I was just thinking that these might be useful for indoor shooting. The rounds are low powered (though dangerous still, I'm sure) so a suitable backstop would be easier to construct. Additionally, one wouldn't have to worry about lead dust. Do these even exist? If not, why not; they sound like a damn good idea to me.
Primer-fired Plastic Bullets?
- Thread starter 22HM77
- Start date
- Status
OMGWTFBBQ
Member
Yes, they do. Speer makes them in a few pistol calibers.
Just search for "speer plastic" on midwayusa.com. There are also rubber ones made by a company called X-Ring(also available on midway).
Just search for "speer plastic" on midwayusa.com. There are also rubber ones made by a company called X-Ring(also available on midway).
5knives
Member
They are a good idea, louder than you think, a good stout cardboard box full of crumpled paper will stop them and leave most of them resable.
But ...
Yes they are dangerous ... and
Louder than you would expect, okay in your house or garage, probably upset the neighbors if your in an Apt. or Condo.
Great practice.
Regards,
But ...
Yes they are dangerous ... and
Louder than you would expect, okay in your house or garage, probably upset the neighbors if your in an Apt. or Condo.
Great practice.
Regards,
230RN
2A was "political" when it was first adopted.
I used to use them for indoor practice... Speer made plastic cases and bullets using primers only.
Noticed them in The Reloader's Corner up in Arvada last week, was tempted to buy a box.
Bill Jordan used to load primed only (regular brass) cases with wax bullets. He'd take a block of 50 primed cases and press it into one of those blocks of paraffin you can buy in some hardware stores, thereby loading fifty at once.
They go bang, but not too bad.
BTW, you still get some lead fumes from the primers.
Noticed them in The Reloader's Corner up in Arvada last week, was tempted to buy a box.
Bill Jordan used to load primed only (regular brass) cases with wax bullets. He'd take a block of 50 primed cases and press it into one of those blocks of paraffin you can buy in some hardware stores, thereby loading fifty at once.
They go bang, but not too bad.
BTW, you still get some lead fumes from the primers.
Orthonym
Member
I have found that the common yellow-foam earplugs will fit nicely into a .45ACP case, with primer and no powder, and shoot to point of aim indoors. My own ear wax seems to be sufficient lubricant.
The earplugs do seem to be somewhat destroyed by the blast of the primer. I reckon I might be able to re-use them if I drilled out the flash hole in the case a bit bigger, as is recommended when shooting the x-ring rubber bullets.
The earplugs do seem to be somewhat destroyed by the blast of the primer. I reckon I might be able to re-use them if I drilled out the flash hole in the case a bit bigger, as is recommended when shooting the x-ring rubber bullets.
steveno
Member
I shot some in the basement once and they were ok. the problem was that my mother's french poodle did NOT like them at all. it went nuts bigtime
jrfoxx
Member
Yup, I've got 100 of them my dad had bought in the late 70's/early 80's we shot them in the basement at the time, now I shoot them in my spare room occasionally when the weather stinka, and I just need a shooting fix.They arent very accurate past 20ft or so, an lots will still keyhole even at like 10 feet, and as others have said, they arent like a cap gun, they are a bit loud and smokey, but they are fun, and do work.
Just buy a block of paraffin wax at the supermarket and make wax bullets. It's cheaper, works as well, and you aren't limited to the few calibers speer makes. I've been making wax bullets ever since I read No Second Place Winner by Bill Jordan back in the 80s.
Creature
Member
Starter52
Member
I use the Speer plastic target .38s and .44s when I teach young (under-12) beginners and gun-shy ladies.
Zero recoil, not loud at all outdoors, and accurate enough at 25 feet to kill a soda can.
The cases are reuseable at least a couple of times, and the bullets too if you trap them as 5knives recommends. I would use rags rather than paper, though.
These are not powderpuff loads. They will shoot through the back of a standard clipboard and leave a nice wadcutter hole.
Zero recoil, not loud at all outdoors, and accurate enough at 25 feet to kill a soda can.
The cases are reuseable at least a couple of times, and the bullets too if you trap them as 5knives recommends. I would use rags rather than paper, though.
These are not powderpuff loads. They will shoot through the back of a standard clipboard and leave a nice wadcutter hole.
Actually you would, one of the components in primers is lead styphnate. It is not responsible for the majority of lead put out by firing a gun but when you're talking about using it in your home you're going to run into long term exposure and accumulation of it.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
If you are going to try wax bullets in a revolver, you will need to drill out the primer flash holes to about 1/8".
Otherwise, the primers will back out and bind up the cylinder from rotating.
rcmodel
Otherwise, the primers will back out and bind up the cylinder from rotating.
rcmodel
scottfrmga
Member
another thing I once read about was a guy using "wooden" bullets he took a dowel rod and turned them to fit. he said he made them for self defence, that they were good because they would not go through walls. I never had a chance to try them but the story stuck in the back of my mind. as best as I can remember it was a story in an old guns and ammo mag
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Probably work good for Vampires too.
rcmodel
rcmodel
I use the Speer plastics regularly to practice draw/fire drills in my garage. They work great. They last about forever, or until you lose them, whichever comes first. And cheap...the cost of a primer to shoot.
And the drills really increased my confidence in my ability to draw from concealment and get the first round on target.
And the drills really increased my confidence in my ability to draw from concealment and get the first round on target.
I used wax bullets and .357 magnum cases with small rifle primers in a Marlin 1894C. It was a lot of fun, but yes they are pretty loud, and the primer smoke is pretty unpleasant after a few rounds. The cartridges didn't feed reliably in the lever action either, I had to insert them one at a time in the chamber.
It was fun, if you shoot a plastic water bottle, the wax bullet would end up inside of it, and you could reuse it over and over.
We shoot the colibri primer only .22 rounds in the basement sometimes, out of a .22lr rifle they are so quiet you hardly know they are being shot. Significantly less loud than an air pistol, but the colibris sometimes don't make it out of a rifle barrel, so you have to be attentive and check the bore when you're done.
It was fun, if you shoot a plastic water bottle, the wax bullet would end up inside of it, and you could reuse it over and over.
We shoot the colibri primer only .22 rounds in the basement sometimes, out of a .22lr rifle they are so quiet you hardly know they are being shot. Significantly less loud than an air pistol, but the colibris sometimes don't make it out of a rifle barrel, so you have to be attentive and check the bore when you're done.
mondocomputerman
Member
Sounds interesting.
Black Knight
Member
Be careful with the plastic bullets. At roughly 8 ft. they will go through a sheet of wood paneling. Years ago I tried them on a spare sheet (scrap) at my parents. I was surprised that they had that much power. The cardboard box with crumpled paper is a good idea. You may also want to use those ever present in every package delivery packing peanuts.
woodybrighton
member
got issued some ancient wooden .303 round blanks for our bren gun in cadets.
unfortunately didn't get the device that was supposed to shred them as they left the barrel
one mag fired rest taken away
unfortunately didn't get the device that was supposed to shred them as they left the barrel
one mag fired rest taken away
Great thread!
Too funny - I just bought a 2,000 AirSoft pellets for my latest project. I am going to turn a steel .410 "shell" with a 6mm thru hole that will accept a 209 shotshell primer and an AirSoft pellet. I figured it will let my son learn to handle his Rossi youth model rifle and put holes in paper at short range without developing a flinch. Not a toy, for sure - I wonder what velocities I'll get?
Too funny - I just bought a 2,000 AirSoft pellets for my latest project. I am going to turn a steel .410 "shell" with a 6mm thru hole that will accept a 209 shotshell primer and an AirSoft pellet. I figured it will let my son learn to handle his Rossi youth model rifle and put holes in paper at short range without developing a flinch. Not a toy, for sure - I wonder what velocities I'll get?
Grizzly Adams
Member
You can make a wooden box out of 1/2" plywood and staple your target over the front with cardboard backers to use with the rubber and wax bullets. I used to practice with them years ago. They can be lots of fun when the weather is bad or you want to practice at night, etc.
Make sure you have an adequate backstop!!
Make sure you have an adequate backstop!!
Aside from the outright expense fo this ammo, simunitions is designed for "safer" force-on-force training. People get hurt and sometimes killed every year from improper safety procedures with simunitions.
You also need converted firearms as well as certification from Simunitions in order to buy/use their practice ammo.
- Status
