Wax Slugs for Cheap Plinking
- Thread starter Ganderite
- Start date
Unbelievable IMO but hey your face and hands. Keep firing wax slugs and if you fire enough looking at yours eventually you will get your wish but yours are some of the better ones I have seen being made I have to give you that. Just hope you have some fingers left to type and tell us about it
Few images out there now of wax slug failures
If wax slugs were the so called bees knees like some think why don't manufacturers produce them. Think about that
Then again what do I know about shotgun reloading I only do every gauge for 50 years now
To each their own
Cheers
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Quite possible.
Interesting video. I'd love to see a test in ballistic gelatin to see what would happen inside the critter after impact. Before trying anything at all, though, I'd have to do some serious checking to find out what the circumstances were behind those burst barrels. Is it the wax slug, wax buildup, high pressure because the payload is heavier, etc.?
Just be careful as you know that rolled lip on the top of the crimp is critical to keep the slug formation in the hull. Straight cuts are a no no
Also keep an eye on the wax build up if any in the barrel some waxes ZERO other are terrible
That pic was a guy who figured walking with the gun loaded made the slug pop out and slide part way down
Cheers
Wax Slug Test
Had an excellent test session at the range today. Weather was about zero, with no wind.
I shot a scoped shotgun, 20” barrel, Skeet choke (almost a cylinder bore)
Ammo tested was:
Remington factory Reduced Recoil slug
Lyman air gun pellet shaped lead slug in Winchester target load case
Wax slugs in:
Champion target Extra Light 2 ¾ dram 7/8oz
Champion target Light 2 ¾ dram 1 1/8oz
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz (with a 200 gr 45 cal bullet)
I shot at both 25 and 50 yards. I shot the 25 yards first, in case the 50 yard testing was a bust. As it happened, the 50 yard results were valid, so I will only report on that.
Some general observations.
I loaded one in the chamber and two in the mag, and every load fed and cycled perfectly.
The slugs shot to a different place than where I had zeroed the gun with birdshot. Slugs went a foot higher at 25 yards.
25 and 50 yard elevations were about the same. Maybe because the scope is so much higher than the bore.
The best group at both distances was the Remington reduced recoil slugs. 2.5” at 50 yards. Wax slugs were 4”, 6” and 7” at 50 yards.
At least half the wax slugs were tumbling at 50 yards. At 25 yards, most of the wax slugs printed nice round holes.
Felt recoil for all the wax slugs except the 7/8oz load was about the same as the Remington reduced recoil slug.
I found the wads in the snow about 20 yards in front of the gun. It looks like they separate easily and cleanly from the slugs.
50 yard Results
Remington reduced recoil slug. 2 1/2" Velocity 1176 fps
These slugs do not have the big recoil one usually expects from a slug. I have been using these in 3 guns shoots where slugs are required.
Lyman lead slug 9" Velocity 1129 fps
Champion target Extra Light 2 ¾ dram 7/8oz 4" 1233 fps
This is my favourite birdshot ammo for things like 3 gun on paper. (They are too light for knocking over steel.) They are cheap to buy and with such a light powder and shot charge, very little recoil. I have had 10 year olds shooting this stuff at water jugs with no concern about recoil.
The wad column for this light shot charge is short, so the slug is about as wide as it is long. At 25 yards the holes were round.
Champion target Light 2 ¾ dram 1 1/8oz 7" Velocity 1139 fps
A very light powder charge with a more normal size shot charge. It has more recoil than the 7/8 oz charge. This shot the biggest groups.
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz 6" Velocity 1219 fps
This has as much recoil as the Remington reduced recoil. Group was good. I will try it again with a different choke.
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz (with a 200 gr 45 cal bullet) Velocity 1103
At both distances it was clear that the bullet in front of the wax slug caused the slug to break up on firing. I am guessing that the inertia of the bullet caused it to migrate to the bottom of the shell. Next time I will try it with the bullet on the bottom of the shot charge.
On the target paper I could see a spray of #8 shot all over the place, plus a nice imprint of a 200 gr SWC going sideways, not far from the POA.
The only application I could think of is sticking the lead bullet (or 44 cal round ball) in a wax slug made of #2 birdshot or BB or #4 Buck. This would launch a lethal clod of ordinary heavy shot plus the heavy bullet for penetration on a close up predator, like the coyotes in my back yard. Note that the bullet velocity is higher than what I get out of the same bullet in a 45ACP.
Had an excellent test session at the range today. Weather was about zero, with no wind.
I shot a scoped shotgun, 20” barrel, Skeet choke (almost a cylinder bore)
Ammo tested was:
Remington factory Reduced Recoil slug
Lyman air gun pellet shaped lead slug in Winchester target load case
Wax slugs in:
Champion target Extra Light 2 ¾ dram 7/8oz
Champion target Light 2 ¾ dram 1 1/8oz
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz (with a 200 gr 45 cal bullet)
I shot at both 25 and 50 yards. I shot the 25 yards first, in case the 50 yard testing was a bust. As it happened, the 50 yard results were valid, so I will only report on that.
Some general observations.
I loaded one in the chamber and two in the mag, and every load fed and cycled perfectly.
The slugs shot to a different place than where I had zeroed the gun with birdshot. Slugs went a foot higher at 25 yards.
25 and 50 yard elevations were about the same. Maybe because the scope is so much higher than the bore.
The best group at both distances was the Remington reduced recoil slugs. 2.5” at 50 yards. Wax slugs were 4”, 6” and 7” at 50 yards.
At least half the wax slugs were tumbling at 50 yards. At 25 yards, most of the wax slugs printed nice round holes.
Felt recoil for all the wax slugs except the 7/8oz load was about the same as the Remington reduced recoil slug.
I found the wads in the snow about 20 yards in front of the gun. It looks like they separate easily and cleanly from the slugs.
50 yard Results
Remington reduced recoil slug. 2 1/2" Velocity 1176 fps
These slugs do not have the big recoil one usually expects from a slug. I have been using these in 3 guns shoots where slugs are required.
Lyman lead slug 9" Velocity 1129 fps
Champion target Extra Light 2 ¾ dram 7/8oz 4" 1233 fps
This is my favourite birdshot ammo for things like 3 gun on paper. (They are too light for knocking over steel.) They are cheap to buy and with such a light powder and shot charge, very little recoil. I have had 10 year olds shooting this stuff at water jugs with no concern about recoil.
The wad column for this light shot charge is short, so the slug is about as wide as it is long. At 25 yards the holes were round.
Champion target Light 2 ¾ dram 1 1/8oz 7" Velocity 1139 fps
A very light powder charge with a more normal size shot charge. It has more recoil than the 7/8 oz charge. This shot the biggest groups.
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz 6" Velocity 1219 fps
This has as much recoil as the Remington reduced recoil. Group was good. I will try it again with a different choke.
Champion Handicap target 3 dram 1 1/8oz (with a 200 gr 45 cal bullet) Velocity 1103
At both distances it was clear that the bullet in front of the wax slug caused the slug to break up on firing. I am guessing that the inertia of the bullet caused it to migrate to the bottom of the shell. Next time I will try it with the bullet on the bottom of the shot charge.
On the target paper I could see a spray of #8 shot all over the place, plus a nice imprint of a 200 gr SWC going sideways, not far from the POA.
The only application I could think of is sticking the lead bullet (or 44 cal round ball) in a wax slug made of #2 birdshot or BB or #4 Buck. This would launch a lethal clod of ordinary heavy shot plus the heavy bullet for penetration on a close up predator, like the coyotes in my back yard. Note that the bullet velocity is higher than what I get out of the same bullet in a 45ACP.
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You certainly did not watch the video on how he manufactures them. Oh well, at least you upped your post count. Btw. is there any proof to your assumption above (in bold). I'm curious...
RR
That is one pic and one case. Let me guess yours are all approved and tested to sam1 or you have been doing it for 20 years
Like I said why can I not buy them factory Hummm
There are cases of them causing failures to shotguns if you donot believe that so be it
It is your hands and face so fill your boots. I really don't care but you won't see them in my guns
Just please share the pics when you have an incident that is assuming you fire enough to make that happen
Me I reload by the book always have and always will.
Cheers
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Sounds like you have done all that can be done with that gun.
I made some more wax slugs today. I ran out of sealing paraffin, so I used tea candles from Dollerama.
I get the impression that this was is softer. I will buy another block of paraffin at Home Depot.
The plan is to go to the range tomorrow and shoot 4 different wax slug loads for accuracy at both 25 and 50 yards . This includes the slugs with the added 45 cal lead bullet.
I find that the candles and crayons are softer and break up a bit when fired. Still fun but I like the canning wax the best.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
A newfie slug (cut hull at wad) is far easier and quicker while providing the same results, but must be used with cylinder choke.
I started the project using canning paraffin, and then ran out and switched over to Dollarama candles. The canning paraffin seems to be a harder wax, and I will buy some more.
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I have done that, too. I get about 80% success. The other 20% shoot as birdshot. My club range does allow birdshot on the rifle range because it chews up the wood target frames, so I can't shoot cut shells there.
I did some searching online and found 10 pounds on Amazon for $30 - shipped.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
Could you fill the shell with wax then cut the hull so the hull holds it together better like a slug?
I foresee some issues given that the wax filled hull now has to "extrude" through the forcing cone in a "stiff" state.
I shot was slugs yesterday in 7 different guns. Two had Full Choke, one had a Mod Choke. No sign of any issues. I thought the full choke would break up the slug, but it did not. In fact, in this limited test (5 shots per gun) the FC did the best.
If a factory Foster slug does well in a full choke, then shot and wax should ok.
If a factory Foster slug does well in a full choke, then shot and wax should ok.
