recommendation for lead melting furnaces

[bradbn4]

I am looking for a good bottom pour lead furnace to try my hand at casting bullets. My volume will be 'low', but I rather have equipment that can do the job.


I have bullet molds, and a few 100lbs of lead to play with. I will be restricting my use of said equipment to warmer weather where I can do the work outside.

I will be casting for 45 acp, 38 cal, and maybe 300 blackout.

Budget for said hardware would be nice under 450

[earplug]

Buy a RCBS Pro Melt. Took me to long messing with dripping slow heating and wearing out several LEE bottom pour units before I got smart and bought a RCBS Pro Melt.
I'm in Widefield near Fountain if you want to try my unit and i'll show you how to powder coat your own stuff.
Bring lead.

[bradbn4]

I had been reading about the version II issues - not sure if I want to go that route. Those comments could be a few lemons that got out - but.

Thanks for the offer on the demo. .. The last time I cast was using a 2lb heater but only doing some civil war soldiers.

[earplug]

Ebay and google are your friend

[Grant H.]

I use a lee 20lb, and it's just fine for cheap.

I added a PID controller and thermocouple to make it more temp accurate, but that wasn't necessary.

I've cast thousands of projectiles at this point.

[encorehunter]

I have also used the Lee 20lb pot. Yes, it does start to drip over time. I just let it pile up a bit and then drop it back into the pot. I have easily poured tens of thousands of bullet out of it. A little counter top over with some flat trays works great for the powder coating, set timer and good to go.

[bradbn4]

so far for current production it seems that the Lee 20lb pot should work. So what sort of flux do people use?

I do have a 50 gift card to MidwayUSA - so that will be the location of at least one of the purchases.

Unless I can find a good used RCBS Pro Melt gen #1.

[earplug]

Buy once cry once. Forty years of LEE pots and the RCBS or a LYMAN will save you time, make better bullets and won't create a lead mess.
Cedar pencil shavings are my favorite flux. After that any candle or canning wax or oil.

[Little Dutch]

My experience is pretty limited. I have only ever used my two pots. Anecdotal evidence is the only thing I have to offer.

My main pot is an ancient Lyman model 61 that was old and well used by the time I was born. I use the crap out of it and it's never had any issues.

My secondary pot is a Lee Pro 4-20. I use it for casting my pure lead bullets, so it doesn't see nearly the use of my Lyman. So far, it's worked just fine, but it's probably seen less than 60 lbs of lead put through it.


For flux I usually use candle wax, simply because it's easy. I've used wood shavings in the past.

[Grant H.]

I use walmart tea light candles for flux.

Pull the aluminum off, pull the wick, and toss a chunk in. (Amount depends on whether I am making ingots in a dutch oven or casting bullets in my pot). 100 of them is like $3-4...

[encorehunter]

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/180646-Full-Pistol-Cast-Bullet-Kit-Various-Calibers

[Lazytrbar]

Just an FYI. I've got the Lee pot and a bunch of supplies over on the trading board right now including some dies, a bunch of wheel weight ingots, lube etc.

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/180646-Full-Pistol-Cast-Bullet-Kit-Various-Calibers