Beginning to cast bullets - pot selection?

[Sirius1963]

Good morning all,

I'm starting out on casting bullets for a couple of rifles (.577 Enfield, and 45/70 Sharps - both modern replicas). I'll be shooting approximately once or twice per month, and probably no more than 12-15 bullets on each occasion.

I've been told that the Lee 10lb pot is too small to consistently form these larger bullets, and also that a portable electric ring and metal paint pot, using a ladle is an alternative.

Id value any advice on this matter, the more straightforward the better!

Ill be using a RCBS mould.

Many thanks

[oley55]

Ladle casting with the Lee 20# Magnum Pot sounds right for you.

[Sirius1963]

thanks very much

[BK7saum]

While I use the Lee 4-20 pots and bottom pour most of my boolits, I think that ladle casting sounds like it work best for you with the large bullets. If you had any interest in pouring smaller pistol bullets, the suggestion might be different.

I still pour large boolits occasionally with a ladle, but have learned how to get better bullets with the bottom pour after ladling and going back to the bottom pour.

[HATCH]

The Lee 4-20 is a good size. Not sure what the step up above 20# is besides the Magma 40# units

[Carrier]

I have cast a lot of 45/70 bullets up to 525 grains with a Lee 10 lb pot with no issues.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve used a 20# bottom pour for years. I cast a lot of 400-500+ grain bullets. It works fine for me except now that it is getting older, it likes to drip a lot. Doesn’t seem that you will be casting much in the beginning, so a smaller pot could work. If you get a ladle type pot, you won’t have to worry about it dripping.

[Bent Ramrod]

I used a 10-lb Lee pot for 30 years for everything. Until it burned out, it did fine within its limitations. The only luxury I could afford at the start was the temp adjustment knob.

I replaced it with the ~18-lb (nominally 20-lb) Magnum Melter (ladle only) from Lee, and I am happily abusing it the same way I did the little pot, recovering scrap, burning off flammables on lead sheeting, melting Youguessium mystery metals, alloying, casting range scrap, etc. It's holding up fine.

A 20 lb capacity obviously allows more boolits per pot fill, but also allows the mould trick where you alternate two moulds once they get up to temperature, for quicker casting and more output. Ten lb capacity just doesn’t have the heat or capacity to do that. If you want to get in for cheep and only cast a few boolits, the 10-lb will do fine. Your shooting might increase in the future, and a bigger pot might be worth thinking about. Up to you.

[Winger Ed.]

If I was single, I wasn't casting any more than that, I'd get a deep Iron pot, a ladle,
and do it on the kitchen stove with a fan running to carry the fumes and smell out.

I'd make an evening of it, cast up a couple hundred, and put the pot & ladle away till next year.

[MOA]

The Lee 4-20 is a good size. Not sure what the step up above 20# is besides the Magma 40# units

This is the next step up from Magma's 40# pot. Only serious casters need apply. Lol

[oley55]

I may be missing something, but the Lee 10# pot seems to cost more than the Lee 20# Magnum pot. For that matter the Lee 4-20 Pro is only $13 more than the leak-o-matic Lee Production 10# pot.

https://www.titanreloading.com/produ...t/lee-melters/

[gwpercle]

I wish 40 years ago someone would have told me to get a 20 pound pot and the nice 20# Lee Magnum Melter would have been available .
With your large caliber boolits ...go big . You waste more time waiting for lead to melt with a 10# pot than you do actually casting . The Lee Magnum Melter holds a bunch , doesn't drip , is wide and deep and a joy to cast with when using a dipper and is affordable .
Look at the Lee Magnum Melter 110 volt Titan Reloading has them on sale fo $58.49 ...I bought mine several years ago ...on sale for $60.00 then ... For the price it's worth every penny and will melt a pot full of cold ingots in 20-30 mins . I use a long shafted Lyman dipper , with the little spout , the pot is deep and a short dipper wont work when the lead level gets low .
Gary

[GregLaROCHE]

As Ed said, there’s nothing wrong starting out with a cast iron pan and a soup ladle. I know some old timers, that have only ever done it like that.

[Sirius1963]

Thanks Gary - good advice I think

[Land Owner]

Winger Ed and GregLaROCHE are, imho, spot on, as I vote. Casters of yore used the heat of a campfire to melt their lead, which still works great, but to modernize the process a little, use your grill's propane tank, buy a propane turkey frier, cast iron pot (or old propane tank cut in two), and a long-handled ladle - use these outside though...just my $0.02. The fryer and melt pot/tank, along with a few 3# ingot molds, may come in handy in the future if you melt components to create different alloys.

[Mk42gunner]

Ladle casting with the Lee 20# Magnum Pot sounds right for you.

This sounds correct to me.

I will add to get either the RCBS (first choice) or Lyman ladle to cast with. The Lee is a glorified tablespoon that may not even hold enough alloy for your .577 boolit.

Robert

[triggerhappy243]

Thanks Gary - good advice I think

i SMELT AND CAST WITH THIS SETUP. i CAST BIG MUZZLE LOADER CONICALS 370 GR. AND 435 GR. MY LADLE HOLDS 13 OUNCES OF MOLTEN LEAD.

[lightman]

I would suggest a 20# pot. Lee, Lyman and RCBS offer them. The 40# Magma pot is nice but its $600 or so.

[FISH4BUGS]

I have a 20# Lee Drip-o-Matic that has served me faithfully for 30+ years. I'll keep it for backup or sell it.
Best bang for the buck on the planet.
I just ordered an RCBS ProMelt II for my golden years in casting. Let's hope I can upgrade again in another 30 years!

[charlie b]

I like my Lee 20lb bottom pour. Doesn't leak. Maintains heat fairly well. I use it for the 450gn .50 cal bullets as well as various other rifle and pistol bullets.