bottom pour pot

big country · Post by **big country** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:52 am

Is there an advantage in using a lathle,or will a bottom spout lee pot work as good with good alloy and correct temperture?

Smokin · Post by **Smokin** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:55 am

big country,

Most report having the best luck casting quality bullets by ladle pouring. Lee Shaver reports having excellent results using a bottom pour furnace, but he also had a thermometer linked to his mould and would only cast when the mould was something like 497.3 degrees. Apparently, proper the mould temperature was absolutely critical in casting good bullets with that method. I amn't that sophisticated, so I just dip 'em. Good luck, Smokin

PowderFlask2 · Post by **PowderFlask2** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 1:55 pm

I could not get a Steve Brooks mold to work until I shifted to a ladle, bottom pour just wouldn't work.

When I followed Steve's directions it worked great (imagine that, me following directions)

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 2:59 pm

A bottom pour pot will work, but it will depend upon the size of the pot & the weight of the bullet.

With a bullet in excess of 500 grains, the 10# LEE pot, I believe, will be depleted too rapidly to keep the melt @ the proper temp as the Caster will constantly be adding alloy to keep the melt level & then letting it come to the proper temp. This will break the Caster’s casting rhythm.

A 20# pot would be better, but then again depending upon the weight of the bullet, the Caster could be faced w/ the same scenario.

Is there a way to internally adjust the temp settings on the Lee? W/ a heavy bullet, a much hotter melt (approx 840 degrees) will work more efficiently as the melt will flow faster, & the mould will not cool the melt as quickly.

As one poster pointed out, mould temp is also another factor. A cold mould will only prevent complete fill out of the bullets cavity. A handy way to read the mould & melt temp is w/ a hand-held infra-red thermometer.

The Caster may also find it worthwhile to drill out the spout of the ladle several drill sizes larger to allow the melt to flow quicker, which will allow the mould to fill out faster & more completely , all the while retaining a hotter pour. It is also advisable to pour a generous sprue puddle, as the melt in the cavity will suck down the metal from the sprue in to the cavity. Again another reason for a hotter met.

PowderFlask2 · Post by **PowderFlask2** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:41 pm

Ray

I tried all of those things with my bottom pour, 20lb Lyman pot and like I said above, nothing worked until I used a ladle.

I have since plugged up the bottom pour spout and am ladle only.

I also took some advise from another discussion page and got a Thermolyne student hot plate off of e-bay for $25 and let the mold heat up on it while the lead melts, works great and about the second or third bullet is a keeper.

The big advantage though is that the mold can sit on it while I get interrupted by "She who must be obeyed" and it makes great bullets again just as fast.

Just what works for me.

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:34 pm

Flask: you're right. A ladle is easier & more consistent for most of the Shooters, including myself.

However, that doesn’t mean that a bottom pour will not work. I know 3 Shooters who are able to cast “match grade bullets” ( less than 1 grain variation) w a bottom pour & one casts w/ wheel weight & scrap! I don‘t know how they do it, but I think that one worked over their 3 lead pots to allow more uniform /consistent temperature setting. That & casting a lighter .45 cal bullet for lever guns & T-door carbines may also have something to do w/ the consistency.

Bearbait2 · Post by **Bearbait2** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 9:41 am

There is also one other potential problem with the bottom pour pot. Many years ago we had the spout stick in the open position and had a heck of a time getting the lead to stop flowing. Fortunately, had a catch pan under the unit and no real harm was done. As I recall, it did scorch our work bench a bit. Have used a dip pot ever since.
Shoot Straight

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 12:47 pm

I have used my old Lyman 10 pounder bottom pour since I got it in 1971 or '2 and it has worked great for me. But, all I ever cast were .45 calibre pistol bullets, the biggest being 250grains. When I started casting 405gr, 500gr and 535gr .45 calibre rifle bullets I found my rejection rate sky rocketed. Then I talked with Paul Jones and he gave me some over the phone casting lessons. I bought a Lyman 20 pounder dipper pot, a Lyman side pour ladle, followed Paul's instructions and my rejection rate came way down to primarily the first several until the mould gets up to temperature. I then learned about and bought a Waage K4757A 20 pounder pot and my rejections dropped further. I figure it is due to the more consistantly maintained temperature. My 20 pounder Lyman pot now sits as a back-up if I should ever need it. My 10 pounder Lyman bottom pour is still used for pistol bullets and for mixing alloy and pouring into the ingot moulds. I find it more convenient to fill the ingot moulds from the bottom pour pot than with a ladle.

So there you have another opinion. Just what you needed, right?