Wax bullets for practice?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Read years ago about using wax bullets for close range, indoor practice with your revolver using just the case and a primer.....push the primed case over a cake of wax and your set to go!
Anybody ever done this? Any problems with it? Cleaning was out of the barrel a problem?
Thanks in advance.......

[buckhunter]

Yes, I did. I remember it being messy and not really worth the effort however it did make my wife and jump when I fired them in the basement. I believe it made cleaning a revolver a challenger. It was for me just a passing phase.

[Dan Morris]

As I remember this, you were to slightly enlarge the primer holes....MARK the cases so you do not reload em!!!!!!!!I only did this to about 25 cases......messy and I went back to reg wadcutters. Crushed the cases.
Dan

[Jack]

Speer used to sell the stuff to shoot plastic bullets- similar idea. I'm not sure if they still do.
On shooting wax bullets, my recollection is that you have to enlarge the flash holes, too, as Dan says. Otherwise the primers back out and lock up the gun. Those enlarhed flash hole cases shouldn't be used with a conventional reload.

[buckhunter]

Enlarging the primer holes. That what I forgot.

[skeet]

Originally Posted by Jack

Speer used to sell the stuff to shoot plastic bullets- similar idea. I'm not sure if they still do.
On shooting wax bullets, my recollection is that you have to enlarge the flash holes, too, as Dan says. Otherwise the primers back out and lock up the gun. Those enlarhed flash hole cases shouldn't be used with a conventional reload.

They still make 'em..only one they didn't make a case for was the 45. I shot literally 1000s of those things. Still have a bunch..still cheap shootin in the basement LOL

Wax ain't really that bad..

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Thanks for the input guys.....I remember the thing about drilling out the primer holes as well. Sounds like it would be a big PIA for me. Guess I'll just try to reload and get to the regular range more often!

[Dan Morris]

Ifn ya gotta shoot indoors, trick an ole AMU instructor taught me....
1. works better with a simi than a wheel gun
2. take a standard lead pencil...shim it up with tape till it centers in the bore.
3. make some ink imprints with the eraser on a sheet of paper
4. stand with the point about 1-11/2" from the paper...using the ink mark as a target ( will appx the sight picture of a 25yd pistol target)
5. cock/sight and squeeze trigger, firing pin will knock pencil forward into paper...the point marks will appx the size of groups at 25.Works great on sight picture and trigger control.

With a simi, this is a breeze with the wheel gun, ya gotta pull pencil forward to rotate cylinder (use only on single action)sounds simple...I usta do this for hours. Still, nothing beats live range fire.
Dan

[spike1]

I got rubber bullets from Dillons a few years ago. Just stick them in a primed case with your fingers and they are ready to go. I shoot them into a paper target backed up with a few old towels, then they fall into a box on the floor. I have reused them many many times over and they are still good to go. I have them for 38/9mm and 45 . I shoot in a large 2 car garage corner to corner so it is about 30+ feet. They are suprisingly accurate. You do need some ventilation, those primers stink with no powder to burn it off.

[Dale]

If you cast or get a mold you could make bullets from hot glue and use primers only.