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Nail-polish on ammo to protect against moisture??

iLikeOldGunsIlikeNewGuns

iLikeOldGunsIlikeNewGuns

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Yesterday i read somewhere, probably on SWforum, that someone used clear nail polish to seal where the bullet meets the case, to protect against oil or moisture. Can any of you experienced guys who've seen it all, tell me if this is a good idea or a terrible idea? My girlfriend has plenty of clear nail polish, and a good amount of my defense ammo is a few months old, curious if this would help or hurt.
 
i have carried both on and off duty for over 35 years...not one single problem with wet ammo...and i have been out in the rain,snow,storms etc.
 
I have done the primers but never the bullets. But I use mostly cast bullets with alox lube so they are pretty sealed up.
 
Kenny, Thanks for the input! Most of my defense ammo is Hornady, so I guess I have little to worry about, next time I have some extra $ (like that ever happens!) I'll buy a new box or two and see how the year-old stuff shoots.

MaxBob, also thank you for the input, never thought about the primers! Guessing I shouldn't bother with the polish on the primers?
 
I don't know if you are talking about factory ammo or handloads but I wouldn't worry about either. Drop a few rounds in a glass of water. Go back after a few days and get them and try them out. I don't think that you will have a problem getting them to fire.

Ooops. You were posting at the same time I was. Looks like you have decided not to worry about it.
 
Hey OFTII, interesting! I'll do that experiment with some cheapo range rounds for kicks and giggles, and I encourage all the feedback I can get! Information and others' experience is always a good thing :)
 
I do mine more for oil. The humidity is terrible so I have to oil everything. I wouldn't want a drop of oil getting into the primer from the gun somehow. It isn't like I like them dripping, but still, I'm just like that. I'm trying Eezox now and so far I'm pretty pleased.
 
I experimented with nail polish on the primers once, in fact I have a little bottle still on the loading bench. I have found sealing the primers to be completely unnecessary for the average shooter. There are plenty of stories of guys accidentally running their speedloader of carry ammo through the washing machine, and the rounds firing without issue afterwards. If you are carrying premium factory SD ammo, it is likely already sealed anyway.
 
I've done this in the past with no ill effects at all. I have also used colored nail polish both over the primers and around the bullet neck to segregate loads for easy identification. Worked real well back in my anal competition days when I used a slightly different load for the close range course of fire vs. the longer ranges.

As to whether it was needed or not, I can't answer that. I never had any ammo problems even during a match that was partially shot during a heavy driving rainstorm.
 
I've fired military ball .45ACP left (not stored) in a WW II seaside cement gun emplacement bunker, presumably since the end off the war. Every round went bang. I also carried newer .223 and .45ACP ammo through the blinding rains of the monsoon season in Viet Nam. Never had a problem....
 
Water has some kind of surface tension. Oil is penetrating. That is my only real reasoning. Like when I shoot my AR. I will give it a shot of lube every once and a while. Last thing I need to do is ruin some ammo. I'm not trying to say it MUST be done or that it SHOULD be done, it's just something I do.
 
I think they still sell primer and bullet sealer. Used to be a small bottle of lacquer paint.

Military rounds are often sealed with lacquer at the primer and/or bullet but their ammo is subject to many extremes. I think this type of sealing helps most in preventing oil contamination from penetrating oils. If you have bought S&B ammo you will find its usually sealed. While commercial and hand loaded ammo that is not sealed is usually very resistant to moisture from a little rain or humidity I have heard and read second hand stories about ammo that has been immersed in water going bad.
 
I had one experience with ammo going bad from getting wet, but it was the primer that was compromised in my case, not the powder. I had some aluminum Blazer spend a few days wet in a plastic bag and about half failed to ignite in my Sig. I don't think the aluminum had anything to do with it, I dunno, maybe the primers don't seal as well in an aluminum case.

Most premium self defense and military ammo is sealed at both ends.
 
I used ammunition when in the Army from WW II stock and never a hic-cup with a 1911A1 230 gr round nose 45 ACP. I would think by adding a layer of nail Polish could affect the cycling in a semi-auto pistol.
 
iLikeOldGunsIlikeNewGuns said:
and a good amount of my defense ammo is a few months old, curious if this would help or hurt.
Click to expand...
A few months old is not old at all. I have never seen ammo stored under normal conditions that got so old it wouldn't fire no matter how old it is.

You can treat your ammo if you want but IMO it's a total waste of time. I would rather spend that time loading ammo and shooting...
 
Unless you like the various colors that girly girl nail polish comes in why not use either George and Roy's Primer Sealant or Markrom Bullet and Primer Sealer.
 
I wouldn't worry about a little water. Now, about a week ago my dear wife ran a full speed strip through the washing machine. Those rounds went into the practice ammo box but, anything short of that I wouldn't give a second thought. Even those extra clean rounds will be fine I'm sure.
 
Maybe not precisely on topic, but age alone doesn't kill ammo. I have fired .303 ammo dated 1912 without issue. If stored in cool, dry conditions, modern ammo (after say, 1900) will last a very long time. Poor conditions will kill it in relatively short order.

Larry
 
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