We're Home

We made it in last night.  Today will be dedicated to unpacking the car, washing laundry and scratching the dog.  It was a good shoot, and a fun weekend, but now we return to the mundane aspects of Monday.

Howard asks in comments:

Dumb question, does very hot temperatures affect your wax projectiles?

Short answer?  Yes, and No.  Wax melts, normally at temps between 160-200 F.   There are five brands of wax that are approved for sanctioned competition; Bandit, C&R, Deadeye, Royal, and Spitfire.  There are also hobbyists who make their own wax for practice.  Each of these manufacturers have their own proprietary blend to make their bullets.  One guy I am aware of mixes plastic shopping bags in his melt to give the bullets some perceived property.  These guys take their wax recipes very seriously, and protect their recipes very closely.

What we have learned is that wax bullet ammo, if let int he sun, will soak up heat.  The bullets won't completely melt, but they will start to get soft.  I have seen, in extreme conditions,  the bullets will simply drop from the casing.  But, these are extreme conditions, where the loaded ammo has been left in the sun for a prolonged period of time.

I remember one shoot in north Texas several years ago, on the 4th of July, where melting wax became a problem.  We simply stored the ammo in an ice chest until we were ready to take it to the firing line.

Our targets are made of mild steel, normally 11 gauge, and they soak up heat too.  Sometimes in extreme conditions, the bullet will simply stick to the target rather than bouncing off when it hits.