38 special/special

eldermike · February 1, 2013, 11:18 PM

Many years ago I took some 38 special cases and drilled and C-bored the heads to be press fit for a shotgun primer. I could pop them out with an ink pen and press new ones in with my fingers. I then set up a turret lathe to make some nylon hollow base bullets that were a slip fit into a sized case. They came out about .353 and weigh little to nothing.

They would shoot through a carboard box so I made targets by putting a box inside a box giving me 4 layers and that would stop the bullets in the center.

I taught my kids to shoot handguns in the garage with these things. Another added benifit was getting all the lead out of my guns.

Lost Sheep · February 1, 2013, 11:26 PM

You can do the same with wax bullets. Make the bullets by softening the wax and cutting, cookie-cutter style, the bullets out of a shallow pan.

Or, you can get a bullet mold and make cast bullets out of hot glue. With a little lube in the lube grooes, I'll bet they would zip right along.

Lucky you to have a lathe just laying about, wanting something to do.

Lost Sheep.

eldermike · February 1, 2013, 11:30 PM

They were a lot of fun. Was cleaning up in my reloading room and found one. Now I just need to find the rest of them.

eldermike · February 1, 2013, 11:31 PM

Hot glue gun bullets is a neat idea.

gwalchmai · February 2, 2013, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Another added benifit was getting all the lead out of my guns.

Are you using lead-free primers?

eldermike · February 2, 2013, 08:32 AM

Am I using lead free primers? No, but I shoot cast bullets by the lb and that lead can be difficult to remove.

gwalchmai · February 2, 2013, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Am I using lead free primers? No, but I shoot cast bullets by the lb and that lead can be difficult to remove.

Shooting normal primers in an enclosed space can expose you to a lot of lead styphenate, which is readily absorbed. Not too big a deal for us oldsters but it should be avoided by young people.

You may consider slugging your bore and having your boolits cast to that size to reduce or even prevent leading your barrel.

Good tip about the plastic bullets, btw.

**Mike Irwin** · February 2, 2013, 02:15 PM

Speer still offers, I think, plastic bullets and cases for practice.

I used to have some in .38 and used to shoot them in my basement when I was a kid.

OkieCruffler · February 3, 2013, 03:57 AM

Saw a fella once who loaded primer only loads with those foam ear plugs for his Contender, can't remember if it was a .357 or .44 brass. He would shoot rubber ducks in his pool. I always wanted to try that.

paulo57509 · February 3, 2013, 06:14 AM

http://www.speer-bullets.com/product...g_bullets.aspx

LE-28 · February 3, 2013, 08:29 AM

Quote:

He would shoot rubber ducks in his pool. I always wanted to try that.

That's pretty low shooting your kids rubber duckie. (sounds like a lot of fun!)

g.willikers · February 3, 2013, 12:35 PM

I used to use those plastic cartridges with primers.
But that was before airsoft / pellet guns became so realistic.
Much cleaner and accomplishes the same thing.
Especially now with primers so hard to find and expensive.

February 1, 2013, 11:26 PM	#2
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 2,710	Nifty You can do the same with wax bullets. Make the bullets by softening the wax and cutting, cookie-cutter style, the bullets out of a shallow pan. Or, you can get a bullet mold and make cast bullets out of hot glue. With a little lube in the lube grooes, I'll bet they would zip right along. Lucky you to have a lathe just laying about, wanting something to do. Lost Sheep.

February 2, 2013, 02:15 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,115	Speer still offers, I think, plastic bullets and cases for practice. I used to have some in .38 and used to shoot them in my basement when I was a kid. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

February 3, 2013, 03:57 AM	#9
OkieCruffler Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2001 Location: Denison Texas on the banks of Texhoma Posts: 1,368	Saw a fella once who loaded primer only loads with those foam ear plugs for his Contender, can't remember if it was a .357 or .44 brass. He would shoot rubber ducks in his pool. I always wanted to try that. __________________ John A. Monroe, Never Forgive, Never Forget, Blood Pays Blood

February 3, 2013, 12:35 PM	#12
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 2,524	I used to use those plastic cartridges with primers. But that was before airsoft / pellet guns became so realistic. Much cleaner and accomplishes the same thing. Especially now with primers so hard to find and expensive. __________________ Lock the doors, they're coming in the windows.

February 1, 2013, 11:30 PM	#3
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 292	They were a lot of fun. Was cleaning up in my reloading room and found one. Now I just need to find the rest of them.

February 1, 2013, 11:31 PM	#4
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 292	Hot glue gun bullets is a neat idea.

February 2, 2013, 08:32 AM	#6
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 292	Am I using lead free primers? No, but I shoot cast bullets by the lb and that lead can be difficult to remove.

February 3, 2013, 06:14 AM	#10
paulo57509 Junior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Posts: 8	http://www.speer-bullets.com/product...g_bullets.aspx