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Thread: Who hunts with linotype? Is it for the speed?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master LAKEMASTER's Avatar
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    Who hunts with linotype? Is it for the speed?

    I have been hearing chatter of a people using linotype for hunting when using bullets with a fat metplate, like the 411041 and the like I suppose. Most people say it shatters when it hits bone, some say it don't.

    Do any of you out there use it for hunting for a specific reason? Or is it a speed game?

    I've seen linotype shot into trees or lumber, there's no deformity when recovered, I can see that being a benefit when you have a .240 metplate.
    Lake Havasu City... Born and raised

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Many years ago I had a buddy who liked to cast RN linotype boolits and shoot them at targets that had a sand backing and recover them. Said, like you, that they could be reloaded and shot again. He wouldn't hunt with them. I've cast and shot boolits out of my 45/70 nearly that hard and they could be reloaded, too, after digging out of the dirt. But I am not inclinded to hunt game with them either. Meplat or not, I like boolits to have some mailability when they strike. Must be all those decades shooting pure in Muzzleloaders.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I wouldn’t hunt with a hard non expanding alloy. Did a couple of years ago by trial and error. I had no blood trails along with hard tracking jobs finding 2 out of three deer over a 100 yards away that I double lung shot. Boolit sized holes in and out. Both bled out internally. IMO it’s like shooting them with an arrow with a field point or FMJ. It will still kill deer. I just use soft alloy so I can watch my deer drop in its tracks or within sight. The 3rd deer dropped on the spot because I hot ribs on the way in. The rib bones shattered like a fragmenting boolit. The deer still kicked around for 15 /20 yards before dying. No more hard alloy for hunting EVER for me. This year I’m using 7.8 Bh 16:1 pewter and pure in a HP.

    Here’s a good read for you with my hard alloy with photos of exit holes…

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...my-devastators!!!
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-17-2021 at 09:18 AM.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    For general shooting at paper or steel targets I generally use wheel weight alloy. I would normally use a softer alloy for for hunting but there are some special cases where a harder alloy would be advantageous i.e. where greater penetration is needed. I used linotype for this .585 diameter, 525 grain bullet to take a Cape Buffalo. The first shot was a slightly angling frontal shot at 20 yards. The bullet cut a deep crease across the heart and stopped in the paunch. The nose deformed but only lost seven grains in weight. The bull went about thirty yards and was down but not dead. I put two more from right to left through the chest to finish him. I used the semi-wad cutter design rather than a round nose, which would have increased penetration, as I wanted tissue damage as well as decent penetration. The bullet on the left is as cast. The one in the center is a .308 diameter.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    BIG OR SMALL I LIKE THEM ALL, 577 TO 22 HORNET.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Cracking engine blocks and Elephant skulls….and Cape buffalo is a perfect application IMO. ^^^^im jealous!!!

    Oh…and a under a grizzly bear’s chin when it’s on top of you.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I would think if you get a brain shot your good to go, but there is a reason why hunting with full metal jacket ammo is not legal for hunting game animals.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    I do not change my alloy for hunting, I use 7,2,1 for matches, and all general shooting. That is WW, Lyno, Chilled lead shot. The bullets when water dropped are hard. I change the mould and caliber thus the bullet shape to match the game, the cartridge and capacity to push the bullet. The 30s are good, the 338 give more application and the 44s and 45s fit most any application over a deer size critter. A big flat point in the 45-70 does the trick on most things. If that does not work, I do have a 458 Lott for a truck gun.
    “There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
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  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    A bigger caliber doesn’t make up with using a non expanding bullet. I’ve shot deer with a 375 RUM using max load book data and a 260 grain accubond. Loaded well over 3,000 FPS. Both deer ran over a 100 yards with NO blood trail what so ever. Both were shot standing still perfectly broadside. I hit both of them an an inch behind the front shoulder center mass. They both were double lung shots when I autopsied them. Had the same issue with a 180 grain accubond loaded in a 30-06 at 2650 FPS. The deer stood and looked at me after I hit it through both lungs…like it wasn’t shot. I could see it bleeding where I hit it. Next shot, I aimed high shoulder to hopefully backbone it. The deer dropped like it was paralyzed. I thought it was dead at that point. I walked up to it 10 minutes later and it was still alive looking at me. I quickly finished it off and swore off Accubonds. All these deer were shot the first year accubonds came out. I don’t know if they’ve changed construction since and I don’t care. I haven’t had the same expired with a bullet’s performance till I used a 15.4 BH non expanding HP boolit at 1750 FPS out of my 77/44. If I use a core loc or ballistic tip in the same 180 grain weight and velocity 99% of my deer drop where stand with the same shot placement or within a few feet. Those accubonds are horrible for thin skinned game IMO.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-17-2021 at 12:36 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    I wouldn’t hunt with a hard non expanding alloy. Did a couple of years ago by trial and error. I had no blood trails along with hard tracking jobs finding 2 out of three deer over a 100 yards away that I double lung shot. Boolit sized holes in and out. Both bled out internally. IMO it’s like shooting them with an arrow with a field point or FMJ. It will still kill deer. I just use soft alloy so I can watch my deer drop in its tracks or within sight. The 3rd deer dropped on the spot because I hot ribs on the way in. The rib bones shattered like a fragmenting boolit. The deer still kicked around for 15 /20 yards before dying. No more hard alloy for hunting EVER for me. This year I’m using 7.8 Bh 16:1 pewter and pure in a HP.

    Here’s a good read for you with my hard alloy with photos of exit holes…

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...my-devastators!!!
    Exactly!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by farmbif View Post
    I would think if you get a brain shot your good to go, but there is a reason why hunting with full metal jacket ammo is not legal for hunting game animals.

    Here in North America I can't think of an animal that I would use solids on. That said I do want penetration for deer, elk and similar animals where I hunt. From my experience exit wounds from expanding bullets leave a better blood trail than those that stop inside the animal. I've tried many different brands and types of bullets and my preferred one, at this time, is the Nosler Partition. I've had very few animals drop at the shot. And when they did there was a lot of bloodshot meat to deal with. I shoot them to eat and bloodshot meat isn't all that palatable to me. Your experience may be very different than mine. Now from the other side of the world there are numerous examples of FMJ bullets bending and rupturing when fired in to large animals such as elephant. And an expanding bullet most likely would have not worked at all. So there is a place for hard non-expanding bullets that penetrate deeply, but not necessarily here in North America. The new homogeneous solids are much more reliable than the old steel jacketed ones and have saved many a PH's and clients life when the stuff hit the fan.
    BIG OR SMALL I LIKE THEM ALL, 577 TO 22 HORNET.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master


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    There's good places to use non-expanding bullets, but generally what most people use for rifles, it is not. Personally I'm not even impressed by them in 44/45 calibers. 50 caliber is kind of the breaking point. Elk Hunter's 58 caliber is a good one to use solids in, although his did deform/expand somewhat. 20, 16, 12, and 10 gauge shotguns, I definitely want a slug that does not deform, as they are overflowing in bullet diameter and power, but expanding slugs can throw penetration out the window if you aren't careful. Slug design is the main factor there though, and you can have pure lead slugs that penetrate very deep.

    I've shot linotype into stuff, but not an animal. I don't see why it would be a problem, I don't see anything that they are overly brittle. I do think that if hardness is the game, a heat treated COWW is superior in every metric. Less brittle, heavier, harder, cheaper. I don't think using straight linotype has a purpose in todays world that I have found. It's great mixed with pure lead, a little goes a long way.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Never saw an alloy heavier than pure lead (at least ) that I could afford !/Ed

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Here’s an example of “softer” alloy I used on a deer…

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...n-HP-group-buy!

    Bang flop!…it was AWESOME!!! Best reward yet with a cast boolit I made myself!!! The load i used is in my avatar to the left. It drops deer quicker than a 180 grain speer hot core loaded around 2450 FPS.

    I’ll sacrifice a little meat to watch a deer drop on the spot or within sight. I hunt 78 yards off my property line so I can’t afford to get a runner.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-19-2021 at 09:47 AM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    A bigger caliber doesn’t make up with using a non expanding bullet.
    I wouldn't be too sure about that. If they could speak, there's a couple truckloads of dead deer that would tell you the Brenneke slugs I shot them with didn't expand, but killed them quite handily, and quickly!
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

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  15. #15
    Boolit Master LAKEMASTER's Avatar
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    My WW are soft enough that if I drop them off my 32" tall table they deform when they hit the ground. I air cool them after casted and air cool them after powder coating
    Lake Havasu City... Born and raised

  16. #16
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    I usually cast from WW and they are hard enough to be shot into a rock of wood then split out resized and shot again. Three times before I lost one bullet. With 44 mags, 45 Colt and 45/70 all I use now is WW. I have used linotype and kill as well as WW, bang flop. Then pull out the k life and go to work. If you have only linotype use it with no second thought.
    Steve

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master
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    this year I am trying air cooled wheel weights and monotype
    bout a half a handful to 15# of ww
    powder coated of course
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I was also told by a very reliable handloader and caster that
    he had some very dismal results from using str8 linotype and
    recommended against its use for hunting
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  19. #19
    Boolit Master LAKEMASTER's Avatar
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    So one of the sources that I heard the linotype for hunting expressed that it was a bear load for a longer distance shot situation. The shot was never fired. But he claims it was recommended to him from the guide who casts. But the bear he ended up shooting was with his 31141
    Lake Havasu City... Born and raised

  20. #20
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Straight lino can be very destructive for hunting. Fine, if you like bloodshot meat, and a missing quarter.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check