RE: FW: Underwater weaponry

["Eric Benson" <ebenson@xxxxxxxx>]

Cutting and pasting various comments...

> Another note for weapon use in very wet environments is that commercially
produced ammo is sealed with wax
> around the primer.  Handloaders rarely do so and prolonged exposure to
water could contaminate the rounds.

Is it wax or something else?  I know the sealant you're talking about (very
visible on  S&B ammo), but I assumed it was something longer lasting than
wax.

> I've even seen a Glock 22 fired after being pulled
> out of a bucket of mud with just a quick shaking off.

Just because you *can* do it doesn't mean you should do it.  Did they
inspect the barrel afterwards, either internally for scoring or externally
for overpressure damage?

High stress events dramatically shorten the fatigue life of most machined
items.

> I remember reading the yanks had a real problem with the 16's getting
water in
> the barrel and malfing rather dramatically.

Well, there were a lot of problems, mostly on the doctrine / training
aspect.  Most of the issues probably aren't germane to a MillEnd list, but
they issued an untested weapon to troops in the field without adequate cross
over training.  Troops were apparently told 'you don't need to clean it'.
Um, yea.

-Eric