Is it safe to shoot water affected ammo?

stinkitup · Post by **stinkitup** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:38 pm

Found my ammo box got some water damage from a storm about a month ago today

These have been cleaned up but were sort of oozy around the primers and stuff.

Would it just be a case of they will either fire or not???

Will be keeping most my stuff in plastic boxes after this

Sorry photo not the best.

20130330_150713.jpg: (224.7 KiB) Downloaded 143 times

WARTHOG · Post by **WARTHOG** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:25 pm

Hi Stinkitup
Is it new or reloaded ammo,If it was new ammo,I would open one of them, through the shot out, pull the wad and dump the powder. If the powder is dry and looks normal I would then put the primed case in my gun and fire it.If it works I would use the rest
Well this is what I would have done if it was mine,not to say you must do it

New ammo is normally sealed at the primer not something re loaders do.Was the Box of ammo submerge or did the pack only got wet is something to think about as well

Camel · Post by **Camel** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:30 pm

Quick answer is I dunno
Id be wary shooting it off, not only because the primers might not work, but also there is the chance that if the primer did go off, some of the powder might ignite, but not all, and then you could end up with your barrels blocked by wad and shot. Or there may be a chance that you might get a delayed ignition of some of the powder halfway down the barrel.
If enough powder did ignite to push the wad and shot, and some unburnt powder half way down the barrel, would it be possible that the rest goes off and you end up with two ignitions, and blow up your shotty or split the barrel ??
Unless they are special and worth about twice the price of a new gun, I think Id be chucking them.

If that sound a bit confusing, Ive only just crawled out of the cot after chasing rabbits all night and havent had enough coffee yet.

stinkitup · Post by **stinkitup** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:05 pm

They werent submerged but were still wet when I found em today

They are only bushmans so might just chuck em at the range next time and get another pack.

My SG's were fine

as they were in the top of the box.

Curtley78 · Post by **Curtley78** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:35 pm

Throw them out.

Ned Kelly · Post by **Ned Kelly** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 8:19 pm

G'Day all,
when I was a kid, I had 22LR ammo looking like that, 10 odd shots ok, until the one of them set me on my a#$% with my ears ringing; never, never again!
Safety is paramount if you have doubt, chuck 'em out!
Cheers Ned

stinkitup · Post by **stinkitup** » Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:15 am

hmmm thanks guys I was heading to the throw em out The brass heads are actually quite corroded.

Those cardborad boxes really hold the water. Ruined about 6 hand loads as well but I was going to pull them anyway.

Thanks

Ryan

Ned Kelly · Post by **Ned Kelly** » Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:42 am

G'Day all,
another point I forgot to mention, any degradation of the brass is definately BAD, as it is the seal to prevent combustion gases coming back at YOU!
So in a 22LR it might be nothing much but in a hot loaded 22-250 that ruptures at approx 55-65,000 psi (yes, I know traditionally it is measured in CUP, just trying to illustrate a point) coming back at you is BAD!
Given the average car tyre is inflated to 32-36psi thats anywhere between 1700-1800 times more than a car tyre and we've all heard them go bang.

Reloading and shooting is quite safe provided we follow the ten commandments of reloading and use only clean undamaged ammunition that is either YOUR reloads or known factory ammo in YOUR rifle.

You all are the last link of SAFETY before the trigger is used, please be safe for yourself and your families sake.
Cheers Ned

LoneRider · Post by **LoneRider** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:01 am

stink..pull the projectiles [for later use] set off the primers and chuck em.
no point buggerin your firearm.

Post by **GriMo** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:22 am

Last time I was at the farm I left a box of shotshells in the rain... Only had a few misfires at clay targets but for the most part no issue.

That being said some of those look sketchy at best

stinkitup · Post by **stinkitup** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:01 am

Yeah because I hadn't realised the water got in there they have sat in moisture for too long me thinks, even the brass is looking corrroded so will be dumping them.

AusVarmint