Alloy question

[mart]

First post here guys, so be gentle. I have been casting for several years. I cast mostly wheel weight bullets for range work and small game but have 1/2 ton of linotype that I have cast some heavy LBT 41 and 44 bullets with. I hear conflicting stories about how brittle linotype can be. I now live in Alaska and carry a sidearm while fishing, birdhunting and hiking. I guess I am looking for some advice on linotype. I use a handgun as weapon of opportunity and expect to take a moose or bear with it some day. Has anyone got some real world moose, bear or other big game experience with linotype? If it is brittle, would it benifit from the addition of 2% tin? The few I have recovered from dirt banks sure didn't appear to be brittle but my experience with cast bullets on big game is limited (one whitetail, one cougar). Neither of which, although expired quickly, slowed the linotype down enough to tell if it was brittle. Thanks in advance for the help. Mart

[454PB]

I also have a lot of linotype. I've never shot anything as tough as a moose with cast bullets, but some deer and smaller critters. However, I have done some penetration testing and also recovered bullets from range testing. I'm guessing that a straight linotype bullet fired at 1500 fps would penetrate without shattering unless you hit a really heavy bone in a really large animal. Even jacketed bullets will shatter in that kind of application. When I had my own shooting range, I had a stand with 3/8" steel gongs hanging from 1" heavy walled pipe. All handgun bullets shattered, but the straight linotype bullets actually turned to dust. There was quite a "ditch" cut at the bottom of the gong stand from this. Softer cast bullets flattened out to 3/4" round disks, and most then broke into pieces.

My .454 Casull loads will shoot completely through a 6" diameter of green wood, so I'm guessing they would penetrate the heaviest bone found in a moose or elk. These loads utilize a 320 grain cast gas checked bullet at 1500 fps, cast of an alloy of 75% wheelweights and 25% linotype.

The only bullets I cast from straight linotype are used for rifle applications at over 2000 fps. In my opinion, using straight linotype for handgun bullets is a waste of an alloy that is becoming hard to find.

Adding tin to linotype won't soften the alloy to any measureable extent, and linotype already contains more tin than necessary for good casting qualities. In addition, using straight linotype lightens the bullet considerably and also makes them harder to size.

[BruceB]

Once upon a time, when living in the Northwest Territories, I had an inexhaustible supply of linotype, and MANY big critters running around.

With straight-linotype boolits, I experienced some bullet fracturing in places I didn't expect, like in logs in a firewood backstop, and in green trees. I simply made up an alloy of 1/3 pure lead to 2/3 linotype and never had another problem.

With that alloy in our .44 Super Blackhawks in the form of Lyman's 429244, we killed some big animals, including my wife's bull moose and numerous finishing shots on caribou, moose and Wood Bison.

I would NOT, repeat NOT, carry straight-linotype bullets for situations where heavy game might be involved. They might do just fine, but for my peace of mind I would most definitely cut the lino with some lead to add ductility....not for expansion, but for cohesiveness. Even adding maybe 40% wheelweight metal instead of lead would help a lot, and still be hard enough for non-leading ammo, etc.

[Wayne Smith]

Mart

Think of this from the other end. A 16-1 bullet @ 1200fps will shoot completely through a bison and exit the other side. This is the Sharps alloy that killed thousands of bison. Even if you have the linotype, why use it alone and take the chance? Even the fact that you asked the question is reason to alloy it. We know that softer alloys work, and work well.

In short, 'taint necessary. Alloy it down to something that you know will work and quit worrying.

[mart]

Thanks guys for the great information. You gave me much to ponder.

I run my loads about 1200-1300 fps in 41 mag, 44 mag and 45 colt. When I shipped my household good up here 3 years ago, my wife thought I was crazy to ship 2700 pounds of lead with it. It was split about evenly between linotype, wheelweights and pure lead. I have not been shooting handgun much the last three years till just recently. I started a friend and new shooter down the road of handgun shooting, so am shooting a lot more again.

He is showing great progress with 44 special loads and light 44 mag loads and the Lyman 429421. I am casting like crazy to keep ahead and enjoying it more than ever. Sometimes starting a new shooter is just what a guy needs to get inspired again.

All this casting and shooting activity started me thinking about the linotype that I have been carrying as my big critter load. I will alloy some with some pure lead and give it a go. Thanks again for the advice. Mart

[snowwolfe]

Just a thought to add. Using the Post offices "flat rate" priority air mail boxes you can get up to 70 pounds of alloy shipped anywhere in the USA for the bargin price of $7.70.