Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Wet shotgun shells

  1. #1
    Senior Member tacmedic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    319

    Default Wet shotgun shells

    I was cleaning the basement today and I found several boxes of shotgun shells that had gotten wet somehow, it appears that at least a couple of the boxes were completely immersed in the water since the boxes are mostly destroyed. My question is, are these safe to even attempt to use or should I just have them disposed of? The cases look fine and there is no corrosion that I can find on them. There were also a couple of boxes of rifle cartridges that got wet, would these be safe to try as well?


  2. #2
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Chugach National Forest
    Posts
    9,793
    Blog Entries
    10

    Default

    They are safe, I assume the shotgun shells are plastic. Paper swells and will not fit in the chamber. About 48 years ago when plastic shells were invented or marketed. Hunters were sceptically, so Remington had a deal, soak your shells in water for weeks, months, whatever......if you have one malfunction we will give you a whole box (25)..... So old stupid (Young stupid at that point) put 10 of the new at that time MARK 5, or they may have been the MARK X, 12 gauge in a quart jar of water for 30 days. My young shoulder was black and blue as all 10 lit'off.

    Use them, But as with any cartridge that does not fire......Never open the chamber for 30 seconds.....and the leave the cartridge lay in the dirt for another 30 seconds.

    The rifle ammo, if factory loaded should be fine, if hand loads there may be an issue....The rule is anytime a cartridge does not fire, leave it in the chamber for 30 seconds. There is what is called a hang'fire.

    Look at it this way when hunting in Alaska.......it rains sideways 98% of the time. Your gun is soaked, your ammo is soaked. Glad I am retired from that.........

  3. #3
    Senior Member Ole WV Coot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Southern WV , raised in Eastern KY up a holler
    Posts
    2,668

    Default

    Shouldn't have any trouble with the brass and if the shotgun shells aren't swelled or falling apart they should be ok. I wouldn't bet my life on them tho.
    Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old
    to fight... he'll just kill you.

  4. #4
    Bayou Harden Cajun GVan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Gulf Coast
    Posts
    173

    Default

    I use to duck hunt, and those plastic shell casings were always wet. I can find no true falt is hopeak's statements. I can't think of any trouble that I've had, atleast since the 60's, with any factory shells.
    [COLOR="Red"][/COLOR]Survival is the art of steeling one's desire to overcome and surpass any situation with nothing more than personal will and fortitude.

  5. #5
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,806

    Default

    I had some old .32 ammo that I decided to use at the range. As Hopeak said, I had some that just went click because moisture had gotten either to the primer (I assume) or the powder. I waited 30 seconds for the bang that didn't happen and sat the bad ammo in the next firing booth pointed down range just in case (although I'm sure the case would have launched as well). They were then disposed of at the range.

    I've had plastic shells get wet before. Not soaked but just wet. I actually had one that swelled but the rest were okay. Just follow his advice if one doesn't fire.

    EDIT: I thought I would point out that lead shot can oxidize and stick together if moisture got to it. You might be shooting slugs instead of shot.
    Last edited by Rick; 05-29-2008 at 07:29 AM.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  6. #6

  7. #7

  8. #8

    Default

    audiobookkeeper.rucottagenet.rueyesvision.rueyesvisions.comfactoringfee.rufilmzones.rugadwall.rugaffertape.rugageboard.rugagrule.rugallduct.rugalvanometric.rugangforeman.rugangwayplatform.rugarbagechute.ru
    gardeningleave.rugascautery.rugashbucket.rugasreturn.rugatedsweep.rugaugemodel.rugaussianfilter.rugearpitchdiameter.rugeartreating.rugeneralizedanalysis.rugeneralprovisions.rugeophysicalprobe.rugeriatricnurse.rugetintoaflap.rugetthebounce.ru
    habeascorpus.ruhabituate.ruhackedbolt.ruhackworker.ruhadronicannihilation.ruhaemagglutinin.ruhailsquall.ruhairysphere.ruhalforderfringe.ruhalfsiblings.ruhallofresidence.ruhaltstate.ruhandcoding.ruhandportedhead.ruhandradar.ru
    handsfreetelephone.ruhangonpart.ruhaphazardwinding.ruhardalloyteeth.ruhardasiron.ruhardenedconcrete.ruharmonicinteraction.ruhartlaubgoose.ruhatchholddown.ruhaveafinetime.ruhazardousatmosphere.ruheadregulator.ruheartofgold.ruheatageingresistance.ruheatinggas.ru
    heavydutymetalcutting.rujacketedwall.rujapanesecedar.rujibtypecrane.rujobabandonment.rujobstress.rujogformation.rujointcapsule.rujointsealingmaterial.rujournallubricator.rujuicecatcher.rujunctionofchannels.rujusticiablehomicide.rujuxtapositiontwin.rukaposidisease.ru
    keepagoodoffing.rukeepsmthinhand.rukentishglory.rukerbweight.rukerrrotation.rukeymanassurance.rukeyserum.rukickplate.rukillthefattedcalf.rukilowattsecond.rukingweakfish.rukinozones.rukleinbottle.rukneejoint.ruknifesethouse.ru
    knockonatom.ruknowledgestate.rukondoferromagnet.rulabeledgraph.rulaborracket.rulabourearnings.rulabourleasing.rulaburnumtree.rulacingcourse.rulacrimalpoint.rulactogenicfactor.rulacunarycoefficient.ruladletreatediron.rulaggingload.rulaissezaller.ru
    lambdatransition.rulaminatedmaterial.rulammasshoot.rulamphouse.rulancecorporal.rulancingdie.rulandingdoor.rulandmarksensor.rulandreform.rulanduseratio.rulanguagelaboratory.rulargeheart.rulasercalibration.rulaserlens.rulaserpulse.ru

  9. #9

    Default

    laterevent.rulatrinesergeant.rulayabout.ruleadcoating.ruleadingfirm.rulearningcurve.ruleaveword.rumachinesensible.rumagneticequator.rumagnetotelluricfield.rumailinghouse.rumajorconcern.rumammasdarling.rumanagerialstaff.rumanipulatinghand.ru
    manualchoke.rumedinfobooks.rump3lists.runameresolution.runaphtheneseries.runarrowmouthed.runationalcensus.runaturalfunctor.runavelseed.runeatplaster.runecroticcaries.runegativefibration.runeighbouringrights.ruobjectmodule.ruobservationballoon.ru
    obstructivepatent.ruoceanmining.ruoctupolephonon.ruofflinesystem.ruoffsetholder.ruolibanumresinoid.ruonesticket.rupackedspheres.rupagingterminal.rupalatinebones.rupalmberry.rupapercoating.ruparaconvexgroup.ruparasolmonoplane.ruparkingbrake.ru
    partfamily.rupartialmajorant.ruquadrupleworm.ruqualitybooster.ruquasimoney.ruquenchedspark.ruquodrecuperet.rurabbetledge.ruradialchaser.ruradiationestimator.rurailwaybridge.rurandomcoloration.rurapidgrowth.rurattlesnakemaster.rureachthroughregion.ru
    readingmagnifier.rurearchain.rurecessioncone.rurecordedassignment.rurectifiersubstation.ruredemptionvalue.rureducingflange.rureferenceantigen.ruregeneratedprotein.rureinvestmentplan.rusafedrilling.rusagprofile.rusalestypelease.rusamplinginterval.rusatellitehydrology.ru
    scarcecommodity.ruscrapermat.ruscrewingunit.ruseawaterpump.rusecondaryblock.rusecularclergy.ruseismicefficiency.ruselectivediffuser.rusemiasphalticflux.rusemifinishmachining.ruspicetrade.ruspysale.rustungun.rutacticaldiameter.rutailstockcenter.ru
    tamecurve.rutapecorrection.rutappingchuck.rutaskreasoning.rutechnicalgrade.rutelangiectaticlipoma.rutelescopicdamper.rutemperateclimate.rutemperedmeasure.rutenementbuilding.rutuchkasultramaficrock.ruultraviolettesting.ru

  10. #10

  11. #11

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •