Worn Out Casting Pot

[Griff]

My old Lyman casting pot is worn out. Won't quite heat the lead to where I get well filled out bullets. I tried casting some 45-225-CAS bullets and kept getting folded noses.

I'm thinking of getting either another Lyman or RCBS 20 lb. pot... Or I'm also considering springing for a Magma Engineering casting pot. They claim production of between 500-800 bullets an hour. I'd have to get new molds... and @ 90+ dollars a pop, that'd be expensive. I generally cast just one or two molds, mostly 2-cavity, but I have some 4-cavity that I really like.

Is it possible to use my Lyman and RCBS molds with the Magma cutoff plate?

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Hey Griff,

 

If you want to borrow a pot in the short term I have one you can use. It was part of a large lot of reloading gear and supplies in donated to a church near me. They didn't know what to do with all of it as there was lead, powder, and primers in the mix as well as moulds, dies, swager, press, and other goodies.

 

I found out about it and made them an offer for the whole lot.

 

I can plug it in and make sure it works but if you need one in the short term you are welcome to use it.

[Hoosegow Hank #21444]

Hey Griff, send it back to Lyman and they will rebuild it for you. I just got one back last week. The new pots are set to not go over 850 Degrees. If you use any lead that is not mixed, the bullets don't come out right. I use wheel weights and they will not mold at that temperature.

[Griff]

Sedalia Dave, I'll take you up on that... PM on the way. At least until I get mine back from Lyman... if they'll still rebuild this old of one. Thanks for heads-up Hoosegow Hank.

[John Boy]

Is it possible to use my Lyman and RCBS molds with the Magma cutoff plate?

 

 

http://www.magmaengineering.com/my-drawings/

 

Griff, I believe so - look at the diagram but give them a call to verify. I do know for a fact that Accurate molds can also be used on the Bullet Master. RCBS handles are used on Accurate molds and Magma identifies RCBS as a mold

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Griff -

Yep, a rebuild from Lyman, an RCBS Pro Melt 20# or stepping up to a Magma caster all would be feasible. All about "more money for more speed." How much speed do you need?

 

I cast over 20K bullets a year from the RCBS Pro Melt with 2 cavity rifle and 3 or 4 cavity pistol molds, hand held. Not too much work for me, and I don't have to keep north of $2000 worth of molds and equipment running.

 

 

 

I use wheel weights and they will not mold at that temperature (850 F).

Then someone's thermometer must be way off. There's not a lead bullet alloy that won't cast well at a max of 800F. Even soft (pure) lead. Could be the molds aren't hot to start out, and not cast fast enough to keep them hot. But most likely, not casting lead alloys well at 850 F is a glaring sign that either alloy or molds are badly contaminated with either, say, zinc or calcium contaminated lead in the alloy or oils in the mold. Wheel weights cast well for me at 725 F.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Navy Six]

If Lyman won't rebuild that pot and you are in the market for a new one, get a copy of a new book "Ruminations of a Life Long Bullet Caster" by Robert Ballowe. It contains an entire chapter in which Mr. Ballowe evaluates all the currently available casting furnaces. It helped me make a few decisions. The book is a wealth of information on bullet casting written by someone who did so commercially.

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

Wheel weight that won't melt at 850 degrees.

 

If your wheel weights are newer weights they could be the government required non lead weights.

They are steel which a magnet will remove or they are the zinc weights.

 

Quick check at a glance.

Look at the end profile.

Lead are shaped like tear drops.

Zinc are shaped like trapezoids.

Steel... well just test with a magnet or scoop them out of the pot. They are not going to melt at all.

 

When I was casting commercially, I ran my production caster at 701 degrees.

I ran my molds between 300F and 400F.

You can get temperature sticks at your welding supplier.

They have what looks like large crayons that melt at different temps.

Just mark the mold block with both crayons.

The 300 will melt and the 400 will stay as is.

[John Boy]

Wheel weights become molten between 505 and 580 degrees depending on the alloy mix, pure lead at 621 degrees.

[Griff]

I'm leaning toward the new Lyman Mag 25. Even if I can fix my old one... I got the lead all drained out, measured it, it was running just about 600ºF if my gauge was accurate. Someone on another forum told me Lyman wanted $225 to fix his, it didn't heat at all, but otherwise in good shape. Having two would be in my interests, as I'd like to also cast pure lead balls, as my muzzle-loader is a .53 and no one sells .526 balls commercially, which are my most accurate with a .010 patch.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Based on much more reliable service and temperature control that my RCBS Pro Melt has given me, I would lean toward it rather than a Lyman, especially as I have read reviews of the new Lyman showing it as rather temperamental.

 

Good luck with what ever choice you make, though.

GJ

[Kid Rich]

I'm leaning toward the new Lyman Mag 25. Even if I can fix my old one... I got the lead all drained out, measured it, it was running just about 600ºF if my gauge was accurate. Someone on another forum told me Lyman wanted $225 to fix his, it didn't heat at all, but otherwise in good shape. Having two would be in my interests, as I'd like to also cast pure lead balls, as my muzzle-loader is a .53 and no one sells .526 balls commercially, which are my most accurate with a .010 patch.

Hornaday makes a 520 ball which runs very well in my 53 cal Hawken. kR

[Hoosegow Hank #21444]

Griff, if you decide to get rid of the old pot let me know. I would be interested in buying it.

[Lefty Dude, SASS # 51223]

Griff;

 

Next time you come thru our area, we will make a trip to Queen Creek to visit Magma. There casting furnaces are the best. You can use your existing Molds with an adaptor they make. They also make the Star luber/sizer.