Guns and Ammo in Aftermath of Floods — What to Do
NOAA photo of flooding after Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The Colt Python Revolver once belonged to Elvis Presley (Rock Island Auction).
This past week, Tropical Storm Isaias has hammered the East Coast of the USA. The BBC reported: “From North Carolina up to New York, Isaias left more than 3.4 million residents without power. It spawned tornadoes, uprooted trees, damaged homes and caused floods and fires.” This article explains what to do if you have experienced flooding.
Firearms owners who have seen their guns and stored ammunition submerged by flood waters in storm-wracked areas are probably wondering if their firearms and ammunition can be salvaged and safely used. To answer these questions, the NSSF and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI®) created two documents outlining the proper response to submersion of guns and ammo. If you’ve got wet guns and/or ammo, download these two PDF files and read them carefully.
SAAMI Guidance 1: What to Do About Firearms That Have Been Submerged in Water
SAAMI Guidance 2: What to Do About Ammunition That Has Been Submerged in Water
Dealing with Firearms That Were Submerged
The SAAMI document “Guidance on Firearms That Have Been Submerged or Exposed to Extensive Amounts of Water” points out two major concerns about firearms that have been exposed to water: parts susceptible to moisture and rust damage such as metal parts, wood stocks and grips, and optics; and, secondly, infiltration of the action, barrel and safety systems by grit, silt and other foreign debris.
#1 Always unload firearms before beginning any treatment process.
It’s important to limit moisture and corrosion damage to the component parts of the firearm. This can be accomplished by disassembling the component parts and using up to two coats of a moisture-displacing lubricant such as Hoppes #9 MDL or WD-40 to clean and stabilize the parts while, importantly, following the product’s directions so as not to damage, for instance, plastic or synthetic parts. Another tip is to allow wood stocks and grips to air-dry and not be force dried by exposure to heat.
The document emphasizes that once the firearm has been thoroughly dried, consideration must be given to having the firearm inspected and serviced by the manufacturer, an authorized service center, or a qualified gunsmith before putting the firearm back in service.
Dealing with Ammunition That Was Submerged
Bottom Line, if your ammo has been submerged — DON’T USE IT. SAAMI explains why…
To help firearms owners determine what to do with ammunition that has been affected by water and moisture, SAAMI offers another helpful document, “Guidance on Ammunition That Has Been Submerged in Water.” This document covers differences in moisture resistance between centerfire, rimfire and shotshell ammunition, and potential hazards associated with “drying out” cartridges, including possible deterioration and damage to cartridges due to drying methods.
Another serious hazard that could result from using compromised ammunition is the potential for a bore obstruction due to partial ignition of either the priming compound or the propellant powder charge, or both. Firing a subsequent round through an obstructed barrel can result in bodily injury, death and property damage.
SAAMI provides the following cautionary conclusion: “It would be impossible to ascertain for certain the extent of the deteriorating affect, if any, the water may have had on each individual cartridge. Therefore, the safe answer is that no attempt be made to salvage or use submerged ammunition. The ammunition should be disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Contact your local law enforcement agency for disposal instructions in your area.”
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Tags: Flood, Flood Damage, Hurricane, Moisture, SAAMI, Storm Isaias, Submerged Ammo
A while back I was given a couple of thousand rounds of 1980′ vintage 5.56 55gn ball ammo. There was of course, a catch.
It had been “poorly stored” and showed all manner and degree of corrosion on the cases.
Being an inveterate scrounger and cheapskate, I accepted the challenge.
First it was “triaged: a few spots, nasty green furry patches and “that’s a cartridge”?
I decided to pull and inspect every round, starting with the “good” ones.
RCBS collet-type bullet puller to the fore. Projectile into a plastic tub, then tip the contents of the case onto a small plastic tray for inspection. If it looked and smelled like fresh-ish powder, it went into a storage jar. Periodically, samples were weighed and the very-consistent load data was recorded. If not 0f acceptable quality, directed to the “powder scraps” jar which is emptied on the garden from time to time.
By the time I got to the really “furry” cases, I was encountering propellant that was starting to clump and smell “funny”. Straight into the scrap jar.
Eventually I had a sizeable quantity of recoverable bullets, a few pounds of “good” powder and a pile of primed brass.
The bullets went through chemical cleaning and then rotary tumbling in a mild citric acid brew, whilst I contemplated the primed cases.
Eventually, I decided to toss them into a bucket of old brake / clutch fluid and hope that this would “neutralize any still-live primers. A week passes….
Next, out with the Lee “universal decapping” die. I did not want to be running lubed but furry cases into a “proper” sizing die. Steady, slow pressure on theh primer was the order of the day.
The primers ALL came out with no loud surprises, (eye and ear protection still worn)and then the cases went for a chemical wash to remove the green corrosion fur. Then I could visually inspect each case for pitting or other damage. “Suspect” brass went into the ‘recycle” bucket, The rest went, via the Dillon 600 primer-pocket “de-crimper”, into the rotary tumbler in several batches.
Rinsed and thoroughly dried, they were stored in airtight containers for use, “some day”.
Waste of time? When you are cash-poor and time rich, it’s not even a consideration. Also, being the (old) child of parents who grew up in the Depression and went through WW2, it is ingrained.