Wax Bullets?

I once read an article about how they used wax bullets with fake blood in them to make old movies. And do live reenactments, like at boot hill. They would put thick padding under the actors cloths and have sharp shooters just off camera do the actual shooting. Also talked about the shooters using light live loads to shoot windows and kick up dust and stuff near the actors. Sounds a lot more sporty than the electronics and squibs they use today.:cool:
 
I definitely will have to find the book that details how to make these but as I said on one previous reply, U-Tube has a video out there on Glue-Stick bullets. What I do remember, is that you drill out the old primer with the diameter or just under the diameter of the straight porton of a 209 Primer. Then you countersink this hole with another drill bit to allow for the flange of the 209, to fit flush. Then you press the case into a parafin block and trim. In the video, it show to cut a pice of glue stick. I found some of my old drilled cases. They work and are fun but have not loaded any for a number of years. When I find the plans and drill bit sizes, I will repost.

Remember... 209 Primers are MUCH more powerful than centerfire cartridge primers.

For example:
I own a Model 25 Winchester shotgun, where the previous owner accidentally detonated a primer behind the bolt. The primer fell out of the 12 ga shell, and migrated through the action, to the back of the bolt. When the round failed to fire, he attempted to eject it.... only to be met with a small explosion.

The primer blew a 5" long, 1 1/4" wide, 1/2" deep piece of the butt stock off, and imbedded splinters in his hand, neck, chest (through his shirt), and face. The explosion also forced the bolt forward again, jamming the action with the 'dud' shell and the next one from the magazine. Anyone that knows the Model 25, should have noticed the measurements given.... A single 209 primer blew off half the grip of the butt stock.

On another note: They're substantially louder than other primers, as well.
 
quickdraw uses them all the time.
Pretty cheap like 30 bucks for a 1k of them already made.
You can get predrilled cases to take the shotgun primers, or some use 22 blanks.

Never tried them in anything but a sixgun.
I had a carbide drill bit with a stepdown made so I could make my own cases.
 
Bill Jordan

Bill Jordan was the greatest. He couldn't use real ammunition for his stage show, show he shot those aspirins with wax bullets.

Trivia: Bill Jordan designed the "Jordan Holster". As a Border Patrol officer he was in a car part of the time, on a horse part of the time and standing up part of the time. Don Hume Leather Goods made the Jordan Holster. May still make it.

Also, Bill Jordan is responsible for the S&W Model 19, Combat Magnum. S&W asked Jordan if there was any way to improve on the Model 15, Combat Masterpiece. Immediately Jordan responded "make it available in .357 magnum". Thus, the Model 19 was dubbed, the perfect policeman's revolver.
 
I've got some time this week-end. I think I'll try and "roll up" a few using the bigger primers. I'll make a few up for my .357 snubbie and post the results in a few days.
 
Plastic, not wax

One day my gunny had me do a training lecture on ballistics. In my research I found that the Air Corps during WW2 had tried using plastic bullets for target practice between two planes. We had a couple of WW2 gunners in my squadron. One of them had been in that foray. Turned out that plastic bullets were pretty good. No one was killed but the planes got big dents in them. That practice lasted all of one day.

The gunner who had been there thanked me for telling that because he was never believed whenever he told about it.
 
I loaded wax bullets and used them for indoor target practice. It's not worth the effort. It makes noise, smells and uses up primers. I recommend a pellet gun instead. It develops the same skills. I made a target from a box with a towel in it and a target mounted on the opening.
 
Wouldn't magnum pistol primers be less work than shot gun primers?

Another interesting non standard bullet. My grandfather used to talk about the Germans using wooden bullets. Because it takes more manpower to take care of a wounded soldier than a dead one. = less combat effective.
 
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I think that the wooden bullets were actually originally loaded for practice. The Swedes, for example, used wooden bullet "blanks" for practice but equipped their rifles with a blank shredding attachment.

I'm guessing that towards the end of the war, the Germans were using anything that resembled a gun/cartridge and the wooden blanks were pressed into service. I can confirm the information about the Swedes but I'm speculating about the German use of wooden blanks.
 
Can't claim to know for sure. Just going off of old war stories my Grandpa told me. Seams like he might have mentioned it was close to the end of the war. Mostly he talked about the horrific non lethal wounds they dealt with. He also had a few words for the people that used the wood bullets on them, can't repeat them on line.

I have read about, and had some training in, the manpower and logistics involved in keeping a soldier in the field versus taking care of a wounded soldier versus a dead one. From a cold logistics stand point your overall war effort is less combat effective with wounded soldiers verses dead ones. Obviously live and unwounded solders are more effective than ether one.
 
Ok, poked around a bit.

Here's an article by a man claiming to have found "bright purple" wooden bullets in an abandoned German position.

http://www.trailblazersww2.org/history_woodenbullets.htm

Here's a topic discussing a recovered wooden bullet cartridge.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=117777

Apparently in addition to being used for training wooden bullet blanks were used to launch some types of grenades.

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/german-rifle-grenades.html

Some more information.

http://modern-war.suite101.com/article.cfm/wooden_bullets_used_in_peace_and_war
 
Thanks for the links! All very interesting. After reading it, I think he probably came across them being used because of the ammo shortage. Just guessing based on what he said along with the homework you did.
 
I just shot a few `wax bullets', kinda fun really. I did what `aarondhgraham' said to do. I took some 22 shorts and pulled the bullets out, and dumped the power out, and pressed the open end into wax about 1/4 inch thick, and shot them here in my office. Sounds like a cap gun, heavy cardboard will stop it. I now have a neat indoor ammo!, I was using my cheap 8-shot revolver, it works ok. I will try something larger next time.
 
It doesn't take as much of a backstop as you'd think. I shoot speer plastic bullets in .45 into a heavy box laid on its side. Stick a target to one side and let the back of the box stop them. I had a piece of foam in there, but it slides out of place half the time.
 
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