GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => PCP/CO2/HPA Air Gun Gates "The Darkside" => Big Bore AirGun Gate => Topic started by: jimreed1948 on August 31, 2015, 03:08:54 PM
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In the late 60's until around '78 I did a lot of bullet casting. I will be retiring at the end of September and have decided to start casting again. I stopped casting because my Lymann pot finally just gave out. When I was casting before I had a production style pot. The problem back then as well as now it seems is the small hole would get stopped up. Sometimes so bad, I had to stop and clean it. So I plan on being a dipper.
What I would like to know from the experience casters is what type of pot are you using, brand name, size of pot, etc. The pot I have looked at is the Lee Magnum Melter. I'm not doing production just for myself. However, when I start I would cast 100 or more at a time before stopping.
Is one ladle any better than another one?
Thanks for the help.
(http://i.imgur.com/9dBd8wd.jpg)
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I plan on casting soon also, but all the way down at .22. I have been reading up and the Lee Pro 4-20 seems to be recommended a lot...
And with the small projectile I also wonder about ladles vs bottom pour and many of the details that help successful casting...
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And with the small projectile I also wonder about ladles vs bottom pour and many of the details that help successful casting...
I fought with the bottom pour from the start. It seems like there was always something wrong, stuck open, stuck closed, constant cleaning, etc. I think I would like the ladle now for less problems.
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For my own use, casting .22 slugs through .54 cal round balls I have always used a 20 pound pot and a dipper.
I did have a bottom pour pot ... A sheetmetal screw 'fixed' it.
Pulled out the 'valve assembly' and again, used a dipper.
A lot of the old IRON pot electrics CAN be rebuilt.
Check the cast bullet forums/Youtube for the info.
Marvelux is your friend!
Cheers,
Smoketown
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I tried the bottom pour lee's, and talk about leak city!
Tried dippers. SLOW. Messy, lots more air getting to the lead, causing more dross.
Tried a bottom pour RCBS Pro and man, what a dream to cast with! Never leaks, Never clog's, just works, and works very well!
Not to mention that I can cast 4x faster with it than a dip pot, and very little clean-up after a casting session. Somthing I could NEVER say about dipping. Grrrrr!!!
Go over to Cast Boolits, (Yep, that's how they spell it there, lol), and look up the pro-pot from RCBS. Talk about happy casters. Many folks got tired of replacing the Lees' and Lymans and went to the RCBS units. A lot of folks have been using their unit for 30-+ years. Says a LOT for the quality.
If you have a problem with it, and that would be rare, RCBS will bend over backwards to make it right. Regardless of warranty period. (Something you will never have to worry about Lyman doing. You buy it, you own it attitude.)
KnifeMaker
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i second the recommendation of the RCBS PRO
i have 4 of them oldest is about 20 yrs youngest is about 7yrs
no drips from any
they hold aprox 22 lbs of alloy
casting small slugs with a dipper can be a trial doable but slow
i have no trouble sitting down and casting 4 or 5 thousand slugs in a session
mule
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I have never cast anything as small as pellets, yet...
But I have cast tons, literally of black powder bullets from .36 on up to .58, rounds, conical and Maxis all with a Lee Pot and a small ladle that I custom bent to get the correct dipping angle...
(http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/MGalleryItem.php?id=2981)
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If you are going to dip, get the Lyman ladle. I went from that to a lee bottom pour, and even wid all its troubles I still like it more than dipping. Will eventually try the RCBS. A block of lead under the lee handle nut makes the leaks much slower, and a screw driver to rotate the needle takes it a step further. I mostly cast .22's for my boolit-shooting Marauder.
cheers,
Douglas