Are modern 9mm handguns waterproof?

Question

If I drop a Glock or something in the water, or it rains hard on it, can I still fire it?

Answer 1

There is a myth about the 9mm Glocks being able to be fired underwater. Out of the box they are not designed to do this, but there is a special part that you can buy that will make it able to fire underwater. Otherwise, the gun will probably jam if you try to fire it underwater.

Waterproof, no, but water resistant, yes. Most handguns should still fire (not as reliably) if rained on or briefly drug through shallow water.

It is generally a bad idea to fire a gun underwater. If you have your head underwater, the shock will hurt your ears quite a bit more than in air.

Another thing to mention is that if the powder in the ammunition get wet, it will not fire.

Answer 2

Okay, the waterproof question can be viewed different ways. In the colonial times, if the pistol was wet (even from dew or mist) the powder could get wet and it wouldn't fire. Today's modern firearms all used enclosed cartridges. The bullets seat into the cartridge tightly, keeping the powder dry. So if you were to drop the cartridge in the water, it'd be alright to fire.

A pistol can be submerged in water, lifted out, tipped to let the water drain out, and more than likely, it will fire. If it doesn't, it'll be because of water slowing the firing pin inside. Sometimes, water works its way up inside the inertia firing pin. Just a few drops can cause this. If it didn't fire, recocking the hammer or cycling the slide, it'd probably get enough moisture out to get it to fire the second time.

Where the firearm isn't water proof is firing it underwater. Water isn't compressable because it's a liquid. When you fire a gun underwater, it's not like firing it in the air, where the fluid in the barrel gets pushed out by the bullet. Instead, the water doesn't want to go anywhere, causing the pressure and force to be diverted to the barrel and/or slide. Typically, what happens in this instance, is that something structural "gives" on the pistol. This could be nothing more than the barrel swelling, but it could also involve catastrophic destruction, pieces of metal flying everywhere. Even if the pistol itself doesn't hurt you, the compression wave in the water will at least mangle your hand. It is NEVER safe to fire a pistol underwater.

The part that Glock makes for their pistol doesn't make it safe to fire it underwater. What it does is make a seal around their striker-fired mechanisim (think firing pin) to keep moisture out if it has to be fired. You still have to remove the pistol from the water, drain the barrel will quick, and then can fire.

Even if a pistol was to manage to fire underwater, it would only fire once, because the water would slow the slide so much, it wouldn't cycle in another round. If a firearm was gas operated, instead of blowback or a revolver, it'd probably destroy the gas system.

Answer 3

I just read an article where they torture tested a 1911 .45 ACP and they said it would fire underwater.

As far as rain goes, yes you can get a gun wet. Do you think police officers worry their gun won't fire in the rain? And they carry them out in the open. Most of the time a citizen will carry it concealed so it's less exposed to the elements.

Answer 4

A glock is not a water pistol - trust me on this. It is a lethal weapon.
No insult intended but if you don't know to keep a handgun DRY then you either need to attend classes or forget about owning a gun.

Its not just your safety but others around you at stake.

Answer 5

If the bullet can come out, water can go in the same way.

Answer 6

They are not.
Just make sure you get as much water out as possible, or you may have a bad surprise.

Answer 7

I think squirt guns are water proof.

Answer 8

It is the ammunition that has to be waterproof, not the gun.

Answer 9

water resistant, not water proof and yes you can still fire it.

Answer 10

Hi. Just make sure its not underwater or the back pressure will ... startle you!