changing to bottom pour

[GP100man]

ive ladle poured from the beginning fromm about 82. but recently picked up the uspsa bug &need boolits faster so more time to practice.!!my ?? is how big is the learn cruve from ladling 2 holers to bottom pouring a 6 banger? iwas thinking of the lee 20# pro 4 pot.

[keeper89]

GP--for my money, you will probably never look back at your ladle again....but everyone has their personal preference. I never ladle casted even from the start have always been a bottom pour guy. Anyway, I run a Lee Pro 4 20 and a Lyman Mag 20 side by side, both are good serviceable pots, the Lee you will find you have to tinker with the adjustment screws to hold down the drips or chase down one of the threads here on reworking the spindle to contain the drips. The Lyman can drip from time to time but is not as bad about it as the Lee--and everyone here seems to really like the RCBS. But for just starting out with a bottom pour the Lee is hard to beat for 1/4 the price of either of the other two--anyway, happy pouring![smilie=1: :drinks: [smilie=1:

[imashooter2]

Hi! I'm imashooter2, and I'm a dipper guy.

Or at least I have/had been for nigh on 30 years. I too have recently been trying to move to a bottom pour for the convenience and theoretical speed advantage. IMHO, there is a substantial learning curve before you will reach the same quality plateau as you currently enjoy with your ladle. I am just starting to develop that technique after a half a dozen sessions with much experimentation and many, many rejects. So far (for me anyway) the bottom pour is much more convenient, but no faster than the dipper.

For a 6 hole mold, you will have to have a 20 pound or larger pot. I bought the Lee because of the low price. The pot is pretty new, but so far I haven't had drip 1.

[SharpsShooter]

Another vote for the Lee 20#. Mine does not leak a bit and I cast boolits of over 500gr in weight and can maintain +/- 1gr weight differential on those. I'm also using it with Lee 6 cavity 45LC moulds and it works well. I think the key to winning with the bottom pour is understanding how alloy flow rate and temperature work together to achieve good fill out. Not every mould will follow the same rules, but through a bit of tinkering, you will see what it takes to make it work for you. Keep good notes for each mould and if your alloy is consistent, it becomes a repeatable procedure.

SS

[Jon K]

GP,

There is a learning curve anytime you start something new.

Dip or Bottom Pour? Here's my $.02 worth -

I ladle pour my BP bullets 30:1, old Saeco 20# pot, don't worry about production- I want consistancy & quality for this.

All my smokeless loads, I bottom pour. Molds are all different, each brand has it's own quirks, each brand of pot also has it's own quirks. I have the Lee 10# Production Pot, Lee Pro 4 20#, Saeco 10# Bottom Pour, RCBS Pro Melt.
The Saeco & RCBS perform the best for me. The Lee pots were good for just starting out, but finicky for pouring and holding temp.
I also prefer an iron mold rather than aluminum.

Jon

[GP100man]

thanks guys great input exactly what iwas hoping to hear. i have always double smelted my wheel weights to do two things, clean the melt real good & a good blending, this may be good for keeping casting pot clean &drip free ?? iadd tin & antimony to the melt according to desired bullet performance.jonk can you elaberate on preferance of iron &alum molds. ive cast alot with the lees not really knowing how to care for them& looking to replace some, nowthat ive found such good info & support i might spring $$ for iron moulds.IMashooter2 ive dipped sinc about 82 so that is24year . shooter are you a member on the ruger forum?? again thanks guys!! shoot safe &load safer!

[GP100man]

fellers i reread the posts & relized i dip like imashooter2 some times i do ladle when smelting.

[imashooter2]

-snip-
shooter are you a member on the ruger forum??
-snip-

Nope, I don't own a single Ruger, so it never called to me. :)

[GP100man]

ok imashooter2 i was having a( crs )attack the persons handle is weshoot 2 .

[imashooter2]

ok imashooter2 i was having a( crs )attack the persons handle is weshoot 2 .

I've seen that handle around on a few boards.

[454PB]

I was a dipper guy for the first couple of tons, then went to bottom draw. I haven't used a dipper for 30 years.

[The Cod Father]

I'm hoping to be using a bottom pour soon . Is there much of a transition from dipping ? Should I cast a bunch the old way just to make sure I have enough on hand just in case there is any problems going to a bottom pour unit or am I stressing over nothing ?

[imashooter2]

I'm hoping to be using a bottom pour soon . Is there much of a transition from dipping ? Should I cast a bunch the old way just to make sure I have enough on hand just in case there is any problems going to a bottom pour unit or am I stressing over nothing ?

See my first post in this thread. Along with the many, many rejects there were good bullets. My first reject rates were 30-50%. My last session was less than 4%. 4% is moving toward acceptable and I'm sure my technique still has room for refinement. You're stressing over nothing. Heck, you can always break out the dipper again if you run short.

[GP100man]

thats right fellas & you could hold down $ by purchse of the 10# lee for tryimg out. but ime not .more boolits mean more primer .powder more lead &moooore fun !!!!

[keeper89]

GP--you've got that right--it's all about the fun! BTW, scored my GP100 in 1989 and the only thing that has happened to it in over 75000 rds is that it has gotten way smooth! Shoot a lot and then shoot some more!:-D

[BigCheese]

I melt in an old Saeco 20 lb furnace and ladle molten metal into my RCBS bottom pour. While I am bottom pouring, more metal is added to the Saeco, so when the level is low I just flux and transfer more metal. There is no waiting for the metal to come up to temperature. Since you will have two furnaces, give this a try. I'm amazed how much time this saves. The only question is whether your circuit will handle the wattage from both furnaces together.

[GP100man]

keeper89 i dry fired ???? times till mrs gp said if i pull that trigger &make it snap i could pack up !!!! then smooth trigger componets / places in frame,then clean &lube components . installed spring kit from wolfe . turned out better than i ever thought it would !!!! that was the 6" full shroud . the 4" i de burred & cleaned/lubed im going to leave factory springs in this one . the 6" 1/2 shrould sports the gold dot front sight &v rear all i did to this gun is crisp the trigger up when i bought it .next project srh in 454casull when $$ permits. the full 6" i shoot a little uspsa & i went even lighter with the hammer spring its popped 200 cci 550 primers in da with out misfire!!

[keeper89]

I feel deprived, I've only got the one GP in 4 inch full shroud--but I have sent a LOT of lead down that tube.......same with my 5 1/2 inch SBH---ooooorah!:-D

[GP100man]

the 4" tube is a perfect balanced gun in my hand & points qwik the 6"full shroud is a little heavy on the tube side that good for recoil !! i like the factory grips they absorb alot of recoil !!! esecially on the srh models cuz has 44 mag & hi school buddy has 454 i mounted the scopes on both of them. we usually t&t the last sat in sept i just have an old red hawk with burris 1 1/2to 4 pwr scope shoots better than i ever will!!!!!

[Marshal Kane]

Some learning curve in converting to downspout casting but nothing to worry about. Anyone who has mastered ladle casting will be able to pick up downspout during the first casting session. IMHO, a lot less lead splatter and higher production rate. Bullet quality remains the same if you don't push for quantity. Make sure your casting pot has a mould shelf. Takes a load off your hands when casting with gang moulds. Best wishes.

[GP100man]

thanks marshal kane wikk be purchacing the lee 20#pro 4 as $ becomes availible.is it the closer to the pot the more pressure put to( injecting) the melt in the mould?

[Marshal Kane]

thanks marshal kane wikk be purchacing the lee 20#pro 4 as $ becomes availible.is it the closer to the pot the more pressure put to( injecting) the melt in the mould?Find best bullet weight consistency when the alloy level in the pot is kept at a high level as there is more pressure put on the alloy going through the spout. Will periodically add ingots as the alloy level starts to drop. Should not get the spout too close to the mould as the sprue buildup can start to solidfy around the spout. Mine is set to where the mould is about 1/4 inch from the spout. This allows a good sprue buildup that still clears the spout. If you can work closer, then do so as you don't want the alloy to cool too much travelling from the spout to the mould. Pretty much basic casting techniques so with your ladle casting experience, you will adapt to bottom pour quickly.

[GP100man]

thanks marshal kane that was what i was pondering if i put the sprue plate touching if the spout would freeze up ,