How I prepare wax bullets

G.O. West · February 20, 2019, 12:24 PM

Winters are a bit slow here in Canada so I amuse myself with wax bullets indoors. To prepare and load these I modify the case by enlarging the flash hole and since they are for a revolver I file a notch in the case rim to identify them as for wax bullet use ONLY.

I like to cast the wax in a well oiled mould, although using the unprimed case as a cookie cutter in a 1/2" sheet of wax will work as well. I use 1 part paraffin (canning jar wax) to 1/4 part beeswax to 1/8 part waterproof oil based grease. Insert a standard or magnum primer and its all done. No powder used.

Grey_Lion · February 20, 2019, 02:15 PM

How do you seat the rounds without deforming them?

Neat idea by the way...... Stay warm & amused up there ;-)

**Unclenick** · February 20, 2019, 04:24 PM

If he's using the case as a cookie-cutter, they already fit and just have to be eased in. Maybe wrap a few turns of baking parchment around the outside of the case as a guide? I note, though it doesn't show up brightly in the photo, that he's put the prerequisite roughly 1/8" drill through the flash hole. I assume the notch in the rim is to rapidly identify these as distinct from his regular 357 Mag cases. The case on the right has a vertical split, so this is a good way to recycle dead brass, too.

G. O. West,

I hope you don't mind my playing with your photo a little.

I've always assumed the reason for cookie-cutting wadcutter from wax was to keep the bullet short so it would stabilize, despite its low density. Are you getting any keyholing, or is the distance too short to see that?

I've also wondered about using NT primers for these things, but never got hold of any to play with.

HankC1 · February 20, 2019, 05:45 PM

How loud is shooting wax bullet with primer only? Would my neighbors hear if shoot in garage with door closed? I don't want anyone call cop on me and I do have a firefighter and a police office live on my street.

**Unclenick** · February 20, 2019, 10:50 PM

It's not quiet. Louder than a cap gun, but not as loud as an actual gunshot.

G.O. West · February 20, 2019, 11:29 PM

Quote:

How do you seat the rounds without deforming them?

I seat them by hand before priming the case.

Unclenick - Your enlarged photo is clever. I'll have to learn how to do that. I don't notice any keyholing because I'm shooting at a dangling 2" dia. metal disc at about 20 feet. But the deformed bullets I pick up afterwards seem to have hit nose first.

oldmanFCSA · February 21, 2019, 07:42 AM

I made hundreds of 38Spcl wax rounds by priming cases with a standard primer, then putting a paper punch piece in bottom of case and then pouring melted wax to fill the case. They shoot fine at short range.

unclejack37 · February 22, 2019, 05:41 PM

A friend of mine does something similar in that he uses hot glue instead of wax to form the bullets.

zplinker · February 23, 2019, 11:23 AM

My method is to mix paraffin with fine sawdust. I have some 45 Colt brass that I'm gong to drill open the flash hole, melt the mix in a non-stick cake pan, about an inch deep, stand the unprimed cases in it, and when set up, they come out perfectly. Having a minimum space for the primer to build pressure in seems to give them really good umph.

daboone · February 24, 2019, 10:57 AM

I use an old Lyman kit. It came with a primer seater, primer decapper ( the round thing and the rod) and wax.

zplinker · February 24, 2019, 08:01 PM

A little testing, with the 45 colt wax loads: the wax/sawdust bullet ended up weighing 30.1 gr., and when powered by a CCI 350, at 15', would penetrate 3 layers of heavy duty cardboard, with 100% weight retention. I'm thinking of calling them my paraffin partitions! Those trophy grasshoppers and similar rodents don't stand a chance!

February 20, 2019, 12:24 PM	#1
G.O. West Member Join Date: January 4, 2018 Location: British Columbia Posts: 58	How I prepare wax bullets Winters are a bit slow here in Canada so I amuse myself with wax bullets indoors. To prepare and load these I modify the case by enlarging the flash hole and since they are for a revolver I file a notch in the case rim to identify them as for wax bullet use ONLY. I like to cast the wax in a well oiled mould, although using the unprimed case as a cookie cutter in a 1/2" sheet of wax will work as well. I use 1 part paraffin (canning jar wax) to 1/4 part beeswax to 1/8 part waterproof oil based grease. Insert a standard or magnum primer and its all done. No powder used.

February 20, 2019, 10:50 PM	#5
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	It's not quiet. Louder than a cap gun, but not as loud as an actual gunshot. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

February 21, 2019, 07:42 AM	#7
oldmanFCSA Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2010 Location: WISCONSIN Posts: 283	I made hundreds of 38Spcl wax rounds by priming cases with a standard primer, then putting a paper punch piece in bottom of case and then pouring melted wax to fill the case. They shoot fine at short range. __________________ OldmanFCSA = "Oldman" at www.fcsa.org FCSA Member, SCSA Member, NRA Member, & AMA Member "Oldage & Treachery will overcome Youth & Skill"

February 20, 2019, 02:15 PM	#2
Grey_Lion Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2018 Location: Baton Rouge - Louisiana Posts: 407	How do you seat the rounds without deforming them? Neat idea by the way...... Stay warm & amused up there ;-)

February 20, 2019, 05:45 PM	#4
HankC1 Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 531	How loud is shooting wax bullet with primer only? Would my neighbors hear if shoot in garage with door closed? I don't want anyone call cop on me and I do have a firefighter and a police office live on my street.

February 22, 2019, 05:41 PM	#8
unclejack37 Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2014 Location: Delaware Posts: 121	A friend of mine does something similar in that he uses hot glue instead of wax to form the bullets.

February 23, 2019, 11:23 AM	#9
zplinker Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2011 Location: way out here Posts: 262	My method is to mix paraffin with fine sawdust. I have some 45 Colt brass that I'm gong to drill open the flash hole, melt the mix in a non-stick cake pan, about an inch deep, stand the unprimed cases in it, and when set up, they come out perfectly. Having a minimum space for the primer to build pressure in seems to give them really good umph.

February 24, 2019, 10:57 AM	#10
daboone Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Phoenix AZ, Kealakekua HI Posts: 100	I use an old Lyman kit. It came with a primer seater, primer decapper ( the round thing and the rod) and wax.

February 24, 2019, 08:01 PM	#11
zplinker Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2011 Location: way out here Posts: 262	A little testing, with the 45 colt wax loads: the wax/sawdust bullet ended up weighing 30.1 gr., and when powered by a CCI 350, at 15', would penetrate 3 layers of heavy duty cardboard, with 100% weight retention. I'm thinking of calling them my paraffin partitions! Those trophy grasshoppers and similar rodents don't stand a chance!