Handheld Priming, and Wax Bullets

[DickP]

Hello all:

My friend lives in Alaska, and has a .480 Ruger Alaskan - the snub-nosed version.

He's thinking of getting into handloading, and he's also mentioned that he'd like to have some real low-pressure, target practice type loads - this is the only handgun he owns, so he'd like to something to plink at cans with...

In the past I've melted paraffin wax in a pie pan, let it cool, and cookie-cuttered wax plugs into uncharged brass, primed them, and spent afternoons plinking at aluminum cans. This was with smaller-caliber revolvers, and they still required some scrubbing afterwards to get all the wax out.

(I realize that, if he were to make wax bullets for a .480, the POA would probably vary significantly from original zero, but I'm sure he'd record any adjustments made while plinking, and re-zero before he carried regular loads again.)

My questions are:

1) Is there any reason why he shouldn't be shooting wax plugs out this gun? I've never had problems, but I don't know if, for example, he's risking huge pressure surges if he forgets to clean wax out of the barrel before he shot a fullhouse load...? Should he just buy a Mk III and forget about turning a .480 into a mouse gun?

2) If the answer above is no, then what's the best way for someone who lacks any reloading equipment to de-prime and prime a case? This handheld primer:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=278665

was rated highly, but it doesn't say whether it also deprimes a case. Does this model also function as a de-primer?

Thanks!

 

[Owen]

no that tool does not deprime the case

 

[rcmodel]

You can de-prime with a 1/16" pin punch & small hammer while resting the case over a 2" x 4" block with a hole drilled through it for the spent primer to fall out. A steel block would be better though.

The RCBS hand priming tool is a great one.
But you don't want the ASP model.
It only works with CCI ASP primers that come in little plastic feed strips. Just get the Standard or Universal model so you can use individually boxed loose primers of any brand you can get locally.

Wax is not at all hard to clean out using Hoppes #9 solvent.

Another possibility is to load a Hornady .480" round muzzle loader ball over about 7.0 grains Unique powder. That should give you about 550 FPS in the .480 Ruger.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=775155

rc

 

[Red Cent]

I use these. Fill them with anything that won't hurt the cylinder or barrel. I have some around for those things that bite. Use just the primer or just a touch of powder.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=682652

 

[rcmodel]

Thats great, but they don't make Speer shot-caps that will fit or work in a .480 Ruger.

Bore is .475".

rc

 

[bullseye308]

Get one of these to prime the cases: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=807875 and one of these to deprime the cases: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=636747 He will need to find a #10 shell holder, I believe and have what he needs. He may also need to drill out the flash holes larger or the primers may back out binding the cylinder.

 

[Curator]

Bullseye is right on with drilling out the flash holes in your cases. Normal flash hole size will allow the primers to back out and jam the cylinder. Drill the flash holes to 1/8 inch and mark the cases so they don't get used for anything else. You can uses an ice pick to de-prime and an Lee "auto-prime" tool to reprime. I buy "canning wax" at the supermarket and use unprimed cases to cut through the individual blocks (about 5/8") I push these to the bottom of the case with a pencil then prime. Soda cans are in deep trouble out to 10 yards after you learn where they hit. Mine shoot low as there is no recoil.

 

[zombie44]

Hot glue sticks work well too and usually a perfect fit for a 45 colt

 

[DickP]

Thanks for the info, guys.

Bullseye - the primer and decapper are on their way to Alaska - my buddy thanks you!

BTW, what would cause a primer to back out of the pocket with a primer-fired load, if the primer would stay put with a fullhouse load? I don't understand...

Thanks!

 

[rcmodel]

No case pressure with a wax load.

Normally in a revolver, there is a bunch of room for the case to slide back and forth in the chamber.

When the FP hits it, it is driven foreword all the way, it fires, pressure causes the case to expand and grip the chamber, while the primer backs out.
Then as pressure drops off, the case loses it's grip and slams back against the recoil shield, re-seating the primer.

With wax bullets, you have no pressure except that generated by the primer in the primer pocket.
So it backs out, but there is no residual chamber pressure to re-seat it again.

Drilling out the flash hole reduces the primer pocket pressure so the primer doesn't back out in the first place.

rc

 

[DickP]

rc - thanks, that makes sense.

 

[bullseye308]

Bullseye - the primer and decapper are on their way to Alaska - my buddy thanks you!

No problem. I have done many thousands of cases like that. He still can get a Lee Reloader press for cheap and a set of Lee dies. He at some point may need to resize a case or crimp one depending on what he wants to send down the barrel, and they will be necessary. Once he has those he may as well start reloading too.

 

[jluther820]

To de-prime, I drill a hole that is just big enough for the primer to fall through, all the way through a block of wood. Then drill a shallow hole over that hole that is just the size of your case, then the case will sit down in the block of wood while you knock out the primer.

Another advantage of drilling out the primer hole is that you can use a larger punch, those little thin buggers are pretty weak.

You can prime without a special tool by setting the case over the primer and put a piece of wood on top of the case mouth and gently tap it in.

If you are worried about wax build up, find some rubber bullets, they can be put in by hand, and re-used. http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-206783.html

I shoot a cardboard target with a t-shirt stretched over the the back and it works well to stop the rubber bullets and save them for re-use.

I enjoy shooting these because they are quiet enough to shoot in the backyard, but I usually only shoo them in the garage because I am nervous about what a neighbor might say if they see me. Anyone have any experience getting caught shooting primer only bullets?

 

[Bluehawk]

I second the hot melt glue bullets. have made them for my .45 (Long) Colt and are great! Buy an inexpensive Lee mold...fill the mold with hot melt glue..(milky white ones work best)...don't use the sprue cutter...just trim off the sprue with a razor blade. These bullets can be reloaded several times!