I've heard that if the gunpowder get's wet, it won't ignite. However, most bullets seem to have a very air tight seal, so it wouldn't seem that being immersed in water would negatively affect it's ability to fire. It also seems that the gun itself wouldn't be affected, because it's just a series of small moving parts. If you didn't take the gun apart, dry and oil each piece, it would get rusty and probably jam in the future, but if the gun was in the water, it seems like you could just pick it up out of the water, and it would be able to fire, no problem.
I'm not an expert with guns, but I did go deer and pheasant hunting when I was younger, and got training with a shotgun and .38 when I was in the Navy. My friends are mostly in the same boat, and they all say that a gun would "not" fire after it's been in the water. I would like to hear from an expert about this. It won't serve any practical application for me, I just see it happen in the movies all the time. Thanks
2007-01-16 05:58:08 · 13 answers · asked by Brian C 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Like most people have said most all modern firearms can be fired when wet or even under water. Like Pfo said myth busters did a entire segment dedicated to firearm myths. Robert S makes the most dedicated argument however. Seal teams and other special forces teams like the Rangers but their lives in the hands of guns and training and don't think they would go out without a firearm that will pretty much preform no mater what the condition.
One of the Best examples and most commonly available is the AK47 and its variants. when manufactured the gun is extremely "lose" or "sloppy" meaning that there is a greater amount of room around most moving parts such as the bolt, receiver, etc. I don't exactly know where the demonstration was but my father who was in the Military Police during Vietnam told me about it. The demonstrator fired about a thousand rounds through an AK47, wet, dry and muddy, threw the gun in a foot locker for a year without cleaning it and waited. Most firearms would be completely seized at this point but after taking the AK out a year later, kicking the bolt open and putting in a fresh clip the weapon fired the first time, unlike the M16 at the time which needed to be cleaned regularly or the gun would gum up and jam. I wouldn't recommend this of course but it's a good example of how different weapons preform in different conditions.
2007-01-16 16:55:08 · answer #1 · answered by jet_blackdawg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it will fire... unless you're dragging around some fine piece of 1870's era firearm.
Since you ask this question in the "Military" section, almost every military RIFLE will fire after being immersed... to design and build a weapon that couldn't would be assinine... soldiers, sailors, marines tend to get WET... some even fall into puddles or rivers.
Of course, ANY military member that immerses or submerges their weapon clears the weapon immediately... and then CLEANS the weapon as soon as practicable.
I carried an M-4 carbine along with me as a Combat SAR crewman during Desert Storm/ Shield... just tilt the barrel down to drain, cycle a fresh round into the chamber, and enjoy. Same with my issued 9mm Berreta and my personal Colt .45.
I've seen the kids from the SEAL Teams prepare their weapons for "swims"...
2007-01-16 06:39:33 · answer #2 · answered by mariner31 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm no expert but it seems to me like a bad idea to fire a gun if there is water in the barrel.
I can visualize the sudden thrust of the fired bullet against the water breaking the barrel but maybe it would just create such tremendous recoil that one couldn't hold onto the weapon.
I suggest at least draining the water from the barrel before pulling that trigger.
2007-01-16 06:11:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Any gun ought to fire interior the rain or from being interior the water for a quick length of time particularly greater contemporary weapons as long simply by fact the ammunition powder would not get moist the bullet getting moist is the main situation after gun gets moist needs solid cleansing and lubrication as according to Manuel's advice
2016-12-12 12:45:39 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They actually did this on Mythbusters, yes most weapons do surprisingly work, but because water is more dense than air most of the bullets did not have a lethal, or even harmful velocity. And a shotgun backfired and blew up.
2007-01-16 06:08:16 · answer #5 · answered by Pfo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
a gun can fire after being immersed in water, however, it's not as accurate if it wasn't in water.
if a gun would fire 99% of the time dry, then put in water, it may only fire 89% of the time.
these percentages aren't accuarte, just an example to explain my point.
take care.
2007-01-16 06:09:43 · answer #6 · answered by joey322 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not an expert but I do own a number of Glocks. The Glock semi automatic hand gun is supposed to fire under water. Having said that, I don't believe it will have any problems firing after being dropped in water.
2007-01-16 06:25:07 · answer #7 · answered by briang731/ bvincent 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Ray is correct.
About the only modern weapon that would not fire would be a shotgun loaded with cardboard encased ammunition and even that would still fire if it was only submersed for a few seconds and then immediately fired.
2007-01-16 06:07:25 · answer #8 · answered by sprcpt 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
depends on the gun and how long it has been under water. Most will but it all depends on those two factors.
2007-01-16 06:05:54 · answer #9 · answered by Mags 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most modern weapons will fire after being submersed . Not all , but most .
2007-01-16 06:03:33 · answer #10 · answered by Ray H 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋