[Badey]

So, a couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine at church walks up to me. He looks a bit sheepish and says he has a question for me.

He said, "How long can ammo be in water and still work?"

I told him that regardless, it should be fine, but to use it for range ammo.

He then told me that a whole mag of ammo fell into his fish tank (yes, it was full of water and fish) and he didn't know how long it was in there (I didn't ask....) :blink:

I told him he could try it at the range, but to be very careful of squibs.

Turns out, every single round fired fine... all 18 of them.

Just thought I'd pass this along, since I have seen water and ammo questions on here several times (one was my own post a while ago).

 

[OldVet]

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not.

 

[Kilowatt3]

...He then told me that a whole mag of ammo fell into his fish tank (yes, it was full of water and fish) and he didn't know how long it was in there (I didn't ask....) :blink:

Sounds suspiciously like he has kids, and hasn't been responsible about their access to his gun stuff. Not accusing - it just sounds that way.

 

[Snub44]

...or he's got larcenous fish...

 

[OldVet]

Maybe he'd heard about shooting a Glock underwater and didn't want to get the whole gun wet.

 

[commonground]

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not.

Seating a bullet in a casing or a primer in a casing does not guarantee a watertight seal. The overall round can be waterproofed but, I don't know what the ammo manufacturers do. :icon_neutral:

 

[HotGuns]

Some ammo, not all, is "waterproofed". Military ammo has an asphault compound that seals the bullet in the case and a primer sealer placed on the primer. Its the red ring that you sometimes see. On milsurp brass, you'll see a blackish ring around the neck.

Its possible that he had ammo that was done that way.

 

[Badey]

Sounds suspiciously like he has kids, and hasn't been responsible about their access to his gun stuff. Not accusing - it just sounds that way.

I was kind of thinking along those lines too...

 

[QKShooter]

Sometimes when ya don't know HOW your pistol magazine ended up in the fish tank and/or for how long...that's kinda scary. :biggrin2:

Be right back...I think I may have left my pet parakeet in the freezer.

 

[commonground]

Sometimes when ya don't know HOW your pistol magazine ended up in the fish tank and/or for how long...that's kinda scary. :biggrin2:

Be right back...I think I may have left my pet parakeet in the freezer.

Be right back... I think I may have left a full magazine in the oven.

 

[ccw9mm]

Water can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps. Depends on the ammo.

Good tip: use it strictly for range rounds.

 

[XD9rottie]

I also belong to a reloading forum where a member wanted to test this very question. So he set about with a fish tank and clock.

Turns out even his reloaded and unsealed rounds were fine for up to 12 or 14 days submerged. Those he had sealed with primer sealant lasted longer.

Your results may vary.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SmokinFool]

I also belong to a reloading forum where a member wanted to test this very question. So he set about with a fish tank and clock.

Turns out even his reloaded and unsealed rounds were fine for up to 12 or 14 days submerged. Those he had sealed with primer sealant lasted longer.

Your results may vary.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That sounds about right. A good tight crimp and a tight primer seat should create a enough of a friction fit that the ammo should stay good longer than most people think. Of course this result cannot be guaranteed in every case.

 

[nathanjns]

You should always be careful not to depress the mag release button when fishing with your pistol!

 

[niks]

Sounds like another boating accident.

 

[kapnketel]

Hmmm... The elusive Bullett Fish

 

[FLMOPE]

Methinks there might be alcohol involved.

 

[aogiss]

So, a couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine at church walks up to me. He looks a bit sheepish and says he has a question for me.

He said, "How long can ammo be in water and still work?"

I told him that regardless, it should be fine, but to use it for range ammo.

He then told me that a whole mag of ammo fell into his fish tank (yes, it was full of water and fish) and he didn't know how long it was in there (I didn't ask....) :blink:

I told him he could try it at the range, but to be very careful of squibs.

Turns out, every single round fired fine... all 18 of them.

Just thought I'd pass this along, since I have seen water and ammo questions on here several times (one was my own post a while ago).

LOL, that is awesome!

 

[latentcarry]

Had some 44 mags that I used for "bang stick" ammo years ago. I dove some fairly deep places at least 100ft and they worked. I always changed the ammo between dives just in case there was an issue and I found some from that era that didn't get used several years later; they still went bang when I tested them out of curiosity. I did, however, paint the primers and crimps with nail polish for extra insurance against water intrusion but I have no idea if that made a difference.
Just my experience.

 

[NC Bullseye]

Why hasn't anyone asked how the sucker catfish got stuffed in his G19 mag well???????????