Melting and pouring lead for BP pistol

[Scimmy]

Excellent, all good stuff. Many thanks all.
Anyone know of good purveyors of the tools required. I've got together some crude basics but anything for the easy life!

[Smokeless Coal]

I use a camping gaz stove and various stainless pots for melting and a large stainless spoon as my ladle fitted in a wooden handle.

By far the most important thing missing comment so far is Ventilation.

Lead fumes are toxic, continued exposure causes these toxins to build up and take years for your body to get rid of, if ever. They affect your brain and give a headache that just does not go away.

Dont melt Lead indoors and make sure fumes are not in your direction.

I melt mine in my shed. I wear a face mask fed with air through a flexible hose from outside. And have an extractor fan drawing Lead fumes and carbon monoxide from the burner away from me and outside.

The fine oxides in the air around you can be absorbed by the skin so get changed and shower as soon as possible afterwards.

[tim56]

I use a 10lb Lee electric pot with pouring spout at the bottom. Works a treat but you do have to clear the pouring hole occasionally or the flow gets too slow and the lead starts to go off in layers. I have used it for approx 8 years to make .357" .45" and .577" bullets as well as several sizes of round ball. Only problem so far is a heating coil that burnt out, £13 off the internet to replace. Round ball and smaller size bullet molds are the Lee ally ones but bigger .45 postell and .577 bullet molds are steel ones made by lyman. Steel takes longer to get to working temp but seems allow the bullet to cool down slightly slower so is less prone to shrinkage and blow holes in the finished bullet.
As has been said above. Ventilation is VERY IMPORTANT. Lead poisoning is not recommended. I cast in the garage with the main door and the side door open which sucks the fumes out and even use an electric fan to help clear the air. Allways wear goggles and gloves.

[LONG REACH]

Hi Tim,
I think I may have the same pot as yourself, is the box section that supports the pot rectangular ? unlike the later ones that are hexagonal. I've just replaced the pot, coil, thermostat and the lower platewhere the spout pokes through (got a bit close with the torch when trying to clear the pouring hole, coz it wouldn't heat up properly because of the knackered thermostat , but even with the little problems it's still good. had it ages, but still can't find the perfect setting

All the best
Baz

[davederrick]

I always cast outdoors in the open air. But be careful, if its starts to rain, even slightly, any water entering your melt will explode molten lead everywhere.

[tim56]

Hi Baz. If you go to the Lee web site at www.leeprecision.com and look at the melter section mine is the production pot iv with 4" clearance. Like yours mine can be a bit tricky to get the temp just right but after using it for a while you get used to it. I certainly have to be carefull not to point the fan i use to clear fumes at it or it will go cool on you. I think if i was going to replace it i would probably go for the bigger 20lb model with the bigger element as this would probably be less prone to tempreture problems and i could get a few more big old .577s out of each pot full.
Take care, Tim

[LONG REACH]

Hi Tim
I've just had a look at the melters on the Lee site, mine is a much earlier model, as I said in my previous post, the pot support on mine is a rectangular box, where the IV pot is hexagonal. I bought mine from another BBS member and he didn't know which model it was, so God knows how old it is, but the part for your model still fit mine (with a bit of manipulation here and there )
Lee said the parts were OK for my IV model, because basically they're the same, except for the pot support.
I think I might get the larger melter, as you suggested, because I'm thinking of buying a Sharps Buffalo copy, in .45/70 cal, also a .45 cal Hawken and there's a .44 cal Pietta Remington 1858 Buffalo (blued with a brass body) and a .36 cal Euro Arms Remington 1858, for the wife (in stainless steel) both with target sights, we're getting from a couple of club members, to make amunition for, so I definately think a bigger melter is in order
Can't wait to be able to apply for our tickets, not long though, the end of next month, that's when our probation with our shooting club ends.
So hopefully we should be sorted by about April, as thats the sort of time they're taking to issue them around here, in Carmarthenshire, well that's what our Police liason officer has told us.

Bye for now !

All the best
Baz

[robinghewitt]

I wear a face mask fed with air through a flexible hose from outside.

Did you know it's not possible to eat enough lead to kill you in one sitting. I've been casting it for years without any ill effercts sghrhd htf dc....