. Today I cleaned the mold with hot water and detergent, naphtha, and, choke cleaner.. air dried and heated in my mold oven.
Same deal.. using 1/20 alloy, well fluxed and clean I still got junk boolits SO in a blinding flash of genius I tried ladle casting and got perfect boolits. While that will work it's not a fix: I bought a bottom pour melter to speed up production so I'll save the ladle for the 45 cal. rifle boolits.
Looking at the Lee pot I found that the flow from the spout was VERY thin, about 1/32" in diameter. Checked the spout and it was clean and smooth.
Talked to Lee Tech guy and the feeling is to drill open the spout a bit more.

My question for y'all is have you had any similar experience and did you find a fix?

[billyb]

I cast with the Lee pot,in fact I use two of them. Try varying the distance from the spout to the mold. I have my mold rest set where there is a 1 inch distance from the spout to the mold. Some have stated that they hold the mold in contact with the spout. I have tryed and do not like the results. I get the pot up to temp and turn back the dial to between 5 and 6. I use a thermometer and cast from700-800*. The volume is adjustable with the screw next to the valve. Hope you work this out. I have cast a lot of boolits with the lee's. Bill

[shooter37]

Billyb
Thanks for the response.
I tried that and still had the same results. Ran the mold flush with the spout and all the way down (3") and still had the same problem. The flow just seems to thin.

[GMT210]

The adjusting screw should definately give you a wide adjustment band, you might have a metal chip in the spigot abstructing the flow.

[shooter37]

FWIW
Having exhausted every idea and suggestion, and after talking with Lee I went ahead and opened up the hole in the spout to 3/32". This has cured the problem: just cast 250 bullets with this change and they all look good.
I suspect that my melter may have had an undersized spout. Lee states the opening should be .060". Mine was smaller.

[qajaq59]

I suspect that my melter may have had an undersized spout. Lee states the opening should be .060". Mine was smaller. You may be correct. I'm casting 323 gr .50 cal with mine and had no problems.