Rubber bullets?

**Aguila Blanca** · November 30, 2019, 11:52 PM

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010651278?pid=489581

I'm thinking of buying some of these for winter plinking with a SAA clone. They are reusable -- if you can find them after firing. If anyone here has used them, what do/did you use for a backstop, and how effectively did your backstop collect the fired bullets for reuse?

Nodak1858 · December 1, 2019, 12:10 AM

Haven't tried those but used one of my molds to make hot glue bullets. Just squirted it in the mold until full, shot out of my 45 Blackhawk. Lubed the mold with some Pam, filled out pretty nice. At 20 feet they were enough to dent 1/2 drywall using just LP primers. About half tumbled though, dented a few soda cans but didn't shoot made than a few cylinders full. We're reusable after I shot tehm, pretty tough stuff the hot glue. Was going to try making wax bullets from and old NRA recipe as well, got as far as mixing it up but not making any projectiles. Maybe this winter, getting snow now and on course to get around 10 inches so have time now to monkey with that kind of stuff.

mxsailor803 · December 1, 2019, 01:07 AM

I heard years ago about a guy using foam ear plugs. Don’t know how true it is or accurate they are though. I do like the hot glue idea though.

Bill DeShivs · December 1, 2019, 02:25 AM

A cardboard box full of old towels will catch them.

ThomasT · December 1, 2019, 09:26 AM

I have shot a lot of the plastic primer powered bullets from Speer. Also made wax bullets.

To make wax bullets you drill out the primer hole a little and use those cases for wax loads only so mark them. Then melt parafin wax in a pan to about 1/2" thick. Push the unprimed case into the wax to cut a bullet. Then prime the case and shoot. Cheap and easy.

Ben Dover · December 1, 2019, 10:55 AM

I've used the plastic bullets from Speer quite a bit. A large, thick cardboard box has worked well for me.

https://www.speer-ammo.com/products/...aining-bullets

AK103K · December 1, 2019, 11:30 AM

I used them for a little while back in the 90's with my one 44. Still have a box loaded with them on the shelf, but havent used them in a couple of decades now.

I seem to remember they had to have the primer pockets drilled out and the cases were then only basically to be used for them.

I made a frame out of 2x3's to hold the targets and had an old, heavy blanket stapled loosely to the back. Just tucked the bottom into a cardboard box, and the bullets dropped into it. Worked out pretty good.

Did something similar with a couple of airsoft guns more recently. Heres what they looked like....

The airsoft BB's are stopped by a towel, and drop into a box at the base.

To be honest, I always found dealing with the rubber, plastic, and wax bullets (tried them all over the years) to be a PITA, and one of the reasons they tended to grow old pretty quick.

Once airsoft showed up, they were a bit better, and a lot less bother, but other than using them to shoot at each other with, they kind of got old pretty quick too.

If Im going to bother going to the trouble of loading up something to shoot with, it might as well be the real thing and thats what I do. Just another good reason to get outside on a nice winter, spring, summer, or fall day.

**44 AMP** · December 1, 2019, 11:44 AM

Can't say about the bullets you're planning on using, I have no idea. I have, however, observed this;

Saw a fellow take the eraser off a pencil (just the rubber, no metal or wood), put it in the mouth of a primed .308 rifle case, and fired it at his living room wall. The rubber eraser penetrated completely through the wood paneling! It stopped in the wall, but it did put a hole completely through the paneling.

Primer only, no powder. Draw your own conclusions....

Ben Dover · December 1, 2019, 11:45 AM

With the rubber/plastic bullets, I can be shooting in the den while the wife is watching "Chick Flicks" on the boob tube.

Sharkbite · December 1, 2019, 12:42 PM

Ive shot the Speer plastic bullets a bit. The towel in a box trap works fine.

The issue i had was the plastic stripping off in the bore/rifling left a mess to clean out. Long strings of plastic residue.

Nowadays, i think a good airsoft gun is a better way to go.

SIGSHR · December 1, 2019, 02:19 PM

I had the Speer bullets years ago, a cardboard box with a towel draped over a dowel made a good bullet trap. Biggest drawback because of their lightweight the POI was way off.

**Aguila Blanca** · December 1, 2019, 02:36 PM

Thank you, folks.

Considering that using real primers will expel lead compounds in my garage or basement, and then the requirement (or is it only a suggestion?) to drill out the primer flash holes, ruining a number of shiny new Starline cases I just bought, leads me to agree that airsoft or BBs is probably a better alternative. I have a couple on CO2-powered BB guns and airsofts, and I have a CO2-powered SAA BB gun, so I guess I'll just "run whut I brung" and call it a day.

Dufus · December 1, 2019, 03:00 PM

I used the plastic Speer bullets quite a lot back in the 70s but never indoors. We didn't even consider the lead in the primers, just didn't want to stink up the indoors with the smell.

I used them to pop some dogs in the ass that were getting into my trash cans and scattering debris all over. They stopped visiting the cans after a few altercations.

Rapidrob · December 1, 2019, 05:58 PM

Same here, I loaded many hundreds of the Speer .38 caliber plastic bullets in the e60's/70's.
The primer moves them out fast enough that they will do damage to flesh at close range.
Air soft they aint.

**JohnKSa** · December 1, 2019, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Considering that using real primers will expel lead compounds in my garage or basement...

That's the showstopper for me. And it comes out as a smoke or very fine particulate which can travel a ways before settling onto surfaces.

**Aguila Blanca** · December 1, 2019, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

That's the showstopper for me. And it comes out as a smoke or very fine particulate which can travel a ways before settling onto surfaces.

That's the show stopper for me, too. I've already had one blood lead level scare, which caused me to stop competing at the indoor range where I shoot and to severely cut back how much/often I shoot in general. I don't need to go through that again.

dyl · December 2, 2019, 01:07 AM

A friend of mine used wax and hand loaded regular pistol primers. It was pretty loud still, shooting into an unattached garage. Not something I'd be able to get away with in the house, not to mention the lead you guys had brought up. I have 1 airsoft pistol. It is best for practicing everything that happens before you pull the trigger which is still fairly useful. It was supposed to take "Green Gas" but I've found out you can use a common 2 lb propane tank with a little screw on plastic adapter. Cheap.

Edit: I forgot to mention about that picture. Is that target from the 90's? That is most well-groomed depiction of an AK variant wielding bad guy I have ever seen. So classy he seems bored.

**JohnKSa** · December 2, 2019, 01:54 AM

By the way, you can buy lead-free primers these days. Fiocchi makes them and Graf & Sons stocks them.

HOWEVER, I have no idea how their performance differs from standard primers or if they are suitable for rubber or wax bullets.

Sharkbite · December 2, 2019, 11:50 AM

[I forgot to mention about that picture. Is that target from the 90's? That is most well-groomed depiction of an AK variant wielding bad guy I have ever seen. So classy he seems bored./QUOTE]

Standard “Izzy” tgt. Its what we shot on overseas with DoS

DMK · December 13, 2019, 10:24 AM

The story of the DS-Q "Izzy" target:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...zzy-ds-target/

**JohnKSa** · December 13, 2019, 02:52 PM

Thanks! That's a fun read--I didn't know the story.

cw308 · December 14, 2019, 09:27 AM

I shoot he rubber bullets using regular primers , I used a empty copy paper case with a towel inside as others have posted . I opened up the flash hole on the cases being used , trimmed them all to the same length and keep them separate d from my other brass . I was surprised how well the worked , great for shooting in the basement and the primers have some noise to them . Have fun , Be Well.

Chris

November 30, 2019, 11:52 PM	#1
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,460	Rubber bullets? https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010651278?pid=489581 I'm thinking of buying some of these for winter plinking with a SAA clone. They are reusable -- if you can find them after firing. If anyone here has used them, what do/did you use for a backstop, and how effectively did your backstop collect the fired bullets for reuse? __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

December 1, 2019, 12:10 AM	#2
Nodak1858 Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2009 Location: N. Dakota Posts: 435	Haven't tried those but used one of my molds to make hot glue bullets. Just squirted it in the mold until full, shot out of my 45 Blackhawk. Lubed the mold with some Pam, filled out pretty nice. At 20 feet they were enough to dent 1/2 drywall using just LP primers. About half tumbled though, dented a few soda cans but didn't shoot made than a few cylinders full. We're reusable after I shot tehm, pretty tough stuff the hot glue. Was going to try making wax bullets from and old NRA recipe as well, got as far as mixing it up but not making any projectiles. Maybe this winter, getting snow now and on course to get around 10 inches so have time now to monkey with that kind of stuff. __________________ We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

December 1, 2019, 02:25 AM	#4
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	A cardboard box full of old towels will catch them. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

December 1, 2019, 10:55 AM	#6
Ben Dover Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2013 Location: High up in the Rocky Moun Posts: 665	I've used the plastic bullets from Speer quite a bit. A large, thick cardboard box has worked well for me. https://www.speer-ammo.com/products/...aining-bullets __________________ The soldier's pack is not so heavy a burden as the prisoner's chains. Dwight Eisenhower It is very important what a man stands for. But it is far more important what a man refuses to stand for.

December 1, 2019, 11:44 AM	#8
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	Can't say about the bullets you're planning on using, I have no idea. I have, however, observed this; Saw a fellow take the eraser off a pencil (just the rubber, no metal or wood), put it in the mouth of a primed .308 rifle case, and fired it at his living room wall. The rubber eraser penetrated completely through the wood paneling! It stopped in the wall, but it did put a hole completely through the paneling. Primer only, no powder. Draw your own conclusions.... __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 1, 2019, 01:07 AM	#3
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	I heard years ago about a guy using foam ear plugs. Don’t know how true it is or accurate they are though. I do like the hot glue idea though.

December 1, 2019, 09:26 AM	#5
ThomasT Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,753	I have shot a lot of the plastic primer powered bullets from Speer. Also made wax bullets. To make wax bullets you drill out the primer hole a little and use those cases for wax loads only so mark them. Then melt parafin wax in a pan to about 1/2" thick. Push the unprimed case into the wax to cut a bullet. Then prime the case and shoot. Cheap and easy.

December 1, 2019, 11:30 AM	#7
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	I used them for a little while back in the 90's with my one 44. Still have a box loaded with them on the shelf, but havent used them in a couple of decades now. I seem to remember they had to have the primer pockets drilled out and the cases were then only basically to be used for them. I made a frame out of 2x3's to hold the targets and had an old, heavy blanket stapled loosely to the back. Just tucked the bottom into a cardboard box, and the bullets dropped into it. Worked out pretty good. Did something similar with a couple of airsoft guns more recently. Heres what they looked like.... The airsoft BB's are stopped by a towel, and drop into a box at the base. To be honest, I always found dealing with the rubber, plastic, and wax bullets (tried them all over the years) to be a PITA, and one of the reasons they tended to grow old pretty quick. Once airsoft showed up, they were a bit better, and a lot less bother, but other than using them to shoot at each other with, they kind of got old pretty quick too. If Im going to bother going to the trouble of loading up something to shoot with, it might as well be the real thing and thats what I do. Just another good reason to get outside on a nice winter, spring, summer, or fall day.

December 1, 2019, 11:45 AM	#9
Ben Dover Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2013 Location: High up in the Rocky Moun Posts: 665	With the rubber/plastic bullets, I can be shooting in the den while the wife is watching "Chick Flicks" on the boob tube. __________________ The soldier's pack is not so heavy a burden as the prisoner's chains. Dwight Eisenhower It is very important what a man stands for. But it is far more important what a man refuses to stand for.

December 1, 2019, 12:42 PM	#10
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	Ive shot the Speer plastic bullets a bit. The towel in a box trap works fine. The issue i had was the plastic stripping off in the bore/rifling left a mess to clean out. Long strings of plastic residue. Nowadays, i think a good airsoft gun is a better way to go.

December 1, 2019, 02:19 PM	#11
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I had the Speer bullets years ago, a cardboard box with a towel draped over a dowel made a good bullet trap. Biggest drawback because of their lightweight the POI was way off.

December 1, 2019, 02:36 PM	#12
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,460	Thank you, folks. Considering that using real primers will expel lead compounds in my garage or basement, and then the requirement (or is it only a suggestion?) to drill out the primer flash holes, ruining a number of shiny new Starline cases I just bought, leads me to agree that airsoft or BBs is probably a better alternative. I have a couple on CO2-powered BB guns and airsofts, and I have a CO2-powered SAA BB gun, so I guess I'll just "run whut I brung" and call it a day. __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

December 1, 2019, 03:00 PM	#13
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	I used the plastic Speer bullets quite a lot back in the 70s but never indoors. We didn't even consider the lead in the primers, just didn't want to stink up the indoors with the smell. I used them to pop some dogs in the ass that were getting into my trash cans and scattering debris all over. They stopped visiting the cans after a few altercations.

December 1, 2019, 05:58 PM	#14
Rapidrob Member Join Date: January 15, 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 49	Same here, I loaded many hundreds of the Speer .38 caliber plastic bullets in the e60's/70's. The primer moves them out fast enough that they will do damage to flesh at close range. Air soft they aint. __________________ President NM MILSURPS Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club Last edited by Rapidrob; December 2, 2019 at 10:10 AM.

December 2, 2019, 01:07 AM	#17
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	A friend of mine used wax and hand loaded regular pistol primers. It was pretty loud still, shooting into an unattached garage. Not something I'd be able to get away with in the house, not to mention the lead you guys had brought up. I have 1 airsoft pistol. It is best for practicing everything that happens before you pull the trigger which is still fairly useful. It was supposed to take "Green Gas" but I've found out you can use a common 2 lb propane tank with a little screw on plastic adapter. Cheap. Edit: I forgot to mention about that picture. Is that target from the 90's? That is most well-groomed depiction of an AK variant wielding bad guy I have ever seen. So classy he seems bored.

December 2, 2019, 01:54 AM	#18
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,973	By the way, you can buy lead-free primers these days. Fiocchi makes them and Graf & Sons stocks them. HOWEVER, I have no idea how their performance differs from standard primers or if they are suitable for rubber or wax bullets. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

December 2, 2019, 11:50 AM	#19
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	[I forgot to mention about that picture. Is that target from the 90's? That is most well-groomed depiction of an AK variant wielding bad guy I have ever seen. So classy he seems bored./QUOTE] Standard “Izzy” tgt. Its what we shot on overseas with DoS

December 13, 2019, 10:24 AM	#20
DMK Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2001 Location: Over the hills and far, far away Posts: 3,206	The story of the DS-Q "Izzy" target: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...zzy-ds-target/ __________________ - Homeland Security begins at home: Support your Second Amendment - www.gunowners.org - www.saf.org - act.nraila.org - www.grnc.org

December 13, 2019, 02:52 PM	#21
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,973	Thanks! That's a fun read--I didn't know the story. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

December 14, 2019, 09:27 AM	#22
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	I shoot he rubber bullets using regular primers , I used a empty copy paper case with a towel inside as others have posted . I opened up the flash hole on the cases being used , trimmed them all to the same length and keep them separate d from my other brass . I was surprised how well the worked , great for shooting in the basement and the primers have some noise to them . Have fun , Be Well. Chris