[eldarbeast]

There snobs everywhere you go these days...

*Shakes head sadly...*

eldar

[robocop10mm]

Snob? Because I like to buy quality? OK. There are cheap skates everywhere you go these days...

*Shakes head sadly...*

[eldarbeast]

Touche, mon ami, touche!

The problem today is when someone can't see what real quality is!

Value for your money as well as value for the products. I have never had a problem with Lee Precision products.

eldar

[trip286]

Once upon a time, a young feller I see every now and then (he hides behind the bearded, grizzled jerk in the mirror) got into casting his own bullets for a pair of double barreled black powder pistols (matched pair, .36 caliber, beautiful).

I used a cheap Lee pot, Lee mold, Lee ladle. Didn't need any sizing. I used store bought lead that I believe was premixed for bullet casting. I don't know for sure that it was, but it all worked just fine.

I followed the directions, everything turned out just fine.

One thing I learned, keep the mold hot. If the mold is cold, when you cast it, you'll have lines and grooves in the bullet. This is bad. This is where a section of the bullet hardened fast, leaving the rest to cool a little slower. I've had more than one shot split into multiple pieces upon firing.

It's a learning process, Tex. Have fun.

PS. From my own experience at starting from the same point you're starting from, I would get the bottom pour and nix the ladle. Costs more overall, yes, but doing away with the hassle of the ladle is worth it. The ladle often is just barely small enough to fit into one of the smaller smelting pots (I haven't looked at the ones you've linked yet), and a bottom pour will allow you to completely drain it.

Watch for rust in the pot. That sometimes happens after they're heated to those kinds of temps.

Edit to add: I looked at the pots you linked. The second one is the exact model I had. Spring for the bottom pour. It's worth it. After the cost of a ladle, the price difference really isn't much at all. I think I paid around 10 bucks for the ladle, leaving a difference of about $15 or so. Well worth it. Very well worth it.

[trip286]

This is almost identical to what I had, but a matched pair. This one is larger, a howdah pistol. Meant to be loaded as a 20 gauge + .50 caliber ball. Mine were a smaller version loaded with .36 conical round.

[texaswoodworker]

Right now, money is tight, so I will go with the LEE unless I find a Lyman or RCBS for a simular price. I can't wait to start.

[trip286]

Originally Posted by texaswoodworker

Right now, money is tight, so I will go with the LEE unless I find a Lyman or RCBS for a simular price. I can't wait to start.

I'll be getting a flat rate box sometime in the next few days to send that lead to you.

[locutus]

Originally Posted by eldarbeast

There snobs everywhere you go these days...

*Shakes head sadly...*

eldar

Not really. My "smelting pot" is a LEE. My casting pot is RCBS.

There is a difference in quality. A VERY VERY BIG difference.

And a good lubrisizer is a must. I like the Lyman.

The star is the best by a wide margin, But it's priced out of my range.

[therhino]

I own the "Lee Production Pot" that is a taller, thinner, and overall smaller version of your linked bottom pour pot. Mine is this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/637732/lee-production-pot-four-furnace-110-volt

I use mine exclusively for reclaiming pewter for resale on eBay, but the mechanics are similar. Mine tend to clog from time to time when I'm trying to pour, but that might be either because I melt at lower temps, smelt dirty metal (tarnish and dust on most everythign I smelt), or because I pour my pot empty at theend of every session. That lets the dross get down low in the pot, and often into the pour spout.
If I remember right, lead casters don't empty their casting pots. They let a little bit sit in the bottom after cooldown to ensure grime doesn't end up in the spout when you load fresh ingot or scrap into the pot for a new melt.

[locutus]

Originally Posted by eldarbeast

. I have never had a problem with Lee Precision products.

eldar

you are a very fortunate man, sir.