Shotshell water resistance?

[RevolvingGarbage]

So I was just thinking, most rifle and pistol ammunition has a decent amount of water resistance due to the tight seal made by the bullet being crimped into the case. It seems to me that shotgun shells that are only roll crimped or star crimped wouldnt have enough seal to reliably keep water out. I have a few boxes of Remington Express 9 pellet 00 buck that has what looks like super glue covering the star crimp, which im guessing is designed to help prevent water from permeating the shell. I also have a box of winchester Super x 3" 00 buck where the star crimps are melted together in the middle like the wax seal on an envelope, and im thinking that is another method of making the shell more water resistance, but the two boxes of winchester birdshot I have are just star crimped with no melt or superglue. There is in fact a tiny hole (maybe pen tip sized?) in the middle of most of the crimps.

Is it inconceivable that if exposed to water, like lets say if the shotgun was dropped into some shallow water and fished out a few seconds later, that water could get into the shell and dampen the powder and probably cause a failure to fire?

 

[ThrottleJockey72]

If it is a big concern, dip the ends in wax. But I think a few seconds probably wouldn't matter. inside the shell, there is a plastic cup separating the shot from the powder, and it fits in pretty snug.

 

[orphanedcowboy]

If the shell was in the water for a brief period I doubt the water could reach the powder, most current ammo has a plastic wad that has a gas seal that should offer a certain amount of protection. I have no clue about how long it would take, but I have dropped shells in the water and fished them out and loaded them up and shot them, but they were in the water for less than 10 seconds and did have a crimp seal.

I would be more concerned about the amount of water in the shot column and the possible increase in chamber pressure, if your talking target loads, most factory loads are no where near SAAMI limits, but if your talking hunting loads, then you could exceed the pressure limit and wet powder would be the least of your worries.

 

[Fred Fuller]

A long, long time ago, the issue wasn't water getting to the powder.

It was water swelling the paper hulls that most shotshells used at the time. It was enough of a problem that for a few decades, the military used all brass shotgun shells to assure reliable functioning of combat shotguns. In spite of their being waxed, paper shells in wartime conditions would often swell to the point they would not chamber. That wasn't a problem with the all-brass shells. The brass shells were used through WW2 ( http://www.joesalter.com/detail.php?f_qryitem=12530 ).

In the mid-1960s, with the war in Vietnam heating up, Winchester came up with the plastic shotgun shell, with a heat-sealed crimp and a lacquered primer. That went a long way toward solving the main problems that shotgun shells had when exposed to dampness. Getting the powder wet in the field has never been that much of an issue... but it is always wise to be attentive to your shotgun's report and recoil. If a shell 'bloops' or sounds weak, or if it doesn't seem to recoil like a normal load, STOP and check your bore to make sure it is clear, before you reload and fire again. Sometimes a wad or other obstruction is left in the bore in such a situation, and firing another shell on top of that could damage your barrel.

lpl

 

[MCgunner]

I used to carry my ammo in a belt pouch and it routinely spent all morning under water while duck hunting in pot holes on foot. The ammo would fire, but the "brass" rusted up pretty quick from the brackish water and I'd have to toss it. Finally, I found a neoprene zip thingy that clips to the top of my waders and hangs inside 'em. I later got a fanny pack I can wear inside my waders as up on my chest cause it's more comfy than that pouch hanging from my wader suspenders. Anyway, I keep 'em out of the water, now. I've had duds on ammo that had spent probably 10 or 12 hours underwater, but most still fire.

But, heck, if I could get those Active all plastic rounds, water wouldn't be a problem, nothing to rust. The stuff always went bang, that was never a real problem. The wet shells did, however, I'm thinkin' at least, help to cause some mild corrosion in the chamber of my Mossberg as it started having rounds stick in the chamber. I buffed it out with steel wool and that fixed that. Again, the water is salty down here where I hunt, but I advise you keep your ammo dry.

 

[sheephearder]

Way back when plastic shotgun shells first came out Remington (I think) had sales adds stating that they had left shells in the water in a duck blind for a year and fired them. True or not, I don't know but would not worry about a few minutes or more in the water. JMHO : Bill

 

[Geordie]

Submerged Shells

I have fired plastic shells that were submerged for two weeks with no problems. How they got wet is another long story!