Does anyone here use wax bullets? Do you have to make them or do y’all buy them?

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Fear only God

I didn’t know you could buy them. Just press the mouth of a fired and unsized empty case into a block of canning paraffin and prime. Should drill the flash hole out with a 1/8” drill bit.

I’ve never used them before, but I think you just take a primed case and use it like a cookie cutter in a slab of paraffin wax to form a bullet.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Thanks. Bill Jordan mentioned them in his book.

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Fear only God

I never drilled out the flash holes just in case, but if you do, carefully segregate those cases as they should not be used for reloading real ammo ever.

We used them at the police academy for "shoot-don't shoot" situations on butcher paper that had shooting situations projected on to it.

Definitely drill the flash holes out to prevent the primers jamming up against the recoil shield on the revolver.

Speer used to sell plastic bullets and cases for the same use.

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Keep your powder dry.

This is also my reply.

I used wax bullets years ago. The Speer plastic bullets and cases are better, less trouble, and no flash hole drilling is necessary.

My experience with such loads goes back to the mid 1960s. I lived in Cleveland then, and during the winter going outside to shoot was an uncomfortable activity. I did have a fairly large and warm basement, and I fired a great many paraffin bullets there. My bullet trap was usually a corrugated cardboard box full of newspapers. Occasionally I would collect the fired bullets and melt them down to use again. The only revolver I owned at the time was an early K-38. It is a little problematic to use wax bullet loads in a semiauto.

Using wax loads is also a good way to teach kids about revolver shooting. Never shoot at people, cats, or dogs.

I have used wax loads as described and also have some of the Speer plastic bullets in both 38 and 44. The Speer set up you use a plastic case with a primer and snap in a plastic bullet. You can use something like a dulled ice pick to push out the fired primers and then set fresh ones on a table and press the case down on them to install. THEY ARE NOT TOYS and will put a hole in dry wall, and probably you too. So you so need to practice safety and use a decent stop like a sloping piece of plywood with a box of sand, kitty litter wood shavings or the like to catch them.

In the 60’s my dad and I used to shoot the Speer 38’s in the garage. We used an old rug as a backstop until one of the bullets passed through it and put a dent in the washing machine. Let’s say I wouldn’t want to be hit with one.

A couple of years ago I picked up a box of the Speer cases and bullets. I primed them and snapped the bullets in and my wife and I were going to shoot them in the garage but still haven’t shot them. It’s just too easy to jump in the car and shoot at the range.

Thirty years ago I used to load canning wax into primed cases and setup USPSA targets in the back yard and my son and I would run and gun with a 38. Lots of fun! Cheap to shoot too.

Edit:
A couple years ago I researched the commercial wax bullets. They’re popular with Cowboy action shooters. I don’t remember the name of the manufacturer but just search “cowboy action wax bullets.”

Edit again:

Here’s a company that sells them. Never done business with them though. Spitfire Wax Bullets

It's been years, but I did it a lot then. My experience is to definitely drill out the flask hole to prevent primers backing out. Soften blocks of paraffin and use the case as a cookie cutter first, then prime the case! If you prime first the compressed air when cutting the bullet out will just push it out of the case.

As said, DO NOT shoot wax bullets at people or pets, or anything you do not want to destroy such as pottery, dishes or glass items. They are not toys and will cause injury to or even kill small animals! Same goes for the Speer Target .38 or Target .45 ammunition components.

One time I shot a wax bullet out of a 1911 at an surplus WWII G I phenolic helmet liner across the basement, about 25'. It penetrated the helmet liner leaving a clean, sharp hole, just like a wad-cutter through a paper target!

Don't know what to use to catch wax bullets that won't get really messy in short order, but an angled piece of sheet metal to deflect them into a box should work well. With the Speer bullets use a piece of heavy carpet in a cardboard box and they will not be damaged.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

I just bought 1K of wax bullets. 500 45s and 500 38s. They are a lot harder than canning wax. Cost me about $30. More effective is drilling out primer pocket to take 209 Shotgun primer.
I’ve played with paraffin, not near the same as these store bought. They have 3 different hardness to choose from.
Good medicine for yard pests that you don’t want to kill.

There is also the rubber bullets that are loaded into standard cases. I played with them a few years ago. I drilled out the primer flash holes for the same reason of preventing primers from setting back. The bullets are re-useable, and certainly no toy. I used a thick piece of cardboard as a back stop the first time, and they sailed right through it. To ID the cases, I put them in a 50rd tray from an ammo box, and spray pained them red. I also painted the box to help me remember.

They've seen a fair amount of use in my career.
Basement indoor range use, pest control, sight in and seasoning a bore for cast lead.
I don't use the volume I did in the past, but they still come in handy

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it just needs more voltage

The old Speer cartridges and bullets.

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I checked, my wax bullets came from Spitfire. I found them online. The prices were by the K but they offered to let me split two calibers. So got
38-45cal.
They also offer cases drilled for 209 primers. Unless you are into some kind of cowboy shooting 1K of wax bullets will last a life time. At the price of primers today it’s expensive to play. At about $30 per K a few buddies can kick in and split them.
As somebody said, they ain’t toys. You take somebody in the butt cheeks with one of these and they will be doing the boot scooting boogie for half an hour. When it wears off they will be looking for you with a club.

I recently snagged these for free. A member of my club passed away and this was on the table of free stuff. They look like red candy wadcutters. Haven't shot any yet.

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I have, and have used the plastic bullets. Does the homemade paraffin wax bullet not leave residue in barrels ?

These are the 1st and only store bought wax I had before buying Spitfire recently. I too got partial box in 38 cal. Shot the in 38sp, 357mg and 35 Rem.

There are a few things that you can also add to the wax and the thickness of the
wax needs to be a certain thickness for fps and safety but making it is not that hard
if you read up on it.

A sheet or blanket etc. to catch the bullets from hitting the ground and getting sand and grit on them, will make your barrel happy, if you re-use them
but some just let them lay, due to the low cost.

I recall that we had wax bullets in basic training in 1960. We played war games in the woods and shot them at pop-up targets. A lot of fun. They warned us not to point them at anybody as they would break the skin and cause a nasty wound. These were for our M1's.

I guess maybe I can snatch up some spear casing. But they are suitable for practice without using live ammunition in y’all’s opinion? It’s worth investing in them? Surestrike laser ammunition doesn’t replicate recoil. I want to use these for drawing and firing with less of risk of returning to Scott and white for foot reconstruction surgery. Having my left ankle screwed back together was enough for me.

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Fear only God

I had a Taurus 82 .38 special that did seem to accumulate wax more than a S&W 10 did. I figured the bore was a bit rougher in the Taurus.

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