Wax Bullets

[Flamingo]

I bought a bag of wax bullets, modified shells, and shotgun primers several years ago. I may start using these to do a little practice. I haven't shot many of them yet but they seem to function fine in my 6" Ruger Security Six. The shotgun primers are a little loud to shoot in the yard.

POI is about 2" below POA at around 5 yards.

67054

I don't have any ties to the business, but included the business card in case anyone has the desire to contact them.

[WDR]

I bought a bag of wax bullets, modified shells, and shotgun primers several years ago. I may start using these to do a little practice. I haven't shot many of them yet but they seem to function fine in my 6" Ruger Security Six. The shotgun primers are a little loud to shoot in the yard.

POI is about 2" below POA at around 5 yards.

67054

I don't have any ties to the business, but included the business card in case anyone has the desire to contact them.

Once upon a time, I believe there was an article in Popular Mechanics about how to modify revolver cases like that to accept a 209 primer, and how to make your own wax bullets. IIRC it also involved opening up the flash holes a bit. They may have also had a design for a bullet trap to make catching and recycling wax easier.

Speer has plastic bullets/training cases that are primer powered as well... Though they are uncommon, and currently OOS almost everywhere.

[RJ]

Very cool. I shot a Ruger Security Six with wax bullets in Tombstone Arizona once on our RV trip. No, it wasn't a shootout, but we did park 2 blocks from the OK Corral. :cool:

Paging Malamute.

[mtnbkr]

I'd be interested in learning how to open up brass to use the shotgun primers.

Chris

[BN]

I used to shoot rubber bullets in my revolver. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010651362 I just opened the flash hole a little and used pistol primers. The reason to open the flash hole was to prevent the primers from backing out. I also have some Speer plastic cases and bullets. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010623824

Looks like out of stock. :(

[Flamingo]

Here is a close up of the modified cases.

67066

[Malamute]

Very cool. I shot a Ruger Security Six with wax bullets in Tombstone Arizona once on our RV trip. No, it wasn't a shootout, but we did park 2 blocks from the OK Corral. :cool:

Paging Malamute.


Wax bullets used to be a bit better known. I recall an old NRA article about best methods for using them. I think they used flat blocks of 1/2" paraffin and cut the bullets out of the block with the case, then set the primer afterwards, as trapped air could push some of the wax slugs out. I think they mostly used regular primers and drilled the flash hole out. Ill see if I can find the article.

I recall they fouled the bore badly in a few rounds, there may have been some way to help reduce that. It was fun for very close range practice in the garage or basement. Hanging cardboard, towels or rugs would stop them. I believe the wax brushed out easily with a bronze brush FWIW.

I have some of the Speer plastic cases and bullets somewhere.


I was in Tombstone once, back in the early 80s Az was no concealed carry at that time, as most states were then. Open carry was OK, and not particularly troublesome for the most part if one didnt act or look too wild. Walking down the street we were informed it wasnt legal to open carry in Tombstone. Only town in the state with such a law, still in effect from the time of Earp. Not long after the State of Az changed the laws to preclude local preemption of state firearms laws, finally nullifying the ban on carry in Tombstone.

[Malamute]

Hey look,

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2010/4/12/how-to-make-and-reload-wax-bullets/


You dont even need real reloading tools, a simple decapping rod and base, and a basic hand priming tool like a Lee Auto prime is all thats needed tool-wise.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012829041

[Sal Picante]

Ya'll are crazy... Wasting perfectly good primers on f'n WAX BULLETS?!

Just shoot an airsoft! https://www.evike.com/s/?q=revolver&x=0&y=0

[spyderco monkey]

In 'No Second Place Winner' by Bill Jordan, when he wasn't advocating planting alibi guns, he had an extensive section on Wax Bullets, which he used for the majority of his training. Details were provided on how to make them and how to practice best with them.

Bill could hit an asprin tablet from 5 paces, quick drawing from the hip, with a wax bullet.

He even had a special electric target for practicing indoors with his wax bullets. As I recall, a timer would activate a 'clown nose' red light in the siloutes head, indicating the time to draw and fire.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51riA73jLLL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Begin page 82:
https://archive.org/details/No_Second_Place_Winner_Bill_Jordan/page/n81/mode/2up

https://i.ibb.co/4Z8TFt6/Screen-Shot-2021-02-05-at-8-11-49-PM.png

I've often though that Wax Bullets would be ideal for training using the ultralight pistols like the 340, as the lack of recoil would allow a otherwise impossible level of practice (few would be willing to bang out 200+ a day .38's out of an 11oz revolver.)

[Sal Picante]

In 'No Second Place Winner' by Bill Jordan, when he wasn't advocating planting alibi guns, he had an extensive section on Wax Bullets, which he used for the majority of his training. Details were provided on how to make them and how to practice best with them.

Bill could hit an asprin tablet from 5 paces, quick drawing from the hip, with a wax bullet.

He even had a special electric target for practicing indoors with his wax bullets. As I recall, a timer would activate a 'clown nose' red light in the siloutes head, indicating the time to draw and fire.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51riA73jLLL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Begin page 82:
https://archive.org/details/No_Second_Place_Winner_Bill_Jordan/page/n81/mode/2up

https://i.ibb.co/4Z8TFt6/Screen-Shot-2021-02-05-at-8-11-49-PM.png

I've often though that Wax Bullets would be ideal for training using the ultralight pistols like the 340, as the lack of recoil would allow a otherwise impossible level of practice (few would be willing to bang out 200+ a day .38's out of an 11oz revolver.)

What would Jordan think of airsoft, UTM, Sims, and cool-fire trainers, I can only wonder...

[Flamingo]

Ya'll are crazy... Wasting perfectly good primers on f'n WAX BULLETS?!

I have 1K shotgun primers that I bought just for these (I think I paid 25ish bucks for them).

[358156hp]

Wax bullets used to be big business for training back when primers were a penny a piece or so. I have one of the old Pacific (pre-Hornady) wax bullet loading tools, it's really very well designed for the task. I'll see if I have any pics of it. It's still around here somewhere, so it wouldn't be a problem to get pics if I don't already have them.

[spyderco monkey]

What would Jordan think of airsoft, UTM, Sims, and cool-fire trainers, I can only wonder...

He'd probably love them if he could find a training partner willing to be shot over and over by his 0.27 second hip fire draw. :cool:

Jelly Bryce was another shockingly fast hand who would have been crushing training partners with Simunitions:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d1/9e/04/d19e04547957973b81374dc894dc4801.jpg

In 1945 Life magazine did a photographic study of Bryce dropping a coin, drawing, firing and hitting the coin before it passed his waist. Experts determined Bryce was able to draw and make that incredible shot in two fifths of a second.

[ronin0829]

We used to make bullets out of hot glue in a bullet mold. There is also this, foam earplugs...https://youtu.be/luoW2M23rg8