Waterproofing ammo?

[janobles14]

i have used GR's and nail polsih. its the SAME stuff! if your polish is too thick you can dilute it with a bit of acetone or alcohol (not as good but works).

nail polish is also better due to more color choices which can identify ammo for you.

 

[rockhound758]

Are we a diverse bunch or what? Talking about nail polish on a reloading site!

Seriously, good tip on this...something I hadn't even thought of but makes a lot of sense if you're going to be in really inclement weather.

 

[janobles14]

another word on this:

it really isnt needed. if you make your ammo properly you shouldnt have any "leaks". but if you are going to use it then there are easy ways.

for primers....just dab some on the crease and let it flow.

for bullets....dab around the base and then seat. you can apply it after you seat but it doesnt help near as much and if it chips then you have defeated the purpose.

 

[GaryL]

OrvilleYertleson is correct about the factory process, but it is also used on commercial ammo, at least they do at factory I've done some work for.

FWIW, tests on freshly loaded ammo may not provide reliable results. The reason I mention this is I put a little nail polish on the primers of some hunting ammo a few years back, as the last step in the process. So they had been loaded for a little while (up to a couple of hours), but bubbles formed in the nail polish around the primers on a number of them. There was still positive air pressure bleeding out of the cartridges from the reloading process. Once that air pressure is gone, there's nothing to push out moisture trying to get in.

BTW, I now do the nail polish after seating the primers, just like the ammo factories do.

 

[AKGuy]

i've been using nail polish to accomplish two things--add a bit of waterproofing to the rounds that i make by putting a bit along the the edge of the case/bullet crimp (where they meet) and to color code my ammo so that i can tell at a glance what each round is based on stripe color and number.

i've worried a little bit about introducing gunk into the gun mechanisms, but so far no detectable issues with close cleaning and inspection.

from what i read here in this thread, it sounds like it's okay to put a little bit of nail polish around the primer exterior, too? i thought about doing that but was worried about setting myself up for misfire...