Fun with wax...

[hkbob]

Anyone else try try this?
http://www.guns.freaksho.net/articles/waxbullets.html

Worked pretty well in my hands, even if the flash hole wasn't drilled out (less of a concern for semis than with revolvers I'd imagine). Of course it won't cycle the action in a semi...

Usual firearm safety rules apply...these things punched holes into a foam archery target and would probably do the same to your hide. It's probably not very healthy to breathe a lot of primer smoke either.

 

[gizzard]

dirtiest practice i have ever done.bought 1000 wax bullets, casings drilled for shotgun primers and started shooting. 10 rounds in and the barrel was almost closed.

 

[hkbob]

Wonder if there are different hardnesses of wax...I used the gulf wax you can get at the hardware store. I bet the shotgun primers pushed them hard too....

 

[Threeband]

Tried that years ago.

Very messy. Very smelly. Very smokey.

But fun, and worth trying.


I drilled out the flash holes on some .38 cases and put a sharp chamfer on the case mouths. That allowed me to press the case into the Gulfwax block, cutting and seating the bullet simultaneously. Then I would seat small pistol primers with the Lee tool.

Left huge gobs of blackened wax clogging the barrel. Smoke haze filled a room that smelled like 1000 birthday candles had just been blown out by 200 screaming rugrats at Chuck E Cheese's.

Everyone should try it.

 

[hkbob]

(Cough cough) yeah I would definitely recommend having the windows open and a nice cross breeze running.(wheeze)

But hey....cheaper than a suppressor/bullet trap combo!

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

This reminds me of the story about dumbass who was shooting "Glullets" and filled his barrel with hot glue... Pass to Fail.

 

[brackishfly]

Seen Silly Puddy in a 12ga. shell on taofledermaus youtube channel but I've never seen pure wax used before in any sort of firearm. Looks too easy to be burned by melted wax.

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

Would a heavy paper disc or wad behind the wax slug help reduce the mess?

 

[Threeband]

Wax bullets used to be widely used, especially by exhibition shooters and during the "Quick Draw" craze in the 1950s.

It is so low tech, so simple, that I suggest anyone with questions just give it a try. Go for it!

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Would a heavy paper disc or wad behind the wax slug help reduce the mess?

I can't imagine it. The reason I say that is simply because of all of the wax that still get's caught in the rifling. I can not imagine this wax slug being shot through a smoothbore for any practical reason other than watching it fly out and go... somewhere like a giant spitball. The barrel is basically getting rubbed with wax everytime the slug passes through. I see having to torch the barrel just to get the goop out regardless.

 

[Pinecone]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_bullet

http://www.waxbullet.com/

http://bearingarms.com/shooting-wax-bullets-diy-ammo-for-cheap-training-and-fun/

http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/

http://www.guns.freaksho.net/articles/waxbullets.html

 

[clay_shooter]

Mounted cowboy action shooters use wax bullets. Here's a supplier

http://www.banditshooting.com/

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_bullet

http://www.waxbullet.com/

http://bearingarms.com/shooting-wax-bullets-diy-ammo-for-cheap-training-and-fun/

http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/

http://www.guns.freaksho.net/articles/waxbullets.html

Thanks Pinecone. I actually read some of the links you posted. I guess build-up is of little concern if you afterwards pass a few leads through the bore. If nothing else you know your bore is well lubed.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Mounted cowboy action shooters use wax bullets. Here's a supplier

http://www.banditshooting.com/

I guess this my previous concern about wax build up:

[FONT=VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA][FONT=VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA]Chief Firewater Gun Cleaner for Wax Bullets
This gun cleaner safely melts wax residue from barrels, cylinders and actions. Cleans black powder and gun powder residue, grease, oils adhesives, resins, tars and dirt. This cleaner comes in an easy to use 8 ounce flip top bottle, and as a bonus it also has a nice smell![/FONT][/FONT]

 

[hkbob]

If the wax is hard, it'll flake off the barrel when you run a brass brush through the bore. And if you have polygonal rifling it comes out pretty clean

 

[Bolts Rock]

Wonder if there are different hardnesses of wax...I used the gulf wax you can get at the hardware store. I bet the shotgun primers pushed them hard too....

Yes, Jewelers use different hardnesses for different levels of detail carving when doing lost wax casting.

 

[Pinecone]

Think of the wax as additional bullet lube.

 

[md_rick_o]

A guy at work was telling me he was making hot melt glue bullets. He hasn't fired them yet but he was talking about how hard it was to make them.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

A guy at work was telling me he was making hot melt glue bullets. He hasn't fired them yet but he was talking about how hard it was to make them.

Yeah what a huge waste of time and hot glue. I made one for the hell of it out of my .45 cal muzzleloader mold and shoved it in a .45 Auto brass. I would never shoot that crap in my guns though, but, I just had to make some. I also a .357 gluelette around here somewhere.

The wax bullet concept just had me thinking it might contain something of a soft product that might cause gunk to build up, but, I can see hard candle wax pushing through no problem. and yes, I can agree with the extra bullet lube.

 

[Threeband]

When I tried this 25 years ago, I used blocks of Gulfwax paraffin from the grocery store. I just pressed the unprimed cases into the wax to form the "bullet" and seat it in one operation. Putting a sharp chamfer on the case mouths helps them cut the wax.

Didn't use no high falutin' store bought wax bullets.