Primer Sealant

[tymurrey]

Maybe this has been covered before but a search didn't bring up any results for me. I was reloading some .223's for an AR15 this weekend and noticed when priming some rounds that the primer pockets on some were alittle loose. My question is have any of you used clear finger nail polish for sealing primer pockets. I tried it on 40 rounds that i went and test fired and there was no problems from them. If any of you have done this can a guy do it after you have loaded the rounds. Just looking for a little input before i go and do the other 600 rounds. I know you can buy the sealant off the internet but the girlfriend has this stuff in the house already.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Primer Sealant

Loose primer pockets to the extent that the primers drop out...indicate excessive pressure or excessive reloading of that brass. You can begin to erode your bolt face if they leak (the primer sealant won't prevent that) or since the AR is abrupt, the primer can drop out and cause a FTF...and maybe block your trigger action or bolt operation. The sealant is indicated for wet conditions. To hold the primer in for the violent cycle of the Semi and Full Auto guns, the military crimps the primer in place. If you wish to seal for the wet, polyurethane enamel works well. Use your GF's fingernail polish bottles for the urethane, and the integral brushes...I use a 50 cartridge ammo box to hold the cartridges with bullets down, one drop on each primer then wipe all bases with a paper towel...that leaves a sealing ring in the beveled area around the primer. JMHO

 

[Hummer]

Re: Primer Sealant

I use clear finger nail polish but never thought about polyu for an alternative and lots cheaper too!
I drag mine on news paper as it is cheaper than paper towels haha.
I agree if your pockets are that loose deadline them unless you can get one of the case head swages that reduce the head down only adjacent to the primer pocket.

 

[tymurrey]

Re: Primer Sealant

The primers aren't loose to the point they are falling out so hopefully i won't have any issues there, most brass is used military and using the trim mate to remove crimps i think i got alittle carried away on some and i'm mainly worried about coyote hunting in the snow and stuff and even storage if it will help. I'm mainly trying to stockpile some rounds since i'm bored and cabin fever is setting in. Thanks for the reply that you haven't had any trouble yet.

 

[Hummer]

Re: Primer Sealant

Yeah I know where you are. I have never seen a crimp cutter that did not cut where it wasn't wanted. I made that mistake once and went with RCBS from then on.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Primer Sealant

Back several years ago I did some tests on primer sealing. The report I have written on it must be on our old PC or I've lost it.

Long story short. Fingernail polish will work if done sparingly. Keep the polish thinned with acetone so that it fills well. You don't want to be gobbing something that looks like putty. Some of the commercial sealers are nothing more than fingernail polish. I have my wife buy it when they run it on sale for less than a dollar a bottle where she gets her makeup. I prefer the red color because I can easily see that it has been sealed.

Hint... If you are going to seal the primers seal the bullets as well. I use a Q-tip to do a ring around the inside of the case mouth before seating the bullet. Use it sparingly.

I still seal my hunting rounds.

 

[marduk185]

Re: Primer Sealant

ive done the primers and bullets both but what im wondering is does sealing the bullet leave harmful gunky residual in the bore and does this clean out with mimimal cleaning or is this junk gonna cake up in the works eventually?

 

[Hummer]

Re: Primer Sealant

Very good question. Insofar as the nail polish goes I have neither experienced or heard of any problems. I have seen red and pink and clear used.
There was a problem back in mid 80s when Supervel ammo folks lost their source for mouth lacquer. The stuff they found in the interim would last for about sixty rounds in a semi auto before it gummed up works. A good cleaning took it out and weapons would go back to function for short while.

 

[tymurrey]

Re: Primer Sealant

Thanks for the input, i like the idea of using a colored sealer. I would think it would be an easy way to keep rounds seperated too by using seperate colors of polish to seal the primers. Might have to start doing that on my shotgun shells also.

 

[forsyth793]

Re: Primer Sealant

If you use some Wolf Small Rifle Magnum Primers before you do the remainder of your batch of brass, it will tighten up the fit between the primer pocket and the primer. These are good Hard Primers that have a Good SD & ES. Please Report your findings....