Water Resistant Loads

[Trapper Jim]

At a recent match we had the option of a start position with the Condition1 gun placed in a bucket of water. While I have done this numerous times without a failure to fire it dawned on me that many have not had any experience with this and have not tested their carry ammo or handloads to this level. I should point out that I handload double base powders in all my handgun loads. Powders that were invented over 100 years ago. I just finished a 1961 Keg of Unique that Chronoed right on the money. With the few questions i got, it dawned on me that in an age where we keep introducing CFE, Flash suppressant, high density, odor reducing and clean burning propellants that we just have to have I am not sure of the water/humidity resistant capabilities of these Wonder Powders. Consider a non-hygroscopic powder first for reliability before you go with the jazzy new stuff. Before you can get to the aftermarket addons in your ammo or powder, it needs to burn to work at all.

 

[rhslover]

I was in northern Minnesota on a camping/,canoe trip. One day in camp we noticed something shining at the bottom of a very clear lake. I swam down to it in about 7' of water and picked up a 9mm round. Tossed it in my tackle box where it ride around for a few weeks, stuffed it into my Beretta and it fired perfectly. I think water resistance of centerfire rounds is a non issue.

 

[natdscott]

If you're worried, seal up your rounds.

Powder SHOULD be irrelevant..because ANY measurable amount of water leakage past the primer or bullet is going to cause EXTREME issues.

Further, if the centerfire smokeless loads are put together with anything near normal neck tension, and the pockets are not totally blown, the humidity of the powder in the casing should be unaffected by the conditions outside the casing.

The thing is SEALED.

Again though, if it bothers you, glue 'em.

There's nothing wrong with older design smokeless powders, but the idea that any of them are particulalry better at water proofing your ammo?

That's ridiculous.

 

[Trapper Jim]

That's ridiculous.[/QUOTE]


Sorry but but I have experienced humidity damage in storage of powder and misfires in contaminated ammo. And as far as sealing with substandard components dimensions and primer compounds are all over the board. Bullet seals in some rim fires can be suspect.less need for sealing ammo than choosing your products carefully and handliaoding properly.

 

[dprimm]

So how do you seal rounds?

 

[natdscott]

Sorry but but I have experienced humidity damage in storage of powder and misfires in contaminated ammo. And as far as sealing with substandard components dimensions and primer compounds are all over the board. Bullet seals in some rim fires can be suspect.less need for sealing ammo than choosing your products carefully and handliaoding properly.

1) STORAGE of powder is a TOTALLY different discussion than is the one you started about loaded rounds.

2) "Contaminated" can mean a lot of things, and none of them necessarily have to be because the water, oil, food, grease, solvent, etc. was introduced to the round AFTER loading. Might have more to do with '...handloading properly...', and it just feels better to say it happened after the fact?

3) Nobody said anything about substandard components except you. That being said, some very good factory ammo is still sealed. I seal my ammo for field use, and for major matches. I've yet to see a misfire in my ammo in any weapon that could be attributed to wet powder, regardless of sealing compound use.

I cannot claim to have never had a misfire from wet or oily smokeless powder used in muzzleloading. I'd be surprised if anybody with more than a couple hundred rounds downrange can honestly say that though...

4) Nobody said anything about rimfire ammunition except you, and I remind you that you started this thread as a discussion of handloaded pistol ammo. Rimfire ammo---unless you're talking about the larger cartridges---is not sealed at all, and cannot be crimped with enough force to do so, nor do the casings have enough thickness to deliver adequate tension to effectively seal the neck. At least, I don't think the HMR's do. I know for fact that .22LR and .22WMR don't.

Run a pocketful of Eley Match through the washer and let me know how that comes out for you. I know how it comes out for me.

5) You are the one with ammo problems, Jim. You're also the one saying that loaded centerfire ammo has major problems with water seepage, which I'm sure you have ascertained I strongly hold to be untrue.

So how do you seal rounds?

There are a couple products purpose-built, and you can also use thinned-out fingernail polish.

I don't always seal my primers, but when I do, I prefer Markron:

https://shop.markroncustomgunproducts.com/

 

[way2good4u95]

1) STORAGE of powder is a TOTALLY different discussion than is the one you started about loaded rounds.

2) "Contaminated" can mean a lot of things, and none of them necessarily have to be because the water, oil, food, grease, solvent, etc. was introduced to the round AFTER loading. Might have more to do with '...handloading properly...', and it just feels better to say it happened after the fact?

3) Nobody said anything about substandard components except you. That being said, some very good factory ammo is still sealed. I seal my ammo for field use, and for major matches. I've yet to see a misfire in my ammo in any weapon that could be attributed to wet powder, regardless of sealing compound use.

I cannot claim to have never had a misfire from wet or oily smokeless powder used in muzzleloading. I'd be surprised if anybody with more than a couple hundred rounds downrange can honestly say that though...

4) Nobody said anything about rimfire ammunition except you, and I remind you that you started this thread as a discussion of handloaded pistol ammo. Rimfire ammo---unless you're talking about the larger cartridges---is not sealed at all, and cannot be crimped with enough force to do so, nor do the casings have enough thickness to deliver adequate tension to effectively seal the neck. At least, I don't think the HMR's do. I know for fact that .22LR and .22WMR don't.

Run a pocketful of Eley Match through the washer and let me know how that comes out for you. I know how it comes out for me.

5) You are the one with ammo problems, Jim. You're also the one saying that loaded centerfire ammo has major problems with water seepage, which I'm sure you have ascertained I strongly hold to be untrue.

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[olhorseman]

All 25k rounds I owned were under water for a week from flooding from hurricane Florence. 15% to 25% FTF. That includes factory loads and reloads. I use the flooded ammo for range use and pull the failures for reloading.

 

[Trapper Jim]

5) You are the one with ammo problems, Jim. You're also the one saying that loaded centerfire ammo has major problems with water seepage, which I'm sure you have ascertained I strongly hold to be untrue.

Thank you for your Opinions however I think I still will stay with the old saying keep your powder dry and try to use less hydroscopic powders and quality American made ammo and hand loading components.