Hi Joe,

Here are my exact words:

"Linotype mixed with anything creates mystery metal that may be good for volume-cast pistol bullets but will drive you nuts trying to make quality rifle bullets."

To me, "mystery metal" is any alloy with an unknown chemical composition. For example, your own mix of 50% Lino and 50% wheel weights is of unknown chemical composition and thereby satisfies my personal definition of mystery metal.

Once upon a time, a fellow shooter sold Linotype "pigs" at very reasonable prices.  Even though the pigs looked a little different from others I'd seen, I bought one, cut off a chuck and added it to my Lino pot.

The results were awful.  Bullet bases would not fill out and there were large visible voids on the exterior surfaces of the bullets.  I had to empty the pot, thoroughly scrub the interior, and refill with known Lino to once again produce quality bullets.

My conclusion was that my fellow shooter was selling bogus Lino pigs made with wheel weights or range scrap.

Both prior to and following that unfortunate incident, I've used only Lino and lead/tin alloys purchased from reputable suppliers; first from Arthur Green and currently from RotoMetals.

That's my story.  Nonetheless, I'm glad to hear that your 50/50 mix of Lino and wheel weights satisfies your needs.

JackHughs

westerner wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2020 at 2:17pm:


Good.  You have my sincere best wishes for future success.

Are those hard bullets more difficult to breech-seat than lead/tin alloy bullets? 

JackHughs

dave_j wrote on Apr 1^st, 2020 at 7:20pm:


Sounds like the problem is with your mold cavity rather than the metal alloy. BUE? Burr on the edge of the cavity?  Cavity off center?

Group was shot at 100yds. 
beltfed/arnie

Great shooting, hepburnman. I wish I was that steady nowadays. 
beltfed/arnie

Westerner
I hate to disagree with you but...On the internet I can find 3 different recipes for linotype. It should be noted that Linotype is not formulated for hardness but how well it worked in linotype and monotype machines.
Wheel weights are little better than pot metal Different companys use different formulas mostly depending on the cost of materials few if any pay attention to the published formulas. 
The only way to get good consistent Linotype is to buy it from a smelting house like Rotometals that will be consistent. Buying scrap is just that its scrap its been remelted countless times augmented by "enrichment bars" when the alloy became 'tired' in short saying linotype when dealing with scrap is like saying car.

40 Rod 

The "lino" I have came from a friend whose business was next door to one that still did typesetting. When they skimmed the dross they didn't bother to drain the metal off and it all went into buckets. He got the buckets and gave them to me. I would heat the dross up and recover the metal. I only used it for 22 Hornet bullets where it worked just fine.