page_title: Wax bullet
section_title: Pistol Dueling
hierarchical_section_title: Wax bullet / Sporting use / Pistol Dueling
caption_attribution_description: English: "A duelist protected against wax bullets, Lebouttellier, winner of the International Revolver Championship. -- J Rodoconachi (France) Winning the International Pistol Championship -- Almost as harmless as Duels in France: Wax bullets in mimic combats at Olympia.
context_page_description: A wax bullet is a bullet made of wax, often paraffin wax or some mixture of waxes and other substances that produce the desired consistency. Wax bullets are typically used in a primed cartridge case, with no gunpowder. The primer provides all the necessary power to propel the wax bullet at low velocities. Wax bullets have been in use for over a century, providing a projectile for use in training, indoor shooting, and shooting competitions where a high velocity metal bullet would be needlessly hazardous.
  Wax bullet cartridges do not provide enough force to cycle automatic firearms, so they are most commonly used in revolvers and other manually cycled firearms. Specially designed cartridges and conversion units can be combined to convert automatic firearms into wax bullet firing guns, and these are used for training police and military.
  In the past, wax bullets were used by illusionists for illusions involving firearms, such as the bullet catch. This practice goes back at least as far as Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, who used hollow wax bullets colored to resemble lead balls. When placed on a charge of gunpowder, the wax bullet would disintegrate upon firing.
context_section_description: Main Article: Pistol duelling
  During the early 20th century, there was some interest in mock dueling with pistols loaded with wax bullets.  The sport first gained popularity in France where in 1901 Dr. Paul Devillers, who was also a keen ‘duellist’, designed a new innovative wax bullet for duelling practice.  Heavy canvas clothing was worn to protect the body, a metal helmet with a thick glass plate protected the head and face and the pistols were often equipped with guards on the front of the trigger guard that extended outwards to protect the shooter's hand.  For a brief time it was popular. 
  It was featured as an associate (non-medal) event during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
caption: "A duelist protected against wax bullets, Lebouttellier, winner of the International Revolver Championship. -- J Rodoconachi (France) Winning the International Pistol Championship -- Almost as harmless as Duels in France: Wax bullets in mimic combats at Olympia.
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