Did a dumb thing.

[Rangerrich99]

Okay, I know this is a dumb thing to do, but I did it. Somehow on my prairie dog hunt last weekend, I put a round in my pocket. When I got home I managed to wash the thing in the laundry. So my question is, is it okay to fire it? I was going to, then thought there might be some reason not to, so I decided to ask you guys.

Thanks.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Maybe, but why chance it? Tear it apart.

 

[Mosin-Marauder]

By fire you mean dry fire? That round is dead. Primer is dead and the powder is probably all clumped together. Get thee to a bullet puller.

 

[dakota.potts]

I'd just get rid of that one and spend the $1 to replace it

 

[HiBC]

Not necessarily so.Both primer and bullet are interference fits,no real room for water to enter,unless there are scratches.Ammo is theoretically pretty water tight.

But,weigh risk/reward.You have one round that you lack confidence in.

Worst case,a hang fire or squib.A squib will stick a bullet in your bore.

Day ruined.

I'd pull it down,re load it.Not much loss.

 

[Rangerrich99]

Thx guys. I hadn't even thought of the squib scenario. I figured it'd either fire or not. glad I asked.

 

[RJay]

More than once I have inadvertently washed ammo with no harm done and on the plus side the ammo was nice and clean, of course I didn't put it thru the dryer. There is no reason the ammo won't fire just fine. The last time was a magazine of .45 ACP. It shot just fine.

 

[kilimanjaro]

If you're concerned about it, then don't fire it.

 

[Snyper]

I've washed lots of ammo and never had trouble with it not firing, but if you're worried, bury it somewhere

 

[Evan Thomas]

...if you're worried, bury it somewhere

A better idea would be to take it with you on your next range trip and put it in their dead ammo bucket.

 

[Lucas McCain]

Pull the damn thing apart, dump the powder out and and see if its all clumpy or not, put the empty case in the gun and see if it will fire.
10-1 its OK. Give us a report if you like.
In Vietnam we waded in rice paddies, swamps, and rivers up to our necks, the only thing that stayed dry was our hats and our rifles if we held them out of the water. The ammo was in our packs and in a belt around our waist, never had a problem with any misfires.
I went bear hunting one spring, some years ago in a wilderness area in Ontario. The only way to access it was via canoe. The ammunition I used was reloaded by myself and it had been reloaded multiple times. We did capsize the canoe when we attempted to negotiate a small stretch of rapids. The ammo boxes got wet along with the rest of the gear. It was the only ammo I had and it fired flawlessly. I got my bear and my partner used my rifle to shoot his bear because when we capsized the canoe his gun stock got broken.
Wet cartridges really aren't worth worrying over in my book. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Skans]

About the worst thing that could happen is the bullet gets lodged in the barrel if you fire it. Is it worth it?

I hope you answered "no". Otherwise, you've never tried to dislodge a bullet after a squib.

FWIW, having a round fully submerged in soapy water churning about for 1/2 hour is not the same thing as getting a round wet. The soap acts as a wetting agent, making it easier for water to seep into tiny voids.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I would not call washing ammo a dumb thing, maybe a bit forgetful. It happens. No real harm done save for the loss of the cost of 1 round.

In the last 16 years, I have probably managed to wash a box's worth of ammo, random rounds that somehow got pocketed or left in a hunting vest. A couple of times I have washed spare mags loaded with ammo.

It is nothing more than an a head shaker.

 

[45_auto]

I've probably washed at least a dozen rounds (pistol, rifle, and rimfire) since the 1960's. Every one of them fired perfectly.

Of course, if you aren't capable of telling if the round fired correctly or not, you probably want to agonize over it for awhile, post on a few internet forums, and only then decide whether or not you want to accept the possibly TREMENDOUS risks and consequences (gun might go "click" instead of "bang") involved with firing it.

 

[g.willikers]

Yeah, me too.
Lots of my home made ammo, hiding in the corners of my jeans pockets, have been thoroughly washed and dried without harm.
They always fired just fine.
So reliably that I don't even question that they will anymore.
Factory stuff should fare even better.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...That round is dead..." Highly unlikely. You think the troopies pitch the ammo they carry though swamps, rivers, oceans and mud? Water does nothing to primers either.

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

The worst aspect of such is the wrath of the beloved when she hears (as she has done), the clink, clink in the washer or dryer!

Most modern ammo is pretty well sealed but dispose of it safely if you are worried.

 

[Dragline45]

By fire you mean dry fire? That round is dead. Primer is dead and the powder is probably all clumped together. Get thee to a bullet puller.

Don't automatically jump to conclusions. I left a cheap WWB 9mm round in a glass of water for 2 weeks, grabbed it out the glass before I went to the range and to my surprise it fired.

 

[DaleA]

Wow, if that's the dumbest thing you've done this week...well if the rest of were honest I doubt that you'd even get an honorable mention for that peccadillo.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Maybe the round is perfectly live and maybe it is not. I would not want to count on it the next time I go hunting and if it isn't right, I don't want to possibly be driving a squib out of my barrel.

It is one round. No reason to risk the hassle unless you are just into washer/dryer testing ammo.