Anyone sealing their reloads?

[30 cal slut]

So I did a bit of googling around, and got the idea to use an asphaltic sealant and lacquer to water seal the neck and the primer pocket, respectively.

Tree pruning sealer (asphalt based) was recommended as closest in composition to the stuff used by LC. Just swab a bit around the neck with a q-tip, then seat the bullet. (I also like to taper crimp onto the cannelure).

After a few days of allowing the pressure inside the case to equalize a bit with the outside, lacquer is applied around the primer pocket with a toothpick.

Voila - water proof round, in theory.

Anyone try this?

This isn't something I'd do for practice rounds, but for long shelf life stash (i.e., SHTF), it's something worth considering.

[QuietShootr]

So I did a bit of googling around, and got the idea to use an asphaltic sealant and lacquer to water seal the neck and the primer pocket, respectively.

Tree pruning sealer (asphalt based) was recommended as closest in composition to the stuff used by LC. Just swab a bit around the neck with a q-tip, then seat the bullet. (I also like to taper crimp onto the cannelure).

After a few days of allowing the pressure inside the case to equalize a bit with the outside, lacquer is applied around the primer pocket with a toothpick.

Voila - water proof round, in theory.

Anyone try this?

This isn't something I'd do for practice rounds, but for long shelf life stash (i.e., SHTF), it's something worth considering.

Where did you get the information? I'm interested in doing this myself, as the chief difference between my rounds and LC at this point is the waterproofing.

[broylz]

i use clear finger nail polish on my hunting loads i take to the field.

[30 cal slut]

Where did you get the information? I'm interested in doing this myself, as the chief difference between my rounds and LC at this point is the waterproofing.

Hold on a sec ...

Here it is, phew thought I couldn't find it again.

http://www.handloadersbench.com/forum31/4814.html


I do a fair amount of waterproofing of rounds. If you seal the primers and don't seal the bullets, you are only doing a patial load. Therefore, there is a difference between waterproof and sealing rounds. If you want to waterproof rounds, use Ortho tree pruning seal for the bullets and laquer for the primer. Ortho seal is an asphaltic tar that almost perfectly approximates the miliary seal. Take a Q-tip and get it moderately coated and then stick it inside the case mouth and roll it around the mouth, don't swirl it or you will develop thin spots. Wipe any off the case mouth that got slopped outside. Let this dry for about a day. When you drop powder and it doesn't stick to the asphalt, then it is ready. Now, load the rounds like you normally do and then let the rounds set for a day to allow the internal pressure equalize. Now, using simple laquer from any paint store, tinted if you like, take a toothpick and with the rounds in a holder with primers up, take a toothpick and draw the laquer around the primer pocket/primer contact. Let the laquer draw in for a few seconds and then with a paper towel on a board, swipe the excess off and then put them back in the holder and allow the sealant to dry. If it bubbles, then the internal pressure isn't equalized, stop and wait another day. The bubbled rounds can be shot as target rounds. Your rounds are now truely waterproofed. If you want to be sure, take a large glass cooking pan and lay about 20 to 30 rounds in it and boil a pot of water. When boiling, pour it in the pan and with a bright light off to the side shining through the pan, watch for about 20 seconds. When the rounds start to warm, if the seal is bad, the leak point will begin to bubble. If the rounds are pulled out with forcepts and dried, there will be no harm and they can be shot. If they don't bubble, then they are truely waterproof. If the process is followed, you won't need to test the rounds very often before you begin feeling confident. The only caution is that the asphaltic tar will increase the pressure slightly, so be careful if loading at the max end.

[markm]

Complete waste of time. Regular ammo can handle surface moisture fine.

If you're doing amphibious assault, just buy some Military Ammo. For everything else... forget about it.

[eternal24k]

I did some research and ultimately came to the same conclusion as Markm, reloading takes enough time as it is,I'm trying to shoot not bury my ammo. A good crimp should suffice

[chadbag]

One of the shooting magazines did an article on this and came to the conclusion it was a waste.

They actually had less reliable rounds for some reason but I don't remember why they decided that they were less reliable.

But significantly, they loaded a bunch of ammo both with and without sealant (primer and case) and then stuck it in a bunch of water for a long time -- a few weeks or a month or something. Then fired all the round. The non-sealed ones all went boom.

[Bimmer]

The non-sealed ones all went boom.

The Box of Truth tried to contaminate primers with oil, and that didn't work either (all of them went boom).

[Nemecsek]

A few years ago, when I cared about such things, I soaked a few reloaded rounds in WD40 for a few days. The rounds were completely submerged. All the rounds that had the primer sealed (no case neck sealant since I didn't know it existed) fired perfectly. Some of the unsealed rounds fired very weak, almost a squib, but the bullet left the barrel. Oil is more of a threat in my mind. So for me, any ammo that is used for "serious purposes" will have the primer sealed.