Linotype lead

My main problem with wheel weights and soft bullets is just handling them and lubing them in a plastic container made a lot of little dents all over the bullets. I can't imagine this would be good for accuracy. Just dropping one on the floor makes a big dent and sends it back to the pot.

I'm casting 310gr 44 mag bullets
 
blacksmithden said:
Linotype is pretty much a thing of the past. When I say that, guys who are older than my 41 years ALWAYS have a suggestion where to find it (without buying it new from a metal supply place BIG $$$$). I've checked out plenty of their leads but I've never had any success. Things like "oh...you just have to go to a small print shop in a small town. Some small town newspapers still use it".....I have news. No they don't, and they haven't in 30-40 years. People either have no idea what you're talking about, or your'll run across an older fellow who remembers it, but laughs when you ask if there is any left around. I've never had a gram of real linotype in my hand. Wheel weights, melted down, cast, and dropped in water is all you need....and is probably the best you're going to get unless you're willing to pay through the nose for new, virgin alloy.
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Really???

I purchased real scrap Linotype by the ton in the early ninetys, not 30 or 40 years ago. Used straight it cast wonderful bullets in my Ballisti-Cast auto casters.

Linotype style metal is available from smelters in Toronto and , yes, it is expensive, what isn't these days?

:cheers:
 
Here's a plan.

Hand pick your "Best" bullets. Load and shoot them for group.

Load a batch of the regular ones, dents and all. Same.

Load a dozen or two dozen of the really beat up ones. Shoot them too.

See if you can tell the difference.

Most guys can't shoot accurately enough to justify the fuss that they put into being picky-picky over their bullets. Have you shot any of your cast yet? Got leading? No leading, no real problem, IMO.

Don't shake so hard! :D

Cheers
Trev
 
trevj said:
Here's a plan.

Hand pick your "Best" bullets. Load and shoot them for group.

Load a batch of the regular ones, dents and all. Same.

Load a dozen or two dozen of the really beat up ones. Shoot them too.

See if you can tell the difference.

Most guys can't shoot accurately enough to justify the fuss that they put into being picky-picky over their bullets. Have you shot any of your cast yet? Got leading? No leading, no real problem, IMO.

Don't shake so hard! :D

Cheers
Trev
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Right on!
If I have to pull a cast bullet I get a grip on it with side cutters and yank the press handle down. Of course, this makes quite a gouge in each side. I tried shooting them and they went into the same group as the "good" bullets.
 
I haven't shot dented vs Best bullets. That's a good idea. It will take until this weekend tell you how they shoot.

I've been using the Lee liquid alox to cover the bullet completely so I haven't had a leading problem. I only shot about 60 shots. They are accurate even at the 50 and 100 yard plates.

I have been water quenching all my bullets
 
H4831 said:
Denny, if you were close I would I would just hand you a bar, so you could no longer say you never had any in your hand.
I still have some bars from the long, little troughs they were in to melt in the press.
Oh yes, got these long after they quit using them, just had to ask one of the owners if he had any left. "Sure, I'll bring you some!"
I also have some pieces that were used and still have the printing on them.
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I just keep coming up short Bruce. I'd have a heart attack if I ever came across a large pile of it. I've been into every scrap yard, junk yard, and back yard between here and Timbuktu looking for the stuff with no luck. If I ever find any, I'll take/buy/trade for every ounce they have. For now, I'm stuck with wheel weights which are working just fine for me....which reminds me....time to strong arm some tire shops we deal with :D
 
blacksmithden said:
I just keep coming up short Bruce. I'd have a heart attack if I ever came across a large pile of it. I've been into every scrap yard, junk yard, and back yard between here and Timbuktu looking for the stuff with no luck. If I ever find any, I'll take/buy/trade for every ounce they have. For now, I'm stuck with wheel weights which are working just fine for me....which reminds me....time to strong arm some tire shops we deal with :D
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Try Alchemy in Hamilton, Ont.
 
I've still got 11 / 23-25 lb pigs left from a purchase I made several years ago. At a gun show I spotted it under a dealers table, and ask if it was for sale. The dealer said, "Heck Yeah for $10. each." (Sunday at closing time)
You can't believe how fast I came out with the money.
He even helped me roll it to my truck.
That was the best $340. I ever spent.
It doesn't take a lot to add enough antimony to the WW alloy so that water dropped bullets are as hard as you want for pistol or rifle.
As stated above anything over 2% tin is a waste. Tin does little to harden an alloy, it's use is to make fill-out easier.
 
The dented bullets shoot good groups compared to to the perfect bullets. There were some of the dented bullets that strayed 2 or 3 inches away at 25 yards bench rest but I can still hit the plates with them no problem. For target shooting I'll use the perfectly shaped ones.

I would still like to try some 50/50 solder to harden them but I also want to keep the cost down.
 
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