Best methods pouring round balls and/or gear recommendations

[K_P]

I've got the lead.
I've got the mold.
The bottom-pour melting pot backorder didn't come through.

I just want to pour decent round balls for my .50 cal flinter. Any suggestions for melting/fluxing/pouring the lead? I was drawn to the bottom pour mold based on some youtube videos. It seems the remaining impurities (after fluxing) would be on the top.

The down side (pun intended) is that it seems the valve/spout seem to be prone to dribbling.

I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance,

KP

 

[ord sgt]

I have both types of lead pots. First is a Lee 10lb bottom pour pot and second is a Lyman Big Dipper 20lb pot. I have found from reading and experimenting that pouring from a ladle produces a better roundball. The bottom pour pot produced balls with a small air pocket. I found these after slicing some roundball open. That air pocket makes the ball slightly unbalanced. The inclusion is usually small but it's enough to make a difference. I use the bottom pour pot for my modern bullets, using harder lead.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I have been casting round ball for national and international completion since 1978. Once issued "factory" swaged round balls for completion, I compared them to my own cast round balls. Consistency of roundness, weight, and accuracy was provided by cast round balls I have used one or two Lee bottom pour furnaces over the past forty years. Yes, from time to time they leak a little (use clean lead and turn the screw and they will stop) but I will consistently produce better round balls, faster, with less waste, with the bottom pour furnaces. A poor carpenter blames his tools. Learn to manage the tool. Right temperature, right alloy (or good soft lead), right pace of casting, and right sprues and VOILA: Great round balls. The same for minnies or other bullets. Cheat the sprue: get an air pocket. Cheat the temperature, get wrinkles and voids. Cast too slow: get inconsistent results. Get too hot: frosting. Do it right? Excellent, repeatable, consistent bullets for top scores. This hobby is not for the weak: do your homework and you will get great results.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Musketeer]

I use a Lee 10lb pot exclusively right now. Here are the instructions: Click Here Note their recommendation (second page under "Directions") about turning the valve rod back and forth with a screwdriver a few times to clear out the spout and stop leaks (also noted above by Bigfoot). It really works. Like Bigfoot said, you'll get the occasional drip, but a gentle back and forth wiggle with a flat head screwdriver in the slot on top of the rod will re-seat the rod and you'll be good to go again. The leaking/dribbling thing is way overstated, based upon my experience with my pot, so don't let that keep you away.

 

[deerstalkert]

i set a ingot mold on the bottom pour furnace apron and cast above it. any drips and dribbles, plus cut sprue covers are caught in the mold. starts piling up it goes back in the pot.

 

[Woody Morgan]

I use a Lee 10lb pot exclusively right now. Here are the instructions: Click Here Note their recommendation (second page under "Directions") about turning the valve rod back and forth with a screwdriver a few times to clear out the spout and stop leaks (also noted above by Bigfoot). It really works. Like Bigfoot said, you'll get the occasional drip, but a gentle back and forth wiggle with a flat head screwdriver in the slot on top of the rod will re-seat the rod and you'll be good to go again. The leaking/dribbling thing is way overstated, based upon my experience with my pot, so don't let that keep you away.

Agreed. I'll add that every now and then completely empty the bottom pour pot and dump the dust that settles to the bottom. It will jam up the nozzle if you don't.

wm

 

[Jaegermeister]

I’ve been using my bottom pour Lee Production Pot for many years without any difficulty. A little practice and coordination goes a long way for sure. Once you get in the groove almost all of them are keepers.

 

[Musketeer]

Another tip: every so often you'll get a bit of something in the spout that will impede the flow, so when you lift the handle the lead will come out in a weak dribble or at an odd angle or not at all. The couple times this has happened to me, I've used a bent paperclip to push up into the spout from the bottom while lifting the handle. This has totally cleared it both times. Make sure to bend the paperclip so your hand isn't directly under the spout and wear thick leather gloves and safety glasses (I do all the time while casting anyway) when doing this.

 

[Don Steele]

Based on my experience casting both modern alloyed metal bullets and lead roundballs I'd have to say that ADK Bigfoot and Musketeer have covered it pretty well. I'm going to add a coupla thoughts:
1.) Don't put anything but scrupulously clean lead in a bottom pour pot. I do all my cleaning and smelting operations of newly acquired "raw material" in a cast iron vessel on a Coleman stove that allows me to produce ingots that don't contain all that manure that clogs the spout and causes folks to hate bottom pour equipment. When I DO get any kind of interference in my spout, the bent paperclip quickly resolves it. Periodically I empty the pot completely, allow it to cool and scrub out the interior, including the "drain assembly", rod, spout etc. with steel wool and a wire brush on a drill to get the entire internal surfaces back to "like new" condition.
2.) I strongly recommend using a thermometer so you KNOW what the temperature is and are maintaining it at a level that gives you the best results.
3.) I use a bottom pour pot and have found that a field expedient cover made of several layers of heavy duty aluminum foil helps keep the temperature in the pot consistent without having to adjust the thermostat through the casting session.
4.) Years ago I was reading a similar thread on a bullet casting website. One of the contributors, whose name I have forgotten admonished readers to get everything right...then "go like hell". Before anyone gets their panties in a wad...that doesn't mean to be reckless or UNSAFE. What he was saying was use a smooth, consistent procedure for every bullet. Do them all the same way throughout your casting session. Don't Fiddle around, don't allow distractions or interruptions.
After a run of roundballs has cooled I inspect and the weigh every one. For 50 caliber, my acceptance range is +/- 0.5 grains. For 40 caliber it's +/- 0.1 grain. While many folks say it doesn't matter, I still do it. The critical side of the weight range of course is to make sure there are no "lightweights" in the run. Those would be the balls with air pockets.
5.) There's a lot to be added on the subject of Mold Care and Maintenance but this is already getting a bit too long without opening that can of worms.
SIDE NOTE:
In the latest edition of the NMLRA publication Muzzle Blasts (June 2021) there is a reprint of an article originally run in 2003 from our friends, The Bevel Brothers. It came as something of a surprise to me that in testing cast roundballs ( including addressing the age old question of "sprue up or sprue down) one of the unexpected results observed was that if you do everything right, cast excellent homemade roundballs with zero surface defects, weight graded to +/- 0.1 grain and carefully orient the sprue...your results on a target will be just as good as you can get shooting Hornady swaged balls straight out of the box.
Like "Bevel Up", I've always believed swaged roundballs weren't as good as my carefully home cast. Guess we can all still learn.

 

[Eterry]

Lots of good info, but no one answered the OP's question.

I cast my first lead ball on December 26, 1979. I had gotten a CVA Kentucky rifle kit and a .440 mold for Christmas. I didn't know anyone who cast bullets, was 14, and lived way out in the sticks.

Mom drove me to Gibson's Discount Center and bought me a small cast iron skillet and a large ladle.

We went home and I got dad's Coleman gas stove, fired it up, put some scraps of lead flashing in the skillet and tried to "Run Ball".

Mom forbade me to cast in the house, i set out in the open on top of the wellhouse. I quickly realized that i needed a confined space as the wind was playing havoc melting the lead. Once inside the smokehouse and out of the north wind the lead quickly melted. I managed to pour from the ladle, but it wasn't easy. I didn't know what flux was, but i skimmed off some junk floating on top. I cast about 50 balls in a couple hours, they were so shiny the kids on the bus thought they were silver and I got called in the principal's office for carrying bullets to school. They thought an 8th grader ought not behave in such a manner.

The takeaway is humans have casted lead balls for centuries before the electric furnace was invented. Simply use your imagination.

In college I used the kitchen stove in my efficiency appartment. I don't recommend that but it got the job done and I got my deposit back.

Use gloves and eye protection and some common sense and you'll be fine. If you skim the dross off the top you can get by without fluxing.

Now go "Run Ball"!!!

 

[andy52]

Set your temp on the Lee 10lb to about 5 or 6, place the mold on top of the unit to heat the mold. Make sure your mold is well smoked. Skim any impurities off the top with a spoon or ladle, I flux with a small amount of bee's wax. If your pot starts to drip a little and it will just twist the stem a few times to remove any blockage. I've cast 1000s of balls and bullets it just takes time to get the hang of it. The only issues I've had are overheating the lead, don't let it turn blue on the surface, and underheating the mold the balls will have a layered effect if the mold isn't hot enough.

 

[Bnewberry]

More years ago than I want ti count I did a lot of casting using a Coleman stove, a think aluminum pot and a dipper with candle stubs or paraffin wax for flux. There is no magic or secret, you will have to learn what works with your setup.

Ok, one secret, a bit of tin in the lead helps fill out the mold better.

 

[Bassdog1]

Guys have this covered very well. I always lay my mold on top while lead is heating then cast about 10 balls that go right back in the pot to make sure mold is up to temp. My pot seems to run right setting the temp gauge between 4 and 5. I don't shoot competition so I visually inspect and sort out defects. Good leather gloves, safety glasses long pants and leather shoes are a must or you will eventually get a nasty burn.

 

[mooman76]

Consistence is the keep and probably most important thing. If you are not consistent in what you do the RBs will not be a consistent weight so whether you bottom pour or ladle cast get a routine and stick to what works best. Other than that the others have passed on good advice.

 

[josie wales]

I use a Lee 10lb pot exclusively right now. Here are the instructions: Click Here Note their recommendation (second page under "Directions") about turning the valve rod back and forth with a screwdriver a few times to clear out the spout and stop leaks (also noted above by Bigfoot). It really works. Like Bigfoot said, you'll get the occasional drip, but a gentle back and forth wiggle with a flat head screwdriver in the slot on top of the rod will re-seat the rod and you'll be good to go again. The leaking/dribbling thing is way overstated, based upon my experience with my pot, so don't let that keep you away.

I have been using the Lee 10# pot for 40 years and Musketeer is 100% right on. Keep a screw driver right next to you and make sure the valve rod is centered with the pour handle.

 

[tenngun]

Lots of good info, but no one answered the OP's question.

I cast my first lead ball on December 26, 1979. I had gotten a CVA Kentucky rifle kit and a .440 mold for Christmas. I didn't know anyone who cast bullets, was 14, and lived way out in the sticks.

Mom drove me to Gibson's Discount Center and bought me a small cast iron skillet and a large ladle.

We went home and I got dad's Coleman gas stove, fired it up, put some scraps of lead flashing in the skillet and tried to "Run Ball".

Mom forbade me to cast in the house, i set out in the open on top of the wellhouse. I quickly realized that i needed a confined space as the wind was playing havoc melting the lead. Once inside the smokehouse and out of the north wind the lead quickly melted. I managed to pour from the ladle, but it wasn't easy. I didn't know what flux was, but i skimmed off some junk floating on top. I cast about 50 balls in a couple hours, they were so shiny the kids on the bus thought they were silver and I got called in the principal's office for carrying bullets to school. They thought an 8th grader ought not behave in such a manner.

The takeaway is humans have casted lead balls for centuries before the electric furnace was invented. Simply use your imagination.

In college I used the kitchen stove in my efficiency appartment. I don't recommend that but it got the job done and I got my deposit back.

Use gloves and eye protection and some common sense and you'll be fine. If you skim the dross off the top you can get by without fluxing.

Now go "Run Ball"!!!

I’m with that. I melt a pound or two at a time in a small ‘ash tray’ cast iron pot. My very first pot was one of the Danish Christmas cookies tin. KISS

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I just cast some .445 RBs this morning. I use a Coleman stove and cast iron pot or pan to melt, wax flux, clean my lead. I use a muffin pan to pour ingots. I use a Lee 10lb bottom pour production pot with my clean lead only. I tried to clean lead in it once what a mess, never again. One tip with the Lee always leave it, full of lead and let it cool when done or it will leave a thick rust ring. When I pour in my Lee 2 cavity molds I don't press up against the spicket, I find it doesn't fill the mold well. I just hold it about a 1/4" below it and slowly pour into each hole. I get a nice shiny round ball with a flat sprue.

 

[Scota@4570]

The 20# Lee bottom pour leaks less than the 10#. The 20# has an adjustable mold support. The 20# manages the heat better. I have both, have had half a dozen 10# pots, the 20# is better in every way.

 

[Eterry]

Maybe I read the OP's post the wrong way... but I THINK he's saying he DOESN'T Have a Lee bottom pour pot cause it's on back order, and wanted to know what to do in the meantime to cast some round balls... am I right or wrong????

 

[K_P]

Eterry is correct--I don't yet have any way to melt lead for casting bullets. I was seeking advice for what seems to work best and I'm really appreciating everybody's input. Thank you all!