Ladles best not so secret

Roger Allen

Roger Allen

Active Member
my Lyman ladle wasn't pouring fast enough giving me a terrible full on the barrel bands prob as you can or could see on my 311299 Picts. It made bullets that would work but occasionally I'd get a small swirl mark on the nose that's no biggy....but the bands were slightly rounded at lube grooves

Thought I was going to have to get a Rowell no 1 but I don't have the cash to get one so I looked what can I do to fix what I got?

Drill out hole to 3/16th !!!! Instant success!!! I poured so much heat that I didn't have a single failed bullet it was beautiful.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Yep, had to drill both my Lymans to make them work properly.

Save your pennies and get a Rowell #2, and when you get it, take a triangle file and cut a groove down the middle of the spout so it will shape the flow into a smaller, more "aimable" stream.
 
Roger Allen

Roger Allen

Active Member
I heard the Rowell no 2 doesn't fit too well in a lee 20 lb'er.

I went from having rounded bases at times and rounded/slightly rounded drive bands to having bands sharper than a Russian boxer's chizzle line jaw.

This did however increase my nose dia by a touch. It's favoring .3015 or so now. I'm sure it's no trouble at all considering the ease of loading .301 noses and the fact I'm not powder coating these
 
Roger Allen

Roger Allen

Active Member
Lol. Prob not going to use a Dutch oven to cast bullets. Just to render.

Never know though. If I used a Dutch oven I wouldn't have to worry about pouring the heat into the molds as it just drips and runs back into the pot
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Try it once. The best bullets you can cast come from soaking and dipping a #2 ladle into 60-80 lb of molten alloy held at a constant temperature.
 
Roger Allen

Roger Allen

Active Member
If I could only get a buddy to come over when I have that thing cranking I could be running 4 molds at one time making bullets for the next 5 years!
 
3

300BLK

Well-Known Member
Rowell #1 fits in a 20# Lee or Lyman, but I still prefer an old Lyman ladle with the spout drilled out. RCBS ladle holds more than the Lyman, so can provide more head pressure and capacity if needed. The need for head pressure is often a symptom of inadequate venting.
 
Eutectic

Eutectic

Active Member
You guys are casting using a method my father called 'dribble casting'! You'll do very close to fine if everything is hot enough.... I cast usually, using what Pope, old timers, and my father called 'pressure casting'. A Lyman ladle is put against the mold in contact sideways and the mold and ladle are rotated to pour... This will give you the most uniform castings by weight. But..... Some molds won't tolerate this method. You may get seam flow, base flow, or vent flow. With a mold being nasty like this I'll dribble cast as hot as the mold's quirts let me. An experienced caster will learn that every mold has what it likes and what it doesn't... kinda like people!

This is from someone trained in century old technology!:eek: But it was good enough for Harry Pope...

Pete
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I use a Rowell but don't put the spout on the sprue plate. I like about 1-2" of drop for the lead before it enters the cavity. I want lead in hot and fast. I also keep pouring lead for a 2 to 3 count after the cavity is full. Mould a stay nice and hot this way.
 
I

Intheshop

Banned
I wore out a Coleman 2 burner camp stove with an RCBS pot and ladle making handgun bullets.I shot 15k,140 g Lee swc in a Python......in one season/year.Amongst other moulds/cals/guns.Never had a problem getting "A" quality fill out.Used that setup for years.Range lead mostly.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
It's not the arrow, it's the Indian.

It isn't always the mould, sometimes it's the caster. Poor technique with a great mould gives bad bullets. Great technique, on the other hand, can often overcome a poor mould.
 
I

Intheshop

Banned
I won a pretty big traditional archery tourney one time....years ago with a slightly bent Easton gamegetter out of a '74 Bear Super Kodiak.It was one of those days where I could've been throwing rocks and every shot was a 10.This is before 3D archery got cleaned up.Very much,run what ya brung.That old bow,now sporting custom $$$ paint,was then just about as ghetto as it got?Little did we know that shooters would warm up to the idea of "old school" equipment.

I was at a bigass shoot last weekend....Smith bros archery was well represented.So the boys tell me.....but I'm standing at a blanket sale with all this,jaw dropping,classic examples of the 60's and 70's cool bow stuff....

Some guy starts ooogling over my,million mile,vintage 1970 1/2 Bear takedown under my arm.The boys said I never looked up,not in a rude way(they assured) but,in a.....I just don't care,this is how we roll way.

The point being,put enough miles on any pce of equipment and,you're on your own.I don't need any validation....I especially don't need someone telling,my bow is too valuable to shoot?
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Both?
The mould does play a role, things like adequate venting and lack of burrs, etc..
The caster can overcome many of the moulds shortcomings thru technique. Learn what the mould needs. Rhythm, pouring technique, alloy changes, and other factors play a huge role in bullet density.
Ultimately the caster has the greatest impact on bullet density and quality.
 
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I

Intheshop

Banned
Eutectic,check out compressibility as it applies to aeronautics.Yes,it's fluid dynamics....but past that.

Launch is everything.In bow world,cause we're a touch slow,haha.....it's called the critical time.It's that point where the brain says,launch...and where the arrow is clear of your bow.

It's exactly the same shooting cast(JB's pretty much don't exist)...think lock time,and brrl time,positive compensation,etc,etc.

My boy,Byron Ferguson claims,and if you ever want to get humbled....shoot with a pro trick shooter...that 3 shots is about all he can focus on.So,statistical analysis aside....3,REALLY good shots with a CB rig,ain't the end of the world.
 
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