Waterproof bullets

[Waywatcher]

I don't call dolphins "fish," and I don't call bats "birds," etc.

Knowing and using proper nomenclature helps others understand, and projects intelligence (or lack thereof.)

Like it or not, that's the way it is.

 

[Apuuli]

'I don't call dolphins "fish,"'

Except when they are Coryphaena spp., of course!

 

[Ron Go]

Honestly - tubing in a river with a bunch of friends and you need a gun to keep safe? These are your friends right? What would ever attack a bunch of full grown men? The threat level here is so remote as to be non-existent. Relax and enjoy a nice day on the river.

 

[TX1911fan]

Here's a good example of knowing, and using, proper nomenclature. I recently bought a new car and put new wheels on it. I decided to sell the factory wheels. So I posted on ebay, got a buyer, and when we met to do the deal, he said "where are the tires?" I said, "my ad was specifically for the factory wheels, I said nothing about the tires." He assumed that because HE calls the whole thing a wheel, that HIS use of the word was correct. A wheel is not a tire, and vice versa, despite that people often use them both interchangeably.

In this case, I assumed you were talking about the bullet, meaning the projectile, and wondered why you would even care. I almost ignored the post because it seemed like a waste of time. It ended up being a valid question, but I almost didn't know that because you used the wrong words. Just because you want to be lazy doesn't mean it doesn't matter.

My wife calls any long gun a rifle. Just because a shotgun TECHNICALLY isn't a rifle doesn't mean she should have to change her ways, right . . .

 

[Carl N. Brown]

A lot of the military ammo I have disassembled has had an asphalt like sealer on the inside of the case neck and red lacquer around the primers. That can survive long periods of immersion.

Most primers and bullets fit the casing tightly enough in handloaded ammo to survive a few hours of immersion easily. I would expect factory loaded ammo to do the same.

A lot of folklore about guns and water go back to the old cap'n'ball days.

 

[General Geoff]

My wife calls any long gun a rifle. Just because a shotgun TECHNICALLY isn't a rifle doesn't mean she should have to change her ways, right . . .

To her defense, a shotgun with a rifled slug barrel is indeed a rifle...

 

[rcmodel]

What would ever attack a bunch of full grown men?

Did you see what happened to Ned Beatty in Deliverance?

As for sealing ammo?
Buy the good SD ammo for river carry.
It is already sealed by the factory.

BTW: I have fished shotgun shells out of the bottom of a flooded duck blind that had been there for a couple of months and they worked just fine.

Adding Lock-Tight, paint, nail polish, Crayon, etc., to the outside of a loaded round is doing nothing but putting more gunk in the wrong places in your gun when you fire the ammo (firing pin channel, action, etc).

rc

 

[Manco]

I forgot how folks around here can be.

Good thing I didn't put these bullets into any clips.

I'm going to have to try the orange crayon, though.

Yes, I know they are technically cartridges. I'm still going to call them bullets.

I see. So you're not actually ignorant, but only wish to be perceived as ignorant, as well as make things more difficult for those who are willing to take their own time to answer your questions.

Yes I know what a control group is. I didn't use one as I am not a scientist.

In accordance with your own point of view, if you're not a scientist then what are you doing experimenting in the first place? Look, you don't have to be a professional scientist in order to use their techniques to further your own knowledge.

I fully realize that it may, or may not have been the Locktite that kept the bullets functional. I'm going to assume that they would have fired regardless of the treatment. What I really meant to say is "the cartridges with Locktite on them functioned as intended regardless of any control group.",

Which tells you exactly nothing except that experiments conducted in such a manner are a waste of time and effort.

but you know me, the consummate rebel. Always messin' with the man.

Well, that does explain a lot.

Yes, I know what happens when I assume. In this thread, everyone else is generally a bigger one that I.

This tells the rest of us a lot, too.

Thanks for all the input from those with valid suggestions.

It is often said that there are no stupid questions, and I think that is very true in a narrow sense, but there are times when answering a question is not worth the effort because the person who is asking it is willfully ignorant and unwilling to listen (not to mention rude).

 

[Superlite27]

Honestly - tubing in a river with a bunch of friends and you need a gun to keep safe? These are your friends right? What would ever attack a bunch of full grown men? The threat level here is so remote as to be non-existent. Relax and enjoy a nice day on the river.

Are you kidding me?

How about somewhere COMPLETELY SAFE, like a college classroom? We all know there's no need for a gun in someplace where it is known to be safe, right? After all, nobody would ever shoot 32 people somewhere like Virginia Tech where "the threat level is so remote as to be non-existent, huh? Nobody ever needs a gun in those perfectly safe restaraunts either, correct? Nobody would ever shoot up a Luby's Cafeteria would they?

Maybe Ron Go will kindly post a list of places we will never ever need a firearm. I suggest he get a job with a dispatcher's office since he's so clairvoiant. He could tell officers where crimes are going to happen since he already knows.

The question has nothing to do with need. I could care less where I will need my gun.

The question is where I will have it. I know where I will be in posession of a firearm. Do you know where you will, or do you vary this based on feelings of need? You may gamble and toss around where and where not you will need a gun, and weigh whether or not you carry according to how you rate various locations and whether your feelings of neccessity are a valid method to determine whether you are armed or not.

I choose to know the answer already. Less thinking and evaluating. Much simpler.

 

[Superlite27]

It is often said that there are no stupid questions, and I think that is very true in a narrow sense, but there are times when answering a question is not worth the effort because the person who is asking it is willfully ignorant and unwilling to listen (not to mention rude).

Do you know what I find rude?

Pedantry.

Willfully ignorant and unwilling to listen? If you mean listening to anally retentive sticklers to minutia in terminology, you are absolutely correct. I am unwilling to listen to folks lecture me about the correct terminology to refer to a cartridge instead of a bullet which is only the projectile placed into a cartridge. I know the exact terminology. Maybe I should have specified applying Locktite to the canellure for those of you unwilling or unable to form an image without using the exact terminology, but I figured the folks interested in answering my question would be more focused on the idea of the question rather than the terminology.

Was I ever wrong.

Next time, I'll make sure to title my thread "Correct terminology" since that is what the majority of folks would rather discuss.

You won't have to worry about it though. I doubt I'll hang around here for much longer. I'd rather ask questions on a forum where the folks like to discuss firearms in a friendly manner rather than tedious adherence to terminology and correcting the "willfully ignorant" such as myself.

To all who have offered beneficial advice, thanks. To those who have offered unasked for criticism of my terminological prowess, Good day.

Mods: My questions regarding bullet sealant have been answered sufficiently by those who wished to help. Could you please lock this thread?

 

[Tim the student]

Relax.

 

[Superlite27]

Good advice Tim.

I've been told I spend too much time in condition orange.

No more coffee for me today.

 

[ForumSurfer]

a small otter or pelican case would work too, you can also put your cell phone/electronics in it

As others have mentioned, pelican cases or plastic bags are great for transport. If you're carrying for defense, you need to just put it in a retention holster or a thumb-break holster. Otherwise, it is useless in a fast, defensive situation since you would be forced to dig out your firearm.

It won't kill em to get em wet. Just be sure to strip it and clean it as soon as possible. If I'm around, on or in boats...I carry when I can. I just keep it in my holster. Pelican cases and bags are great, but if I can't draw quick...why bother carrying it?

Oh, and the retaining lanyard attached to your belt is a must around water...unless you happen to have scuba gear and a mettle detector for extraction in case you accidentally get it knocked out of your holster.

 

[Flynt]

To me, this thread raises a more interesting question: How do you condition a handgun prior to a tubing trip, and how do you make sure you get it good and dry immediately thereafter?

 

[S. Hill]

I conducted an imformal test recently by accident. I had 9 rounds of 230 grain .45 acp go through the washer so I figured why not give them a try. All rounds fired with no issue.

... but did they ever make a racket in the dryer!!!

 

[Manco]

Do you know what I find rude?

Pedantry.

Sometimes that is true when there is no cause for delving into minute details of terminology and things like that. For example, it is unlikely that anybody would care or comment if somebody said, while discussing scenarios, "I'd only have two bullets left" because cartridges are implied. On the other hand, when discussing technical subjects such as sealing cartridges, it would be helpful to use more specific terminology if you're familiar with it. Those who do not know you personally will not know whether you know, so naturally they'll correct such instances.

Willfully ignorant and unwilling to listen?

Or at least pretending that you are by using such generic terminology when specific terminology is called for, and refusing to do otherwise as a matter of principle. Some people can be annoyingly pedantic at times, but equally annoying are those who seem to have a bone to pick with knowledgeable people for some reason.

If you mean listening to anally retentive sticklers to minutia in terminology, you are absolutely correct. I am unwilling to listen to folks lecture me about the correct terminology to refer to a cartridge instead of a bullet which is only the projectile placed into a cartridge.

Then ignore it rather than doing what you did, which was lashing out at people--some of whom were also willing to help and provide information--as well as the forum as a whole.

You won't have to worry about it though. I doubt I'll hang around here for much longer. I'd rather ask questions on a forum where the folks like to discuss firearms in a friendly manner rather than tedious adherence to terminology and correcting the "willfully ignorant" such as myself.

So you're saying that this forum sucks, huh? Funny, to me things seemed pretty friendly until you lashed out at everybody.

To all who have offered beneficial advice, thanks. To those who have offered unasked for criticism of my terminological prowess, Good day.

I think I did offer beneficial advice, and I did not correct your terminology, so you're welcome.

 

[JWF III]

To her defense, a shotgun with a rifled slug barrel is indeed a rifle...

Not to the ATF...

Wyman

 

[JohnKSa]

Do you know what I find rude?

Pedantry.

...Maybe I should have specified applying Locktite to....

I can see that it's time to take this thread to a new level...

It's not 'Locktite' for the love of mike!

It's 'Loctite®'!

Put that bullet in your clip and pop a cap in it!

Has anyone here ever tried to fire a snubbie from a dry bag? How do you think that'll go over?

Ok, on a more serious note, I have fired a small semi-auto from a Ziploc® bag (Admit it--you all thought you had me there, didn't you.) and it worked just fine although I found that recoil control and accuracy suffered somewhat compared to the control test where the identical small-semi-auto was fired without a Ziploc® bag but using the same ammunition and under the same conditions. (Ok, so maybe I didn't do the control test right then and there but I HAVE actually shot that gun without a Ziploc® bag on other occasions using the same ammunition and it DID work better without the bag.)

I think it's a reasonably functional method of carrying a handgun in a ready-to-use condition in a severe environment although it's not without some disadvantages.

 

[The Bushmaster]

TX1911fan...Wheels? Oh...You must mean "rims".

 

[TIMC]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TIMC
I conducted an imformal test recently by accident. I had 9 rounds of 230 grain .45 acp go through the washer so I figured why not give them a try. All rounds fired with no issue.

... but did they ever make a racket in the dryer!!!

Fortunately they never made it that far.

 

[Owen]

can we stop the petty arguing?

 

[Sport45]

Loctite (even when spelled correctly) doesn't tell us much. Loctite makes everything from sealants to adhesives to thread locking compounds. Which Loctite product did you use?

I'm in the camp that says the cartridges are waterproof enough without mucking with them. I like the ziploc bag idea. Although on a canoe trip once I did destroy a couple of cheap walkie-talkies that were stored in ziploc bags inside a closed 5-gallon bucket. Go figure.

 

[WardenWolf]

I've got some Russian 7.62x54R ammo. The cartridge mouths appear to be sealed with something similar to Loctite. It's red. Loctite is actually a good solution for this, and a very good sealant in general. Just painting a little bit of Loctite Red or Blue around the cartridge mouth will do the job.

 

[oldfool]

"Was I too paranoid?'

well, uhhh.. yeah

 

[lookshigh123]

a little paranoid, might be.