Linotype bar question

[Static line]

I have a bar here. The man at the recycling plant told me it was Printer's lead. The bar weighs 21 pounds and is 2 feet long and 2 inches in diameter with a flat bottom and split at one end like it fit in something or was made that way for some kind of use. Is anybody familiar with this type of bar and is it Linotype as quoted ? It is hard and I can't mark it with my fingernail.
Can I use this in making cast bullets for my 45-70 and adding a certain amount to pure lead or WW lead. I haven't cast any bullets at all yet because I am still learning and getting my equipment and supplies in order.I might have a chance of getting more of this stuff if it is worth using.

[Defcon-One]

It should be Linotype!

Here is a picture to compare yours to (shape varies some from mold to mold):

106908

[Hardcast416taylor]

From your description of the lead bar, that matches what the lino bars look like that I have gotten and used over the last 50+ years of casting. The split end you mention is how they lifted the bar so it could be added to the lino print machine melting pot. Yes, it is a hard lead and won`t scratch as you found out. It can best be used by blending it with other leads like pure and of course wheel weights to make it last longer. Some casters use it straight for attempting higher velocities loads. There are many blends of this lead with others listed in Lyman manuals and other places on this web site and many others. A simple asking for a alloy mix on this site will result in offers of help for you. Good luck with the .45/70.Robert

[Beagle333]

Can't tell without testing.... but it sounds like a linotype "pig". If it is lino, it casts very well with its 4% Sn and 12% Sb, but has no expansion on game, and it isn't a good choice for steel targets, or light/midrange loads. It isn't good for a 45-70 but it is more expensive (usually) than lead that is a good choice for it. So if you can get it at a good price, you might swap some for a greater quantity of alloy that will perform well in your 45-70, or perhaps you can find a quantity of softer lead and mix your own desired alloy. :cool:

[Static line]

Yep,that's exactly what my bar of Linotype looks like,just like in the picture.

[Static line]

Humm, I'm thinking maybe 1 to 1, or 1 to 2 Lino/pure lead mixture. What say ye for a hunting bullet ?

[Defcon-One]

Some basic info. on Linotype Alloy:

LINOTYPE (4/12/84):

An alloy with 4% tin, 12% antimony, 84% lead. The alloy will give a flat cooling curve line. Very slight variations with some thermometers may appear to give a flat. Turn off heat, make same measurements as for lead. Eutectic linotype flat is at 465 deg F.

Melting point is 462 deg F.

**********

Actually, you can test it yourself.

1.) If you don't mind breaking up the bar, then you can firmly tap the hook end on a concrete floor. If it is Linotype alloy, it will ring like a bell and one of the wings will break right off with very little effort. (It is that brittle.)

2.) Examine the broken end of one peice and you should see a grayish silver crystaline structure that looks like shiny medium grit sand paper. That is the animony crystals and it is consistent with real linotype.

3.) Melt the wing that broke off. Using a pyrometer to check the melting temperature. It should melt at 462 deg F.

If it fails any of these tests, then it is probably not the real thing. My bet is that it passes them all.

Please let us know,

DC-1

[Defcon-One]

A 1:1 Lino/Pure Lead mixture gets you Magnum Alloy also known as Hardball alloy. It is way too hard for hunting!

At a 1:3 Lino/Pure Lead mixture you get 1% Tin, 3% Antimony, 96% Lead. A great pistol alloy. That may still be too hard for hunting with your .45-70. I'd use it for target shooting up to about 1800 fps in a .45-70.

Tell us what you want to do? What game your hunting, range, velocity, bullet type and weight and someone will be able to tell you what alloy to make and use!

[Static line]

Defcon-One,
Thank you. The gentleman that sold me the linotype bar gave me a couple pieces that he broke off the end of one of the fingers of the hook. It is as you described but I will check it out further when I melt it.
Having never cast even one bullet yet,as I am still getting all my ducks in a row and still have equipment coming by UPS even as I type this,I am trying to pick up lead hear and there.I do have some COWW's and also ingots of pure lead.The pure lead is in ingot form as I already melted that down because I wanted to get familar with the fluxing procedure and playing with the temperature control.I just happened across this Linotype bar and bought it without knowing anything about it.I thought maybe that I could add it to lead to come up with something usable for target or hunting.My main game is Whitetail deer,My rifle is a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun. The bullet moul is a 405 gr.RF,GC by NOE. I may even consider a 350 gr. RF,GC also,fewer grains making my alloys last longer.Since I have WW's and pure lead as well,I am figuring on 50/50 mix with those for a hunting bullet also.Probably the longest distance I will care to even try a shot on a deer is 100 yards with 30 to 50 yards being the norm.I am hoping to use this linotype bar since I already paid for it and make a reasonable and usable hunting bullet with it.If I can't then so be it.I'll hang on to it and wait and see if one of my friends in my SASS crowd will trade for some WW's.

[Defcon-One]

I also have a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in .45-70. I shoot mostly jacketed bullets right now and have only played with the cast in the 325 grain range, RN plain based, for purely target loads. I have an RCBS mold in 405 gr. RNFPGC and will be working with it in the future. (The Gas Check will let you push the velocities a bit more for hunting.)

With a bullet that heavy on Whitetailed Deer, you can just rely on mass and shoot a harder alloy if you want. It will punch right through like a muzzleloader bullet does.

I am hoping someone with more experience with this gun, load, application will come along and give us both some good advice.

But either way, keep your Linotype alloy. It is getting harder to find and is worth at least twice what your other lead is. With Linotype, 50/50 Solder and a bucket of wheel weights, you can make just about any alloy for any application. It is a key ingredient for future experimentation. I'd keep it and use a little at a time, as needed, for the Tin and Animony. The solder gives you Tin only, when you don't want to add more Antimony.

Tin is for toughness and castability!

Antimony is for Hardness!

Linotype has both, the solder just has the Tin.

[largom]

For my 45-70 guns I use an alloy of 50/50 WW & pure with about 2% tin added. I shoot the RCBS 405 gr. boolit with Felix lube as only as fast as my shoulder will allow. Have taken many Whitetail Deer with this boolit and none move more than 20 yards after shot. I use this boolit & Cal. when hunting in areas where I don't want the deer to run onto neighbors property.

Larry

[Defcon-One]

Thanks Larry! That is about what I figured. That's pretty close to 2% Tin, 1.5% Antimony, 96.5% Lead.

10 lbs. COWW
10 lbs. Pure Lead
0.77 lbs (which is about 12 oz.) 50/50 Solder

Will get you there!

Static line: You might want to try 0.55 lbs. of the 50/50 Solder to balance the Antimony and Tin at about 1.5% Tin, 1.5% Antimony, 97% Lead and save some Tin.

I'd just save the Linotype for High powered rifle cast bullets or mixing alloy when more Antimony is needed!

Take care,

DC-1

[osteodoc08]

I also have a 1895GS and used it along with an Accurate 460400L to take a doe in 2012 using COWW. Went in at .458 and came out a little larger. She ran a short ways and expired. I was using a stiff load of Varget. Worked just fine.

[Static line]

I sure do appriciate all of you replying to my post and running the numbers for me.My old math skills are not as reliable as they once were and it's nice when somebody with the hands on experience comes along and makes things very clear.I believe I have all the supplies and equipment needed now to start casting bullets and I even scored some more COWW's yesterday already sorted out form the zinc and steel WW's.I am sure anxious to get started. I hope that in the future , I will be able to contribute something to others as you have contributed to me.I sure do like Castboolits and it's members.

[tygar]

I have a bar here. The man at the recycling plant told me it was Printer's lead. The bar weighs 21 pounds and is 2 feet long and 2 inches in diameter with a flat bottom and split at one end like it fit in something or was made that way for some kind of use. Is anybody familiar with this type of bar and is it Linotype as quoted ? It is hard and I can't mark it with my fingernail.
Can I use this in making cast bullets for my 45-70 and adding a certain amount to pure lead or WW lead. I haven't cast any bullets at all yet because I am still learning and getting my equipment and supplies in order.I might have a chance of getting more of this stuff if it is worth using.

Why can't I ever come up with that stuff. I can't even find WWs.

[Static line]

Why can't I ever come up with that stuff. I can't even find WWs.
Lol, I guess I was lucky and that isn't usually the case for me.My old boss told me that he knew a friend had some WW's and told his friend to give me some.Well,his friend works at a recycling shop but all he had was 16 pounds of COWW's in a bucket but the printers lead was there on the floor and we were tripping over it.Since I didn't even know if I could use it or not,he just gave me one and charged me 50 cents a pound for it.I told him if I could use it,I might be back for more.That is still in the air as far as I can figure.I'd rather spend my money on something I can use.There I go again,saying stupid stuff like that.God only knows,oh and the wife too,how well I can just blow my social security check.I keep this up,I am going to have to go back to work.My old boss is already begging me to.

[mold maker]

Linotype is an investment like gold, only cheaper to buy. You'll eventually use it, and will soon have to pay foundry prices. That stuff has been out of use (printing) for quiet a while.
I've only got 6 pigs left, and am looking.
Magnum pistol and rifle loads almost require it.

[62chevy]

Lol, I guess I was lucky and that isn't usually the case for me.My old boss told me that he knew a friend had some WW's and told his friend to give me some.Well,his friend works at a recycling shop but all he had was 16 pounds of COWW's in a bucket but the printers lead was there on the floor and we were tripping over it.Since I didn't even know if I could use it or not,he just gave me one and charged me 50 cents a pound for it.I told him if I could use it,I might be back for more.That is still in the air as far as I can figure.I'd rather spend my money on something I can use.There I go again,saying stupid stuff like that.God only knows,oh and the wife too,how well I can just blow my social security check.I keep this up,I am going to have to go back to work.My old boss is already begging me to.


Linotype is an investment like gold, only cheaper to buy. You'll eventually use it, and will soon have to pay foundry prices. That stuff has been out of use (printing) for quiet a while.
I've only got 6 pigs left, and am looking.
Magnum pistol and rifle loads almost require it.

See you already have a market for linotype here you just need to get 10 more post and you could sell it easy in the S&S section. I think you could sell all in one day for around $1.50 a pound maybe more.

[Static line]

See you already have a market for linotype here you just need to get 10 more post and you could sell it easy in the S&S section. I think you could sell all in one day for around $1.50 a pound maybe more.
Lol,trust me my friend. I am far from being a salesman.Everytime I sell anything it is usually at a loss.You know what I mean if you have ever tried to sell a gun in order to justify buying another one.I even sold a 1962 Chevy Impala for $600.00 one time just so I could hurry and buy a different car.Really big mistake.Your handle reminded me of that.

[RogerDat]

Hard to miss if you can get lino at 50 cents and sell it for $1.50 plus shipping in a US Postal flat rate shipping box. Lino is hard enough to break into short pieces that will fit in the FRS box.
Lino can be used to create many different recipes of lead alloy so it is the reserve lead of choice for most people since it can be used to sweeten most lead into better lead.

[62chevy]

Lol,trust me my friend. I am far from being a salesman.Everytime I sell anything it is usually at a loss.You know what I mean if you have ever tried to sell a gun in order to justify buying another one.I even sold a 1962 Chevy Impala for $600.00 one time just so I could hurry and buy a different car.Really big mistake.Your handle reminded me of that.

I know the feeling of losing money on cars but did make some on one car and broke even on another and thats after 40+ years of buying cars. Gun never sold one and to buy one just have to make sure the Wife wants one get it for her and then she feel guilty and lets me buy one. LOL

[tygar]

Hard to miss if you can get lino at 50 cents and sell it for $1.50 plus shipping in a US Postal flat rate shipping box. Lino is hard enough to break into short pieces that will fit in the FRS box.
Lino can be used to create many different recipes of lead alloy so it is the reserve lead of choice for most people since it can be used to sweeten most lead into better lead.

You bet, I'd be a buyer of a "lot" of it.

I also had an Impala but mine was a 63, I just had to have the 327.

The only car I really made money on was my 57 Tbird. It was a nice 3 that I just had to "upgrade" & wound up with a 1 that I couldn't drive anymore. So sold it just before the 08 crash & made out OK.

Had a lot of collector cars but consider I have done well when I can say I almost broke even & got to drive it for x amount of years. lol

Sure would have liked to have been smart enough to get a 70 Hemi Cuda, instead of a 69 318 ***.

[Static line]

You bet, I'd be a buyer of a "lot" of it.

I also had an Impala but mine was a 63, I just had to have the 327.

The only car I really made money on was my 57 Tbird. It was a nice 3 that I just had to "upgrade" & wound up with a 1 that I couldn't drive anymore. So sold it just before the 08 crash & made out OK.

Had a lot of collector cars but consider I have done well when I can say I almost broke even & got to drive it for x amount of years. lol

Sure would have liked to have been smart enough to get a 70 Hemi Cuda, instead of a 69 318 ***.
Should have,would have, could have.I think the saying goes something like that.I got back from the Nam and paid cash,$2800.00 for a 67 Chevelle SS 396. Now there was a car.
I still might check and see if he still has the Linotype but funds are a little low after buying stuff to cast with.Nothing quite like jumping in with both feet.

[M99SavNut]

Bought this from a local thrift shop awhile back, represented as Linotype. This has a similarity to the ones shown in one of the first posts primarily due to the eye at the top, tho' it does appear to have been poured in an ingot mold somewhat like the ones I use for my lead, but a lot longer. It weighs 23 pounds.

Do these photos strike any chords with any of you? And how would I tell (or find out) what it is - cut a piece of it off, melt it, record the temperature at which it melts, do a hardness test, or???????

Thanks for any help you can give.

Jess

(My first attempt to add photos to a post - my apologies for the duplication)

108390108391108390108391

[madsenshooter]

That's lino, go back to some of the earlier that tell the melt temps and such.