Rifleman Q&A: Bullet & Primer Sealant

by
posted on September 19, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Qamain

Q. I recently purchased some pulled, military surplus bullets. They have quite a bit of black residue on them that I assume was the water sealant between the bullet and inside the case mouth. What is the sealant material made of?


A. The sealant used by ammunition manufacturers on bullets is usually an asphalt-based chemical. Very few handloaders think it to be necessary, and I personally don’t know of any who do try to duplicate the factory waterproofing. Handloads are typically used within a few years, and in that time, with the handloads stored in reasonably uniform conditions, there is very little possibility of moisture penetrating the physical seal between bullet and case mouth. The same goes for primer sealers. These two seals are primarily used on military ammunition, where storage and time considerations are more important.

—Dave Andrews


This “Questions & Answers” was featured in the October 2004 issue of American Rifleman. At time of publication, "Questions & Answers" was compiled by Staff, Ballistics Editor William C. Davis, Jr., and Contributing Editors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, O. Reid Coffield, Charles Q. Cutshaw, Charles M. Fagg, Angus Laidlaw, Evan P. Marshall, Charles E. Petty, Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jon R. Sundra, Jim Supica, A.W.F. Taylerson, John M. Taylor and John Treakle.

To subscribe to the magazine, visit NRA membership page here and select American Rifleman as your member magazine.

Latest

Double Stack 1911 Web Main
Double Stack 1911 Web Main

A Guide To Double-Stack 1911s

The 2011 brings double-stack capacity and modular upgrades to the 1911 platform, but not every wide-body 1911 out there earns that name.

Legislators Enjoy Afternoon Of Clays With Benelli USA, Among Others

A bipartisan group of Maryland state legislators met with firearm industry manufacturers and representatives for a day of clays shooting while also attending discussions on the positive economic impacts of the shooting sports.

2025 Ammunition Product Of The Year: Winchester .21 Sharp

For continuing to innovate, particularly in a corner of the ammo world that has seen very little recently, we named the Winchester .21 Sharp as our Ammunition Product Of The Year.

Rifleman Review: Hammerli Arms Force B1

The Hammerli Arms Force B1 is one of the most versatile rimfire rifles on the market, providing room for accessories, allowing for a personal stock fit and even offering caliber-interchangeability.

New For 2025: CZ Scorpion 3+ Magpul Edition

CZ-USA has enhanced its Scorpion 3+ pistol-caliber carbine yet again with a slate of factory-installed Magpul components and accessories.

Summer Suppressor Deals On Now

Whether it is a BOGO deal from SIG or free tax stamps from Guns.com and Silencer Central, there's plenty of hearing-safe savings to be had this summer.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.