Rowell No. 2 Ladle

[Tony]

I've decided to purchase a Rowell No. 2 ladle for the bulk of my casting. I'm also thinking about getting a Rowell No. 1 for casting .22 and .25 caliber bullets. What do you guys think?

 

[gman]

Looking at a #1 myself. That holds a pound of lead. I'm thinking that's more than enough to fill a mold plus the sprue.

 

[Rick]

I've decided to purchase a Rowell No. 2 ladle for the bulk of my casting. I'm also thinking about getting a Rowell No. 1 for casting .22 and .25 caliber bullets. What do you guys think?

Hhmmm . . . . I think that is exactly what Rick uses. #1 for two cavity small bullets and the #2 for all other molds. Been working perfectly for me for many years now. I also have the #5 for the 100 pound smelting pot but it's actually over kill most of the time.
.

 

[Brad]

I use a #2 for everything. Even the little Lee 22-55gr 6 cav mould was poured with it. So I put a half full ladle back in the pot, does it matter?

You can fill even a 6 cav 420 gr 45-70 mould with one ladle full.

I listened to Rick, for once......

 

[gman]

A #2 it is!

 

[Tony]

Rick,

I recall reading on the CB forum that you used and recommended the No. 2. I did not know that you also used a No. 1 in much the same way I'm thinking about. Live and learn.

Thanks guys!

 

[Ian]

#2 and drill the hole out a little, and take a needle file and vee-groove it on the "bottom" side of the hole so the stream doesn't flatten out.

 

[Brad]

Can you take a photo of that Ian? I think I know what you mean but want to be sure.

 

[Ian]

I would but I loaned to one of our mechanics to cast sinkers. I won't be doing any ladle casting again until winter time, when I drag out the big pot and propane burner.

What I did was go inside the spout hole and round it a bit with a drill, then on the bottom lip I notched the inside bottom lip with a triangle needle file. Probably all you need to do if the thing was cast well and doesn't have a bunch of flashing inside is clean it up with a 1/4" rat tail file and then notch it. It doesn't take much notching, mainly a nick to break the bottom lip.

 

[freebullet]

I picked up a #2 last summer per Rick & Brad's advice. I still make volume bullets with bottom pour but, when you get the cadence right the ladel makes very nice bullets.

 

[Brad]

I really haven't noticed that the ladle is any slower than the bottom pour. I do think I get better bullets with the ladle and that is what matters. I do know I can control mould temp far better with the ladle with small bullets in particular.

 

[Rick]

Ladling is slower BUT with fewer rejects ladling it isn't much slower.

 

[Rick]

I've never seen a need to modify any of my Rowell ladles with only one exception. I did shorten the handle by cutting it off and re-threading it to screw back in. The #2 handle was just too long for my liking.

 

[Pistolero]

I started casting with the little Lee "spoon ladle" thing, and it was no problem.
I have done a bit of ladle casting with an RCBS ladle, mostly from a pure lead pot
for HB .45-70 bullets. Should the #2 Rowel be significantly different than the RCBS
ladle in results or ease of use?

Can somebody clarify what I should expect to see different from working with my big RCBS
bottom pour pot? The modest bit of ladle casting I have done doesn't seem really much
different from the bottom pour, just slower and less convenient. Not implying that there
are no benefits, just that, in my ignorance, I haven't stumbled upon them, need some
education.

Bill

 

[Brad]

Bill, a Rowell #2 holds well over a pound of lead. The ability to hold the mould over the pot and pour HEAT in to the mould is amazing. The advantage is multifaceted.
The excess lead flows back into the pot. By pouring lead into the cavity then continuing to pour lead over the sprue plate and hole means you can add heat to the mould at will. This also means the sprue is the last part of the bullet to solidify. I have an NOE 314640 RG4 mould. It is a pain in the ass to get the pins hot enough to get good fill out. I refused to use it for this reason. Got the ladle and tried it and got many good castings. The difference is the ability to use heat transfer to an advantage. Try pouring 1/4 pound of excess lead over the mould once the cavities are full with a bottom pour. Makes a heck of a mess and drains the pot fast. With a ladle the excess flows back into the pot! Sprue are far smaller too as the plate is hot and excess flows into the pot.

I use my ladle in an RCBS bottom pour pot. Works quite well for me.

I get better bullets with most moulds with the ladle and it isn't any slower as far as I can tell. Calculate the keeper rate and I bet I get more bullets in the same time.

 

[Brad]

Here are a couple of photos for consideration.

My Rowell #2 and a Lee ladle. Tell me which holds more?
I can fill every cavity of a Lee 6 cav 460420 mould and have extra in the ladle. It would be tough to fill a single cavity well with the Lee.

This is a Lee 2 cav mould INSIDE the Rowell #2 ladle.

 

[Pistolero]

I cast a whole lot of bullets from my Lee 38-105 SWC mold using the Lee spoon-ladle back
in the middle 70s and didn't know any better. They looked and shot fine.

I had never thought of continuing to pour to keep the sprue plate hot. Sounds interesting.
I have pressure cast by putting the RCBS spout against the sprue plate and turning them
together. Seems to really force the alloy into the mold.

I guess I will have to give it a try, the pouring over the mold idea, I mean.

Bill

 

[Brad]

Another nice thing about these ladles is the design, it pours lead from the bottom of the ladle, not the top. No fear of dross in the ladle getting into the mould.

The cost is very reasonable and they are very well made.

 

[KHornet]

Great ladle, bought mine on Brad's recommendation. Don't use it often, but when I do
I much appreciate it.
Paul

 

[Pistolero]

OK, I just ordered Rowell #2. Will see how I like it when I get it.
Thanks for the info.

Bill