# What do I do with a wet handgun in an emergency



## SelfDefenseNovice (Jan 6, 2013)

If in a down pore my handgun gets wet what happens?

If it starts raining should I put the handgun in a dry place like a plastic bag?

How do I dry a handgun to make it so that it fires? Is there a quick way to do this?

Should I always store extra ammunition in a plastic bag?

For emergency purposes, how many magazines should I carry on my belt?

How much extra ammo should I carry in a backpack?

Thank you,


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

SelfDefenseNovice said:


> If in a down pore my handgun gets wet what happens?
> 
> If it starts raining should I put the handgun in a dry place like a plastic bag?
> 
> ...


I wouldn't worry about it. Handguns have been used in all kinds of weather and conditions. If not what good would they be?


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

SelfDefenseNovice said:


> If in a down pore my handgun gets wet what happens?
> >>> Depends on the gun and now long you let it say wet. If it's been serviced (oiled) properly, not much of anything for around 24 hours.
> 
> If it starts raining should I put the handgun in a dry place like a plastic bag?
> ...


If you need more specific answers, please provide more specific info on your activities.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Any handgun and all ammunition made after the end of the percussion-cap era is essentially waterproof.
That's a broad statement, and not really completely true, but for your purposes you can accept it as gospel.
If your pistol gets really wet, for instance in a downpour or having been dunked in a stream, it would be prudent to shake out the water from inside it, as best you can, and also exchange the ammunition for some that you've kept dry (just to be safe).
Then, as soon as is practicable, empty the gun, wipe its bore, dry it with _a little_ heat (even body heat), and oil it inside and out. Then reload it.
Rain? Get a poncho that covers the gun as well as yourself. Or a rain jacket.

It's OK to fire a wet gun, if you've shaken most of the water out of it first. Shooting before shaking is a mug's game. So is shooting underwater.

How many magazines? Depends upon where you're going.
On the trail, probably one quickly-available reload is enough. In a "major metropolitan area," maybe three reloads won't be enough.
Think about this adage: "Practice, and therefore quick accuracy, vastly increases your ammunition supply." (That is: If you learn to shoot well, you won't use as much ammunition.)

How much spare ammunition to carry in your pack? Not easy to answer: It has to be based upon your expected expenditures.
On the trail, maybe two or three loaded magazines, or even four, in a water-tight plastic bag. But weight may become an issue.


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## CW (Mar 20, 2015)

The problem with water is that like hydraulic oil, it does not compress.

In the bore, a little water should push out. A lot of water can cause a burst barrel.

In the rest of a gun, water will cause jams, misfeeds, or other failures.
Keeping your firearm oiled will repell most water. 

I suspect revolvers may not be as easily effected- action wise, and bores can drain quicker due to the open nature,
But still, obstructions in the barrel are the main hazard.

I suppose you could open the action and blow the excess out of the barrel, but you'd probably have time to run a cloth scrap down the bore in the same time.

Another trick is to cover the muzzle with electrical tape if you will be out in nasty environments. 
It keeps dirt and water out, and you can shoot through it safely. 
(this may not be best for revolvers as water can still get in through the cylinder gap.)

And of course if you get your firearm soaked - even stainless - you need to get it cleaned, dried, and oiled ASAP to prevent rust.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

*Initially,*Water should not hurt your handgun or long gun . The water may even help wash out some of that accumulated dirt n dust, lol.

But absolutely depending on the guns metal composition you should remove the moisture before the chemical reaction of oxidizing begins to occur. The time frame of this chemical reaction depends on carbon content, alloys, coatings.

About 12 hours before rust might even start to think about it.

High carbon steel that has been previously rusted , is very vulnerable, especially if the rust penetrated into the steel, verses only surface rust.

At the end of the day or even during the day you can always wipe or spray the outer and internals with a wd40 or similar.

The gun should also be somewhat protected from it's previous cleaning to a certain extent.

I've had guns with the bluing worn off that needed cleaning that same night after a day of hunting in the field.
Every early morning hunter knows the firearm is going to get wet. Damp n wet brush, morning dew.
As a rule ,after a day of shooting, or hunting,,, wipe n lube the firearm.

Don't forget to lightly coat the inside of the barrels ,,

jeez.
almost forgot, like "*SteveM1911A1* mentions above " just to be safe" a puddle of water in a gun barrel might create a compression issue


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

I would be more concerned with the ammunition. Modern ammunition is pretty much waterproof, but pretty much doesn't mean 100%. I had a box of 9X18MM get soaked on a trip without me noticing. The box dried out of course, and months later while firing it I got a squib in the middle of a three round burst and bulged the barrel on my CZ82, ruining the gun. It was my fault entirely. The old adage "Keep your powder dry" is still not bad advice.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

If the emergency is life or death, shake firearm out and fire.........


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