Unusual concept

[bullseye308]

Was shooting the bull with a few guys and the topic ended up with basement practice guns. Where we got stuck was one genius “concepted” a primer fired “slingshot bb” type pistol to shoot into stacks of cardboard and we all thought that could be doable. Primer only, no powder or even brass. Has anything like this been done?
I could even see getting an appropriately sized buckshot mold and casting ammo for this.

What say you? Doable, or completely stupid, or just “you’ll shoot your eye out kid”?

 

[hoardingthemanual]

Something like this ? The Flobert

.22 CB - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[troy fairweather]

Think it's popular in Europe they have a percussion cap rifle that fires a lead bb, believe petersoli was making some. $300-$400 if I remember right. You could get some daisy 753s from cmp for about $125 things are accurate I won one of the qualifiers for the Olympics in 2008 with one. They have some air pistols to.

 

[troy fairweather]

PH0911 PEDERSOLI GUARDIAN 209 DERRINGER 4.5MM

Use #BA0715 .177 caliber lead balls and 209 primer #IA2307 (no powder charge)with this pistol. Average muzzle velocity is 520 ft/sec. Made in Italy by Pedersoli. <p><span style = "color: red"> Lead balls and primers not included. <p><span style = "color: red"> THIS PRODUCT CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO...

www.dixiegunworks.com

 

[rperyam]

I used to have plastic bullets that were primer fired. I shot them in my garage. The case was black plastic shaped liked a .38 Special and the bullet were red plastic shaped like a round nose bullet. You primed them, put them together and fired at old phone books. The targets should give you an idea about how long ago this was.

 

[troy fairweather]

Pedersoli™ White Hawk 209 Rifle - .177 Cal/ 4.5MM

Shop Now! Pedersoli White Hawk 209 Rifle - Hardwood Stock .177 Cal - 209 Primer Ignition S.200 - Black Powder BB Gun Rifle. 17.75" Blued Barrel. Best Prices, Free Shipping, Expert Advice!

muzzle-loaders.com

 

[243winxb]

Speer has plastic training bullets.
Makes revolver very dirty.
Stopped and bought air rifle & pistols, to shoot in basement.
https://www.speer.com/bullets/plastic_training_bullets/

Federal primers SDS warning-

Lead and barium are toxic metals that may be released during the firing of
primers. Care should be taken in the cleaning of range facilities to minimize the exposure potential to lead and barium.

 

[troy fairweather]

A lgs got closed down supposedly because they were shooting the speer plastic bullets in the back room. Ear plugs are surprisingly accurate at 10 feet.

 

[41 Mag]

I have used the Speer plastic bullets a number of times through the years for piddling around and also for ridding my attic of pest. They work amazingly well for either.

I cannot say that my pop followed this formula, but I can say we shot wax bullets when I was very young across our den and onto our patio about 10yds. This is from the American Rifleman, How to Make and Reload Wax Bullets

The only drawback nowadays is the danged cost of primers.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Another downside if in an indoors area is the residue from the spent primer...doesn't it contain lead? Regardless, don't think it's the type of dust you want indoors. Buzzkill.

 

[Hartkopf]

 

[Blue68f100]

The biggest problem will the the lead dust from the primers in a confined area. Need to find lead free primers if your going to do that.

I use to shoot the Speer Plastic bullets in my garage. Hearing protection is recommended.

 

[bullseye308]

Thanks for the replies. I had forgotten about the Speer plastic bullets, and sold a few boxes a couple years ago. Going that route I could make hot glue bullets in my molds again, or gulf wax bullets for that matter. The perersoli is interesting but not in the budget anymore, I just got on disability. Was actually thinking of a scratch build to shoot 209 primers and a ball if the guy with the metal lathe can make the barrel for it.

Im not sure about the lead dust from 209 primers, I only have them because another friend had me load some 37mm rounds for him years ago and I still have about 900 of them and never loaded shotgun.

If nothing else, ill dig out the hot glue gun and make some more of the Lee 158 SWC gluelets and tell the guys to bring some primers if they want to play.

 

[jmorris]

What say you? Doable, or completely stupid, or just “you’ll shoot your eye out kid”?

My Brother and I used to shoot these down the hallway a lot. Poke primer out, put healed plastic bullet back in and push over primer to seat.



It was actually about ideal, as we put the box full of jeans on the end of the hall with the attic fan. Worked well enough our Parents didn't ask, what's that smell"? but I didn't get tested for lead back then.

I'm a bit more careful these days, I just shoot behind the house. And probably wouldn't waste a primer on them but I have more choices now.

If I really wanted to shoot in my house these days, I'd probably just pick an airsoft. I had already quit shooting indoors before I won this one off a prize table but I used it for new shooters a time or two.

They have versions of many different firearms.


Function similar to the "real thing", slide cycles picking up the next round, locks open on empty, drop the mag to load it...



And every few mags you slide the base forward and recharge.



Cheaper than primers very fast and much less risk involved.

 

[Rule3]

Another downside if in an indoors area is the residue from the spent primer...doesn't it contain lead? Regardless, don't think it's the type of dust you want indoors. Buzzkill.

Exactly!

Primers are filthy. They will fill your basement up with all kinds of toxins
Not a good idea.
Shoot a BB/Pellet gun.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Any indoor range must have ventilation dispersing primer/powder gases outdoors, airflow from the firing line down range and out of the building.

I remember the story of the FBI HQ firing range (a favorite site for DC tourists) being shutdown to install ventilation to draw gunsmoke down range and out of the building.

The ratio of air volume between an indoor range and outdoors is like 1 to a bazillion.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I did shoot wax bullets. .38 Special cases, small pistol magnum primer, 3 or 4 cardboard disks pushed down over the primer, rest of case filled with melted wax (as low a temperature as needed to melt wax).

After learning the health risks of concentrated indoor primer gases, I quit shooting them indoors.

Fired 12ga Red Meteor flare casing, shotgun primer & shot cup loaded upside down like a badminton birdie is fun. Penetration on pizza boxes is impressive.

 

[N555]

I used to have plastic bullets that were primer fired. I shot them in my garage. The case was black plastic shaped liked a .38 Special and the bullet were red plastic shaped like a round nose bullet. You primed them, put them together and fired at old phone books. The targets should give you an idea about how long ago this was.

Yeah speer used to sell plastic training bullets like that. Primer, no powder and they didn't recommend people shoot each other with them.

 

[barnfrog]

I was thinking you basically described a gallery gun, but @hoardingthemanual beat me to it.

A former boss of mine told me he and his college roommate used to pull the bullets from .22 shells, pour out half the powder, then push the mouth of the brass into a wax candle to make a bullet. They'd shoot them in the dorm hallway. Dumb kids. Wish I'd thought of it when I was in school.

 

[FROGO207]

Around here we modify 45 Colt brass to accept a 209 primer and use wax bullets for cowboy fast draw. You can make or purchase the wax bullets. They will go through several layers of cardboard at 7 YDS and are surprisingly accurate. Or use a different revolver cartridge and push the mouth into a wax cake to make a wadcutter type round with a small magnum or rifle primer. Done this with 38 SPL brass in the past. I now own several pellet pistols to use so as to conserve on primers.
I also have tried using pellets and primer only in 223 brass with dented in necks to hold the pellet from dropping in too far. Works a bit but using a better pellet or round ball would increase accuracy.

 

[bullseye308]

I have a dozen 38 cases that I drilled out and enlarged the flash holes for shooting hot glue bullets with primers only, I’ll probably go back to doing that in the back yard. In a friend’s basement there are fans to blow the fumes out of a window and half the basement is empty and nothing but concrete so cleanup wouldn’t be a problem.
I really like the 22 Colibri from Aguilla, but they are hard to find these last few years and my supply isn’t where I’d like it to be. That, and the longest shot in the basement is about 25’. They do work great in the yard for targets with a suitable backstop and I melt the lead into 38’s when I’m done.