wax bullets

bamaranger · April 11, 2011, 01:32 AM

This may be a reload question, but supposedly its related to Cowboy shooting.

Guy calls me and wants to know if I can load "wax bullets". Says he's heard the "cowboy shooters do it" and they use .45 LC cases and shotgun primers, apparently no powder charge.

Who can advise?????

51colt · April 11, 2011, 02:21 AM

I have not done with wax but i have done it with glue sticks they are just the right size. You drill the flash hole to 1/16 lube the glue stick with pam cooking spray push the glue stick in the case as far as you can then cut it off flush with the end of the case. Prime the case with a large rifle primer. You are ready to shoot.
51

denster · April 11, 2011, 08:01 AM

Wax bullets are routinely used in cowboy fast draw. There are several places that sell both the 45LC cases allready drilled and reamed for shotgun primers and the wax bullets.

**4V50 Gary** · April 11, 2011, 08:33 AM

Bill Jordan discusses wax bullets in his book, No Second Place Winner. Do a search here at TFL and I'm sure you'll find it.

bedbugbilly · April 11, 2011, 10:24 PM

Interesting post - am not familiar with any of this - any chance one of you fellows could post a couple of photos? I don't shoot CAS . . but this opens up all sorts of possibilities . . . like waxing the car and getting some target practice in at the same time!?

Just curious . . . using one of these "wax cartridges" with the primer . . what's the range? And what are you shooting at . . . inflated balloons that will pop or breakable targets of some type? Thanks!

denster · April 11, 2011, 10:59 PM

Billy

Google cowboy fast draw and you will come up with the association web page that will give info on a lot of what you are asking.
Wax bullets are a lot of fun and pretty accurate out to 10 to 15 yards or so.
As previously mentioned Bill Jordan used them in a lot of his shooting exibitions.
It's easy to roll your own. If using regular pistol primers you will need to drill out the flash hole on several cases and clearly mark the cases so you don't use them for regular reloads. The primed case is pushed through a block of parafin and that is the bullet.
Cowboy fast draw generally uses cases that have been drilled and reamed to take a 209 shotgun primer and wax bullets that are pushed into the case. These are available pretty cheap from several suppliers.

arcticap · April 11, 2011, 11:38 PM

Here are two suppliers of wax bullets and cases:

http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/

http://www.waxbullet.com/

bedbugbilly · April 12, 2011, 06:17 PM

Thanks fellas for your replies. Just goes to show you that there are whole different worlds out there that need exploring! I'll Google and do a little "studying". Hopefully, my wife and I can attend a event or two and watch as they sound like a lot of fun. And thanks for the info of how you do the cartridges . . very interesting! Thanks!

jh9x18ky · April 12, 2011, 08:43 PM

I had some wax bullets in 45 lc. The cases are made for 209 primers, you push the wax bullet in with your thumb, no powder. Very economical, good for practice and can damage anything in front of it at 3 or 4 yrds or so. They shoot clean thru aluminum cans, but go flat when the hit anything solid. I would REALLY not want to be hit by one.... I dont think they would penetrate clothing like jeans, but I bet they would leave one nasty blister.

kwhi43 · April 12, 2011, 08:49 PM

I'm going to order 50 cases drilled out for the 209 primer and a thousand
45 bullets.

wittzo · April 12, 2011, 11:01 PM

A friend and I drilled out some .45 Colt and .44 Magnum casings and used CCI Magnum Pistol primers. We found out the hard way if you don't drill out the ignition holes, the primers pop and it makes it hard to rotate the cylinder.

We melted some candle wax onto a flat pan until it was about a half inch thick and pushed the casings through when it was still a bit hard.

They'll dent quarter-inch plywood at 30 feet.

bamaranger · April 15, 2011, 12:33 AM

All new to me guys. Thanks

April 11, 2011, 01:32 AM	#1
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	wax bullets This may be a reload question, but supposedly its related to Cowboy shooting. Guy calls me and wants to know if I can load "wax bullets". Says he's heard the "cowboy shooters do it" and they use .45 LC cases and shotgun primers, apparently no powder charge. Who can advise?????

April 11, 2011, 08:33 AM	#4
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Bill Jordan discusses wax bullets in his book, No Second Place Winner. Do a search here at TFL and I'm sure you'll find it. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 11, 2011, 10:24 PM	#5
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Interesting post - am not familiar with any of this - any chance one of you fellows could post a couple of photos? I don't shoot CAS . . but this opens up all sorts of possibilities . . . like waxing the car and getting some target practice in at the same time!? Just curious . . . using one of these "wax cartridges" with the primer . . what's the range? And what are you shooting at . . . inflated balloons that will pop or breakable targets of some type? Thanks! __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

April 12, 2011, 06:17 PM	#8
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Thanks fellas for your replies. Just goes to show you that there are whole different worlds out there that need exploring! I'll Google and do a little "studying". Hopefully, my wife and I can attend a event or two and watch as they sound like a lot of fun. And thanks for the info of how you do the cartridges . . very interesting! Thanks! __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

April 12, 2011, 08:43 PM	#9
jh9x18ky Member Join Date: January 17, 2007 Location: KY Posts: 47	I had some wax bullets in 45 lc. The cases are made for 209 primers, you push the wax bullet in with your thumb, no powder. Very economical, good for practice and can damage anything in front of it at 3 or 4 yrds or so. They shoot clean thru aluminum cans, but go flat when the hit anything solid. I would REALLY not want to be hit by one.... I dont think they would penetrate clothing like jeans, but I bet they would leave one nasty blister. __________________ "If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. That's ridiculous. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid for." Clint Smith

April 11, 2011, 02:21 AM	#2
51colt Member Join Date: December 3, 2008 Posts: 50	I have not done with wax but i have done it with glue sticks they are just the right size. You drill the flash hole to 1/16 lube the glue stick with pam cooking spray push the glue stick in the case as far as you can then cut it off flush with the end of the case. Prime the case with a large rifle primer. You are ready to shoot. 51

April 11, 2011, 08:01 AM	#3
denster Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 581	Wax bullets are routinely used in cowboy fast draw. There are several places that sell both the 45LC cases allready drilled and reamed for shotgun primers and the wax bullets.

April 11, 2011, 10:59 PM	#6
denster Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 581	Billy Google cowboy fast draw and you will come up with the association web page that will give info on a lot of what you are asking. Wax bullets are a lot of fun and pretty accurate out to 10 to 15 yards or so. As previously mentioned Bill Jordan used them in a lot of his shooting exibitions. It's easy to roll your own. If using regular pistol primers you will need to drill out the flash hole on several cases and clearly mark the cases so you don't use them for regular reloads. The primed case is pushed through a block of parafin and that is the bullet. Cowboy fast draw generally uses cases that have been drilled and reamed to take a 209 shotgun primer and wax bullets that are pushed into the case. These are available pretty cheap from several suppliers.

April 11, 2011, 11:38 PM	#7
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Here are two suppliers of wax bullets and cases: http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/ http://www.waxbullet.com/

April 12, 2011, 08:49 PM	#10
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	I'm going to order 50 cases drilled out for the 209 primer and a thousand 45 bullets.

April 12, 2011, 11:01 PM	#11
wittzo Member Join Date: February 10, 2010 Posts: 95	A friend and I drilled out some .45 Colt and .44 Magnum casings and used CCI Magnum Pistol primers. We found out the hard way if you don't drill out the ignition holes, the primers pop and it makes it hard to rotate the cylinder. We melted some candle wax onto a flat pan until it was about a half inch thick and pushed the casings through when it was still a bit hard. They'll dent quarter-inch plywood at 30 feet.

April 15, 2011, 12:33 AM	#12
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	thanks All new to me guys. Thanks