Does sealing ammo with nail polish cause issues?

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Scout21

Scout21

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I'm thinking about loading up some hunting loads to put up. I know it's unnecessary, but I'd like to seal them with nail polish. I haven't heard of any issues when doing this, but I'd like to load up a couple hundred, so it sure would suck if it caused me grief when I do finally use it. I'm mostly concerned with the solution making it's way into the case from the primer pocket or the case mouth before it fully dries.
 
243winxb said:
Isopropyl alcohol in nail polish is not good for cartridge brass.

Long term storage is a bad idea. Bullets may cold weld. Chemical residue remaining in fired brass may attract the brass over time.

Stress from over working the brass when sizing, may cause cracking over time.

My 223 stored ammo. View attachment 1076994 View attachment 1076995

Hernon® Bullet Proof 650 is an environmentally safe, water based asphalt sealant used to waterproof ammunition. Case mouth.
Click to expand...
To get rid of chemical residue wet pin tumble.
Yes, military pull downs appear to have asphalt in the case mouth.
 
Hernon® Bullet Proof 650 is an environmentally safe, water based asphalt sealant used to waterproof ammunition. The External Ammunition Sealant seals the projectile in the cartridge and the primer. Sealed bullets with Hernon Ammunition Sealant will meet and exceed the leak test of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy.
Search for more here.-
https://discover.dtic.mil/results/?...ard and custom ammunition sealing &gsc.page=1
 
243winxb said:
Isopropyl alcohol in nail polish is not good for cartridge brass.

Long term storage is a bad idea. Bullets may cold weld. Chemical residue remaining in fired brass may attract the brass over time.

Stress from over working the brass when sizing, may cause cracking over time.

My 223 stored ammo. View attachment 1076994 View attachment 1076995
Click to expand...

Most nail polish has acetone and other chemicals hard to pronounce.:)

For the OP you need this with space age compounds.
So popular seems to be not available:)!

Markron Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer (1/2 Oz)
by MARKRON

Say "good-bye" to moisture contaminated misfires! MARKRON Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer is formulated with space age compounds and polymers which when bonded to metal, forms a water proof seal so effective that Robocolabs guarantees 100% firing consistency when used as directed. MARKRON Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer does not affect muzzle pressure, velocity, or accuracy and is fast drying, easy to use and economical. One 1/3 oz. bottle seals approximately 1000 rounds.
 
243winxb said:
Hernon® Bullet Proof 650 is an environmentally safe, water based asphalt sealant used to waterproof ammunition. The External Ammunition Sealant seals the projectile in the cartridge and the primer. Sealed bullets with Hernon Ammunition Sealant will meet and exceed the leak test of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy.
Search for more here.-
https://discover.dtic.mil/results/?q=HERNON Manufacturing, Inc. specializes in standard and custom ammunition sealing #gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=HERNON Manufacturing, Inc. specializes in standard and custom ammunition sealing &gsc.page=1
Click to expand...
Any idea how much this stuff costs? I can't find a place to purchase it online. I have some nail polish on hand already so that's why I was wanting to use it.
 
Rule3 said:
Most nail polish has acetone and other chemicals hard to pronounce.:)

For the OP you need this with space age compounds.
So popular seems to be not available:)!

Markron Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer (1/2 Oz)
by MARKRON

Say "good-bye" to moisture contaminated misfires! MARKRON Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer is formulated with space age compounds and polymers which when bonded to metal, forms a water proof seal so effective that Robocolabs guarantees 100% firing consistency when used as directed. MARKRON Custom Bullet and Primer Sealer does not affect muzzle pressure, velocity, or accuracy and is fast drying, easy to use and economical. One 1/3 oz. bottle seals approximately 1000 rounds.
Click to expand...
Yeah, looks OOS everywhere. I wonder if it has been discontinued
 
Scout21 said:
Just want to know if it will interfere with the primer or powder.
Click to expand...
Some sealents coat the inside of the brass case. This is mostly large caliber military rounds.
The coating keeps powder from interacting with the brass.

So I guess *Hernon® Bullet Proof 650* will do no harm. May raise bullet* pull?

*May not be available? * Looks like the correct one.
Sealant 76060 https://www.hernon.com/external-ammo-sealant-76060-2

Bottle may do 10,000 rounds.:D
 
Last edited:
Scout21 said:
I'm thinking about loading up some hunting loads to put up. I know it's unnecessary, but I'd like to seal them with nail polish. I haven't heard of any issues when doing this, but I'd like to load up a couple hundred, so it sure would suck if it caused me grief when I do finally use it. I'm mostly concerned with the solution making it's way into the case from the primer pocket or the case mouth before it fully dries.
Click to expand...
I agree that's it's "unnecessary" even though the truth is, I used to use nail polish to seal my hunting ammunition myself. However, I was never concerned about the nail polish "making its way" into the cases before it dried - nail polish dries faster than that, and besides, if your primer pockets or case mouths were so loose that nail polish could leak in around the primers or bullets, you'd have a lot more to worry about than moisture leaking into your cases while you're hunting in the rain or snow. ;)
 
The only thing I can think of is nail polish (enamel) is fairly thick and a coat on the case neck may enlarge the OD enough for chambering problems. Some products may seep through a plain case to bullet fit (penetrating oil, mineral spirits, etc.) but the interference fit of bullet to case and primer to pocket is fairly water proof. As a "Just in Case" preventive, just get a bottle of a product designed for the application; https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....ron-custom-bullet-and-primer-sealer-(half-oz)
 
I have this stuff called George and Roy's Custom Primer Sealant. I used it on some rounds I loaded for a winter Elk hunt. I've had it for at least 15 years and only used it that one time. I just goggled it, and it seems to be readily available. $7.95
 
We used to use bang sticks for spear fishing on the rigs off Louisiana. I recall in my younger years putting nail polish around the bullet to case and over the primer per the instructions. My bang stick, if I recall, was a .38 Special/.357 Magnum.

3C
 
I have "sealed" primers in place on my reloads using fingernail polish since 1980.

I put "sealed" in quotes because this is more an exercise in vanity than functionality. Unless you're trying to protect against solvents (most of which also attack the fingernail polish), the fit between the primer and the case's primer cup is already tight enough to protect against mositure incursion - even with decades of storage - that additional sealing is not necessary.

Over that 42 years that I have been "sealing" primers, I have had zero problems. The speculative problems (I.e. the dried polish might flake off and clog the firing pin, clog the firing mechanism, or the solvents in the polish attacking the brass) have never occurred.

My experience is that you can paint your primer's edges with fingernail polish with no problem.

PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT use fingernail polish to "seal" bullets into the neck of brass cases, so I cannot speak to that aspect beyond saying - due to a boating accident - 58 rounds of my reloads (primers sealed, bullets not sealed) ended up submerged in a lake. When recovered and allowed to dry for 24 hours, each round functioned flawlessly.
 
Following up to my previous post. I started "sealing" primers when I was in college (when money was tight) and I have always bought the cheapest fingernail polish I could find.

None has yet to cause a problem.
 
hdwhit said:
I have "sealed" primers in place on my reloads using fingernail polish since 1980.

I put "sealed" in quotes because this is more an exercise in vanity than functionality. Unless you're trying to protect against solvents (most of which also attack the fingernail polish), the fit between the primer and the case's primer cup is already tight enough to protect against mositure incursion - even with decades of storage - that additional sealing is not necessary.

Over that 42 years that I have been "sealing" primers, I have had zero problems. The speculative problems (I.e. the dried polish might flake off and clog the firing pin, clog the firing mechanism, or the solvents in the polish attacking the brass) have never occurred.

My experience is that you can paint your primer's edges with fingernail polish with no problem.

PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT use fingernail polish to "seal" bullets into the neck of brass cases, so I cannot speak to that aspect beyond saying - due to a boating accident - 58 rounds of my reloads (primers sealed, bullets not sealed) ended up submerged in a lake. When recovered and allowed to dry for 24 hours, each round functioned flawlessly.
Click to expand...

This is precisely what information I was looking for. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Did you ever use colored polish? I was originally thinking to use clear, but I think it would be nice to color code my reloads using different colors.
 
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