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Thread: sealing with shellac

  1. #1
    GunLoad Trainee
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    Default sealing with shellac

    I was inspecting some of dad's old hand-loads and I notice all his primers had a drop of shellac to seal them to the brass and most of the boolits did as well. Most of his cartridges that I am shooting were loaded by him at least 30 years ago and they still go bang just fine. But in my recent entry into hand-loading I have not seen this mentioned so a few questions popped up:

    Is this still done?

    Is it necessary?

    Was it ever necessary?

  2. #2
    Rainwatcher Jammer Six's Avatar
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    The only other person I've heard mention that was the T-man, Actions By T, Teddy, and he's as crazy as a three balled billy goat.
    "When I have your wounded."
    -Major Charles L. Kelly, callsign "Dustoff", refusing an order to leave a hot L.Z., July 1, 1964, moments before being killed by a single shot.

  3. #3
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    a lot of US military ammo was sealed around the bullet with a tar like substance.
    they done it to improve bullet pull, and the stuff is a pain to remove from the cases.
    some of the steel jacketed ammo has a sealant thats lacquer like.
    i have sealed a lot of my hunting shotshells with clear fingernail polish that i thin down and use a drip on the primer edge and the crimp.
    they still sell a lacquer for doing this it's stained red as i recall.
    it's just done as a waterproofer and it does work.

  4. #4
    Rainwatcher Jammer Six's Avatar
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    Runfiverun, what is "bullet pull"?
    "When I have your wounded."
    -Major Charles L. Kelly, callsign "Dustoff", refusing an order to leave a hot L.Z., July 1, 1964, moments before being killed by a single shot.

  5. #5
    Wise
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jammer Six View Post
    Runfiverun, what is "bullet pull"?
    Not River Run but bullet pull is the amount of force needed to extract a bullet from a loaded cartridge. Used by ammunition manufacturors to measure crimp strength and uniformity.
    Paul B.
    POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS AN OXYMORON PROMULGATED BY MORONS.

  6. #6
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    it's altered by neck tension of the case.
    the tension helps get the powder up and going before the bullet starts to move.
    it is also important in accuracy especially in revolvers.

  7. #7
    Rainwatcher Jammer Six's Avatar
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    I see. Thanks.
    "When I have your wounded."
    -Major Charles L. Kelly, callsign "Dustoff", refusing an order to leave a hot L.Z., July 1, 1964, moments before being killed by a single shot.

  8. #8
    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    Years ago I used to seal all my hunting ammo necks and primers with clear nail polish. These days I don't bother. Never had a misfire in the field either way, but I figure it can't hurt if you want to bother with it.

    And it might be really helpful if the ammo was exposed to penetrating oils/solvents like wd40 which ill-informed folks sometimes spray on their guns.

    I found that clear nail polish is much easier than shellac, has its own brush right in it too. Don't know where the bottle of it went, possibly raided by the girls. Three daughters keep me supplied with red, orange, white, and black nail polish for touching up iron sights (they all shoot, and they know which colors are available seasonally and where to get them). I ought to get some more of the clear stuff just to have it handy, but I suppose there's no reason not to use transparent colored stuff to tell different loads apart more easily. Hmmm....

    ....They could sell it all at shooting suppliers in all the colors needed, four or five opaques for sights, and a full spectrum of transparents for sealing and marking.

    I often have several different loads for a hunting rifle with different weight jacketed bullets and one or more cast designs. My favorite deer/moose rifle in .308 has all worked up and loaded for it varying amounts of 150, 165, and 180gr jacketed loads, 120, 150, 180, and 190gr cast loads, all in their own rows in a big square 100rd box. Different colored primer pockets would help me keep them all easily identified the next time the big box of mixed loads gets dumped by the thumb-fingered idiot I argue with in the mirror all over the kitchen floor at 4:30AM on opening morning....

    Old dogs can learn new tricks. I will give my youngest some cash and a mission. Thanks for starting this thread and making me think about it again in a new way.
    "Stand your ground.
    Do not fire unless fired upon.
    But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
    - Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775

  9. #9
    Rainwatcher Jammer Six's Avatar
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    The other place I've heard of sealing ammo is carry ammo.
    "When I have your wounded."
    -Major Charles L. Kelly, callsign "Dustoff", refusing an order to leave a hot L.Z., July 1, 1964, moments before being killed by a single shot.

  10. #10
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    i keep the clear around to fix the wrappings on my fishing poles also.
    if the threads around the eyes get a little nick or scratch i use it to touch them up.
    it's good to keep in the camp or fishing bag too, if you get a torn nail or a little annoying cut it can be used to keep the annoying part held in place or the nail split down till it grows out.
    i have used it as an emergency glue for eyeglass lenses before also.

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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