Casting Furnace

Sleeper

Sleeper

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
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Location
Camrose , Alberta
I am going to upgrade to a bottom pour system. Any thoughts out there on the ins and outs of the furnaces? Brands ect?

I am also considering some four cavity molds. i noticed that rcbs seems to only have 2 cavity molds. Is there any issues with using 4 cavity molds?
 
I have three Lee bottom pour furnaces and one big RCBS furnace. There is no compareson. The RCBS is better in every respect expect it costs four times as much. Spend as much as you can afford as you will get what you pay for when it comes to casting and that applies to moulds even more so.

Just my two cents worth but what do I know I have only been doing it for thirty plus years.

Graydog
 
I have the Lee Pro 4/20 (20lb)and the Production pot IV (10lb) and like them both. If you do buy Lee get the larger one from the get go.
 
Like hk33 above, I got the Lee 20 and 10 pounders. I like the 20 lb model as it melts ingots faster and needs fewer refill stops.

It will leak but you'll figure out how to stop them soon enough...no problem really.
 
graydog said:
I have three Lee bottom pour furnaces and one big RCBS furnace. There is no comparison. The RCBS is better in every respect expect it costs four times as much. Spend as much as you can afford as you will get what you pay for when it comes to casting and that applies to moulds even more so.



Graydog
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This mirrors my experience with these products.
 
Thanks for the input, i am trying to decide between the RCBS and the Lyman furnace.They are both 400+. as i cant seem to find any local stores with in stock items i will prob end up ordering them on line. I might as well get some molds while i am at it, i would like to start casting for the .444.
 
Sleeper: The RCBS has a stainless steel pot liner. I don't know if the Lyman has or not. If you can find out, that would make a difference to me if it is not. My RCBS is like new after 15 years of service. I also have a simple Lee Magnum Melter which is only used to contain pure lead for tempering the alloy in the RCBS.
 
Sleeper said:
Thanks for the input, i am trying to decide between the RCBS and the Lyman furnace.They are both 400+. as i cant seem to find any local stores with in stock items i will prob end up ordering them on line. I might as well get some molds while i am at it, i would like to start casting for the .444.
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400 bucks for a melter is not in keeping with my reason for casting and reloading...which is to save money. You can buy the Lee 20 pounder for $58 plus shipping. Sure it looks like a mangy dog after melting pouring more than 30,000 bullets but still works like a champ.

Lead doesn't know what brand pot it pours from. Check out these bullets cast from lead melted in a Lee and poured into a Lee mold:

100_3185.jpg
 
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I have both Lyman and RCBS, guess if I had to recommend one it would be the RCBS because of the warranty and availability of parts if ever required. The Lyman I've had for 35 years, did have to replace the element once. The RCBS has lasted for 30 years, and does have the stainless pot, perhaps is built a bit stronger to support the weight. With both going, I've gone through tons of lead with nary a problem. Also have a new 50 lb plumber's pot and propane burner that has only been used twice if anyone is interested.
 
I started with a small Lee, went to a bigger Lee, and then to the RCBS.

That's what I suggest - start with Lee, and move up as casting takes off for you.
 
Sleeper said:
Thanks for the input, i am trying to decide between the RCBS and the Lyman furnace.They are both 400+. as i cant seem to find any local stores with in stock items i will prob end up ordering them on line. I might as well get some molds while i am at it, i would like to start casting for the .444.
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I use a Lyman 20 lb pot that I bought in 1978 and the temp rheostat finally gave out on it 2 years ago. I made a PID controller for it that has a temp prob in the lead and it controls the temp to within 10 deg F so I don't need the adjust temp anymore and I still continue to use it.

To start out you can always buy the cheap Lee bottom pour pots until you can afford a higher model but honestly it depends on how much you are going to use it. When I bought my Lyman it was 89.00 and now they are over 400.00 which of course is absolutely ridiculous.

As far as the .444 goes do you have ballard or microgroove rifling? Most microgroove rifles love bullets sized to .431 or .432 for best accuracy and the big production molds don't go that high so you have to go custom mold from NOE or Mihec and get a custom sizing die ($30.00)from "Buckshot" on castboolits.com .

Here is a one of my bullet designs that I had Mountain Molds make for me and then I had it hollow pointed so it can be a solid or hollow point. 195 grn. hollow point or 205 gn. solid, extremely deadly and flattens out the rainbow effect really nicely. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't cast for the .444 because you can't get any accuracy out of it. With .429 bullets they are correct, with .432 bullets it is a whole different ballgame.

444-1.jpg

IM002126.jpg

IM002125.jpg
 
Lead Pots can be had in
10 - 20 and 40-45 LB sizes and even 100lb
if I had the $$
next purchase would be from

ht tp://www.ballisti-cast.com/Machines.htm

they sell Moulds, handles, pots, casting machines, & high production bullet sizer/lubers

web site is a bit dated (been told upgrade coming)

you might Know them as H&G (Hensley & Gibbs)
 
easyrider604 said:
400 bucks for a melter is not in keeping with my reason for casting and reloading...which is to save money. You can buy the Lee 20 pounder for $58 plus shipping. Sure it looks like a mangy dog after melting pouring more than 30,000 bullets but still works like a champ.

Lead doesn't know what brand pot it pours from. Check out these bullets cast from lead melted in a Lee and poured into a Lee mold:
Click to expand...

Nice looking bullets. And I am trying to save money so I can shoot more. Spending huge $ on equipment postpones the time for breakeven or payback.
 
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