Making up ammo for the revolver for use in Camp

1. Making up ammo for the revolver for use in Camp

2. Use of a firearm with in the bounds of the campground, sounds mighty dangerous. In fact, with out proper supervision and diligence, no firearm should be handled. That being said, with proper care, wax bullets are safely used by quick draw shooters, and can be used on short range target courses . The following is information shared with the hope that enjoyment of the responsibility and privilege that is granted by our Second Amendment can be shared with all sober minded adults and the young under their supervision.

3. C & R Wax Bullets Contact C & R Thielke: 541-575-4241 • Ammunition that can be used safely in camp for informal target practice and firearms • training can be produced using ordinary paraffin wax as the “bullet” materiel. • Propellant energy for this kind of ammo consists of only the primer. Three levels of • power can be obtained through the use of the following primers: • Standard - very short range >accurate to @ 20 ft. • Magnum - fair range >accurate to @ 40 ft, good at denting soda cans. • Shotgun - Up to five fold energy of magnum, able to puncture soda cans at 25 ft. All of this ammunition was developed using a Ruger Blackhawk revolver, chambered in .357 magnum. Other straight sided cartridges could be used, such as 44 special/ 44 Mag; 45 Long Colt; and 38 special. In every case, the cartridges will need to be changed in the following ways. For use of Standard & Magnum primers the flash hole (in the cartage) will need to be enlarged to .100” for the Small Pistol primer and .125” for the Large Pistol primer. Shotgun primers are another matter altogether. Ruger Blackhawk

4. Flash hole enlargement: Why? A - Primer set-back Ordinarily, the primer does move backward when normally loaded ammo is used. The recoil of the powder charge will ram the cartridge back against the recoil plate, pushing the primer back into it’s pocket. But when the primer is the sole propellant, it has a tendency to “set back” when discharged and bind on the recoil plate of your “wheel gun”. Enlarging the flash hole allows the pressure generated to dissipate rapidly, leaving the primer were you want it. WARNING ! None of these cases can be use for standard powder & lead loads! The enlarged flash holes will allow far too high gas pressures against the primer, driving it out of the pocket and exposing the shooter (and others) to hot flame and powder residues. Mark clearly those cases intended for wax loads to avoid confusion with unaltered ones intended for normal use.

5. “C” Drill (.242) 1/4” Taper ream (.244) .312 End mill or Drill (.040 deep) .357 Mag Brass .242 - .245 Winchester 209 Shotgun Primer .308 .020 Altering brass for Shotgun primers:

6. .500 .358 1.396 Ratio • 357 Wax load preparation: • Select cases for use. • Load to light charge (158 gr. LSWC + 5 gr. Unique) • Discharge at favorite range (to mildly expand). • Decap only + slight neck expand (no resize). • Machine as directed on page one. • Debur + mouth chamfer. • Press load wax slug. • Prime and clean. The Wax slug

7. Credit Were Credit is Due: Much of the information presented here comes from the volume “HANDLOADING for HANDGUNNERS” by Maj. George C. Nonte, Jr. Pages 217 through 219 Also of help is: C&R Wax Bullets (http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets)

8. Terminal Ballistic Effects for .357 + 209 Shotgun primer Range = 25 feet Entrance Exit