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  • Flashcb

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    Oct 28, 2009
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    How do you do it? For my Rugers in .357 going to try 3 grains of tight group with a "floral foam" (soft green stuff) "bullet"/ Powder seal. See any issues?

    Hoping to pop a balloon at about 10 feet.
    ARJ Defense ad
     
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    Dawico

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    Oct 15, 2009
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    Most trick shooters use wax bullets for stuff like that. I haven't tried loading them myself though and don't know much more than that.
     

    benenglish

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    Nov 22, 2011
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    if you do make your own, you have to drill out the flash hole a bit to get all the powder to light.
    Actually, drilling out the flash hole is necessary to prevent primer setback. Since these are low-pressure rounds, they're unlikely to fully expand in the chamber and push the case head firmly against the breech face. In those cases, the little pressure available can cause the primers to back out of the cases. There are few way more effective to truly "jam" a single action revolver than a primer that backs out...and since single action revolvers are traditionally the tools used to pop balloons in fast draw competition, this is pretty important.

    Practice for Fast Draw competition generally uses wax bullets in pistol cases that have been modified to use shotgun primers. Reloading is easy; both the bullets and primers push in with finger pressure. No equipment is required. Go to Spitfire Wax Bullets - The Most Accurate Wax Bullets Ever Produced to see what one vendor offers and be advised that there are many other vendors. Actual competition generally uses a small amount of black powder, up to 6 grains of black or 4 grains of Hodgdon 777, in a .45 Colt case.

    If you google around for fast draw topics, you'll come across the Cowboy Fast Draw Association as well as the World Fast Draw Association. Both have message boards and lots of vendors competing for your dollar.

    People can become as insanely addicted to popping blanks as any other sort of shooting. That's what's great about shooting; it's so diverse, there's something for everyone.
     

    benenglish

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    Just ran the numbers.

    ~$150 for 5000 wax bullets
    ~$82 for 100 prepared cases
    ~$150 for 5000 Rio 209 primers @ ~$30/1000

    Total: $382

    That means I can practice firing 100 shots per session from a revolver with distance limited to 7 yards at a cost of $382 (plus shipping) for 5000 rounds. When was the last time .38 or .45 revolver ammo was available for less than $77 per 1000? That's a price from a decade or two ago.

    Sheesh, now there's something else I may want to get involved in! ;)
     

    CanTex

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    Mar 4, 2009
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    Pflugerville
    Would you like to know how you can drop that price significantly? Go to Midway USA. Buy Speer Plastic Bullets, 38 cal. currently at $7.49 for 50 and Speer Plastic Cases, Currently at $5.17 per 50. You can re-use the bullets multiple times ( you will loose them vice shoot them out ). The Plastic cases may eventually split however as long as they hold the bullet they will work and fire. They also have .40 and .45 as well ( the .45 uses your normal brass cases ).

    You just press in a primer and push in the bullet by hand. ( I use my Lee hand primer )

    I have shot about 500 times and still have most of my plastic bullets. I do however suggest you ensure your backstop is good or you may end up with an issue. My shop is 20' and the pistol was about 3ft out from the wall, Cardboard box was loose filled with paper. Bullet went through both sides...dented the wallboard. I now use a box filled with old jeans/blankets to keep the plastic from escaping out the back.
     
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    ArmyZach

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    Would the speer plastic bullets in .45 cycle the action of a 1911?

    Sent from my AN/PRC-77 using Tapatalk.
     

    rushthezeppelin

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    if you do make your own, you have to drill out the flash hole a bit to get all the powder to light.

    I've actually seen some of the cowboy action blank shooters that will drill the pockets out enough to put a shotgun primer in with no powder and a wax bullet. Seems to have worked great for Bob Munden. Also makes them easier to load. Set primer and then push cases into a thick sheet of wax, bam done.
     
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    Flashcb

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    Oct 28, 2009
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    Ben,
    Wish I had seen this before I tried it one more time. yep backed a primer out and locked it up. oh well all solved now and have expanded the flash hole. now if the weather would let me go try version 2 out
     

    CanTex

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    Would the speer plastic bullets in .45 cycle the action of a 1911?

    Sent from my AN/PRC-77 using Tapatalk.
    I believe it would not cycle the action. Very little power behind these. But it does bring to question if a magnum primer were used, or a rifle or shotgun. However, I know very little about the differences in the various primer types to do anything other than ask if someone else could field this question.
     
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