Using Plastic Bullets with Powder

[cmort666]

Many years ago, "Guns" or "American Handgunner" ran an article about Sky Marshals and firearms and ammunition appropriate for use in airliners.

The author discussed the use of the Speer plastic bullets over an actual powder charge (Bullseye, I think) instead of just a primer.

Does anyone have a copy of the article or remember the actual powder charges (.38/.357 and .44Spec./.44Mag, I think)?

I looked for that article in my collection for about twenty years without success and eventually donated the majority of my back issues to my club.

Thanks.

[Krull]

No I don't but I have a few of those East German plastic training rounds,they have a powder charge though,work an AK action just fine and I doubt you'd want to stand in front of it!

[Spotteddog]

YouTube - Shootin' Shell 45 cap gun commercial ( Mattel )

[deadin]

I would think that using a powder charge with the Speer plastics I have would be a good way to plastic line your barrel.

[cmort666]

Originally Posted by deadin

I would think that using a powder charge with the Speer plastics I have would be a good way to plastic line your barrel.

That didn't appear to be the case in the article I read. Supposedly they shot quite well and the photos indicated a target effect in clay reminiscent of 20mm Oerlikon.

[mstuhr]

Hi Comfort,
There is an article with a guy pushing a 41 mag to the limits in the 1984 Gun Digest.
The felow is shooting bullet jackets with various core materials. He had one with a balsa core over 21.5 of Unique that ran close to 2300 FPS out of a 6" gun. It was in the 60-65 grain range for bullet weight.
Somewhere I have an article that used nylon bullets. I thought this was the article but I cant lay my hands on it. If I find it I'll pass the info on to you.
Good luck and be safe.
Mike

[cmort666]

Originally Posted by mstuhr

Hi Comfort,
There is an article with a guy pushing a 41 mag to the limits in the 1984 Gun Digest.
The felow is shooting bullet jackets with various core materials. He had one with a balsa core over 21.5 of Unique that ran close to 2300 FPS out of a 6" gun. It was in the 60-65 grain range for bullet weight.
Somewhere I have an article that used nylon bullets. I thought this was the article but I cant lay my hands on it. If I find it I'll pass the info on to you.
Good luck and be safe.
Mike

The Danish Schuboe auto used a .45 bullet, but with a very light fiber core.

[m1gunner]

Originally Posted by deadin

I would think that using a powder charge with the Speer plastics I have would be a good way to plastic line your barrel.

Plastic sabots are being used in rifled barrels well in excess of handgun velocities.

And plastic shot cups have worked well for decades without clogging shotgun barrels.

Plastic bullets of the right hardness should be fine in pistols.

[CJ]

Originally Posted by mstuhr

Hi Comfort,
There is an article with a guy pushing a 41 mag to the limits in the 1984 Gun Digest.
The felow is shooting bullet jackets with various core materials. He had one with a balsa core over 21.5 of Unique that ran close to 2300 FPS out of a 6" gun. It was in the 60-65 grain range for bullet weight.
Somewhere I have an article that used nylon bullets. I thought this was the article but I cant lay my hands on it. If I find it I'll pass the info on to you.
Good luck and be safe.
Mike

I remember an article in the National Rifleman some years ago that had some fairly extensive testing with 100% wood bullets in various styles and types in handguns. The velocities were quite high. I seem to remember close to 3000fps, but the wood projectile shed their speed almost instantly, like down to 1000 fps inside of 10 feet. Accuracy was something akin to a coin toss. This is going from memory.

I don't know, but if the Rifleman has an online searchable database, perhaps the article can be found fairly easy.

[DougE]

Since a primer alone will expel one of these projectiles, it should be fairly easy to work up a load starting with a minimal amount of bullseye (half a grain,say) and see what happens.

[kennyb]

i recall an article using wax bullets and i think just a primer....seems it was in "no second place winner"by bill jordon