Shooters Forum banner

primer sealer a good idea?

29K views 34 replies 25 participants last post by  rojkoh 
#1 ·
I want some feedback from reloaders who use sealer for their primer pocket. The last time I looked at factory ammo for 308, 30-06,they use it. Shelf life is longer? My brass is once fired,pockets cleaned with LEE pocket pr. reamer. Just seems like it is a good idea since lightly reaming the pocket changed the press fit slightly.What says experience?
 
#2 ·
Many reports of unsealed ammunition getting wet, submerged under water etc. and no problems. For me, it makes sense to use dedicated sealer or nail polish for critical ammunition (self-defense or hunting) or for long term storage TEOTWAWKI ammunition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marshal Kane
#5 ·
If you feel you need to seal them, get you some green loctite #290. It is a litte expensive but it's extremely thin and will get down into the seam very well. One little drop, let it work around and wipe the excess off. Do not get the idea of trying it on the bullet also. This stuff is and extremely strong adhesive when it cures, and it's designed to penetrate. Not too sure what it would do to chamber pressures trying to push the bullet out after that stuff got hold to it.

A drop of a thin Cynoacrylate (Super Glue) will do it also but the stuff is a royal pain to work with. Even if you drop and wipe fast, it still wants to stick to everything it and you touch. You can get in the model paints and glues at Hobby Lobby.
 
#6 ·
When I was in college, I ran 4 or 5 rounds of .30-06 handloads in new brass through the washing machine. RP brass, WLR primers, and 180gr. Ballistic Tips. Powder was IMR-4350, for what that's worth.

Fortunately, found them before the laundry went into the dryer. They all went 'bang' next trip to the range.

I've never even given a second thought to primer sealants since that.
 
#9 ·
I use the stuff but to the top of .45acp rat shot shells. The plug that's used in them is worthless. I've never used the stuff for it's intend use as primer seal. Works good to seal rat shot though.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Board member Humpy reported some rounds going bad after sitting nose-down in an open box on a bench at a covered range with a leaky roof that was dripping rain on the case heads. I'm sure this happening depends how good the lacquer coating on the primer mix over the anvil is (cracked by seating or not), and on the condition of the primer pocket. Even a short drop would add considerable inertia to the water to help drive it in if any path is available.

I've never had a round killed by moisture, but due to scratches creating capillary-like channels, I would expect it more likely to be a problem for brass reloaded several times than for new brass. If the pockets had dirt and, obviously, if they are so loose you really shouldn't be reloading them anyway, those factors can contribute to making paths for capillary action.

As Rocky suggested, the military seals ammo so it can survive being submerged to water pressures higher than you'll get near the surface. If I were building ammo for very long term storage or for likely exposure to solvents, I think I would seal both primer and bullet, though the greater penetration path length around the bullet makes it less vulnerable. But, in for a penny, in for a pound.

In the meantime, I can't be bothered.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Magilla26
#11 ·
I've used nail polish...

I've used nail polish to seal mine when I had to resize 5,000 loaded rounds. I dumped the powder, painted the bottoms, let it dry a good 30 minutes, then sprayed the cases with cooking spray and resized 'em. No problems. I wondered if several coats would make primer ignition difficult, so I painted one three times. Again, no problems. If you do use nail polish, use white. It is much easier to see than clear.
 
#15 ·
Presumably, being tighter and longer, the space between the bullet and case are harder to penetrate. But to my fellow SCUBA divers, I would say you have a point.
 
#17 ·
Except the conceivable one I mentioned: deep underwater. The SEALs need their guns to work when they come up from several atmospheres of water pressure, and I expect that's one reason the military likes sealed bullets. It's not something the average hunter needs to worry about.
 
#18 ·
Why seal the primer and or neck of the case? No reason unless one or the other or both leak. For long term storage of loaded ammo the need for a good seal is against atmospheric changes. Before I seal the primer and or neck of the case I will load the ammo, heat up a 30 cal. 20mm ammo can then load the ammo (neatly) in the can then shut the lid with the cam over latch, label it and then wait for the atmosphere in side the can to cool, then forget the effect time takes on on everything inside the can. Same for pistols, lube, wrap, heat the can, load the can, close the lid and it is done.

Testing ammo for leaks: I have no shortage of vacuum pumps or wide mouth gallon jars, just modify the lid, fill with loaded ammo (test group), finish filling with water, place vacuum on jar then watch for bubbles, if you are busy and do not have time to watch, load ammo without powder, place a vacuum on the jar, then later pull the bullets and check for water.
It is not likely the reloader knows the total weight of the components in each round loaded, but on the outside chance the weight is known the reloader could, after removing from the vacuum test jar, weigh the ammo again to determine if the case took on any water.


It beats talking about something that may never happen, Electrolysis is the bigger problem of the two with the different metals used in ammo, still reducing the moisture in the atmosphere reduces electrolyses.

Or load the can only on dry days.

F. Guffey
 
#20 ·
Have been reloading ammunition since 1963 and have yet to seal a primer in the thousands of reloads that I've turned out.

Not saying there aren't conditions under which primers should be sealed but I'm not a Navy Seal nor do I leave exposed ammunition under a leaky roof in the rain.

IME, for most of us, it's unnecessary to seal primers.
 
#21 ·
A few weeks ago, my brother bought and fired a box of .300 WSM loaded ammunition made by Federal. A couple of the primers fell out after they had been fired. After we decided there wasn't a headspacing issue, we discovered that the primer pockets were oversized. The primers had been sealed, and I almost wonder if Federal was sealing the primers to cover up the fact that they were loose.
 
#22 ·
Nope. That's Federal brass, which is known far and wide for being too soft. It just expanded the primer pocket under pressure same as happens to other brands of brass when you load it too hot. Dan Newberry doesn't even consider Federal suitable for reloading for that reason. On the other hand, if you load it to very modest pressures, that softness doesn't work harden for a long while, so it can actually be good for case life. It's got great life in .45 ACP target loads.
 
#23 ·
My father passed away a few years ago. While sorting through his things I found some 30-06 ammo that he handloaded quite a few years before. I don't have a 30-06 so I gave the ammo to a friend who does. He took it out and shot it. He said it shot real good, and was loaded pretty warm. It had been stored in the house on a shelf in a regular cardboard ammo box. Since then I've believed that primer sealer wasn't really necessary 99% of the time. Just my 2 cents. ;)
 
#24 ·
I know this post is dead, but I feel my story is worth sharing. I'm an avid reloaded. I have been for almost 15 years. In that time I have never sealed a primer or a bullet. One Christmas season, we had a large rainstorm that flooded part of the house and everything in the lower garage, including all of my ammo. My ammo was stored in cardboard boxes (the kind from midway), inside a wooden ammo crate. All of my loaded ammo was under water for over 6 hours. It then sat in wet boxes for 2 days (I had a bigger problem to deal with). I then pulled every round out, laid them out on a towl and dried them with a couple of fans for the next couple of days.

1 week later, believing all of my rounds were ruined, I decided to take my son in law to the range and see what would work. I am talking 1k+ of each 223, 9mm,40 s&w, 45 acp, 2k of 22 LR, and hundreds of rounds of 30-30, 30-06, 357, 308, and 12 ga. Every single round fired, including the crummy 22lr (the bullets would actualy spin in the case mouth). It was a fun day, but now that my entire surplus was blown, I had some serious reloading to do.

In the end, I'm happy that every round fired, but in hind sight I wish I had kept it all.

And all of my ammo is stored in ammo cans off the floor now, btw.
 
#25 ·
I carry my extra ammo exposed on my pack. I use a single shot rifle and should a second shot be necessary the ammo needs to be handy. That means the ammo gets rained on, snowed on and set down in puddles so I seal my hunting ammo, the primer and the bullet, better safe than sorry. Ammo I will only be using at the range I don't bother sealing.
 
#26 ·
I have a couple of thoughts on this.

As far as using primer pocket sealants, unless you're planning on exposing your ammo to extreme environments, submerged or extreme wet weather conditions, I can't see the point in spending the time or money. I've had ammo become completely submerged or exposed to extreme weather conditions, and have also accidentally washed some in the laundry a couple of times, and I have never had a single cartridge fail to go bang.

Just bear in mind that it will not in any way shape or form fix an over reamed primer pocket, thus help prevent typical cartridge pressure leakage. When a primer pocket becomes loose or has been inadvertently over reamed, sealant of any type is not going to do anything at all to contain those pressures. Sealant is not intended to contain pressures, it's only and sole purpose is to protect the primer and powder from getting contaminated by exterior elements. What's more, is if there was any real need to use sealants factory ammunition would have sealed pockets.

SMOA
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top