Melting lead pot

[mountainman]

Does anyone have an idea on what kind of melting lead pot is the best kind to get?  I would prefer one with a spigot..

[smokinbuck]

Lee pots are reasonable and have spouts.  Be aware that pots with spouts do tend to drip.  I use one and keep a small can under the spout.  Every once in a while I take the spillage and put it back into the pot.
Mark

[Hungry Horse]

I have had much better luck with a dipper type pot. In fact I plugged the bottom pour part of my current smelter. I have owned two bottom pour pots, and wound up disabling the bottom pour portion of both of them.

 Hungry Horse

[Scota4570]

I like the larger LEE bottom our ones.  I am much more productive with a bottom pour pot and a thermometer.  I do not like the little cast iron ones on a camp stove and a dipper.  I guess it depends if you expect to make 50 or 500 bullets in a session. 

[silly goose]

I have a a 10lb lee with a bottom pour, and a 20lb lee dipping pot.  Pick your poison, they both work very well.  The bottom pour does drip occasionally, but I have no real complaints.  Like them both, and glad I don't have to choose.

[Frank]

This is what I use. Excellent lead pot.

 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1262222909/lee-production-pot-four-furnace-110-volt

[EC121]

I use a Lee 10lb. bottom pour pot with no complaints.  My .40cal. roundballs are usually smooth and within .5gr variation.  I got curious and tried weighing them one time, but the variation was so little I don't bother anymore.  I put an ingot mold under the spout to catch the drips.  A metal pie pan will also work.  I bent a hacksaw blade into a "C" shaped spring clamp to cover the spout and prevent dripping while warming the lead.  Your best investment is a thermometer.

[Don Adams]

I tried the lee pot that you dip out - wasn't happy with the slow process and being exposed to the fumes that long. Bought a RCBS pro melt and it is bottom spout. Does very well when the lead is heated to 800 - not much dripping - only when I overfill the mold. Much quicker for me, and less exposure to the fumes.  RCBS had a 75.00 rebate and Midway had it on sale, so it was much less than normally advertised as.

[Hungry Horse]

I gave away a Lee just like that one, because it leaked like a sieve. I bought a high end all steel professional bottom pour, and it only leaked half as much. It was like having half a dose of diarrhea. I plugged the bottom of the new one, and got rid of all the junk that didn't work, and now am casting good quality round balls, dipping out of it with a home made dipper.

  Hungry Horse

[P.W.Berkuta]

I guess a lot depends on how much you shoot as to the size and type of melter you use. For me now I use a 20 pound Lee dip pot - price is right - it works - no fuss. When I was heavy into bullseye shooting I used a 20 pound plumbers propane tank with two 40 pound cast iron pots and Hensely Gibbs 8 & 10 cavity gang molds -- you can make a LOT of bullets in a day with them.

[Daryl]

The Lee magnum pot, 20 pound dipper with thermostat would be the one I'd buy.  I converted my last purchase, a LEE 20 pound bottom pour to dipping by running a self-tapping #6 sheet metal screw into the bottom spout from the inside and removing the bottom pour paraphernalia. I was having trouble getting large bullets perfect enough so converted it.

Works a treat now. the Lee Magnum 20 pound Melter Pot would eliminate the necessity of plugging the bottom pour spout.

[hanshi]

I have two of the 10lb Lee bottom pour pots.  The one I bought in the early 1970s still works and was sent in to Lee for a rebuild about 30 years ago.  For $20 it came back looking like a new one.  The second one I bought later and they have cast thousands of bullets/ball and, while a bit worse for wear, they still work.  I've done my share of casting with pot and ladle as well.

[bob in the woods]

I've used an old cast iron pot, and a "coleman" stove for the last 20 years. 

[snapper]

I have a Lee that is bottom pour and I would give it way.  Been collecting dust for years.

Why?  Because I bought a Waage pot.  Google them.

They make pots for professional working men.  They might not have their bullet pots on the web site.  When I bought mine I had to ask for it.  I think that the thermostat keeping an even temp has helped my casting.

I cast bullets that need to fly 1,000 yards, so I do need to cast good bullets.

fleener

[Paddlefoot]

I use the Big Lee pots. I have one that it bottom pour and never use that feature. I bought the second one to keep more lead at casting temp and even out the heating when I use four and six cavity molds for pistol and rifle bullets. RotoMetals sell a nice sized casting ladle that I get better results with than the bottom pour feature.

[Longknife]

I have a Lee 500 watt melting pot I keep pure lead in and a larger Saeco Melting Furnace I keep hard lead in. When they start to drip I lightly tap on the top of the plunger with a wooden mallet, then it stops dripping. If I can't stop the drip I take out the plunger and "dress" the tip. I then clean to hole. I have even made new plungers on occasion. If I have the patience and knowledge to make, shoot and maintain muzzle-loading guns, then maintaining a lead pot is a cinch!!!!!!!!!!

[tddeangelo]

I'm far from the most experienced at this, but I made some 45-70 bullets with a bottom pour, then I got a Lyman melting pot and a dipper to do 0.600 balls and I like that a lot better. Maybe if I was running tons of small pistol plinker bullets or something I'd think differently, but for those big honkin' balls, I'm a lot happier with the dipper.

[Scota4570]

The Lee pots have a screwdriver slot in the valve rod.  When it leaks that is because dirt has gotten between the valve rod and seat.  Use the screwdriver slot to grind the dirt out of the valve seat with a big flat head screwdriver. If it leaks like a sieve something is damaged.  If it leaks less than about one drip per second the screwdriver should fix it.   

Nothing wrong with Lee pots.  I have used them for 40 years.  I have probably cast over 100K bullets using their bottom pour pots.  I am sure a pot costing far more is better in some way.  I'll never know unless somebody gives me one.   

One thing  Marvel flux will rot out the pot.  A little piece of candle wax will do the fluxing job nicely and not cause corrosion.   

[hanshi]

I have a Lee that is bottom pour and I would give it way.  Been collecting dust for years.
fleener

Hey, snapper!  Iffin you want to give it away I have my hand raised. 

[snapper]

if you were somewhere where I could give it to you I would.  Not worth my time to ship it.

fleener

[hudson]

A little something thrown in that seams to help with bottom pore furnaces. Years ago it was recommended  by more than one person to drill out the hole in  the bottom one drill size in the old Lyman pots. I went one then two sizes as I recall on my RCBS pot, it helps. Adjustments are necessary, I found it necessary to decrease the flow. If you try this you are on your own. I also use an old cast iron pot that will probably hold 30 lbs. over a gas burner.

[Hungry Horse]

Be careful about drilling out the nozzle in a bottom pour pot. I loaned my Lee bottom pour pot to a friend. He was trying to run some balls for a .72 cal. musket. The pot wouldn't run the lead fast enough through its small nozzle to cast a ball without wrinkles, so he opened the nozzle up a couple of drill sizes. When I got the pot back it wouldn't pour a ball smaller than about .45 without lead going everywhere. I gave him the pot.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

Be careful about drilling out the nozzle in a bottom pour pot. I loaned my Lee bottom pour pot to a friend. He was trying to run some balls for a .72 cal. musket. The pot wouldn't run the lead fast enough through its small nozzle to cast a ball without wrinkles, so he opened the nozzle up a couple of drill sizes. When I got the pot back it wouldn't pour a ball smaller than about .45 without lead going everywhere. I gave him the pot.

  Hungry Horse

Which is why I plugged the bottom pour hole and dip the balls and bullets.  I get perfectly formed balls and bullets this way - almost No rejects - all perfectly round balls and bullets, like little jemstones.

[hanshi]

A little something thrown in that seams to help with bottom pore furnaces. Years ago it was recommended  by more than one person to drill out the hole in  the bottom one drill size in the old Lyman pots. I went one then two sizes as I recall on my RCBS pot, it helps. Adjustments are necessary, I found it necessary to decrease the flow. If you try this you are on your own. I also use an old cast iron pot that will probably hold 30 lbs. over a gas burner.

Hudson, I drilled out the spout in my oldest pot but did it by hand and only enlarged it a tiny amount.  Works fine with .32 through .62.

[hudson]

It sounds crazy but after drilling out the spout I found it necessary to reduce the flow. Seams counterproductive, thinking I’m still getting more volume but less pressure. Thinking Don Davis and another I don’t recall recommended drilling out the spout, but only one drill size. As I said before you are on your one.