Have read a couple of negative evaluations about the bottom pour valve in the Pro 4-20. Has anyone had good or bad results using this melting pot. Thinking of buying one.

K-Hornet , I bought one several months ago and it works fine for me. I have cast several thousand .357 bullets with it and no probs yet. It did dribble a bit at first but I just had the flow rate set a little bit to fast. I'm using wheelweights + 2% tin for an alloy.

Hi K-Hornet,

I've got one which I have used alongside the RCBS Promelt.

The Lee unit does produce bullets that are at the end of the day no worse than the RCBS pot, however I do find it harder work with the Lee the ergonomics just aren't as good.

The infamous Lee drip just drives me up the wall.

Also the RCBS has a stainless crucible so should last longer especially if you use marvellux for fluxing.

However if funds are tight then the Lee has to be a viable option, I just feel that its a prototype and the final version will come along, probably not as Lee has to make compromises to come in at such low prices.

For me these compromises are just too much and I prefer to pay the extra for better quality, whether the RCBS is worth that much extra is subjective.

The RCBS life time warranty however is supposed to be top notch.

I've never yet needed to use it however on any of my RCBS products so cannot comment first hand on this.

Thanks for the info. Have had a Lee Production IV 10 lb bottom pour for yrs and have dealt with the drips. Your comment on marvellux is interesting because I have been using it for awhile now and have noticed my pot getting really scuzzy. Both Lyman and RCBS have always been fast and helpful dealing with problems with their equip. Have had a question into Lee for sometime now and still no anwser. Will most likely go with the Lyman or RCBS. Thanks

Hi K-Hornet,
Have the Lee 20 pounder with the high stand and it leaked so bad at first, I thought it was going to have to be sent back but now after having owned & used it for a few months, no more drips. I rotated th eneedle enough to smooth things out I guess. It works fine now.
Newtire

I have a Lee bottom pour pot, had it for about a year and really like it. When it drips I usually use a paper clip up the nozzle for a clean out and rotate the needle and everything is fine. I too used marvellux and got the scuzzy effect.

What is the best way to clean the pot out, or do you just leave it, don't use marvellux anymore and gradually skim all the crud off over a period of time.

John

I just scrap the side as the pot is heating up and get most of the junk out of the pot that way.

Well I switched again and ordered a new Lee pot. My old one is a bottom pour and 20 yrs old and still going. I just scape the scuzz off the sides with a spoon I drilled full of holes for fluxing. Going to continue to use Marvellux when melting WW down in old pot and save the new pot for bullet casting only.

I had a Lee sold it to a friend and bought the RCBS promelt. They both drip I put a small cast-iron pan under the Pro-Melt to catch the drips. I think the RCBS may be made better but I can't honestly say it realy a better pot it just cost more. It all depends on how much you use it. I scrape the sides with a putty knife to get the crud loose and use flux then skim off the top with the same putty knife. Works for me.