Lee vs Lyman casting pots?

[Skychief]

Will soon buy a casting pot for ladle use, NOT bottom pour.  Any opinions on Lyman or Lee?

Thanks, Skychief.

[Darkhorse]

I would get the one that's deeper for ladle pour.
If you had of been asking about bottom pour I would have recommended a LEE as I used one for years. But since you didn't ask I won't recommend one.

[rollingb]

I've got 2 Lee 20 lb. melting pots and they both work well for me, one started out as a bottom pour, but I removed the rod and dropped a small steel ball in the hole as I prefer casting with a ladle.

The other pot is ladle pour only.
I use one pot for casting pure lead balls, and the other one for casting hardened balls and conicals. 

I cast a fair amount and my newest pot is 2-3 years old and the other one is 15-16 years old. 

[stubshaft]

I also have 2 twenty pound Lee pots with solid bottoms for ladle casting.  The first was a drip-o-matic until I bought a new replacement liner from Lee.  One is dedicated to pure lead and the other holds alloy for hard balls and unmentionables.  I have been casting since the late 60's and have used/owned RCBS, SAECO and Lyman pots.  The others broke or were too heavy or just irritated me so I sold them.  I also have a 10 lb pot to preheat lead when I cast 500+ grain balls/slugs.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Will soon buy a casting pot for ladle use, NOT bottom pour.  Any opinions on Lyman or Lee?

Thanks, Skychief.

I prefer a dip pot and I also prefer a pot that does not drain the bank when I buy it. Lee pots are a great bang for the buck and you can get parts for less if a element burns out which I never had happen yet.

[Daryl]

I'm on 2nd and 3rd Lee 20 pound pots - dipping as that is the way for me to get perfect bullets every cast+ or almost every cast

With round balls, no matter the size, virtually all are as close to perfect.
I start right off with lead and released mould at optimum temperature. I really don't like casting any more, so prefer  to not have to waste time reeling and reading rejects
 I pefer to cast as close to perfect as possible.
Dipping has done this for.me. One of my pots was converted from bottom pour to dipping. The other was purchased  as a dipping pot. That one odd my pure lead pot. The other has my BPS bullet mix.

[hanshi]

I've two Lee bottom pour pots but one stopped working and I couldn't bring it with me when we moved.  The other Lee pot was sent back to Lee a few decades back and came back to me looking brand new.  That one still works even though a bit gnarly.  Long ago I had a BP Lyman pot and it just never worked as well as the Lee.  I get excellent ball using the Lee; and that's with Lee molds, Lyman, Seaco, RCBS, T/C and others.

I've cast untold numbers of ball using a dipper AND the Lee pots.  I often get good ball from the first cast regardless whether dip or BP.  As long as I keep everything hot there's no problem.

[J.E. Moore]

I've used a Lee for several years also and have made untold pounds of balls with it. I've learned to keep a paint can lid and some paperclips handy for when the valve gets trashed up. It's always melted lead though.

[rfd]

hands down, the lee 20# ladle pot.  i still have 3 that are over a decade, all work just fine, and 2 of 'em get used weekly for plain lead or 16:1 alloy.  a good ladle, a bit of sawdust for flux, a thermometer, and yer good to go.

[Dphariss]

I bought a Lyman Mag Dipper when they first came out, quite some time back 25+ I suspect. 20# capacity, still works perfect, holds a close temperature spread. I would not by anything else it it died. I used to cast a lot of lead bullets so it's been used.....

Dan