Posted: 4/24/2005 4:18:13 PM EDT
|
Does anybody know anything about or have any experience with wax bullets? I don’t get enough practice hand gunning so I was exploring ways to get a little more trigger time without having to go the range. I read about “garage practice” using various projectiles like plastic, rubber and wax propelled by only a primer, no gun powder. I did some looking around and couldn’t find any plastic bullets so I bought some rubber ones made by “X-Ring.” This seemed like the ticket but what a pain in the ass keeping track of the bullets. Wax bullets were easier for me, inexpensive and relatively easy to make using just wax and a primer. After a month or so of “garage range” practice my ability to hit my target has improved tremendously. (not to mention that it’s a blast) I’ve been shooting wax bullets for about five months now, experimenting with different types of wax and ways to make the bullets. I was curious if anyone out there had some experience with this type of thing and if so what were their thoughts/suggestions. |
|
Played a bit with wax. I didn't make em though. But I think the best are the Speer plastic bullets because they are reuseable. I don't think they make em anymore though. I've got 38s and 44s w/ special plastic cases and 45s that use a brass case. Good fun indoors. Powered by just a primer. Mostly good in revolvers but the 45s work well for 1st shot holster presentations. I've found all mine in those special boxes in the back of gunshops that usually contain ratty holsters and other unidentifiable useless tidbits. If you can find some pick em up I think you'll like them. Good luck. ETA Shows what I know, you can find them HERE. Gotta get some more now. |
i really wouldn't shoot an animal. i can penetrate several layers of cardboard easy. I used to shoot cans but I just get a bunch of torn up cans scattered around on the garage floor. |
|
I had some red wax ones a long time ago, using a towel draped over the "back stop" made them easier to find intact for remelting. If I recall, not much over 20 feet was max range with any accuracy. Then there was (is?) Speer target plastic cartridge cases with re-usable black projectiles in red cases. These were also primer powered and could be reloaded without tools, ensuring the bullet hits nothing hard to deform them, of course. I would imagine the wax would melt in the Texas heat, for sure in the sun? 
|
|
I have used the Speer plastic bullet and case a good deal in .38/357 revolvers but it has been a good number of years. The primary disadvantage is the bullets don't strike near your intended point of impact- it can be up to a foot low. A bullet catch was easy to make. I started with a cardboard box. Put your target in front, and then construct "baffles" out of old towels you staple to a wooden dowel. Hang a few "baffles" into cutouts in the cardboard box and you are good to go. The maximum range was only about 21 feet in my experience. You can deprime the cases with a nail or a punch, and press the new primer in on a hard surface. I used a piece of old countertop for that purpose. Wear your eyeguards- both when shooting the bullets and when priming/depriming the cases. The chance of a ricochet is pretty good and the chances of depriming a live primer (simple mix up) can happen too. Also, primers contain lead and you should consider ventilation as well as contamination. You might be surprised at how much lead "only" the primer will produce. Now, what to do with them? The real advantage for me was getting in practice using a holstered weapon. Add to that the ability to practice night firing exercises. Get in close, shut out the lights, and let fly. I also got a set of plastic bowling pins at a yard sale (kid's toy) and turned them into an adult toy with my homies. The downside was building a big enough bullet catch cause my friends couldn't remember to "aim high". The X-Ring rubber bullets are said to be way better in the accuracy department. The plastic speer bullets got pretty chewed up pretty quickly. I have never used them- make that 'yet', but the disadvantage to them is you have to use a regular brass case and open up the primer flash hole. I was concerned about those cases getting mixed up with my regular reloading brass, plus I was too lazy at the time to deal with it. It is time to reconsider. I could put a big "X" on the casehead with a file or color the cases somehow I suppose. Have fun, wear your eyeguards- I am not kidding about ricochets. Cheese 
|
|
Quoted: I would imagine the wax would melt in the Texas heat, for sure in the sun? I thought about that with all the wax bullets I sweep up on the garage floor. The wax I use is called hurricane wax and has a melting point of around 170 degrees so they will probably just get soft at best. |
|
If I had to make a decision I would say Yes, X-Ring is more accurate than wax. But it's not significantly better than a well made wax bullet. (wax has more energy on impact too) I think that the deciding factor for me is with wax I shoot and don’t worry about the bullet. I have several wasp and yellow jacket nests around the house that need an occasional ambush. If you shoot a rubber bullet outside it’s gone. If all you’re going to do is shoot at a box in the garage rubber could be the better way to go. I have shot some of my rubber bullets six or eight times now and they are beginning to show some wear. Don’t know how many actual shots I can get, more fun with wax. does anybody see how i'm struggling with this quote thing? |
| Couldn't you use a bullet mold to make the wax bullets? That would give you a larger bullet, and may offer a better shape for accuracy. Chilling the mold would help in recovering the bullets. Might be more work though. If I'm not mistaken those cowboy competitions, where they ride horses and pop balloons, use wax bullets. Anyway, might be worth a try, or more work than it's really worth. |
That’s what I thought so I got some of the kids play dough and carefully made impressions of a bullet and poured wax into them. I made about four and all of them were very inaccurate. It took more time than what it was worth too. However, I may be going about this wrong. So far the wadcutter seems to be the best and easiest. |
Well, not that there's anything wrong with that...
I was thinking that you could use the bullet molds, like the ones available from lyman. Check out Midway USA for bullet casting supplies. |
I've thought about it also, but I would shoot this stuff outdoors, otherwise you may contaminate your garage with lead compound residues from the primer. From my readings, something like 90% of the airborne lead is from the primer, primers are made from lead styphnate. |
I've thought about it also, but I would shoot this stuff outdoors, otherwise you may contaminate your garage with lead compound residues from the primer. From my readings, something like 90% of the airborne lead is from the primer, primers are made from lead styphnate. Amen to that. I’ve got one of those squirrel type fans set up to pull the smoke into the attic. If you don’t ventilate it will give you a headache and from what I’ve read worse. |
| When I was a young lance corporal several of the old salts who had been at Khe Sahn(sp?) during the siege were joking about the rat problem there. They were forbidden to shoot the V.C. rats with ball ammo for obvious reasons. They would pull the bullet from 5.56 and pour out the power. These guys put a "pinch" back in then press the case mouth into a bar of soap. The rats would die in great agony from the soap bullets. The drunken Sgt's and the CWO laughed themselves silly with the telling of this story. The sound effects of the rats "EEEEEEEE EEEEK!" and the diabolical grins were priceless. |
That sounds fun. 
|