Firing Under Water

A 1911 will go about six feet, and still have a lethal effect at 4 feet. You do have to have the firearm fully filled with water. It is best to have it just inches from your target. Before you fire it, give it a little shake.
 
Well, at risk of proving myself an idiot instead of just sounding like one, a bud and I actually tried some "scientific" tests back in our younger, drunker, and dumber college days at my uncle's lake house. We stood in water up to our chest and submerged the guns completely, with one guy underwater watching through mask and snorkel.

Beretta 92 9mm- Finicky, doesn't like to fire underwater, many jams.

Glock 9 mm (I don't remember which one) - fired full mag, no jams

Ruger P89 9mm - fired full mag, no jams. *Interestingly, we also found out that the P89 will fire and cycle basically anything you can stick into it and close the slide on, 9x18, .380, whatever, it just doesn't care. The Beretta and Glock choked on anything but 9mm.

No apparent damage was done to any of the firearms or ourselves. By the way, it's wicked cool to watch a gun fire underwater, though I have to say "don't try this at home".


**** This has been almost 20 years ago and I'm much less adventurous now, no lectures needed :) ****
 
Youtube it, I seen people test guns underwater, They do not go far.. If I remember the 223 went only about 5~7 feet if that. A handgun 9mm I think goes only 3 feet. Just youtube shooting underwater, people do tests in pools with diving gear. You're not going hit anything unless its 1 foot away.

Another test was a 45acp 1911, in a pop up pool, it only went a few feet.
 
Years ago Glock tested one of their Glock 17 pistols. At about 3 feet the 9 mm bullet went through a 1/2 inch piece of plywood and the gun actually fed a new round into the chamber too. BUT the key to the feeding of the second round were fluted parts on a part of the recoil mechanism. Glock actually makes or used to make a version of their pistols for use by marine/water police groups. You would need to contact Glock for more information about their maritime police guns. If I remember right, the first maritime police group that got these special Glock pistols was the Miami Police Department.
 
Anyone remember Shoot to Kill starring Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger, and Kirsty Alley?

At the end of the movie Poitier and the bad guy end up under water and Poitier kills him with a close up shot with his .357.
 
Mythbusters... Season 6 - Episode 51 – "Myths Reopened"

Bullets fired underwater are not lethal beyond 1 meter. Very good episode and very well documented. They tried 9mm, 357, 12 gauge, and 30-06.
 
Many, many years ago, Jake Jatras, then the President of USPSA, tried this with a .45. As I recall, on a dare (Alcohol may have been involved), he jumped into a hotel pool with his 1911, which functioned just fine, but with limited range.

This is why the Russians (and presumably our SEALs) use special guns for shooting underwater. The Russians use a dart like projectile, rather than a bullet. Kind of a powder actuated spear gun.
 
Couple of things.

Don't use expanding ammunition. Don't put your head underwater while firing unless you have to and wear hearing protection if you do.
 
Bump!


So, I finally tried my RG-40 .38 special out in the pool today. The gun has a success rate to fire of about 25% in double action, and about 75% in single action. The 146gr LRN bullets infront of 4.0gr bullseye travel approximately 5 feet from the muzzle before being totally stopped sinking to the bottom. Accuracy was good enough to hit a red SOLO cup through the middle each time from 3 feet.

It was also very, very quiet underwater. About as loud as a firecracker going off underwater, but more of a dull thud.
 
Some years back Guns and Ammo magazine had an article on firing a Randall 1911 underwater. I believe the author of the article was Craig Boddington.
 
Not enough to cause any primer flattening in my .38 revolver.

I have a theory that the larger the frontal area of the bullet, the more the water affects the pressures as the bullet travels down the barrel. I saw no signs of overpressure, however at least 2 similar tests using .45 automatics noted flattened primers, and in the case of a Guns & Ammo magazine underwater test, they bulged the barrel on one of the RIA .45's they tested.

I will NOT be subjecting my Colt Series 80 Gov't model to this test!
 
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