Wax Slugs for Cheap Plinking

Ganderite

Ganderite

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Farm south of North Bay
Wax slugs make nice round holes in the target at the distance I usually shoot - 20 yards. They cost me a bit less than 30 cents each, so plinking is cheap practice.

I made 75 of them last night while watching the Grey Cup game.

I used Champion Handicap shells. 1 1/8 of shot, 3 dram equiv. Should make a fairly snappy load. I will chony them today. I am guessing around 1200 fps.

I will take them to the range and shoot them for accuracy at 25 and 50 yards. I will use a shotgun with a rear peep sight, to reduce aiming error.

A regular slug group should be a single big hole. For my cheap plinking purposes, a 3" group would suffice. My targets are usually jugs of water.

A wax slug blows apart on contact, so there is no down range risk from a cloud of #8 shot. If I wanted to use one of these on the coyotes that come up to the house (I am on a farm) I toyed with the idea of adding a lead pistol bullet to the slug, to give some penetration. A 200gr 45 cal pistol bullet at 1200 fps would be quite effective.

Then I got to thinking about accuracy. If the bullet was sitting near the top of the slug, would it add to stability? If it was a bit off-centre, would it cause the slug to tumble?

So I made wax slugs with and without an added lead bullet.

vIRM3MF.jpg


I will shoot these at both 25 and 50 yards to test the accuracy potential of both flavours.
 
Looks good! I made some recently for the first time but have not had a chance to go shoot them as of yet. I made mine the same as yours keeping the rolled lip intact which apparently helps keep the wax form becoming loose and causing problems.

Let's hear how they work out once you get out there.
 
For those not familiar with wax slugs - the name is misleading. It is the original load of lead shot, but wax has been added to bind all the shot together, into a "slug".

In my experience, it is a good cheap substitute for real slugs. I made a batch once using the 7/8 oz Extra Light target load. They shot well and had little recoil. Some non-shooters had great fun shooting these out of my SxS at milk jugs.

They would not have had any fun shooting full power slugs.

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Tagged for interest. Been having fun loading up some Lee 7/8oz slugs and now want to play with all things 12ga. These are next I think.

Really want to see the results of the ones with the bullet embedded.
 
Why not make some neat candles while your at it?

The sound of the shot plinking into the candle holder as the wax melts would be a great conversation piece.
 
Ganderite said:
Wax slugs make nice round holes in the target at the distance I usually shoot - 20 yards. They cost me a bit less than 30 cents each, so plinking is cheap practice.

I made 75 of them last night while watching the Grey Cup game.

I used Champion Handicap shells. 1 1/8 of shot, 3 dram equiv. Should make a fairly snappy load. I will chony them today. I am guessing around 1200 fps.

I will take them to the range and shoot them for accuracy at 25 and 50 yards. I will use a shotgun with a rear peep sight, to reduce aiming error.

A regular slug group should be a single big hole. For my cheap plinking purposes, a 3" group would suffice. My targets are usually jugs of water.

A wax slug blows apart on contact, so there is no down range risk from a cloud of #8 shot. If I wanted to use one of these on the coyotes that come up to the house (I am on a farm) I toyed with the idea of adding a lead pistol bullet to the slug, to give some penetration. A 200gr 45 cal pistol bullet at 1200 fps would be quite effective.

Then I got to thinking about accuracy. If the bullet was sitting near the top of the slug, would it add to stability? If it was a bit off-centre, would it cause the slug to tumble?

So I made wax slugs with and without an added lead bullet.

vIRM3MF.jpg


I will shoot these at both 25 and 50 yards to test the accuracy potential of both flavours.
Click to expand...
They look like candy!! LOL
 
Tinner4 said:
Tagged for interest. Been having fun loading up some Lee 7/8oz slugs and now want to play with all things 12ga. These are next I think.

Really want to see the results of the ones with the bullet embedded.
Click to expand...

Here is how I do it:

The key tool is the 16mm tile drill bit. A $5.00 piece that takes out the shell crimp, leaving the folded lip in place to hold the wad.
 
Great idea. I think I have a weekend plan..... Where did you get get the wax from? And particular type?

EDIT: Thanks for the video! This is great. Any wait to try it.
 
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drail46 said:
Great idea. I think I have a weekend plan..... Where did you get get the wax from? And particular type?
Click to expand...

I bought the paraffin from Home Hardware. It is in the section for canning supplies. It is quite hard when cool. That box is $8.00 and will do several hundred slugs.

I am going to buy a couple big fat candles at Dollerama and see if that is cheaper source of good wax.
 
I assume these will be fired in a cylinder choke, but in the interest of science will they work if fired through a constricted choke?
 
CAUTION: I've seen wax slugs heat up when slipped into a hot barrel. With the barrel tip pointed down the melting payload slips forward creating bore obstruction and boom. Pipe bomb.
Hot glue for the win.
 
Thanks for the video Ganderite. That tile bit trick is slick. Have to pop into my local Home Hardware for some wax and order up one of those bits.
 
willisjake said:
CAUTION: I've seen wax slugs heat up when slipped into a hot barrel. With the barrel tip pointed down the melting payload slips forward creating bore obstruction and boom. Pipe bomb.
Hot glue for the win.
Click to expand...

This be noteworthy, along with the lead shot in the candle idea.:cool: I"ll stick with handloaded lead slugs to suit game or fun shootin' sports meself though.;)
 
I am sitting here cutting the crimp off the top of some more shells. Looks like this:

MIjhdEm.jpg


The paper plate is handy because it catches the stray pellets.

This technique of cutting off the crimp is a quick and easy way to cut down a 2 3/4" shell so it can be shot in a 2 1/2" chamber.

It can also cut down 3" shells so they can be shot in 2 3/4" chambers. Want a 00Buck round with 16 balls? Use a 3" shell.
 
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