Putting a myth to bed-- maybe

[joeyj]

2 weeks ago I reloaded hundred rounds of 380 ACP. Friday I went to use them and when I pulled the red bin off the shelf they were covered by quarter inch of water. I think I know where the water came from, but I'll track that down at a later time. From TV and movies I thought ammo was no good when it got wet. Now what do I do. I took them to the range and started shooting them into the dirt backstop to make sure every round one off. To my surprise, when I hit 28 I got a squib so that's -that, From that I deduce you don't take wet ammo to a gun fight. I'll get back to you after I test the rest of them. Joe

[gghbi]

That is why my reloads go into covered plastic ammo boxes. This also keeps things sorted better.

[Emptymag]

It may be an issue IF the powder got wet and if the powder is still wet when you shoot it, but I don't see water as a major concern.

When our basement flooded when I was a kid, I remember my dad taking a bunch of boxes of ammo that had been submerged and dumping them out to let them dry before putting them in a paper lunch bag. I specifically remember a bag of 22LR that sat on the shelf for a good while after that until I was old enough to have my own 22 rifle.
I took that bag of ammo out and shot it all up. Only a few didn't fire - no different really than fresh factory ammo.

[Xringshooter]

Actually, as long as the water didn't get into the case or into the primer, then the rounds should fire fine. Even if the primers got wet, as long as they dried out they should be fine. Water is NOT a primer deactivator, other than short term. I've had people give me primers in the box that got wet and they were afraid to use them. I took them out of the box and let them dry for a few weeks and then tested some of them. They all went bang. I used them and never had a problem (I marked my reloads that used them to track them.) To deactivate a primer you want a petroleum based substance (or something else other than water) to get into the primer cup to permanently deactivate them. Powder on the other hand, can chemically change if it gets wet and then dries so any powder that got damp or wet take it out and use it for fertilizer.

[joeyj]

Thanks fellas, I'm glad to get a reply from people who have experience.

[West Chester]

Sounds like you didn't put enough powder in a case.