Shooting Wax Bullets! DIY Ammo for Cheap Training and Fun

This video is for educational purposes and discussion only. Do not attempt to imitate anything contained herein.
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[@mattstacey6058]

So many people questioning "Why use wax" "Why use wax" "What's the point" clearly didn't even watch the video

[@HomegrownHeretic]

Those same people probably don't realize they never compete with live ammo. And yes I realize this comment is 4 years old.

[@fatherfintanstack8810]

Why use wax, bro?

[@fjb4932]

Matt Stacey I've seen that there are basically two types of people: Those that gather on the dock, de-riding and mocking those that are about to sail away. Saying the earth is flat and they'll sail off the edge. They are miserably content with their pathetic lives and uncomfortable with those who seek to enrich themselves with knowledge, adventure, excitment, wonderment or freedom. (IE: Christopher Columbus vs Dock Huggers) And we who wonder, the how and why of things, and What If ... Those who invent are seperated from those who merely use by more than vision. It's a need for betterment in all facets of life. And no, it's not easy living among ape-oids that constantly ask Why?, not as a question of improvement, but in resistance To improvement. Born foot-draggers. Do not hate them, pity alone is enough ...

[@cocainecowboy_]

I'd rather have plastic bullets just incase I have to actually shoot something at the range

[@TWANGnBANG]

At first glance, I absolutely get the appeal of this. However, as I mention in the video, the proven danger is that you load the wrong ammo and kill someone. There once (early 1900s) were dueling clubs that used wax bullets in single shot dueling pistols. Even then, enough people got accidentally shot that the US Army banned it in WWI. They make SAA replica paintball guns if that's what you want to do.

[@Trashcankicker.]

The type of speed these wax bullets are traveling will probably feel like a paintball impact .

[@tatsuhirosatou5513]

The very fastest round was paintball velocity and they weigh a lot less. They are closer to high power NIC nerf blasters so theh will leave welts but they are safe to be hit with.

[@rhettperpruner5319]

I have read that people used to practice dulling with wax bullet and a mask and a thick jacket

[@hunterk37]

noob master69 worst

[@DYLANJJK94]

Yeap, even most airsoft guns shoot faster then 200 fps.

[@Trashcankicker.]

Dylan K airsoft guns shoot around 350-400fps . Those are the velocity allowed in the fields . Although , they are a small projectile . They don’t hurt nearly as much as a paintball traveling at only 270-290fps . Which again , those are the top velocity a paintball filed will allow.

[@TWANGnBANG]

The frame of the revolver holds them in just fine. That's what holds the shells in place even on regular ammo, and it works just fine for keeping the primers in place once you close the loading gate. You do need to keep the shells pointed down while loading, or the primers will fall out.

[@justinwfreeman]

Thank you for the good message at the end. I'm looking into getting this setup, now!

[@barndweller4573]

Every day I think the Lord I have the freedom to step out my pole barn and shoot anything I want to. Find a place in the country and build your own range. Where I live almost daily you hear someone shooting and no one pays any attention to it. Worst problem I have is when I am shooting or trying to develop a load my neighbor shows up and starts shooting as well with me. Then I do not get anything done the rest of the day because we shoot until it gets dark or one of our Wives gets tired of waiting for "Just a few min"

[@dsbiddle]

Awesome. Sounds like a great way to live, brother

[@themadscientest]

Barn Dweller sounds like you have the right kinda neighbor!

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Can I buy a lot near you? ; )

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks for your continued support, KGB!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks! I don't think anyone makes a 44cal wax bullet, but you can make your own by filling an old pan with paraffin wax about as deep as a bullet is long, and just press the empty case into the wax to cut and load the "bullet" at the same time. You load the primers second so that the air in the case can escape when you're pressing the wax. If you drill the flash hole out to 1/8", be sure to keep them separate from your other cases. Do NOT use them for reloading full power ammunition.

[@stevesmith-ji6px]

lol that was the best intro ever!! I bet you struggled to not laugh when you where speaking! pretty interesting video!

[@bendriscoll6631]

I'd love to get into target shooting, but my folks are a bit gunshy and don't like the idea of me handling a firearm. I am 15, but haven't fired anything bigger than a pellet pistol. It's embarrassing because I live in a rural area where kids are given their own rifle at their 12th birthday.

[@RancidPrune]

+Milo Flint You give 12 year olds rifles in America? lol.

[@bendriscoll6631]

It is a very intrenched part of our culture to teach our children proper responsibility.

[@RancidPrune]

Yeah and that seems to work so well.

[@bendriscoll6631]

In most cases yes, but there are those who slip through the cracks and give us all a bad rap. The ones that go on shooting sprees often happen to be missing a father figure as well. Marital loyalty saves lives, folks.

[@PatrickCavanaugh0420]

+Milo Flint I agree teaching your kids proper safety is very important seems to me accidents are more likely to happen from curious kids who have not been taught proper safety skills.

[@TWANGnBANG]

I wish I knew about this stuff a year ago. This is a lot of fun.

[@TWANGnBANG]

That's why they offer them both ways. I load them outside right before using, though, so the drop-in cases work well for me.

[@Morgan_Blackhand]

I know this is an older video, but I'm about to buy my first gun in a month. I had my heart set on the old Ruger Vaquero in .45 LC but I realized ammo was expensive. I had never even considered making wax bullets for plinking. Thanks a ton! Now I won't have to settle for a .357 New Vaquero

[@TWANGnBANG]

You might have to load each round in the chamber by hand. Some 1911s won't feed a case without a nice round bullet to help guide it up the feed ramp.

[@jameshelmling4225]

Safety goes a long way. Thank you for this video. Have been looking for alternatives to lead reloading.

[@Jack-mi9ok]

Thanks for including the special safety precautions. That's something missing from alot of other videos.

[@OdeeOz]

Great demo, and thanks very much for the safety tips. In my Law Dawg days, I saw too many of these friendly fire incidents to suit my tastes.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Fast draw competitions require you to trigger a pressure plate as far as 15 feet away, but that's still close enough to shatter the wax bullet. I don't know about accuracy, but you could probably have fun 25 feet or more away.

[@TWANGnBANG]

The smaller the space behind the wax bullet, the faster the pressure rises when the primer pops. This should increase the velocity of the bullet, though I have not tested to confirm. I have no idea how much this matters, but the man who developed this system knows what he's doing.

[@opie7afe]

you can also grab a lead bullet mold and use hot glue as well....

[@TWANGnBANG]

The E-Z Loaders hardly foul the bore at all because of the polymer in the mixture. I just run a bore snake through and I'm good. You can buy wax solvents if you use pure paraffin, or you can dunk your barrel in boiling water to remove the wax. Nobody who does this seems to worry too much about it, so I doubt it ever becomes a big problem even when shooting thousands of these as some fast draw competitors do.

[@danelobe2524]

1.gr 800x, wad, fill with hot melted wax to the rim. Use mag primmers in a .44 mag. It will take the hide off of rats. Kills them on impact. 600fps. Very accurate out to 40'. I use a mixture of wax for hardness.

[@aic762iop9]

In a way its like using pellet guns for practice, sig makes an all metal 226 that feels real and shoots 500 fps 7 gr. .177 pellet out of a rifle steel barrel with blow back action and a stick mag. I might try these for practice for my single action revolver in my back yard. Its fun using that pellet gun with spinner targets you get a nice ping and movement!!! 😄 its fun for days messing around

[@TWANGnBANG]

38 SPL works in 9mm, and of course 45 is 45. You have to use standard empty cases and prime and de-prime with a tool. You also have to cycle by hand because there isn't enough power to cycle the slide. So, it is very workable for semi autos, but not quite as fun.

[@theKGB65]

Wow, great video! Thank you for the cool ideas and for the intelligent thoughts on lead safety.

[@TWANGnBANG]

I'm a big Hickok45 fan, so that means a lot. I've only been producing new videos for about 7 months now, and I learn more about how to structure and edit them with each one I do. Of course, Hickok45 is a master of just standing there and talking sensibly for 15 minutes straight, but I could never pull something like that off and still have viewers. :)

[@916deez]

wow first time i have seen your channel ..you are really good in front of camera and is very well done ..thx for posting

[@TWANGnBANG]

That might be true, but the noise is considerably more. The pistol primers are perfect for backyard use.

[@lukejarman8546]

I love your channel. Please keep making videos, they are educational and fun. 😄

[@norcofreerider604]

Very cool, I'll have to think about picking up some .38 cal wax bullets for my S&W 686.

[@TWANGnBANG]

norcofreerider604 You'll have lots of fun with it.

[@lylesmith5079]

In Bill Jordan's book ' No Second Place Winner ' he recommends a similar thing. I uses to practice drawing and point shooting a model 66. Twelve feet was my limit for hitting an effective chest shot.

[@richiebeard994]

I had Speer "Plastic Bullets" in the 80s, it's the same principle, but uses RED plastic cases & Black plastic bullets hence less likely to mix up with real ammo. Having said that, there is no reason that a person can't use bright color epoxy paint on the BUTTS of the brass cases. Just thinkin' out loud, got a decision to make, thanks for putting the wax bullets on my radar. - Godspeed

[@knightingalesaid]

Great video. So you have the Vaquero in 45 long colt cylinder and the 45 acp cylinder. And now the blank and wax bullet ctg. That makes it very versatile. You can also hot load the 45 long colt ctg. The Vaquero is a stout pistol. Check the reloading. manuals on hot loads for it.

[@johncox9532]

I thought that hot loads could only be used in the Old Vaquero not the New Vaquero?

[@TWANGnBANG]

Neither is safe. I give a fairly long message about this in the video. Never point a gun at anything you don't want to kill. Period. These aren't paintballs fired from a gun that can only fire paintballs. These are wax bullets fired from real guns with no way to limit them from firing real ammo by accident.

[@derpityderp-derp4007]

I have watched 3 of your vids now and MUST subscribe:) I love how you are focusing on some of the fun stuff and maintaining some professionalism as well:) No eccentric stuff. No political crap yet still smashing the noggins of those who wish us harm;) Classic bro.Keep it UP!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks for sticking around!

[@banditsniper6372]

I watched the first one and subscribed straight away lol! Good videos keep them coming buddy!!

[@OGSinisterPotato]

'I thought I already told you there's not room enough in this town for the both of us' ^-^

[@davidgcalderone]

I prefer using the primer tool type, I actually find it faster to load and no accidental lost primers falling out. Nothing like finding a lost primer with the vacuum.

[@TWANGnBANG]

It's just not an issue with these wax bullets because of the polymer added to them. They don't leave much residue at all. If you shoot a lot, you can get wax solvent from the same places that sell wax bullets.

[@TWANGnBANG]

That will be shown in a future video, though they have their drawbacks that need to be weighed against their reusability.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Awesome! Thanks for the support.

[@TWANGnBANG]

The pistol primers are loud enough for what I want. I'm not worried about performance when I'm just cowboying around in the back yard.

[@improveyourenglish6590]

Awesome videos. very informative. Didn't know anything about wax bullets till I watched your videos though I use to do a fair amount of shooting about 20 years ago. Nice to be able to see the things that I love to do . Unfortunately I now live in India where it's almost next to impossible to own a gun unless you are very wealthy or a crooked politician :)

[@TWANGnBANG]

One guy does make wax bullets especially for lever guns, but they depend upon a 209 primer for power. The ones in this video are designed for fast draw practice and competition, so feeding in a rifle is not a concern.

[@solouroboros]

200-300 fps is right around the range of a paintball gun for outdoor use. Relatively "safe", or as safe as a firearm can get. It makes me tempted to get one of those revolvers for fun plinking

[@TWANGnBANG]

Glad you liked it!

[@TWANGnBANG]

There is not an airsoft equivalent of every pistol out there, especially single action revolvers of different hammer and barrel types. This is about having fun with the pistol you use in competition or plinking in other ways. Obviously, if you are an airsoft person, stick with airsoft. If you prefer the way a *real* firearm feels, not just the weight but also the action, then this is a great way to go.

[@talltomrich1]

Hickok45 takes the Firearm channel crown in my opinion but the more i watch the closer you come. You've got a knack, keep making great videos!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Yep. The 209 primer cases put out over 600fps, though, which is pretty stout considering that the wax bullets weigh 4x what a BB weighs.

[@jokesterforlife4132]

His write don't point a gun especially if its wax bullets led is much efficient 😂

[@ifiwasacreeper]

did any one else hear "i thought i already told you there's not room enough in this town for the both of us"

[@TWANGnBANG]

ifiwasacreeper Hopefully everyone that has watched this... :)

[@troy9er]

I have some a system with plastic bullets. Haven’t shot it in years but it was powerful, even with just primers. Shot through a heavy plastic garbage can. I only shoot real ammo anymore at the indoor/outdoor ranges.

[@omgwtfits7612]

About 6:30 you mentioned the smart choice of ammo box. I don’t know how much this might help others but the company berry’s mfg makes ammo boxes like that maybe even that one. I only measured for .44 mag but on their website it shows the difference between their “44” box and their “40/45/10mm” the height on the .40 cal box is just right for an unloaded 44 shell. Hope that helps someone else

[@TWANGnBANG]

This is just a Triple K holster I bought from Midway to hold me over until my custom Mernickle comes in.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Some, yes, but you would have to manually cycle the slide with each shot.

[@TWANGnBANG]

That's a KZbin player problem. It happens to me sometimes watching other videos. Just scroll back a little bit before you lost sound, and it should come right back when you replay.

[@dedzerg]

This makes me want to go spend a bunch of money on a Ruger .357 so I can shoot wax .38 bullets in my backyard. Not so sure that would be saving me any money, but I would have a great revolver. I think that's a good trade off.

[@philippetays4263]

we have made wax bullets using shotgun primers and boost the velocity with a pinch of black powder, that will put it through pop cans

[@TWANGnBANG]

Those wax slugs are awesome. Different purpose, though.

[@JP-lv4dj]

I made 38spl wax cartridges years ago by resizing 50 cases, opening the flash hole and pushing the cases into blocks of gulf canning wax before priming. I found them to be fairly accurate at close range. Now I can not bring myself to use up my primer supply. I prefer my normal sized primer pockets.

[@TWANGnBANG]

You can buy wax solvent, but the wax/polymer mix bullets that I use don't really foul the gun at all.

[@TWANGnBANG]

It is pretty surprising. When they shoot blanks, the primer is also doing much of the work, blowing hot black powder at the target balloon. That's coming up as soon as I can get the right powders to try it out.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Just the primer. Some semi-autos will feed from the mag, but others will not.

[@curlyrai1511]

You never cease to amaze me. Great video, very informative.

[@josephatnip2398]

They also use sawdust rounds it blows out like a shotgun to devastate balloons while riding horseback but it won't hurt anything past about 10 ft....... And spectator really like it

[@Miningninjadt]

Another really cool inexpensive reloading technique is - reusable hot glue bullets , you can shoot for hours without spending a penny!

[@heavy4caliber]

I'm surprised that the primer has that much "ooomf" behind it. Way cool stuff dude! I have got to get one of those Ruger revolvers. Maaaan, they are so sweet.

[@MarcusVance]

Just found your channel today. The other videos I've seen have been informative, and useful. But this one just brought it all in for me, and I had to subscribe. One question, though: Do you know if the .38 system with the easy in/easy out primers would hinder the action of a double action revolver?

[@TWANGnBANG]

There is nothing to hold the primers in place other than the frame plate on the revolver, so there is indeed the risk of a primer backing out enough to lock up the cylinder. However, a handheld primer-deprimer is cheap and is all you need to enjoy the system. I wouldn't hesitate to go that route if I were using these in a DA revolver. Thanks for sticking around!

[@aaronmarshall9801]

@@TWANGnBANG where did u pick that gun up

[@truthseeker635]

Nice video. Explained the process well for those who are thinking about participating in this.

[@TurboMitsubishi]

Thats it, im going to take some of my wifes candles to the loading bench and see what it sounds like with CCI large pistol primers in my 1911....tempted to add a grain or so of Winchester 231 to one case and set the wax all the way back to see what happens.

[@hpbt223]

what a nice detailed review! Best regards from Germany!

[@Joselbasurto]

I wonder if they have this kit for my Ruger P89 pistol. It will be lots of backyard plinking fun.

[@TWANGnBANG]

They only do revolver calibers, but you can just make your own cases and use their 38SPL bullets.

[@Joselbasurto]

Awesome, thanks!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks, curly!

[@TWANGnBANG]

That could happen, too, but I haven't heard of that. However, wax bullet dueling was once a sport until too many people got shot with real bullets by accident.

[@rogergold4655]

Try a Governor with wax #9 shot 410. Puts a 1 inch hole in 3/8 plywood at ten feet. Drill the top inside the crimp with flat dowl bit. Poor shot into melted wax mix and put back in shell.

[@T-Ingvarsson]

This has to be great for cap and ball shooting.

[@hebrewhooligan5462]

This would be great for malfunction training at the range. You could have someone else load your mag with one if these in the middle.

[@TWANGnBANG]

That's correct. That's why they are so quiet. And slow.

[@DisHammerhand]

This looks like a good option for having fun with my .357.

[@TWANGnBANG]

That's correct.

[@Sins4u33]

yeah ive seen it, im from the DC area, we have a gun show this weekend, curious to see how much the reloader guy has in stock. I use a dillon xl650 for all my reloading right now, def be a good idea to stock up once people calm down with the craze

[@mjohnston8313]

Compliments to whoever does your makeup.

[@Killzoneguy117]

I think its good to emphasize that even if you have wax bullets, it doesn't mean you should then go about shooting your friends with them. Its a general rule, never point your firearm at anything you don't intend to destroy. Wax or no wax. Its just not worth the risk. And I feel like even if you do have wax, at short enough ranges, you can probably still do some serious damage on someone if you hit them in the eye or somewhere else sensitive.

[@TWANGnBANG]

I'd rather shoot my actual Vaquero, which is the point of this system. You can buy a CO2 toy *in addition to* the pistol you already own and save money long term, but you're not *really* getting 99% similar to the real deal. This is a way to shoot your real gun, which you already own and might even have customized, more cheaply than shooting with real ammo.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Have you tried to find reloading supplies lately? :) It's just as bad as finding ammo. I had to work really hard just to find the large pistol primers I needed for this video, but I did snag 3,000 of them to keep me in business for a while. I do want to reload, but it will probably be a bit before supplies make the investment in equipment worthwhile.

[@Bobshouse]

45ACP cases fit the wax loaded 45LC brass as 380ACP will fit 357wax loaded rounds.

[@TheShawna1]

wow that is cool I have a .455 webley break open revolver that has the original .455 cylinder and a cut down cylinder for 45ACP i think i will load these for this revolver and have at it thanks.Jim

[@TWANGnBANG]

That's a big challenge. Even I drive an hour each way to get to the range where I do most of my shooting.

[@magicmiguel8B]

i absolutely love this channel, its so cool :D good job man

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks, Miguel!

[@renole2005]

i like your style! you cover almost all the bases. i just ordered my vaquero convertible yesterday. now i was wondering about wax buildup in the barrel and cylinder, is there any at all noticeable ?

[@TWANGnBANG]

renole2005 Not too bad, but you can get solvent specifically for it straight from wax bullet suppliers. That said, I found out that foam ear plugs work just as well, and there's no mess. This isn't a joke at all. Watch this video to see: @watch?v=h27qVNUvaNk

[@cowstable]

Credit for mentioning toxicity from firing lead styphnate primers indoors. You can get lead-free primers which are worth any extra cost as they're OK indoors.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Right where I said it would be in the video. :)

[@fattywithafirearm]

I will be competing in cowboy fast draw next year. It will be fun.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Good luck, and have fun!

[@dashby1435]

did ya win?

[@AFollowerOfJesusChrist]

fattywithafirearm how'd you do

[@JackSpackProductions]

It's been 5 years. Dude's a proper cowboy now.

[@acesand8s849]

JackSpackProductions Lol

[@Nalublu]

You’re a very good presenter. Good job!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks!

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks so much!

[@frickbot]

sweet, my wife loves to shoot our 38 spl but i hate keeping more than a handful of rounds stocked for it!

[@leemaxwell5035]

Wondering if these can be used in the Speer plastic cases made for their plastic bullets.

[@TWANGnBANG]

+Lee Maxwell Probably not a good idea. The Speer cases would probably split from swaging the wax bullet. The plastic bullets are a perfect fit to make sure that the plastic cases don't wear out too fast.

[@leemaxwell5035]

You're probably right. I see now the Speer cases are a lot shorter than standard 38 brass, so definitely not a good idea. Nice video by the way.

[@johnyjoe15]

Wow, very well put together video. And a nice ruger vaquero!?! Subscribed!

[@jimjr4432]

Very well done video and concepts. I really got to thinking about the Pb in the house. Oh, I was a jackass, hopefully grew out of it, but I made a matchlock out of a bolt, a buddy shot me (groin and eye protection used) but it hit my ribs, still have the bruise from 1966 (oh, no drugs used).

[@geronimovision2912]

Great video TWANGnBANG! Very informative. Look forward to catching up on your other videos. I subscribed from this video.

[@berniemiller3409]

Nice job on the video. Entertaining and informative.

[@TWANGnBANG]

Thanks for watching!