From: njohnson@nosc.mil (Norman F. Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re:: Plastic Bullets
Date: 2 May 1995 21:19:41 -0400
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742
Lines: 101

Doug,

Regarding the above:

For home practice, to stay familiar with your gun, trigger con-
trol, point shooting fun, etc. ----------

Wax loads.  To load for revolvers:

1. Set aside a lot of specially marked cases.  Make sure that the
marking is clear and easily seen so that these cases do not get
mixed in with those used for regular cartridges.

2. Fire these cases with regular loads in the revolver to be
used/carried.  DO NOT RESIZE.

3. Punch out the old primer with a Lee type primer punch or one
of those on the market that fits into a reloading press (it looks
like a regular sizing die but is a universal primer punch used
by people like me that prefer to clean the cases before resizing
but want the primer pocket cleaned also).

4. Clean the cases in your normal fashion.  Do not reprime at
this point.

5. Drill out the primer pockets to about .100" for small primers
and about .120" for large primers.  This is a necessary step to
avoid primer set-back when the wax rounds are fired.  Primer set-
back will tie up the cylinder.

6. Melt and pour about 1/2" of household paraffin into a flat
cake pan and allow to harden.

7.  When ready to make your wax "bullets", set the pan of wax in a
pan of warm water (not hot) for 15 minutes or so.  The wax is of
an ideal consistency when one can imprint it slightly by firm
application of finger or thumb to its surface.  The hardness is
not critical as long as the paraffin does not crumble when the
cases are pushed into it.

8. Push each unprimed case through the wax, mouth first, keeping
the case as close to vertical as possible to assure that the wax
bullet has squared ends.

9. Using a dowel of appropriate size, push the wax bullet into
the case as far as it will go without using excessive pressure.
This will not kill the primer.

10.  Prime the case in the normal manner.  DO NOT USE ANY
POWDER!!!  That's it!

Priming is done last because, otherwise, the pneumatic pressure
that is built up when the "bullet" is pushed into a primed case
will slowly push the bullet back out.

This load will usually shoot about 4 inches low at 20 feet.  I
am interested only in group size but if one wants to he can make
a target with two bulls once the aim/hit relationship is estab-
lished, one for aiming and the other for scoring.

Do not use these cases for regular shooting - it is purported to
be hazardous to use cases with oversize flash holes for regular
loads.

Again, mark the cases clearly (Birchwood Casey's Brass Black
works well) so that they will not be accidentally used for regu-
lar loads and so that it would be readily apparent if a regular
cartridge got mixed with the wax loads - an occasion that might
prove to be rather spirited!

Wax build-up in the rifling will need to be cleaned out occasion-
ally but has not seemed to hurt accuracy at the 20 feet or so
distances at which I use this load.

This load will hurt if it hits a person.  My .45 ACP wax loads
will dent plywood about 1/16" deep at 10 feet.

The wax can be remelted to use again.

It is remarkable how fast one can learn to point-and-shoot using
wax loads.  I had scarcely fired 50 rounds across my garage by
the time I could hit a paint can every time without use of
sights.

Do not use this load in an enclosed space if you are lead
poisoning conscious.  A back yard, an open garage, a family room
with open windows or other spaces that can be well ventilated can
be used to make an effective range.  The report sounds like a cap
pistol.

There are plastic cases/bullets on the market to do this but wax
is inexpensive.

Have fun!

God Bless!

Norm