Ever wash your reloads?

[TXBryan]

I typically holster a S&W Model 64 as a "walkin' around the ranch" gun. In addition to the six in the cylinder I generally carry six spares in a Bianchi Speed Strip in the utility pocket of my work pants. Not long ago I washed the pants, and ran them through the dryer, with the loaded Speed Strip in the pocket. Not nearly as big a deal as when I did the same thing to my cell phone.

I was curious, however, whether they'd go bang after their soapy adventure. Texas deer season is rapidly winding down so my son and I got back to a little target shooting after chores at the ranch yesterday. All six "cleaned" rounds went bang on the first hammer fall (in double-action) and even managed to contact targets where they were aimed.

These were handloads and I don't do anything special to waterproof them. These were relatively hard-cast lead 158 grain bullets properly lubed with a firm crimp but no sealant in the primer pockets. I guess I kind of expected them to function properly but have to admit a little surprise all six cooked off hot, straight, and normal.

Anybody have water soaked ammo experience?

 

[Paul in Nevada]

I would relegate those to practice rounds and grab six fresh cartridges. I bet the washed ones still work fine but it's worth the peace of mind to me. Pull the bullets if you are curious.

 

[scattershot]

Thanks for posting. I've been curious about that myself.

 

[reddog81]

I've had 9mm reloads make it through the wash in my pant pockets. They functioned just fine.

 

[colt_saa]

As long as you had a crimp on the projectile, they usually fire.

Obviously never carry ammunition that was water logged as defensive ammo.

 

[gwpercle]

I learned a long time ago to check all my pockets ...at least twice ...
before putting in dirty clothes hamper and/or washing machine .
I've washed way too many pocket knives , money , car keys , 22 LR's , and all the other junk I carry around with me ... I'm a Pack-Rat and habitually pick up stuff and put it in my pockets !
Gary

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My ex-B-I-L carried a High Standard 22 mag derringer often for several years. His carry reload was two loose rounds of Federal ammo after 8 or 9 times of going through the wash they were undependable! He took two rounds and used clear fingernail polish on the case mouth. Then put them in a sock and ran them through 20 loads of laundry over a few weeks. They worked!

Ivan

 

[DWalt]

Part of typical military lot acceptance testing for small arms ammunition is the ability to stay submerged in water of some specific depth and time without compromising reliability. Most military small arms ammo today does not use primer sealants. Primers that fit tightly in their pockets are good enough to keep water out.

 

[Pisgah]

There's no way to accurately number the self-loaded rounds I have run through the washer in my pants pockets; it has to be well in to the 100's. I cannot recall a single round that failed to fire after the event.

A couple of decades back, a friend dropped a pack containing 40 rounds of reloaded ammo in to a lake. It sank promptly and could not be found until 7 years, and a prolonged drought, later. He and I successfully fired every round of that ammo.

 

[heeter3]

I too have left speed strips with .38 rounds in my pants pocket and then washed them numerous times much to my chagrin.They then become practice rounds and I have never had one fail.

 

[Paul105]

Only time I had a problem was when I missed a split case that allowed water in.

 

[mtgianni]

I had some 44 special reloads fail to fire after being in a wet backpack pocket for three days straight. No other cartridges from that lot failed. IIRC, it was 3 out of the 6 in the speedloader.

 

[Puller]

I've never washed any ammo, but I've had ammo on me that got a good dunking while hunting or kayaking and have never had a problem with them going off.

 

[GB]

Been there, done that. Got fresh ones into the speed strip and shot the "clean" ones the next target session. No problem but with the current price and availability, it is not something I care to make a habit of.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Before I had a gunsafe my firearms were sadly squirreled around the house. My 1911 then was an AMT s/s Hardballer. My wife and I decided to go out somewhere and I had just been shooting it, as she was ready to go I grabbed a towel wrapped it up and put it in the washer. We came home, she started a load and I didn't think about it until she asked what the 'h' was in her washer? I apologized and removed the pistol. Put the bullets on a shelf and tore down my then very clean pistol. Anyway the next day my handloads all fired fine. Had to do some spousal repair and never did that trick again. Now I have 2 safes and we were together 42 years.

 

[BillBro]

Like reddog81 above my wife has washed countless rounds of varying calibers and all of them have gone bang. I guess it would depend on what you expect to encounter on your ranch. Are they dangerous? Can they eat you or your horse?

 

[Krogen]

Heh heh.... From the title, I expected this thread to be a variation on the age-old question of tumbling rounds to remove case lube. Perhaps washing them could do it.

Many moons ago, I tried washing cases to remove that old sticky RCBS case lube. I had a lot of misfires and figured out I wasn't drying the cases adequately before reloading them. You'd think I'd have noticed, but nope. I don't know if the dampness affected the primer or powder, but no matter - they didn't go bang. Granted, that's a little different than running loaded rounds through the washing machine, but it shows that water can cause troubles.

 

[jcelect]

A little of point!

I would not be as afraid of the water as I would the "tumbling" effect of the washer and dryer! It is a bad idea to tumble load rounds! If the brass is not filled with powder to the base of the bullet the powder will tumble inside the case! This tumbling inside the case can break down the powder which can change the burning rate of that powder! Depending on the powder and the amount of powder it could be possible to exceed pressure limits of the round and or gun! Tumble brass not loaded rounds, IMHO!
jcelect