Linotype?

[Gordyf]

Hi all
New to the forum, a C&R collector, and am putting the stuff together to start casting for my .45,.357 and the .38 super for now. Maybe the rifles later, I have an 1898 Springfield (Krag) and others.

I gotta know about Linotype. Does anyone really use that for printing any more??
Seems to me I last saw that stuff on an elementary school field trip to the local newspaper. May still have the cast letter around someplace. I won't tell anybody how long ago that was. I guess it makes good bullets. I have been told.
What are folks using for a supply? old scrap or new alloy from a supplier. Is it a generic for a specific alloy?
Just curious. Recently got my first pail of wheel weights from the local tire shop and am on a roll.
You guys are a fount of great information.
Thanks and Aloha

[cbrick]

There could some small print shops around that have the old presses and use it but I don't know of any, it is getting pretty hard to find. Yes, lino is a specific alloy of 84% LEAD, 12% antimony, 4% tin. It can be purchased new, I think Roto Metals sells it but it would be pricey. If you need an expanding hunting bullet it's not the alloy to use, 12% Sb is a lot. Yes, it makes a beautiful bullet but hard at about 22 BHN.

Your WW's will be good for the calibers you mentioned, separate the stick-on and clip-on weights, they are a different alloy.

Rick

[Riverrider2]

There is plenty of old Linotype metal around. Being a printer that specializes in letterpress, I am very familiar with lead. I have about 100 lbs of scrap lead. I like to shoot, so I put 2 & 2 together, and decided to start casting bullets. I've yet to make a single cartridge, but that will happen once I find powder and primers.

A question about the hardness. In Linotype metal too hard for a 32 H&R Magnum boolit? I've cast a couple of hundred of them, but have seen info to suggest that it is too hard.

[Case Stuffer]

New to casting ,perhaps start here

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?110213-From-Ingot-to-Target-A-Cast-Bullet-Guide-for-Handgunners

or perhaps here

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?104024-Top-10-Cast-Boolits-tips

or here

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?116741-If-you-think-so-try-this

or here

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?108966-Hardness-Matters


My point is there are numerious Sticky threads with really great info in them and most basic questions can be answered doing some fairly basic Searches.

[cbrick]

Welcome to CastBoolits Riverrider2,

There may be plenty of lino around you but there are a lot of folks here that would love to know where that is. It's been getting harder and harder to find for several years, I hadn't found any for long I just gave up looking for it. It's a great boolit alloy but most people use it to sweeten softer alloy or straight lead for the antimony & tin content & consider it a waste of a hard to find alloy to use it straight. Also 12% Sb is a lot and many including me consider it too brittle for many uses.

It would be harder than needed for the 32 H&R Magnum, it would probably be wise to save your lino & use it for increasing the Sb & Sn of soft lead such as lead pipe, roofers lead etc, what ever you can find. Would it work in your 32 H&R? Sure with good boolit fit in your firearm.

Rick

[Defcon-One]

...In (Is) Linotype metal too hard for a 32 H&R Magnum boolit?....

Doesn't matter cause it would be a waste, but it is too hard. I'd do 25% Linotype, 75% PURE Lead!

That will work and cast fine. It will make your Linotype go a long way and use up any Pure Lead that you have around (Like SOWWs). Or use COWW with about 0.5% added Tin.

Factory cast bullets use Hardball Alloy which is 50% Linotype, 50% Pure lead. That is as hard as you'll ever need.