Lead melter

[s.stimson]

I’m going to have to purchase a lead melter so that I can start casting my own bullets and shotgun slugs, what is the benefit of 20lb melter vs. a 10lb melter beyond the obvious extra melting capacity?

Also looking at the options there appears to be two brands (Lee & Lyman) any opinion on which is best? Is there any other brands I should look at?

Just as an additional thought, i will be melting old lead looking on a post further down the Lee pots seem to dislike gunk, any thoughts?

Cheers

[tim56]

Used a Lee with spout for a few years till i lost my rag with the dripping spout and pulled said spout
off with a big pair of grips. Welded a plate over the hole and used it with a ladle for a bit but due to
its small diameter i could only use the top part of the molton lead. Hence about 3 years ago i bought
a Lyman Big Dipper and its brilliant. Larger diameter pot means i can get to the bottom of the pot,
no drips, holds a good load of lead and only cost about £40 new. Brilliant. Use mine for .577 minnies,
45, 44, 357 and 303 bullets as well as 451 and 457 round ball, can't praise it enough. Tim

[steve medlock]

Have to say that if I'm using old lead, I do melt it beforehand and get rid of most of the oxide and rubbish and then pour it into a Lee ingot mould. I will then use the clean(er) lead in the Lee melting pot. Even so, you still end up with residue that has to be cleaned out from time to time.

Personally, I think the Lee pot has a spout with too small a hole in it and I've drilled it out a size which seems to be a fairly common mod.

Steve.

[s.stimson]

I'm nto hearing much of a positive vibe for the Lee bottom pour melter, think in that case it will be the lyman,

In regard to melting the scrap lead, what do you guys do this is/on? I have an old calor gas stove that uses the 4.5kg gas bottles, would that be any good?

[Graysmoke]

I melt my scrap range lead using a gas camping stove, portable and very quick...

Use this to make ingots with an ingot mould, then put the ingots in your electric pot melter.

- Tom

[airgunnut]

http://www.dx.com/p/300w-temperature...4#.U5b2ISgY6IB
this holds 5 pounds of lead