Beeswax has been used in place of bullets to fire form cases. I am considering this approach and am trying to find (to consider) a convenient way to get the beeswax in the case necks so the powder won't come out in the chamber. Some have simply used sheets of beeswax and hand-pressed them into the case necks (which might be the best way). Another approach might be to pour melted beeswax into #00 buckshot lead molds and use the resulting beeswax pellets to thumb-press into the case neck mouths. This may or may not be feasible. Has anyone tried this; does it work? If so, how is it done?
Will #00 buckshot lead molds work to mold beeswax pellets for fireforming .30 cal cases
- Thread starter Cassidy
- Start date
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Use clay or Play Dough.
Seems like a waste of beeswax to me.
The wadded up kleenex works very well, at least in my limited fireforming experience (30-30 to .375 Win)
It also helped to fire the load straight up into the air to avoid uneven lengths on the case neck. I would have never guessed that gravity would affect fireforming, but it did on mine, blowing a bottleneck out to straight walled.
The .22 K Hornet was a breeze. Just fire a regular Hornet cartridge in it, and you're done.
The wadded up kleenex works very well, at least in my limited fireforming experience (30-30 to .375 Win)
It also helped to fire the load straight up into the air to avoid uneven lengths on the case neck. I would have never guessed that gravity would affect fireforming, but it did on mine, blowing a bottleneck out to straight walled.
The .22 K Hornet was a breeze. Just fire a regular Hornet cartridge in it, and you're done.
I wouldn't want to clean the beeswax out of my gun. That stuff is like Cosmoline. I vote for and use TP.
I've given up on 1/2-assed methods. A cheap bullet & enough quick-medium burning powder to give enough pressure to form the case is the preferred method.
If you absolutely must, another vote for TP. Quick, cheap, & easy. The only mess is the confetti after the shot, but it disappears quickly with the 1st rain.
If you absolutely must, another vote for TP. Quick, cheap, & easy. The only mess is the confetti after the shot, but it disappears quickly with the 1st rain.
Well, I tried using a #00 lead buckshot mold to see if it would work with melted wax to produce #00 wax balls I could use to insert fireforming 30BR cases. I didn't. Though a few very nice wax balls were produced that fit nicely into .308 case necks, this number was not nearly enough for use fireforming. As shown in the first pic below, melted wax (at about 100F or so) did not pass down much beyond the first of 3 tiers of the ball molds (which were about 104F or so), apparently due to inability of air in the 2nd and 3rd tiers molds to escape and/or for the molten wax (much lighter than lead) to displace the air in the 2nd and 3rd tiers before molten wax in the the 1st tier molds congealed preventing air escape. Drilling a small hole through the 2nd and 3rd tier molds and out the bottom of the 3rd tier to facilitate air escape also did not work since molten was congealed and blocked the air escape hole. There may be ways to make this work, but I think I will stick with simple and available beeswax
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I have used a dab of wheel bearing grease. Lots of ways without spending much time or money.
Please be aware that somehow my post just above did not come completely through; text is missing from the end and the full size pics did not come through. Must have been a technical problem. Importantly, what I want to add is that using beeswax in place of a bullet for fireforming does not work for all powders, and for those powders where it may work it is important that you never put a bullet in place of the beeswax to fireform since my understanding is that these powders are fast burning and could cause a safety concern resulting in injury or death if a bullet is used in that case instead of beeswax. So don't try this without full knowledge of what you are doing; may need to consult an experienced BR gunsmith, for example. Want to be sure you are aware of this safety concern.
divingin
Gold $$ Contributor
Use colored TP and contract yourself out to gender reveal parties.
muleystalker
Silver $$ Contributor
Paraffin wax would be easier to work with and clean up would be way easier also. best is to just put a paper wad in case to keep powder down and then just push the case neck into a bar of paraffin wax while turning the case, its as easy as that.
Where does one buy colored toilet paper?
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Craft paper
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
If you melt and pour parrafin wax about 1/4” deep in a mason jar lid you can push that lid onto a charged case and have a better than molded wax plug
divingin
Gold $$ Contributor
Dunno. Used to be common; is it not anymore? I usually buy from Amazon or Costco once a year or so; I don't visit that section of any other store very often.
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