Squibs... the killers.

Mercury is hazardous, if you handle it with your bare hands, or if you heat it, in which case it becomes a gas, a very heavy gas, but none the less a gas.

Lead is toxic as well, so are some of the gases formed when gunpowder burns. Makes me wonder how toxic the air is at indoor ranges.
 
Now you tell us.
When I was a kid in high school, we played with mercury in chemistry lab all the time.
It was neat the way it could be rolled into a ball, from a puddle.
 
Squibs are usually caused by a malfunction in the loading process where no powder, or a very light powder charge is dumped into the shell. The problem with Squibs is that they have just enough punch (sometimes) from the primer to lodge the bullet into the barrel, still permitting another round to be chambered with a severe barrel obstruction. We all know what happens next.

The problem the OP describes is really more of a hang-fire, a delayed ignition of the powder by the primer usually because the powder is damp or there is some problem with it. Most factory ammo already have sealed primers, some have some kind of sealant where the bullet is seated. In that case, further sealing the cartridge with nail polish probably won't do much. But, if I were going to be carrying a gun in a very wet, jungle environment, I might take some extra precaution and put an extra seal on the primer and around the bullet. Just don't over do it, and there shouldn't be any problem.
 
Again, thank you all for your input.

I stored my rounds in the room with the least amount of moisture in a real wood dresser. Fired these rounds in at the range (see pics in my next thread) without any problems. Yet after the traumatic episode with my SW442 ya can bet that a little fingernail polish is going on all my rounds.

Dear Skans,

Thank you for the terminology: hang-fire.

Best regards,
D. Idaho
 
Skans said:
The problem the OP describes is really more of a hang-fire, a delayed ignition of the powder by the primer .....

Had it been a hang fire, the bullet would have likely cleared the barrel, or worse yet, fired after the cylinder rotated.

Bob Wright
 
I have some primers and powder that are at least 26 years old.

I load with them. No problems at all.
 
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